For My Name's Sake

FOR MY NAME'S SAKE
Ezekiel 20:1-44

We are continuing today in our series through Ezekiel.
As I have studied chapter 20 for the past several weeks in preparation for this sermon, I have come under the overall impression of great mercy.
I have read many commentators' and preachers' writings on this chapter, and the general consensus is similar but with different emphasis.
One pastor, whose sermons I read regularly, preached from this chapter a sermon entitled "The Road of Rebellion."
I don't disagree with his understanding of the chapter, but I might phrase it a bit differently.
Ezekiel chapter 20 clearly maps out Israel's path from Egypt to Babylon.
It is a road that God's people traveled over a time period of about 900 years, one rebellious step after another, but while Israel's footsteps were characterized by rebellion, the road that they traveled was paved in mercy.

Let us read the first nine verses of the chapter to see the inquiry that spurred the prophecy and then the first of three legs of Israel's rebellious journey down God's road of mercy.

READ VERSE 1-9
Ezekiel 20:1 ¶ And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to enquire of the LORD, and sat before me.
2 Then came the word of the LORD unto me, saying,
3 Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye come to enquire of me? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you.
4 Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge them? cause them to know the abominations of their fathers:
5 ¶ And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up mine hand unto them, saying, I am the LORD your God;
6 In the day that I lifted up mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands:
7 Then said I unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
8 But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.
9 But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

PRAY

The first portion of our text to which I want to draw your attention is verses 1-4.
In verse 1-4 and interesting thing happened: The elders, the leadership of Israel, for such is the generic term throughout Scripture for leaders, had come to the prophet Ezekiel to get instruction from the Lord.
This seems like a commendable thing at first, but then we see that God refuses to answer them and even insists He will not listen to their request for guidance.
We can assume a couple of things:
1.) Israel is not asking sincerely for guidance or God would give it. (James said, "If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him.")
2.) Israel is not approaching God with Humility or God would not resist them. (God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble)

So we deduce that Israel has come before God's prophet for advice with a predisposition to do what they want instead of what God tells them.
Often this is how people attend church, although I pray not our own.
They have decided what kind of music they like and they have no intention of giving it up, regardless of what the Bible says.
They have their political positions and they have taken them off the table lest God require a change in this area of their lives.
They have their attitude and they approach the sanctuary with a firm grasp on their pride lest God should try to wrench it from their hands.
They make a show of attending church but they do not plan to change when God so instructs them.

This is how Israel's leadership approached Ezekiel and God saw right through their little facade.
God said, "I will not be inquired of by you," then He instructs Ezekiel to give them a history lesson.
God tells Ezekiel in Verse 4 to tell them about their fathers.

This is where we begin to map out Israel's footsteps of rebellion on a road paved with mercy.

The first leg of the journey begins with a Promise from God.
{God Says, "I promised them the Land of Canaan."} Verses 5,6
Along with that promise came a command.
{"I commanded them to forsake Idols."} Verse 7
Then we see Israel's response to the gracious promise and command of God.
[They Rebelled] Verse 8a
They clearly deserved God's unrelenting fury, but...
[They Received Mercy] Verse 9
God's reasoning in granting mercy is given in verse 9 as well, it is that same motivation that has consumed Him since before time began, that He might be glorified.
It is for His Name's Sake that He withheld severest judgment on Israel.

The second leg of the journey begins with Deliverance from Egypt.
{God Says, "I brought them out of Egypt."} Verse 10
Along with that deliverance came some requirements.
{"I gave them a system of laws and worship."} Verses 11,12
Then we see Israel's response to the gracious deliverance and requirements of God.
[They Rebelled] Verse 13a
They clearly deserved God's unrelenting fury, but...
[They Received Mercy] Verse 14
God's reasoning in granting mercy is given in verse 14 as well, it is that same motivation that has consumed Him since before time began, that He might be glorified.
It is for His Name's Sake that He withheld severest judgment on Israel.

The third leg of the journey begins with a Lenient punishment.
{God Says, "I gave them a limited punishment."} Verses 15,16
Along with that limited punishment came a chance for blessing.
{"I gave their children a chance for blessing."} Verse 17-20
Then we see Israel's response to the gracious correction and chance for blessing.
[They Rebelled] Verse 21a
They clearly deserved God's unrelenting fury, but...
[They Received Mercy] Verse 22
God's reasoning in granting mercy is given in verse 22 as well, it is that same motivation that has consumed Him since before time began, that He might be glorified.
It is for His Name's Sake that He withheld severest judgment on Israel.

Ezekiel's history lesson continues with more testimony of Israel depravity and rebellion in the face of God's consistently offered mercy.
God begins His conclusion and an application to the people of Israel in verse 33.
Ezekiel 20:33 ¶ As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you:

God is determined to rule over His people.
If you find yourself rebelling against God's gracious requirements in your life, know this: He is determined to be glorified as King and worshipped as God in your life.

Verses 34-37 show that God means business.
Israel has not voluntarily submitted as a nation to Him, so He has decided to gather them together to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Verse 38 shows that God will finally judge the rebels severely, and there will be found no place for them.
The indication is that God will bring them out from the bondage of their situation and give them the opportunity to submit, and if they won't, they will not enjoy the blessings of the promised land.
Beloved, God has released you from the bonds of your sin.
He has freed you from your slavery to substances and ungodly relationships.
Now He is giving you the opportunity to live a victorious Christian life, for such is the symbolism of the land of Canaan for us.
How will you respond?
Will you submit to His every rule, or will you rebel?
The victorious Christian life is not for the rebellious but for the submitted.

Verse 39 amounts to an ultimatum to Israel, and it can easily be applied to our lives as well.
If you will cling to your idols, your idols are all you will have.

I trust your answer to God's ultimatum is, "I will submit."

There can be no other proper answer.
No halfway commitments to God will secure the blessings of a fully surrendered life.

This decision to submit will secure for you an acceptance of your worship - Verse 40

This decision to submit will result in an acceptance of your life and a testimony to the lost - Verse 41

This decision to submit will result in a fulfillment of God's promises of blessing in your life - 42

This decision to submit will result in a deeper distaste for your sin and a greater appreciation of God's mercy - 43,44.

Ezekiel 20:44 And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have wrought with you for my name's sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

He has not dealt with us according to our sin.
He has paved our path with mercy.
Let us walk this road of mercy with steps of submission so that His greater purpose might be realized, for He has granted this mercy to us FOR HIS NAME"S SAKE.