792_Before we ask for another word (Ezekiel 20)
Ezekiel 20:39-44 “As for you, O house of Israel, thus says the Lord God: Go serve every one of you his idols, now and hereafter, if you will not listen to me; but my holy name you shall no more profane with your gifts and your idols.
40 “For on my holy mountain, the mountain height of Israel, declares the Lord God, there all the house of Israel, all of them, shall serve me in the land. There I will accept them, and there I will require your contributions and the choicest of your gifts, with all your sacred offerings. 41 As a pleasing aroma I will accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered. And I will manifest my holiness among you in the sight of the nations. 42 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the country that I swore to give to your fathers. 43 And there you shall remember your ways and all your deeds with which you have defiled yourselves, and you shall loathe yourselves for all the evils that you have committed. 44 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name’s sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, declares the Lord God.”
Imagine a man standing at a crossroads, holding a map in his hands. He has been asking someone who knows the way, “Which road should I take?” The answer comes back clearly: “Take the road on your right.” But he doesn’t like that road, so he ignores the instruction and continues walking his own way. A little later, he comes back and asks, “What should I do now? Which way should I go?” The problem is not that he needs another answer. He simply hasn’t obeyed the answer he already received.
Something very similar can happen in our relationship with God. We ask, “Lord, what should I do? Where should I go? What is Your will for my life?” And sometimes, while we are waiting for a fresh word from God, He may be reminding us of something He has already said.
That is the sobering situation we encounter in Ezekiel 20. The chapter begins with the elders of Israel coming to Ezekiel to inquire of the LORD. They appear to be seeking God’s guidance. But God’s response is startling: “As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you” (Ezekiel 20:3).
Why would God refuse to answer people who had come to inquire of Him? The rest of the chapter explains why. God takes them back through Israel’s history and reminds them of how often He had spoken to His people—and how often they had refused to listen.
First, He reminds them of what happened in Egypt. He had chosen Israel and told them to cast away the detestable things of Egypt and not defile themselves with its idols. But they rebelled against Him. Then, in the wilderness, God gave them His statutes and judgments and established the Sabbath as a sign between Himself and them. Yet they rebelled again. When the next generation arose, the same pattern continued. And even after God brought them into the Promised Land, they persisted in idolatry and disobedience.
What we see in Ezekiel 20 is a frightening progression. Sin that is resisted at first can become tolerated when repeatedly excused. What is tolerated can become habitual. What becomes habitual can eventually become deeply entrenched. Israel had heard God’s voice many times, but repeated disobedience had dulled their response to it.
And yet, remarkably, throughout this history of rebellion, God repeatedly showed mercy. Several times in this chapter, God says that He restrained His judgment “for the sake of my name.” Israel deserved judgment, but God demonstrated patience because He remained faithful to His covenant and would not allow His name to be dishonored among the nations.
That reminds us that God’s patience should never be mistaken for God’s approval. The fact that judgment has not yet come does not mean that God has overlooked our disobedience. His patience is an opportunity to repent. As Paul writes in Romans 2:4, God’s kindness is intended to lead us to repentance.
And this brings us back to those elders who came to inquire of God. They wanted to hear from Him, but their history showed that they had repeatedly ignored what He had already spoken. They wanted God’s guidance, but they had not demonstrated a willingness to obey God’s revealed will.
Perhaps that is why God’s words are so searching: “I will not be inquired of by you.”
There is a difference between wanting God’s direction and wanting God’s lordship. We can desire God’s guidance for our future while resisting His authority over our present. We can ask Him, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” while knowingly neglecting something He has already told us to do.
We may want guidance about our relationships while ignoring His command to forgive. We may ask for direction about our ministry while neglecting His call to humility and holiness. We may pray about our future while refusing to surrender something in our present. We may ask God to show us the next step while refusing to take the step He has already shown us.
And so, before we ask God for another word, perhaps we should ask ourselves, “What have I done with the last word He gave me?”
Scripture repeatedly connects hearing with obedience. Jesus said in Luke 11:28, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” The purpose of God’s Word is not merely to inform us but to transform us. James says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22).
In fact, sometimes what we call God’s silence may not really be silence at all. God may already have spoken clearly through His Word, but we are looking for a new answer because we do not like the old one.
That is where the danger of a divided heart becomes evident. Israel wanted the LORD, but they also wanted their idols. They wanted God’s blessings without abandoning the things that competed with God for their allegiance. But authentic worship requires an undivided heart.
And yet Ezekiel 20 is not only a chapter about rebellion and judgment. There is hope running through it. God speaks of gathering His people, bringing them into the wilderness, purging the rebels, and restoring them to the land. His purpose is not simply to destroy but to purify and restore. He desires a people who will truly know Him and worship Him.
That gives us hope when we recognize disobedience in our own lives. The answer is not despair. The answer is repentance. We can return to the God who has been patient with us.
But the chapter also contains a sobering picture near its conclusion. God speaks of a fire that will consume the forest. It is a powerful image of judgment. A fire may begin small, but when warnings are repeatedly ignored, eventually the consequences become unavoidable.
The fire did not come without warning. God had spoken again and again.
And perhaps that is one of the most important lessons of Ezekiel 20: God’s warnings are expressions of His mercy before they become experiences of His judgment. When God confronts us about something in our lives, we should not continually postpone obedience, assuming that there will always be another opportunity.
So, before you ask God for another word, pause and listen again to the Word you already have. Is there something He has clearly revealed that you have been postponing? Is there an attitude He has been confronting? Is there a command you have been rationalizing away? Is there forgiveness you have been withholding, a habit you have been protecting, a relationship you have been handling according to your own wisdom, or an idol you have been unwilling to surrender?
Perhaps the next step is not to ask, “Lord, what should I do?” Perhaps it is to say, “Lord, help me obey what You have already told me.”
God’s guidance is not given merely to satisfy our curiosity about tomorrow. It is given to transform our obedience today. And when we faithfully walk in the light God has already given us, we are in a much better place to recognize His leading when He gives us further direction.
Jesus said, “If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God” (John 7:17). There is a profound connection between willingness to obey and ability to discern.
So today, before asking God for another word, take time to remember the last word He gave you. Open His Word. Listen carefully. Bring your heart honestly before Him. And if He shows you something that needs to change, don’t merely admire the truth—obey it.
You may not need a new direction today. You may simply need to walk faithfully in the direction God has already shown you.
And as you do, remember this: the God who confronted Israel’s rebellion was also the God who patiently pursued them, preserved them, and promised restoration. His correction is not evidence that He has abandoned you. His warnings are invitations to return.
So let us not wait for another word while ignoring the one we already have. Let us listen, obey, and walk faithfully in the light God has given us. God bless
Take a few moments to reflect on these questions
What does Ezekiel 20 reveal about the relationship between repeatedly ignoring God’s Word and eventually becoming insensitive to His voice?
Why do you think we sometimes seek fresh guidance from God while avoiding something He has already clearly revealed to us?
How can you practically respond when God brings to your attention an area of your life where obedience has been delayed or compromised?
Let us pray
Heavenly Father, we thank You for speaking to us through Your Word. Enlighten our hearts to understand the truths You have taught us, and help us recognize the areas where we have heard Your voice but have failed to obey. Give us the strength to believe what You have said, to surrender anything that competes with You, and to put Your Word into practice. Help us not to seek another word while ignoring the truth You have already revealed. Give us humble and willing hearts that listen, obey, and walk faithfully in Your ways. In Jesus Christ’s name. Amen
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