Ezekiel 20:26

Arabic 2016 (الكِتاب المُقَدَّس: التَّرْجَمَةُ العَرَبِيَّةُ المُبَسَّطَةُ)

تَرَكْتُهُمْ يَتَنَجَّسُونَ بِعَطَايَاهُمْ، حَتَّى قَدَّمُوا أبكَارَهُمْ كَقَرَابِينَ، لِكَي أُدَمِّرَهُمْ. حينَئِذٍ، يَعْلَمُونَ أنِّي أنَا اللهُ!

What Does This Mean?

In this verse, God is speaking and says that He made the Israelites' offerings unholy because they sacrificed their firstborn to false gods. This was to make them understand their dire situation and recognize that He is the true Lord.

Explained for Children

Imagine if you had a favorite toy that you wanted to give to a pretend toy god, but your parents said, 'No, that's wrong, and it makes your gift not special anymore.' God is telling the Israelites that their actions made their gifts not special, so they could understand that He is the real God they should listen to.

Historical Background

Ezekiel wrote this verse around 590 BC, during a time when the Israelites were being exiled from their homeland for their disobedience. This message was to a group of people who were struggling with idol worship and needed to be reminded of God's authority.

Living It Out Today

Today, we might face situations where we try to please other things or people instead of God, like prioritizing wealth or status over faith. This verse reminds us that God wants us to focus on Him and not let other things distract us from our relationship with Him.

Topics

• idolatry
• worship
• God's sovereignty
• sacrifice
• faithfulness
• exile

Related Verses

• Leviticus 18:21
• Deuteronomy 12:31
• Jeremiah 7:31
• 2 Kings 23:10
• Isaiah 57:5

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did God say He 'polluted' the gifts?

God 'polluted' the gifts because the Israelites were sacrificing their firstborn to false gods, which made their offerings unholy and displeasing to Him.

What does it mean to 'make them desolate'?

Making them desolate means that God wanted the Israelites to feel the consequences of their actions and recognize their dire situation, leading them to turn back to Him.

What does 'that I might make them desolate' teach us?

This phrase teaches us that sometimes, God allows difficult circumstances to happen so that people can realize their need for Him and turn back to Him.

How can we apply this verse to our lives today?

We can apply this verse by ensuring that our actions and decisions are focused on honoring God, not on pleasing other things or people, and by being mindful of the consequences of our choices.