Ezekiel 20:39

Amharic New Standard Translation (አማርኛ አዲሱ መደበኛ ትርጉም) 2005

የእስራኤል ሕዝብ ሆይ! ልዑል እግዚአብሔር ስለ እናንተ እንዲህ ይላል፦ “አሁንም ሆነ ወደፊት የማታዳምጡኝ ከሆነ እያንዳንዳችሁ ሄዳችሁ ጣዖቶቻችሁን አምልኩ! ቅዱስ ስሜን ግን ከእንግዲህ ወዲያ በጣዖቶቻችሁና በመባዎቻችሁ እንድታስነውሩት አልፈቅድም።

What Does This Mean?

In this verse, God is speaking to the house of Israel, saying that if they choose to serve their idols, they must do so without polluting His holy name with their gifts and idols. The key message is about the importance of not mixing false worship with true worship of God.

Explained for Children

Imagine you have a special toy that you really like, but your parents have told you not to play with it. God is saying to the people, if you still want to play with your toys instead of listening to me, that's okay, but don't use my special things or name when you play with them.

Historical Background

This verse comes from the book of Ezekiel, written by the prophet Ezekiel around 593-571 BCE. It was addressed to the exiled Israelites in Babylon, a time when many were tempted to worship idols and abandon their faith in God.

Living It Out Today

In modern life, this verse reminds us to be clear about our faith. For example, if someone is at work and their colleagues pressure them to participate in activities that go against their beliefs, they should respectfully decline and not allow their beliefs to be compromised.

Topics

• idolatry
• worship
• faithfulness
• compromise
• holiness
• God's name

Related Verses

• Exodus 20:3-6
• 1 Corinthians 10:14-22
• Deuteronomy 12:29-32
• Romans 1:21-25
• Jeremiah 10:2-5

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean to pollute God's holy name?

Polluting God's holy name means using His name inappropriately or in a way that dishonors Him, such as mixing His name with idol worship.

How does this verse relate to modern-day idolatry?

This verse warns against letting anything, even modern-day distractions like wealth or popularity, overshadow the worship of God, much like the ancient Israelites' idols.

What should one do if they realize they've been serving idols?

One should repent, turn away from false worship, and focus on true devotion to God, ensuring their actions honor His name.

How can this verse be applied in a community setting?

Communities can use this verse to reflect on how they might be compromising their faith and to reaffirm their commitment to honoring God's name in all their actions and worship.