Our Father Refused to Be Consulted
20 1 In the seventh year, the fifth month, the tenth of the month, some elders of Israel came to consult our Father, and sat before me.
2 Then the word of our Father came to me:
3 Mortal, tell Israel's elders: This is what the Sovereign Father says: Have you come to ask me? As I live, I will not let you ask me, declares the Sovereign Father.
4 Will you judge them? Will you judge them, mortal? Then confront them with the detestable things their ancestors did, 5 and tell them: This is what the Sovereign Father says: On the day I chose Israel, I raised my hand in an oath to the descendants of Jacob's house, making myself known to them in Egypt. With raised hand I told them, 'I am your Father.' 6 That day I swore to bring them out of Egypt to a land I had scouted for them, flowing with milk and honey, the finest of all lands. 7 I told them, 'Each of you, throw away the vile images your eyes are fixed on; don't make yourselves unclean with Egypt's idols. I am your Father.'
8 But they rebelled against me and would not listen; no one threw away the detestable things their eyes clung to, and none gave up Egypt's idols. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them there in Egypt. 9 But for my name's sake I acted, so it would not be desecrated before the nations they lived among, before whom I had made myself known by bringing them out of Egypt.
10 So I led them out of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. 11 I gave them my decrees and made my laws known to them—whoever obeys them will live. 12 I also gave them my sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I am their Father, who makes them holy.
13 But Israel's house rebelled against me in the wilderness. They refused to walk by my decrees and rejected my laws — though whoever keeps them lives by them — and thoroughly desecrated my sabbaths. So in the wilderness I said I would pour out my wrath on them to destroy them. 14 But I acted for my name's sake, so it would not be desecrated before the nations who saw me bring them out. 15 In the desert I also raised my hand, vowing not to bring them into the land I gave them—flowing with milk and honey, loveliest of all lands. 16 —for they rejected my laws, ignored my decrees, and desecrated my sabbaths, their hearts set on their idols. 17 Yet I had pity on them and did not put an end to them in the wilderness. 18 In the wilderness I told their children: Don't follow your parents' rules or keep their laws or make yourselves unclean with their idols. 19 I am your Father; follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. 20 Keep my sabbaths holy; they will be a sign between us, so you will know I am your Father.'
21 But the children rebelled against me. They did not follow my decrees or keep my laws—the person who obeys them will live—and they desecrated my sabbaths. So I said I would pour out my anger on them, spending my fury on them in the wilderness. 22 But I held back my hand and acted for my name's sake, so it would not be desecrated before the nations who saw me bring them out. 23 With raised hand I swore to them in the wilderness to disperse them among the nations and scatter them through the lands, 24 because they had not obeyed my laws, rejected my decrees, desecrated my sabbaths, and their eyes lusted after their parents' idols. 25 So I gave them statutes that were not good and laws by which they could not live; a a v25 This does not mean our Father gave evil commands. Having refused his good laws, the people were handed over to the ruinous practices they themselves chose—their idolatry left to run its deadly course. 26 I let them be made unclean by their gifts—every firstborn sacrificed—to fill them with horror, that they would know I am their Father.
27 So, mortal, tell the people of Israel: The Sovereign Father says: In this too your ancestors blasphemed me, by being unfaithful to me: 28 After I brought them into the land I swore with a raised hand to give them, they saw every high hill and leafy tree, sacrificed their offerings there, presented gifts that provoked me, sent up their pleasing incense, and poured out their drink offerings. 29 Then I asked them: What is this high place you keep going to? (Called Bamah to this day.) b b v29 The name Bamah means a pagan "high place." The question plays on its sound — "what is the high place you keep going to?" — and the name stuck.
30 So tell the people of Israel: The Sovereign Father says: Will you make yourselves unclean like your ancestors and lust after their vile images? 31 When you present offerings and pass your children through fire, you keep making yourselves unclean with all your idols, even now. Should I be consulted by you, house of Israel? As I live, declares the Sovereign Father, I will not be consulted by you.
32 You say, 'Let us be like the nations, like the peoples of other lands, serving wood and stone.' But what your mind conceives will never happen.
33 As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Father, I will reign over you with a strong hand, an extended arm, and outpoured wrath. 34 I will bring you out from the nations, gather you from the lands where you were scattered, with a strong hand, an outreached arm, and poured-out wrath. 35 I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations, and there judge you face to face. 36 As I judged your ancestors in Egypt's wilderness, so I will judge you, declares the Sovereign Father. 37 I will count you as you pass under my rod and bring you into the bond of the covenant. c c v37 Shepherds counted and inspected their flock by making the sheep pass one by one under a raised staff. Our Father pictures himself as the shepherd numbering his own. 38 I will purge from among you those who revolt and rebel against me. I will bring them out of the land where they live, but they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know I am your Father.
39 And you, people of Israel, this is what the Sovereign Father says: Go, each of you, serve your idols! But afterward you will surely listen to me and no longer desecrate my holy name with your gifts and your idols. 40 For on my holy mountain, Israel's high mountain, declares the Sovereign Father, there in the land all Israel's people will serve me, and there I will accept them. There I will require your offerings, your finest gifts, and all your holy sacrifices. 41 I will accept you as fragrant incense when I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the lands where you were scattered, and through you I will show myself holy before the nations. 42 Then you will know I am your Father, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the land I swore with uplifted hand to give your ancestors. 43 There you will remember your conduct and all the deeds you defiled yourselves by, and you will hate yourselves for all the evil you have done. 44 You will know I am your Father when I deal with you for my name's sake, not by your evil ways and corrupt deeds, people of Israel, declares the Sovereign Father.
Fire Against the South
45 The word of our Father came to me:
46 Mortal, face the south; preach against it and prophesy against the forest of the southland. 47 Say to the southern forest: Hear the word of our Father. The Sovereign Father says: I am about to light a fire in you that devours every tree, green and dry alike. Its blaze will not be put out; it will scorch every face from south to north. 48 Everyone will see that I, your Father, lit it; it will not go out.
49 Then I said, "Ah, Sovereign Father! They are saying of me, 'Isn't he just speaking in parables?'"
