The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Ezekiel 20:9,20b,
"But for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations they lived among and in whose sight I had revealed myself to the Israelites by bringing them out of Egypt… Then you will know that I am the Lord your God."
I don't think the Lord is concerned with the trifling issues of conceit or winning popularity contests. Yet several times in this chapter the Lord repeats the thought that he did certain things to protect his name, to keep it from being profaned. See verses 20:14, 41 as well. He also repeats quite often in the prophecies he gives to Ezekiel that he wants the Israelites and surrounding nations to know he is the Lord - both through his judgments and his redemptive acts.
We worship a big, big God and in all he does he certainly demonstrates he is lofty, transcendent and above issues like petty conceit in his majestic splendor. He never indicates he wants anyone to feed a perceived starved ego, much unlike the false deities the Israelites had turned their hearts to. And so it causes me to wonder about his interest in the "sake of his name" - keeping it from being profaned. Why is it he is adamant that the Israelites and surrounding nations know it is he who is God?
My thoughts drift to the predicament of mankind. As a race we are lost. After rebelling and sinning against God we fell under his judgment. We all face certain death as he warned of in Genesis 3. Out of a love for us he has made it possible to escape his wrath expressed in his judgment – and to join his family. What he has chosen is that those who, unlike the expression of Adam and Eve in their rejection of God and his warning, embrace him in the faith Abraham did, become children of God (John 1:12). "Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness." (See Genesis 15 and Romans 4.) In his love for us and his desire that as many as will embrace him in faith to come to him, it requires he hold a perceived stature that is beyond reproach. It seems to me he doesn't want false impressions of who he is to keep folks from coming to him in faith. Unlike so many who want to impress others with an appearance of respectability that deserves honor which may or may not be deserved, our Lord wants people to see him clearly as he really is.
If anyone steps in the way of God's name being revered they risk action from God. Not because he needs our approval by protecting his name, his reputation, but because we desperately need him. He wants us to see him clearly as he is. He doesn't need our approval - we desperately need him.
To me, the Lord's purpose in protecting his name and doing those things that cause us to know he is God is further demonstration of his boundless love for us in these efforts as he keeps us from hurdles created by mankind in coming to him.
Just how wonderful is this love of his?!
I don't think the Lord is concerned with the trifling issues of conceit or winning popularity contests. Yet several times in this chapter the Lord repeats the thought that he did certain things to protect his name, to keep it from being profaned. See verses 20:14, 41 as well. He also repeats quite often in the prophecies he gives to Ezekiel that he wants the Israelites and surrounding nations to know he is the Lord - both through his judgments and his redemptive acts.
We worship a big, big God and in all he does he certainly demonstrates he is lofty, transcendent and above issues like petty conceit in his majestic splendor. He never indicates he wants anyone to feed a perceived starved ego, much unlike the false deities the Israelites had turned their hearts to. And so it causes me to wonder about his interest in the "sake of his name" - keeping it from being profaned. Why is it he is adamant that the Israelites and surrounding nations know it is he who is God?
My thoughts drift to the predicament of mankind. As a race we are lost. After rebelling and sinning against God we fell under his judgment. We all face certain death as he warned of in Genesis 3. Out of a love for us he has made it possible to escape his wrath expressed in his judgment – and to join his family. What he has chosen is that those who, unlike the expression of Adam and Eve in their rejection of God and his warning, embrace him in the faith Abraham did, become children of God (John 1:12). "Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness." (See Genesis 15 and Romans 4.) In his love for us and his desire that as many as will embrace him in faith to come to him, it requires he hold a perceived stature that is beyond reproach. It seems to me he doesn't want false impressions of who he is to keep folks from coming to him in faith. Unlike so many who want to impress others with an appearance of respectability that deserves honor which may or may not be deserved, our Lord wants people to see him clearly as he really is.
If anyone steps in the way of God's name being revered they risk action from God. Not because he needs our approval by protecting his name, his reputation, but because we desperately need him. He wants us to see him clearly as he is. He doesn't need our approval - we desperately need him.
To me, the Lord's purpose in protecting his name and doing those things that cause us to know he is God is further demonstration of his boundless love for us in these efforts as he keeps us from hurdles created by mankind in coming to him.
Just how wonderful is this love of his?!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
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