Ezekiel 20:30-38

Having reminded them of what their ancestors had done, God now gives the solution. They are to live in a different way, to stop defiling themselves as their ancestors did. People who do defiles themselves cannot inquire of the Lord.

In their hearts the Israelites wanted to be just like the other nations, this included worshipping gods of wood and stone. Now we might say that we would never want to worship idols of wood or stone, but there can still be a longing to be like the world.

God declares that their desire will not be fulfilled. For they are His people, so he will execute judgement upon them. This might offend us, for we might say we can choose to live how we like, but this is a lie. We either belong to the Lord or to the devil. God would take the Israelites into the wilderness to judge them.

This judging would be a purging of the nation. Some would remain, but all whose hearts were not for the Lord would be removed. In the same way God will purify His church. Israel did not belong to herself, she belonged to the Lord. In the same way the church does not belong to us, it belongs to Christ and He can do with us what He likes.