Ezekiel 11:20
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so that they may follow My statutes, keep My ordinances, and practice them. Then they will be My people, and I will be their God.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
This chapter concludes the vision which Ezekiel saw, and this part of it furnished him with two messages: - I. A message of wrath against those who continued still at Jerusalem, and were there in the height of presumption, thinking they should never fall (Eze 11:1-13). II. A message of comfort to those who were carried captives into Babylon and were there in the depth of despondency, thinking they should never rise. And, as the former are assured that God has judgments in store for them notwithstanding their present security, so the later are assured that God has mercy in store for them notwithstanding their present distress (Eze 11:14-21). And so the glory of God removes further (Eze 11:22, Eze 11:23). The vision disappears (Eze 11:24), and Ezekiel faithfully gives his hearers an account of it (Eze 11:25).
Open source ↗11:20 Their changed hearts and spirits would enable the Lord’s people to obey his decrees and regulations so that the goal of the covenant relationship—people living with their God in their midst—might at last be achieved. The new heart and new spirit promised here to God’s people has become a reality (Heb 8:8-13). Through the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost, God’s people have become a new creation (2 Cor 5:17).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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in order that the house of Israel may no longer stray from Me and no longer defile themselves with all their transgressions. Then they will be My people and I will be their God, declares the Lord GOD.’”
that they might keep His statutes and obey His laws. Hallelujah!
“And you will be My people, and I will be your God.”
“But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people.
Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and decrees of the Lord.
Instead, they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
which I commanded your forefathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace, saying, ‘Obey Me, and do everything I command you, and you will be My people, and I will be your God.’
This third I will bring through the fire;I will refine them like silverand test them like gold.They will call on My name,and I will answer them.I will say, ‘They are My people,’and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’”
I run in the path of Your commandments, for You will enlarge my heart.
For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their minds and inscribe them on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people.