Ezekiel chapter 20

vs 21

Because really, the generation after the one that came out of Egypt wasn't really all that much better. I will at this stage point out that although God could demand perfection, he does not. He demands righteousness and repentance, even from Israel. He gets neither, and that's the problem.

Remember also that this is not just a history lesson, but it is meant to be a living historical notation to the present Israelites. They are meant to see their own faces in the faces of these people being described.

vs 22

Again, God makes the same decision - he will punish them, but not by simply striking them all dead in the desert.

vs 23

Hence the blessings and curses given in Deuteronomy. So God determines that he will punish his people... later.

vs 24

They still had idols! Can you believe that? The Israelite who carried an idol over the Jordan river when it was parted by God for him to enter his promised land must be one stubborn ass.

vs 25

The rules they followed - the statutes of idols and foreign gods - were still given to them by God, although if you like through proxy. He gave them rules that were not like his own - rules that weren't going to make them live (in the sense of live righteously and hence live long in God's sight).

vs 26

God made the rules and statutes of the foreign gods and idols so oppressive and so onerous that Israel might realise the horror of following them - sacrificing one's children for example - and know that surely only God is God.

vs 27

Oh, so now we're going on to part two of why Israel deserves this punishment so bad.

vs 28

Basically, they didn't do what they were told. You can see this in Judges - even though they might be offering sacrifices, God said specifically that he would have one place to do so, not every tree and hill and high place.

vs 29

Does that mean Obama is tall?

God quizzed them on this. Why would they go to high places, when told specifically not to? There is nothing in God's commands that even suggests that sacrifices and offerings should be made in high places. Why do it then? Because the Canaanites did it, that's why! It is the resumption of the old religious practices of the previous inhabitants. And God doesn't like that one iota.

vs 30

The answer is 'hopefully no, but probably yes, and in fact... um, sorta already did. Oops.'