Ezekiel 20:32-33
“What is in your mind shall never happen—the thought, ‘Let us be like the nations, like the tribes of the countries, and worship wood and stone.’

“As I live, declares the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out I will be king over you.”

God was well aware that His people wanted to be like the people of other nations and to worship like them.  But God was committed to His people, and He was not about to abandon them to the worship of false gods. 

God’s desire and will is to rule over His own people and all of Creation–everything that He has made.  Some people think that is a bad thing.  How arrogant.  How self involved must be such a God that He would demand allegiance to Himself alone.  

Those who think such thoughts do so only because they have never encountered the One True God.  His desire to rule over His creation flows out of His great love, compassion, and mercy.  He rules out of perfect wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and holiness.  How is it possible that I would encounter the One True God and desire that anyone else ever rule over me?  How is it possible that I would know my own lack of knowledge, wisdom, and understanding and yet desire to rule over myself in place of the One True God?

God knows that anyone or anything that we allow to rule over us in place of Him will in the end bring brokenness, chaos, sickness, perversion, death.  “Choose life,”  He says, “so that you may live.”  We are going to submit to some rule in our lives.  Why would we not choose God, who created us in love, sees us fully, knows us perfectly, still loves us, and knows exactly what is good and right and holy and perfect for our lives?

“As I live, declares the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out I will be king over you.” 

This is not a statement of arrogance or of selfishness, but the ultimate statement of love and compassion and righteousness.  The only response that makes any sense is this one:

“Yes, God, I will bow my will before Yours.  You will be king over me.”  

Deuteronomy 30:15-20 (TPT)
“Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster. For I command you this day to love the Lord your God and to keep His commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in His ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy.

“But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods, then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live a long, good life in the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy.”

“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying Him, and committing yourself firmly to Him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”