10 And I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness. 11 And I gave them my statutes, and made known unto them mine ordinances, which if a man do, he shall live by them. 12 And I also gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I [am] Jehovah that hallow them. 13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they rejected mine ordinances, which if a man do, he shall live by them; and my sabbaths they greatly profaned: and I said I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them. 14 But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out. 15 And I also lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land that I had given [them], flowing with milk and honey, which is the ornament of all lands; 16 because they rejected mine ordinances and walked not in my statutes, and profaned my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols. 17 But mine eye spared them so as not to destroy them, neither did I make a full end of them in the wilderness. 18 And I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk not in the statutes of your fathers, neither keep their ordinances, nor defile yourselves with their idols. 19 I [am] Jehovah your God: walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them; 20 and hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I [am] Jehovah your God. 21 And the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept mine ordinances to do them, which if a man do, he shall live by them; they profaned my sabbaths: and I said I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish mine anger against them in the wilderness. 22 But I withdrew my hand, and wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out. 23 I lifted up my hand also unto them in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the nations, and disperse them through the countries; 24 because they performed not mine ordinances, and rejected my statutes, and profaned my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols. 25 And I also gave them statutes that were not good, and ordinances whereby they should not live; 26 and I defiled them by their own gifts, in that they devoted all that opened the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I [am] Jehovah.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Ezekiel 20:10-26
Commentary on Ezekiel 20:10-26
(Read Ezekiel 20:10-26)
The history of Israel in the wilderness is referred to in the new Testament as well as in the Old, for warning. God did great things for them. He gave them the law, and revived the ancient keeping of the sabbath day. Sabbaths are privileges; they are signs of our being his people. If we do the duty of the day, we shall find, to our comfort, it is the Lord that makes us holy, that is, truly happy, here; and prepares us to be happy, that is, perfectly holy, hereafter. The Israelites rebelled, and were left to the judgments they brought upon themselves. God sometimes makes sin to be its own punishment, yet he is not the Author of sin: there needs no more to make men miserable, than to give them up to their own evil desires and passions.