Ezekiel 20:8
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.
In Egypt Israel rebelled against God, refusing to listen to Him and refusing to cast away every man the detestable things before their eyes or forsake the idols of Egypt. After many years of servitude surrounded by idolatry, many lost the knowledge of the true God as Maker of heaven and earth and forgot His law. They united with the Egyptians in worshiping the sun, moon, and stars, and beasts and images of wood and stone made by human hands, bowing down to Egyptian deities and offering sacrifice to lifeless, senseless objects.
Only a faithful few among the Hebrews preserved the knowledge of the true God, grieving to see their children witnessing and joining in these abominations. They cried to the Lord to bring them out of Egypt to be rid of idolatry and its corrupting influences. Many others had become corrupted and were content to remain in bondage rather than face the difficulties of journeying to a new country, and their unwillingness to leave Egypt made the work of Moses much harder.
God declared He would pour out His fury upon them in the midst of the land of Egypt to accomplish His anger against them, yet He acted for His name's sake so that it would not be profaned among the nations. He did not free them by the first display of signs and wonders before Pharaoh, but overruled events to more fully expose Pharaoh's tyrannical spirit. In this way He displayed His great power before the Egyptians and before His people, so they would become anxious to leave Egypt and choose His service. The verse warns that God will punish rebellion, including efforts to enforce Sunday observance in opposition to the seventh-day Sabbath.