During the Babylonian exile, the prophet Ezekiel was living among the deported Israelites by the River Kebar when the elders of Israel came to him to inquire of the LORD. Although their approach appeared to be filled with remorse, God refused to answer their inquiry. Instead, He commanded Ezekiel to confront them with Israel’s long and persistent history of rebellion.
Have you come to inquire of me? As surely as I live, I will not let you inquire of me, declares the Sovereign LORD.
Ezekiel 20:3 (NIV)
Why does the LORD refuse to respond to the inquiries brought before Him by the elders of Israel?
The elders had come to Ezekiel to “inquire of the LORD” to seek guidance or reassurance yet their hearts remained unrepentant. They sought direction without submission, counsel without correction. The LORD refuses to respond to the elders of Israel because their inquiry is not rooted in genuine repentance or a desire to change their ways. We often approach Him seeking a quick solution to our problems, not a transformed life that walks in His ways. Our outward seriousness and religious posture in times of crisis is merely part of human behaviour—an instinctive show of mourning—rather than true remorse of heart. Instead of welcoming correction, we seek reassurance that we are perfect as we are.
In response to their “inquiry”, God recounts His faithfulness from the beginning: how He chose Israel, revealed Himself to them in Egypt, and promised to bring them into a fertile land. He called them to abandon idols and live in obedience. Repeatedly, however, Israel rebelled—first in Egypt, then in the wilderness, and later through their children—rejecting His laws, profaning the Sabbaths, and clinging to idolatry. God’s refusal to be consulted is therefore just and not arbitrary, as consulting Him without obedience is meaningless.
Throughout their history, God warned that persistent disobedience would lead to severe consequences: removal from the land, scattering among the nations, and being given over to their own corrupt practices. Even after entering the promised land, Israel continued in unfaithfulness, worshipping at high places and provoking the LORD through idolatrous sacrifices. God exposes an entrenched pattern of rebellion and covenant contempt, making clear why Israel now stands under judgment rather than favour.
Why do people feel that God is not listening to their prayers and is silent to their petitions?
When prayers are not answered according to personal expectations, it is assumed that God is not listening, or that His authority is somehow in question. In reality, many prayers are attempts to change God’s mind rather than to align with His will. There is also a tendency to overlook how God is already at work. His responses may take forms that are quiet, corrective, or unfolding over time, and these are easily missed when the heart is fixed on a specific outcome. The deeper issue lies in a foundation built on a transactional view of faith. Religious practices—extended prayer, tithing, or volunteering—are treated as bargaining tools, creating an expectation of reward. When those rewards do not materialise, instead of questioning their religion, people question God.
Defiling Ourselves With The Ways of the World
You say, “We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone.” But what you have in mind will never happen.
Ezekiel 20:32 (NIV)
God confronts Israel for continuing in the same idolatry as their ancestors and defiling themselves through false worship. Although the people desire to abandon their distinct calling and live like the surrounding nations, God declares that this will not be permitted. Instead, He will assert His rule through judgement, gathering Israel from exile, purifying them by separating the rebellious, and re-establishing His covenant with a faithful remnant.
I will purge you of those who revolt and rebel against me. Although I will bring them out of the land where they are living, yet they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
Ezekiel 20:38 (NIV)
Why does the desire to conform to the world so often become the greatest obstacle preventing people from truly drawing near to God?
The desire to conform to the world becomes a major obstacle to drawing near to God because what is familiar and experienced often feels more real than what is known by faith. Many have tasted the world and its rewards but have not truly experienced God’s love, so their hearts naturally gravitate towards what they already know and value.
This struggle is deepened by a false separation between spiritual life and everyday life. A healthy Spiritual Life is treated as something reserved for specific moments, while the rest of life is lived according to worldly patterns. As a result, when faced with a choice between God’s will and the ways of the world, the world is often chosen because it aligns more closely with the dominant part of one’s identity.
To manage this tension, people create divided lives: a spiritual persona displayed on select days, and a worldly self lived out the rest of the time. This leads to outward displays of piety and holiness without a sincere pursuit of what God desires. God requires an undivided life—living in the world while consistently walking in His ways, trusting Him to shape every aspect of daily living.
So I gave them other statutes that were not good and laws through which they could not live; I defiled them through their gifts—the sacrifice of every firstborn—that I might fill them with horror so they would know that I am the LORD.
Ezekiel 20:25-26 (NIV)
God Wants Our Hearts
God declares that a time will come when Israel will truly listen to Him and no longer dishonour His name by offering meaningless gifts while clinging to their idols. After gathering them from exile, He will restore them to the land and bring them to worship Him rightly. Their offerings will then be accepted, not because of ritual, but because they will serve Him as a people set apart. Israel’s restoration will lead them to humility and repentance as they remember their past sins, recognising that their return and renewal come solely from the LORD’s mercy for the sake of His name, not as a reward for their righteousness.
…you will surely listen to me and no longer profane my holy name with your gifts and idols. For on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the Sovereign LORD, there in the land all the people of Israel will serve me, and there I will accept them…
Ezekiel 20:39-40 (NIV)
Why do people choose to give sacrifices and offerings rather than fully surrender their hearts to God?
People choose sacrifices and offerings rather than surrendering their hearts because outward acts are tangible, controllable, and easier to manage. External worship can be performed without inner repentance, allowing people to feel religious while avoiding true surrender. Giving offerings feels safer than giving the heart, because surrender requires humility, repentance, and a real change of direction. Israel treated sacrifices as a substitute for obedience. What was meant to instil guilt and lead them to repentance instead became a source of confidence. After sacrificing, they felt reassured, as though the act itself had settled the matter, even while their hearts remained divided.
“You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise”
Psalm 51:16 (NIV)
At its core, it is easier to do superficial things than to surrender the heart. God makes clear that He is not interested in ritual divorced from repentance. God desires repentance rather than sacrifice, and obedience rather than offerings. When the heart refuses to listen and repent, even the most costly gift becomes empty.
The Jordan Valley 
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