GOD’S WORD FOR JUNE 9

GOD’S WORD FOR JUNE 9 ~ ~ 2 Corinthians 10:5 ~ ~ “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,”

Continuing with chapter 4 of John Piper’s book, “The Pleasures of God”

“Profaned and Vindicated in Babylon”

But what are we to make of the fact that eventually Israel proved to be so rebellious that she was indeed given into the hands of her enemies during the Babylonian captivity in the time of Ezekiel? How does a God-centered prophet like Ezekiel handle this terrible setback for the reputation of God?

Listen to the Word of the Lord that came to him in Ezekiel 36:20-23. This is God’s answer to the captivity of his people which he himself had brought about:

“’but when they came to the nations during the captivity, wherever they cane, they profaned my Holy Name, in that men said of them ‘These are the people of the Lord, and yet they had to go out of his land’ But I HAD CONCERN FOR MY HOLY NAME, which the house of Israel caused to be profaned among the nations to which they came. Therefore say to the house of Israel, “thus says the Lord God: it is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the SAKE OF MY HOLY NAME, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. I will VINDICATE THE HOLINESS OF MY GREAT NAME, which has been profaned,….. which you have profaned…….and the nations will know that I am the Lord, says the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.”

Similarly in Ezekiel: 39:25, God says:

“Now I will restore the fortunes of Jacob and have mercy upon the house of Israel; and I will be JEALOUS FOR MY HOLY NAME.”

When every other hope was gone and the people lay under the judgment of God himself because of their own sin, one hope remained—-and it will always remain—-that God has an indomitable delight in the worth of His own reputation and will not allow it to be trodden down for long.

Isaiah, writing much earlier, but dealing with the same problem—the dishonoring of God in the captivity of his people—made the motive of God unmistakably clear in saving his people from Babylon:

“For MY NAME’S SAKE I defer my anger, for the sake of y praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off.

Behold, I have refined you, but not like silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. FOR MY OWN SAKE, FOR MY OWN SAKE, I do it.

FOR HOW SHOULD MY NAME BE PROFANED? My glory I will not give to another. (Isaiah 48:9-11)

Daniel, who was caught in the captivity himself, prayed with the same view of God in mind, “O Lord, hear, O Lord, forgive; O Lord, give heed and act; delay not, FOR YOUR OWN SAKE, O my God, because your city and your people are CALLED BY YOUR NAME” (Daniel 9:19)

(It is clear that the Almighty’s pleasure in His Name’s sake, is wrapped up in His love for us. He wants all people to be saved. Since salvation is only by the Father through the Son, it is imperative that all people know His power to save. It’s imperative that they all know that He is both the Judge AND the savior. HE IS THE ALL IN ALL. If we had no knowledge of His great power and glory, we would have no faith in His being able to save us and provide an eternal home. Therefore, it is imperative that He makes His great name, (power and mercy) known throughout history. It is still based in His love for us also.)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *