For His Name Sake
As a parent (boy mom of three as of last week!), my children do things sometimes that they know are not right, and some days I get so angry that I have to pass the responsibility of punishment on to my husband just to make things more objective. Why do I get so angry? I get angry because I want my sons to become men worthy of honor that show the glory of the LORD in their lives. Their willful disobedience is in direct resistance to the legacy that I am trying to build, and it is embarrassing! Sometimes when we go out, I have one child asking for everything, one child wandering off, and one child (as of last week) crying as if I have done him some terrible disservice. Now imagine all of this happening in front of some kids that know my family and don't particularly like us. Spectaters or not it is my responsibility to correct my children and you bet I do, but I also am aware that I still have to protect my family from those who would try to destroy us. Can you see these frenemies mentally pulling out a giant tub of popcorn to watch the show so that they can laughingly narrate the horrific scene to anyone who will listen later at my son's school? This scenario is similar to what happened in the book of Ezekiel when God had to dole out punishment after Israel and Judah got out of hand.
In Ezekiel Israel and Judah got hit hard with famine, war, disease, and poverty because they went chasing after other God's, but anyone who took advantage of their time of punushment got God's judgment too. God was disgusted with his people's choices and their willfull disobedience, but he couldn't bare to leave them in their mess. Isn't that the perfect example of the real family? God was whooping his children, but anyone who tried to get a kick in on the side got knocked out. No one gets to come against his people without paying the price, but him.
After God was done publicly chastising Israel, he promised to restore them just as publicly. Why did he do it? It wasn't because Israel corrected itself, and it wasn't because he loved them. God did (and does) love Israel, but he promised to restore them for his name sake. Everyone knew that Israel was God's people, and to show them his power he restored his people and punished their enemies. God is serious about his reputation, and he made sure that Israel knew that.
Ezekiel 36
16Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 17Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their doings: their way was before me as the uncleanness of a removed woman. 18Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it: 19And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them. 20And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land. 21But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went.
The scripture goes on to talk about how God was going to restore them for his name sake. He promised to cleanse his people from their sins and give them a new heart and spirit. The great news for me as a Christian is that he has fulfilled this promise to me. When I accepted Jesus as the son of God, my LORD and savior, I was washed clean from all of my sins, and Holy Spirit came to seal my identity as a child of God. There is more good news. Because I am a known member of God's family, he will answer my prayers for his name sake. Scripture says it this way in John 14:13-14, "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." When you live an open Christian life and declare the gospel of Jesus Christ, people are watching you, and God is waiting to answer your prayers. "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." (John 16:24)
In Ezekiel Israel and Judah got hit hard with famine, war, disease, and poverty because they went chasing after other God's, but anyone who took advantage of their time of punushment got God's judgment too. God was disgusted with his people's choices and their willfull disobedience, but he couldn't bare to leave them in their mess. Isn't that the perfect example of the real family? God was whooping his children, but anyone who tried to get a kick in on the side got knocked out. No one gets to come against his people without paying the price, but him.
After God was done publicly chastising Israel, he promised to restore them just as publicly. Why did he do it? It wasn't because Israel corrected itself, and it wasn't because he loved them. God did (and does) love Israel, but he promised to restore them for his name sake. Everyone knew that Israel was God's people, and to show them his power he restored his people and punished their enemies. God is serious about his reputation, and he made sure that Israel knew that.
Ezekiel 36
16Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 17Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their doings: their way was before me as the uncleanness of a removed woman. 18Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it: 19And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them. 20And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land. 21But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went.
The scripture goes on to talk about how God was going to restore them for his name sake. He promised to cleanse his people from their sins and give them a new heart and spirit. The great news for me as a Christian is that he has fulfilled this promise to me. When I accepted Jesus as the son of God, my LORD and savior, I was washed clean from all of my sins, and Holy Spirit came to seal my identity as a child of God. There is more good news. Because I am a known member of God's family, he will answer my prayers for his name sake. Scripture says it this way in John 14:13-14, "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." When you live an open Christian life and declare the gospel of Jesus Christ, people are watching you, and God is waiting to answer your prayers. "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." (John 16:24)
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