In Ezekiel 20 a group of the elders of Israel went to Ezekiel the prophet to inquire of the Lord only to find out quickly that this was a mistake! The Lord says in simple terms, “As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you” (20:3). Why? Because of the consistent sin of Israel as a people from the time of the exodus up until the present. The people in their hypocrisy rejected the Lord through their deeds again and again and would then go to Him as if nothing had happened.
The Lord recounts how His law was meant to bring life if it was obeyed (20:11,13, 21). It was supposed to bring blessing as the people followed His guidance for their lives and lived out the implications of the covenant they made with Him. Unfortunately, they didn’t follow God’s ways, and the commandment that was intended to bring blessing brings a curse as they fall short again and again. The people were steeped in idolatry, they didn’t keep the Sabbath and were guilty of other forms of disobedience. Yet, they came to Ezekiel as if nothing was wrong. We can imagine them almost nonchalantly approaching the prophet to inquire of the LORD, and God won’t have any of it. He responds,
“When you present your gifts and offer up your children in fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. And shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you”
Ezekiel 20:31, ESV
God knows the truth of our lives. He knows when our worship is a farce. He knows when our “devotion” is merely using Him. He knows any area of hypocrisy we might hide from the rest of the world. The elders of Israel thought everything was fine in serving other gods, they were fine to disobey God’s commands, and then they would come to Him with their requests and questions, and He would simply respond as if nothing had happened. They didn’t come with clothes torn, wearing sackcloth and ashes. They didn’t rend their hearts or their garments. Instead, they came casually as if they were on good terms with the Almighty although with their lives they thoroughly rejected Him.
It reminds me of what Jesus once said, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46). If we claim that He is our God, then we ought to walk in His ways. If we don’t, but we still expect His blessings, let’s not be surprised when we go to Him and He doesn’t respond. Perhaps we ought to first make things right with Him in true repentance before assuming that He’ll meet our needs like some sort of heavenly vending machine when He doesn’t first have our hearts.
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