Ezekiel 20:18-32

“I warned their children in the wilderness: ‘Do not follow the ways of your ancestors, do not practice their standard of justice, and do not defile yourselves with their foul idols. I am YAHWEH your God. Keep my laws, obey my commands, and follow them. Keep my Sabbaths as holy days. Let them be a covenant-sign between me and you, to remind you that I am YAHWEH your God.’ “However, like their parents, the next generation rebelled against me; they refused to keep my laws and did not respect or practice my standard of justice so that they would follow my laws and live by them. They also dishonored my Sabbaths. So, in my fury I decided to punish them and pour out my anger on them in the desert. But I restrained myself to protect the honor of my name so that I would not be profaned in the eyes of the surrounding nations who saw me reveal myself by bringing the Israelites out of Egypt. Moreover, I made a vow to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them throughout the nations and disperse them into foreign countries. I did this because they had broken my laws, refused to obey my commands, dishonored my Sabbaths, and their hearts chased after the idols of their ancestors. And for this reason I gave them laws and regulations that resulted in punishment, not life. And because they sacrificed their firstborn children in the fire, I declared them defiled and unfit to worship me. I did this to fill them with revulsion so that they would know that I am YAHWEH.” “Therefore, son of man, speak to the people of Israel in exile and say to them, ‘Lord YAHWEH says to you: Here is another instance of your ancestors blaspheming me by their infidelity. When I had brought them into the promised land, they discovered all sorts of high hills and all kinds of spreading trees. That is where they offered sacrifices and made offerings to false gods that provoked my anger. That is where they burned incense and poured out drink offerings to false gods. So I asked them: What is this high place where you go?’ ” (So its name is called High Place to this day.) “Say to the Israelites in exile, ‘Lord YAHWEH says to you: Will you defile yourselves in the same way your ancestors did and act like a prostitute with your idol worship? For when you offer your gifts and sacrifice your children as sacrifices by fire, you defile yourselves with all your idol worship to this very day. Do you think you can come and consult with me? As surely as I live, I will not answer you. I, Lord YAHWEH, have spoken! “ ‘You are saying that you want to worship idols of wood and stone and be like the nations around you. But what you have in mind will never happen.