Scripture
Ezekiel 7:4
Then you will know that I am the Lord
Observation
Israel’s rebellion, idolatry and spiritual adultery has finally pushed God to the limit and forced Him to bring upon His people the calamities and judgement about which He had forewarned Israel through the prophets. God vindicates Himself by declaring that even His judgements are fair and that He is simply repaying Israel according to their detestable practices. The disaster that God will unleash upon His people is such that has never before been seen and no one will escape unscathed. Money and wealth will become useless, famine and starvation will cover the land and violence and bloodshed will be everywhere. This time, when the people search for a prophet or priestly counsel, none will be found; and Israel’s rulers will mourn.
Understanding
Three times during the rendering of His verdict against Israel, God proclaims His motive behind His fury. He says to Israel; “Then you will know that I am the Lord”, “Then you will know that it is I the Lord who strikes you”, and finally, “Then they will know that I am the Lord”. Even while unleashing the necessary chastisement against Israel, God’s heart for His beloved is seen in His desire that, as Israel suffers all that they have brought upon themselves, they will remember that He is the Lord; El Shaddai - the mighty, awesome, powerful, glorious, holy Lord of Creation - and fear His wrath, so that when the time of God’s displeasure and punishment is over, they would return to Him in humility and repentance.
Life Application
Just as the love of God is displayed in His grace and mercy, so is His justice, righteousness and holiness displayed in His wrath against sin and rebellion. They are both facets of the same precious jewel that is our God and he metes them out in equal measure. We must remember that He is as much the Lion of Judah as He is the Lamb of God. The same God who forgives the humble penitent promises to visit vengeance upon the prideful and arrogant rebel. In order to be a God of love, He must also be a God who hates sin. In order to be a fair and just God, He must judge sin and rebellion. He cannot be one and not the other. I dare not take God’s forbearance and long-suffering for granted and to use it as a license to sin lest I invite the loving yet terrible discipline of the one who has the power to throw both body and soul into the fires of Hell.
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here-Gary Parker
