Ezekiel 20:7-9

Ezekiel 20:7-9

[7] Then said  I unto them, Cast ye away  every man  the abominations  of his eyes,  and defile  not yourselves with the idols  of Egypt:  I am the LORD  your God.  [8] But they rebelled  against me, and would  not hearken  unto me: they did not every man  cast away  the abominations  of their eyes,  neither did they forsake  the idols  of Egypt:  then I said,  I will pour out  my fury  upon them, to accomplish  my anger  against them in the midst  of the land  of Egypt.  [9] But I wrought  for my name's  sake, that it should not be polluted  before  the heathen,  among  whom they were, in whose sight  I made myself known  unto them, in bringing them forth  out of the land  of Egypt. 

What does Ezekiel 20:7-9 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The Lord had told the Israelites to abandon the detestable, defiling gods of Egypt because He was their God, but they rebelled against Him and refused to do so (cf. Exodus 5:19-21; Exodus 6:9; Leviticus 17:7; Leviticus 18:3; Leviticus 26:30; Deuteronomy 29:16-17; Joshua 24:14). He purposed to judge His people in Egypt for their rebellion, and their enslavement there was partially a judgment for their idolatry. Some expositors believed that this is a reference to God judging the Israelites at Mt. Sinai because of the Golden Calf incident. [1] However it seems clear that the Lord was referring to Israel"s idolatry in Egypt before the Exodus , which is not revealed as explicitly elsewhere in Scripture. Then He chose to bring them out of Egypt for the sake of His reputation among the other nations (cf. Genesis 15:13-16).
"Though Israel had failed to sanctify the name of the Lord among the nations, the Lord himself would do so by his deliverance of Israel from Egypt [2]." [3]