Tuesday 19 February 2008
- Bible Book:
- Ezekiel
"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 sanctify my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD, says the Lord GOD, when through you I display my holiness before their eyes". (v.22-23)
Background
The Bible offers many likenesses of God. Ezekiel pictures God asobsessed with the idea of honour, which the Jews had stained bytheir worship of idols. God is prepared to cleanse them and makethem holy; not for their sake, but for the sake of God'sname.
This isn't a likable likeness of God. God is pictured as stern,unbending and unfeeling, concerned for his reputation and not forthe hapless situation of his people. They were indeed in amess.
Ezekiel was among the Jews deported from Israel by the Babyloniansin 598/7 BC. He received his call to be a prophet in exile. Ezekielseems to have thought that it was impossible for his people to beholy in a world of pagan idolatry.
Many religious traditions divide life into the sacred and theprofane, the lawful and the unlawful, or the holy and the unclean.Ezekiel prophesied that God would have to step in and give God'speople a heart of flesh to replace their heart of stone, to givethem God's spirit, and to restore them to the land of Israel. ThenGod's people would loathe themselves for their evil deeds. And thenations would know that God is indeed God.
There's one intriguing fact about the use of Ezekiel in the NewTestament. There are many allusions to it, but no verbatimreferences. Maybe this is of no importance. Or maybe Jesus'characteristic image for God, that God is our father, can't easilybe drawn from the sayings of this austere and prim prophet.
To Ponder
Can we over-exaggerate the holiness of God?
What other biblical images of God come to mindfor you? Why?
Is it ok to prefer some biblical images of God toothers?