20

so i was reading some more in ezekiel and i got through chapters 19 and 20. a few things struck me as i was reading this morning - things that just left me trying to wrap my head around such a cool God.

Here are some thoughts I had while reading - I'm no authority, but here it goes.

* the Lord consistently withheld punishment and showed mercy because of His name and reputation - so that the nations would know that He was God and that He fulfilled His word. (verses 9, 14, 22) Instead of dealing with Israel like their "evil ways and corrupt practices" deserved, He chose to deal with Israel for His name's sake, so that they would know that He was the Lord.
(20:44) - "You will know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name's sake and not according to your evil ways and your corrupt practices, O house of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord."


* the Sabbath was a gift - not just for resting, but it was a sign between the Lord and Israel - a sign that they could look at and know that the Lord had made them holy... that they were set apart. God wants days of rest with us - like if you took the day to spend with someone, just the two of you to chill - no noise or work, you just get to know each other. you set yourselves apart from the world just to get a little deeper into each other - Holy God wants that with us. It's almost like He's taken a sharpie to Israel's calendar and marked out each Sabbath as a "date day" - for them to get away with each other, for Him to remind them that He's made them holy - for Him to restore them. The living God wants to rest with us - to get away from the world and to remind us that He's set us apart.
(20:12) - "Also, I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I the Lord made them holy."

* not only did Israel reject God's laws, disobey His decrees, and ruin His Sabbaths - they put their hearts and senses into pursuing idols.

(20:16) - "...For their hearts were devoted to idols."
(20:24) - "...their eyes lusted after their father's idols."
(20:30) - "...will you defile yourselves the way your fathers did and lust after their vile images?" (the Lord to Israel)

They craved idols and images so much that they wanted to be like the other nations who worshiped them.
(20:32) - "You say, 'We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone.' But what you have in mind will never happen."

God is not only merciful and trustworthy, He is also jealous and His jealousy is a HUGE part of His love. If you're the best thing in existence, doesn't it make sense to want all of the ones you love? If loving someone means you want the best for them, and you're the best - then you want them, not just because you deserve it as the best thing ever, but because you love them. So rather than honoring Israel's mind to be like the other idol-worshiping nations, He said it would never happen. He goes to great lengths to draw them back and reveal Himself to them. How merciful and faithful is my God?