Behold, the princes of Israel, every one were in thee to their power to shed blood.
Ezekiel 20 to 22 stands within the first division of the book, chapters 1 to 24, which consists of prophetic warnings given before the destruction of Jerusalem and is occupied with correction, denunciation, and reproof. The princes of Israel are identified as each using his own power to shed blood. Their abuse of authority is presented as part of the nation's corruption.
The shedding of blood by the princes appears among the sins of Jerusalem that are condemned alongside Sabbath breaking. The idolatry and desecration of the Sabbath shown in this chapter were among the transgressions that led to the people's dispersion and exile in Babylon. The verse shows the pagan division of Babylon at work in Israel, with its priests so carried away by pagan apostasy as to violate God's law and profane His Sabbath.
Sun-worship brought with it Sunday as its day of worship in place of the Sabbath of Jehovah, making paganism a complete rival system with its own priests, temples, forms of worship, and worship day. The verse means sin must be forgiven, or it will be consumed. The verse belongs to God's description of the present generation, speaking of the same time and people addressed in Isaiah 30:8-11, Ezekiel 13, and Jeremiah 6:9-19, namely the professed people of God in the last days, where Israel means the people of God and remnant means the last part.
Ezekiel 20 to 22 stands within the first division of the book, chapters 1 to 24, which consists of prophetic warnings given before the destruction of Jerusalem and is occupied with correction, denunciation, and reproof. The princes of Israel are identified as each using his own power to shed blood. Their abuse of authority is presented as part of the nation's corruption.
The shedding of blood by the princes appears among the sins of Jerusalem that are condemned alongside Sabbath breaking. The idolatry and desecration of the Sabbath shown in this chapter were among the transgressions that led to the people's dispersion and exile in Babylon. The verse shows the pagan division of Babylon at work in Israel, with its priests so carried away by pagan apostasy as to violate God's law and profane His Sabbath.
Sun-worship brought with it Sunday as its day of worship in place of the Sabbath of Jehovah, making paganism a complete rival system with its own priests, temples, forms of worship, and worship day. The verse means sin must be forgiven, or it will be consumed. The verse belongs to God's description of the present generation, speaking of the same time and people addressed in Isaiah 30:8-11, Ezekiel 13, and Jeremiah 6:9-19, namely the professed people of God in the last days, where Israel means the people of God and remnant means the last part.