“Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD,” declares the Lord GOD, “when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight. For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols”‘” (Ezek 36:22-25).
In our “everything is always about me” culture, where we win trophies just for showing up, we are often guilty of redefining “theology” as “meology.” God’s greatest goal for this universe, we think, is to please “me” and make “me” happy.
The regathering of Israel from the nations, along with their purification from sin, is not for the purpose of making the children happy, but for the purpose of vindicating and sanctifying His holy name.
But the prophet Ezekiel refuses to replace “T-H-E” (from the Greek word for God) with “M-E,” whether he is speaking about judgment or redemption. After seeing a vision of God’s heavenly glory (Ezekiel 1), Ezekiel realized that God’s name is worthy of infinite honor and praise. For this reason, the prophet describes the original sin as meology: seeking to supplant God by seating ourselves upon His throne.
In the book of Ezekiel, therefore, Israel and the nations are judged for misrepresenting, abusing, and mocking God’s holy name. The regathering of Israel from the nations, along with their purification from sin, is not for the purpose of making the children happy, but for the purpose of vindicating and sanctifying His holy name. No doubt, we will always be happiest and most fulfilled when a passion for God’s glory is the driving force of all we do, but let us never be fooled into thinking that we are the leading characters in the story of redemption. When the final credits roll at the end of this movie, only one name will appear, and the final song of this age and the forever song of the next will be a doxology, which comes from the Greek word “doxa” and refers to a song dedicated to God’s honor, glory, and praise.
