Ezekiel 20:18-20

It is very clear to see that a major purpose of the Sabbath—apart from it being a sign—is so that we might know God. Eternal life! Remember what Jesus said in John 17:3. "Eternal life is to know God." If we are going to know God, the Sabbath must be kept. The implication is very clear. It ties the two of them together. Without knowing God, there is no eternal life. The Sabbath, then, is a necessary fixture in having eternal life.

Keeping the Sabbath identifies the true God to us. I think that we will see, as we go along, that it is not merely the fact that one observes the day; but rather [it is] observing the day combined with how it is observed. People can surely set it aside, as the Jews did, and not keep it right. Did they know God? No, they didn't. It is obvious that they didn't know God because, when God came in the flesh, they rejected Him. They didn't "know" Him. They were keeping the Sabbath though. So the instruction here is that it not merely be a matter of just observing the day, but HOW the day is observed that enables one to know God.

That's kind of a concluding statement as to why they were taken into captivity. I think there are two possibilities regarding Israel's Sabbath breaking. (1) Israel completely rejected God's Sabbath for another day. That possibility is there because you will see in some context that the My/their or Mine/yours contrast is made. That is, My Sabbath as opposed to your Sabbath. I'm sure that you can think of a few verses where that occurs. The first chapter of Isaiah comes to mind. (2) The other alternative is that they polluted by careless, self-centered observance what they did have of God's Sabbath.

I think that the probability is that they did both—that some people completely rejected the Sabbath, while others carelessly observed it. But I want you to understand that whether it was either/or, or whether it was both of them, they went into captivity.