Ezekiel 20:32

32 "'What you want will not come true. You say, "We want to be like the other nations, like the people in other lands. We want to worship idols made of wood and stone."

Ezekiel 20:32 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 20:32

And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all
What they had contrived in their own breasts, and laid a plan of, and would gladly have brought about, should be frustrated, take no effect, and come to nothing: that ye say, we will be as the Heathen;
live without God; not be in subjection to him, or under his government, or be called by his name, or attend to his word, worship, and ordinances; but join ourselves to them; enter into alliance, and intermarry with them; carry on trade and commerce with them, and embrace the same religion; and then we shall prosper as they do, as well as no more incur the reproach of singularity or preciseness in religion: as the families of the countries:
being incorporated into them, dwelling with them, and joining with them in the same exercises of religious worship: to serve wood and stone;
images made of wood and stone. Strange! that a people that had a revelation from God, and such an experience of his power and goodness, should ever form such a scheme, or once think of entering into such measures, so grossly absurd and scandalous.

Ezekiel 20:32 In-Context

30 "So say to the people of Israel: 'This is what the Lord God says: Are you going to make yourselves unclean as your ancestors did? Are you going to be unfaithful and desire their hateful idols?

31 When you offer your children as gifts and sacrifice them in the fire, you are making yourselves unclean with all your idols even today. So, people of Israel, should I let you ask me questions? As surely as I live, says the Lord God, I will not accept questions from you.

32 "'What you want will not come true. You say, "We want to be like the other nations, like the people in other lands. We want to worship idols made of wood and stone."

33 As surely as I live, says the Lord God, I will use my great power and strength and anger to rule over you.

34 I will bring you out from the foreign nations. With my great power and strength and anger I will gather you from the lands where you are scattered.