Bible Studies
The Vindication of God’s Holy Name (Ezek. 36:22-38)
Series: God Speaks to Our People In ExileIntroduction:
1. The people of God are in exile. The city of Jerusalem has been destroyed. The temple lies in ruins and the land of Israel is desolate. 2. But a hopeful message comes from the mouth of the Lord. 3. Israel will be renewed. 4. But it will not be because of her righteousness. 5. It will be to vindicate the holiness of God’s great name, whose amazing grace gives life and lavishes blessings upon men. 6. This is the message of Ezek. 36:22-38. 7. Welcome. Thanks. 8. Reading of vs. 22-32.Discussion:
I. God’s motive in restoring Israel is the vindication of His holy name (22-23).A. Israel is guilty.
1. They have profaned God’s holy name.
2. God is about to act, but it is not motivated by any righteousness in Israel.
B. We might expect further focus on their judgment, but this does not occur.
C. We might expect words of comfort for them because they are suffering for their sin. We hear nothing about God’s compassion on them in this text.
D. The focus is not on them but on God. His holy name has been profaned and His holy name will be vindicated.
1. It is often our tendency to focus on ourselves.
2. We make our relationship to God all about us, our salvation, benefits and blessings for us.
3. We transform the mission of the church to be about us. Approach from the perspective of “what can I get.” We ask, “How is this going to benefit me?”
4. We are more self-centered than God-centered.
5. From such a self-centered perspective we may see God as self-centered and may even initially find this passage objectionable where God acts to vindicate His holy name.
II. What God will do in vindicating His name (24-30, 33-38).A. He will gather His people (24).
1. His people are scattered in exile, but they will be brought together.
2. I am persuaded to interpret this in light of the great commission and the Book of Acts.
a. In the great commission Jesus called upon His disciples to go into all the world and preach the good news (Matt. 28:19-20).
b. In Acts 1 this work is interpreted as “restoring the kingdom to Israel” (1:6-8).
c. They began in Jerusalem and took the message to the remotest parts of the earth. Note that their speaking in different languages represents the widely diverse population that the message would affect (2:9-11).
d. The plan of Acts calls to attention the same—Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, the remotest part of the earth. It included Jews, Samaritans, eunuchs, and even Gentiles.
e. Those who heard and believed were gathered into the assembly (church).
f. The process continues even today.
B. He will cleanse them (25).
1. The element by which we are cleansed is the blood of Christ (Heb. 9:14).
2. There is a cleansing mentioned in Eph. 5:26 that includes a “washing of water.” This, in my judgment, suggests an association with baptism.
C. He will give them a new heart and a new spirit (26).
1. Their hearts had been like stone, but God would give them a heart of flesh.
2. This cleansing and renewing seems to be what Paul refers to in Titus 3:5.
3. I would contend that the Spirit of God given to us when we repent and are baptized (cf. Acts 2:38) is this spirit associated with the heart of flesh that results in one walking in the statutes of the Lord and careful observance of His ordinances (Ezek. 36:27).
4. Our hearts are softened by the gracious message of God and instead of being hard and rebellious they are soft and responsive to the will of God.
D. He will save them from their uncleanness (29).
1. This salvation is represented in the multiplication of grain and fruit and produce as opposed to famine (29).
2. It is also represented in a similar way in 33-38.
III. The appropriate response from Israel (31-32).A. There will be a remembrance of past evil ways and deeds that were not good.
B. We will loathe ourselves for all our iniquities and our abominations.
C. We will be ashamed of all our evil ways.
D. Because God has been gracious to those who are so undeserving.
IV. Is this text referring to the return of Israel from captivity? Is this text referring to a time yet in the future when the Jews will return to Jerusalem? Or is this text referring to that time beginning with Pentecost and finding its realization in the heavenly country that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and our fore-fathers were looking for (Heb. 11:13-16; 12:22-24; Rev. 21).A. I believe it is the later.
B. So how is this passage relevant to us? It predicts the vindication of God’s holy name. And that name is vindicated by His gracious renewal of an exiled people. He gives them new life. He lavishes His blessings on them. They will wake up to the remarkable grace of God who has taken wretched sinners and given them new life and restored them to covenant relationship with Himself. He transforms hard rebellious hearts into hearts overwhelmed with shame because of their sin.
C. How is this text relevant to us? It gives us the message of the gospel in a nutshell. God restores for His name’s sake.
Conclusion:
1. Will you receive the message or discount it, untouched by the graciousness of so great a God? 2. But if you are moved shame and loathe yourself of your iniquities, then receive His forgiveness. 3. Be cleansed by the blood of Christ, washed clean in the blood of the lamb. As those on Pentecost—Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.
