I might fill them with horror so they would know that I am the Lord

Ezekiel 20:1-26

In the seventh year, in the fifth month on the tenth day, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord, and they sat down in front of me.

This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Have you come to inquire of me? As surely as I live, I will not let you inquire of me, declares the Sovereign Lord.’

On the day I chose Israel, I swore with uplifted hand to the descendants of Jacob and revealed myself to them in Egypt. With uplifted hand I said to them, “I am the Lord your God.” On that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands. And I said to them, “Each of you, get rid of the vile images you have set your eyes on, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”

But I withheld my hand, and for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. Also with uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter them through the countries, because they had not obeyed my laws but had rejected my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths, and their eyes lusted after their parents’ idols. 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.’

Why?

It is the Lord who loved the Israel, the descendants of Jacob, so the Lord swore to them bring them out of Egypt into the promised land. The only condition is to get rid of the vile images you have set your eyes on.

Sabbaths are important between the Lord and his people, it is a behavior to show their heart to respect the Lord in their daily life. 

The Lord had warned his people many times, but Israelites still followed this world, so they suffer the disaster and were defiled. But the love of the Lord still do not leave God's people.

How?

Get rid of the vile images, He is the Lord my God!