Ezekiel 20:29

Ezekiel 20:29 is a poignant rhetorical question posed by God through the prophet Ezekiel, exposing the deep-seated idolatry of the Israelites. It highlights their persistent rebellion and the specific nature of their forbidden worship sites.

Context

This verse is part of a larger historical recounting in Ezekiel Chapter 20, where God meticulously details Israel's rebellious history, from their time in Egypt, through the wilderness, and into the Promised Land. Despite God's faithfulness and deliverance, the people consistently turned to idols, provoking Him. The "high places" were recurrent symbols of this spiritual unfaithfulness, where they offered sacrifices, burnt offerings, and even their children, often mimicking the Canaanite practices. God's question in this verse is not for information, but to confront their blatant hypocrisy and the open continuation of these practices, even giving a specific name to these sites.

Key Themes

• Persistent Idolatry: The verse underscores Israel's deep-seated and enduring tendency to abandon the one true God for other deities, despite His covenant with them.
• God's Confrontation of Sin: God directly challenges their actions, exposing their sin and demanding accountability. This rhetorical question serves as a powerful indictment.
• The Nature of "High Places": These were elevated locations, often natural hills or man-made mounds, designated for worship. While some were initially intended for Yahweh, they frequently devolved into syncretistic or purely pagan worship centers, becoming symbols of spiritual compromise and rebellion against God's command for centralized worship in Jerusalem (compare Deuteronomy 12:2).
• Divine Judgment and Exposure: The naming of "Bamah unto this day" implies the long-standing nature of this sin and the judgment that would inevitably follow such spiritual prostitution.

Linguistic Insights

The core of this verse lies in the Hebrew word Bamah (בָּמָה), which literally means "high place." The prophet uses a clever wordplay here. God asks, "What is the high place whereunto ye go?" and then immediately provides the answer, "And the name thereof is called Bamah unto this day." This isn't just a generic term; it became so synonymous with these illicit worship sites that it was used as a proper noun, emphasizing their notoriety and the Israelites' open embrace of these forbidden practices. It highlights the stark reality that their rebellion was not hidden but openly acknowledged through the very name they gave to their idolatrous shrines.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 20:29 serves as a timeless reminder about the dangers of spiritual compromise and misplaced worship. For us today, "high places" may not be physical altars on hills, but anything we elevate above God in our lives—be it career, possessions, relationships, comfort, or even self-righteousness. God still asks us, "What is that 'high place' whereunto you go for comfort, security, or identity, instead of coming to Me?" This verse calls us to:

• Examine Our Allegiances: To honestly assess what holds the highest place in our hearts and lives.
• Seek Exclusive Devotion: To remember that God desires our wholehearted and undivided worship, as commanded in the first commandment.
• Confront Persistent Sins: Just as Israel's "high places" persisted, we must be vigilant against recurring patterns of sin or areas where we continually fall short, seeking God's grace and strength for true repentance and transformation. God's ultimate purpose is to bring His people back to Himself, acting for His name's sake (see Ezekiel 20:44).