Ezekiel: For His Gloryഉദാഹരണം

This key passage highlights God’s restoration of Israel, although His motivation for doing so is not what we might expect. 

Since Israel profaned the land by its sins, God removed the nation from the land. Yet wherever they went they profaned God’s name because people were left to conclude that either Yahweh had abandoned His people or that He was not as powerful as other gods (vv. 16–21). In ancient near-Eastern thinking, the defeat of Israel signaled the defeat of the Lord; He was seen as a loser! 

So God is now roused to defend His character and reputation among the nations (vv. 22–24). Made to look ordinary or common, He will act to restore His holiness and sovereignty. This is His motivation for restoring Israel. He does not operate primarily out of compassion or love, or because He feels sorry for Israel. Here God acts to restore His holy name among the nations. A just God has to punish His people, even though it causes His name to be profaned, but then He acts again to restore His people, yes, but ultimately to restore His name. 

God will also transform His people’s relationship with Him (vv. 25–32). They will receive a wholesale cleansing from sin; a new, responsive heart and His Spirit, allowing His people to obey Him. He will renew His covenant with them (v. 28). Israel will then remember its past sins, and this will lead to self-loathing (vv. 31–32; cf. 6:9). 

Then finally Israel will enjoy abundant blessing in the land (vv. 33–38; cf. vv. 9–12). When God completes His salvation and restoration, the surrounding nations will acknowledge His special relationship with His people and His land. His name will be vindicated. 

Reflection

God truly is sovereign over the whole earth; He alone deserves all glory and honor (1 Tim. 1:17). He acts in history so that His people and the nations may know that He is God. The picture of an Eden-like paradise where God will dwell among His people will be fulfilled in the ‘new heaven and … new earth’ (Rev. 21:1–3). Here too we will find multitudes of people worshipping Him for who He is (Rev. 7:9–10).