The Name of God

I spent some time in Ezekiel 36 today and I was hit with some things. First, read these verses:

16 Then this further message came to me from the LORD: 17 “Son of man, when the people of Israel were living in their own land, they defiled it by the evil way they lived. To me their conduct was as unclean as a woman’s menstrual cloth. 18 They polluted the land with murder and the worship of idols,* so I poured out my fury on them. 19 I scattered them to many lands to punish them for the evil way they had lived. 20 But when they were scattered among the nations, they brought shame on my holy name. For the nations said, ‘These are the people of the LORD, but he couldn’t keep them safe in his own land!’ 21 Then I was concerned for my holy name, on which my people brought shame among the nations. - Ezekiel 36:16-21 (NLT)

The people of Israel had totally rejected God. They had defiled the land God had given them because of their actions: murder, worship of idols, sexual immorality, and more! God HAD to judge this sin…his fury was poured out upon them. They were scattered across many nations after being conquered. Families were torn apart…many lost loved ones. Why? Israel had brought shame on the holy name of God. How? The nations knew that Israel had been called by the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It was made plainly clear as God blessed Israel and had given them the promised land. God had fulfilled his promises to Israel; Israel did not. God was showing how great his name was…sin had to be punished. We can sit here and wonder why God did this. We can wonder why Israel was this STUPID to do the things they did. We can ask why God came down so hard on Israel. In fact, that’s probably the questions that come to most of us right off the bat. HOWEVER, let’s pause. Are we really any different than Israel? As followers of Christ, don’t we find ourselves right where Israel found themselves? We have idols in our lives, we are selfish, maybe even sometimes we think life would be better if someone was out of our lives…ever had that thought? Then…because of this sin…we find ourselves in the same positions, don’t’ we? Families are torn apart, loved ones are lost (physically and spiritually)…we face the consequence of our sin. Why? Could it be that we bring shame to the name of God at times? God MUST judge sin…but he waits…waits…waits. He waits for us to turn back to him. He gives us opportunities to follow him again…and again…and again. Just as he did with Israel, he does with us…time and again.

God continues in Ezekiel: 22 “Therefore, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign LORD: I am bringing you back, but not because you deserve it. I am doing it to protect my holy name, on which you brought shame while you were scattered among the nations. 23 I will show how holy my great name is—the name on which you brought shame among the nations. And when I reveal my holiness through you before their very eyes, says the Sovereign LORD, then the nations will know that I am the LORD. 24 For I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you home again to your land. 25 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.* 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations. - Ezekiel 36:22-27 (NLT) 

God comes and protects his holy name…and reveals more of what he is like. He reveals his holiness through the VERY PEOPLE that had shamed his name. He will REDEEM them! He will dwell WITHIN them to help them obey the commands that he had given! God is telling Israel what he would do…through CHRIST!

If you know Christ, you have been washed clean! The stain of sin is G-O-N-E! God is in the process of removing your heart of stone and replacing it with a heart of flesh. God’s Spirit dwells WITHIN you. You are not alone! God’s Word declares this to be true…but we don’t live like it, do we? We flounder, we fail, we falter…because we are still relying on our OWN STRENGTH.

My prayer for you today (and myself as well) is that we would allow God’s continued work on our hearts. That we would see what God has done and LIVE IN THAT. May we not take the cross for granted. May we accept the grace that God has given us.

Oh great God! Take out my heart of stone…and replace it with a heart of flesh! Give me YOUR heart, God. Instead of shame today, allow me to have the great honor of bringing GLORY to your name! Allow my life to be full of your praise! Help me believe today, God. I trust you today…and give you praise…even in the middle of my struggle. Make me about YOU!