Ezekiel 20:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

When compared to other regions, this land is deemed more glorious and fruitful, which can be seen from its vastness stretching from Rinokurura to Mount Taurus and the Euphrates River. It encompasses mighty cities and scenic territories such as Palestine, Phoenicia, Arabia, Kelesiria, Cilicia, and other regions promised to Israel, contingent on their obedience to God's commandments. Should they fail to inherit this promise, it would be a result of their disbelief. Even within Palestine and the Jewish territories, numerous nations remained that had not been expelled.

The giver of a promise bears responsibility; if the recipient becomes unworthy, the fault lies not with the one who made the promise. The Lord offers a choice: if you are willing and obey me, you will experience the blessings of the earth; but if you refuse, destruction will ensue. As stated in Isaiah 1:19-20, those chosen in this age are not spared from temptation and potential downfall. Both Saul, anointed as king, and Judas, one of the apostles, ultimately fell because of their own failings.

The act of raising or extending the hand signifies the position of the one afflicted—indicating that He will strike down the Egyptians and free Israel from their bondage in Egypt.

These Jewish leaders, who lived immorally and resisted the healing power of repentance, sought to interrogate the Lord not with the intent to obey Him, but to ensure His divine answers aligned with their own ideas. This pattern was evident with Zedekiah, who asked Jeremiah to reveal God’s will, only to act against it upon learning His commands; similarly, those who fled to Egypt after the exile also acted defiantly.

Hence, the Almighty refuses to respond to them, as the holy Gospel teaches that He knows what is within every person (1 Cor. 2:11). The Prophet, therefore, is instructed to disregard them and refrain from praying for them, as emphasized in the call to pursue justice. Yet you must bear witness to the sins of their ancestors, declaring, ‘Thus says the Lord God: From this day forward, I chose the house of Israel, and I led them out from the descendants of Jacob. In Egypt, I made My presence known to them and took hold of their hand, declaring: “I am the Lord your God” (6). On that day, I will raise My hand to bring them from the land of Egypt into the land I have prepared for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, greater than any other land.

To those who have approached you, O Prophet, proclaim My blessings, recount the transgressions of their forefathers, and tell of My revelations to them in Egypt when they did not yet worship the idols of the Egyptians. This was meant to liberate them from servitude and to fulfill the promises of granting them the land, a paradise abundant with diverse blessings. Some may even declare it superior to all other lands, referring to it as the product of bees; for He indicated this truth with the notion that the honeycomb surpasses all earthly delights, describing it as full of honey.