So, in Ezekiel, there are lots of times where God lists out punishments that will come upon a people as a result of their sinfulness and rebellion against Him. At first it all seems really harsh. The punishments are things such as being driven out of their cities, being turned over to the hands of their enemies, having the sword brought against them. But these lists promising destruction are almost always followed up with the phrase "[and] then they will know that I am the Lord."
"When I make Egypt desolate,
and strip the land of everything in it,
when I strike down all who live there,
then they will know that I am the Lord."
Ezekiel 32:15
There are examples like this all over this book, except most are longer. (If you want an incredible picture of God's grace in this book, read Ch. 16. Wow.) This phrase is so beautiful to me, partly because of its placement. In coming after a laundry list of punishments and destruction, it offers hope. There is reason behind the suffering--"then they will know that I am the Lord." God is still offering Himself to this rebellious, sinful people, even though they have repeatedly turned away from Him. There's no reason for Him to believe that they will do anything different with His love this time, but yet He still longs to draw them to Himself. Meaning He still offers Himself to us today. No matter how many times we rebel, run from Him, give our hearts to another, He is still there, longing for us, wanting to love us. He is faithful.
Just because He is faithful doesn't mean our journeys in loving and following Him are going to be easy. Just like Israel rebelled and worshipped other gods, so we also give ourselves to false idols in jobs, families, success, money, fill-in-the-blank. Meaning that somewhere along the way, God will probably bring "punishment" or trials along that will lay us desolate, strip us bare just as He stripped the ancient people, so that we are left with nothing but Him. And when we are finally free of all the distractions that we've built up around ourselves, that's when He's finally able to speak to us and make us listen.
Think about the times in your life where you've learned the most from God. I know in mine it's those times when I feel as though I am left with no one, nothing in this world besides God. He has stripped me bare, broken down everything I have built for myself, so that He can speak to me. Like it says in Hosea, "Therefore, I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her..." (2:14) He brings us to the "deserts" so that we will actually listen to Him. Even when the last thing we deserve is to be allured and spoken tenderly to, He does just that. Because God is love.
Today, I am thankful for the picture of grace shown in this Old Testament book because, if there was this hope for the people before Christ, how much more so is offered to us who live in Christ's death!
"Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all? Therefore, speak to them and tell them, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When any Israelite sets up idols in his heart...and then goes to a prophet, I the Lord will answer him myself in keeping with his great idolatry. I will do this to recapture the hearts of the people of Israel, who have all deserted me for their idols.'" Ezekiel 14:1-5. Praise God for his loving grace.
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