S) "22 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."'"
Ezekiel 36:22 (NASB)
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Ezekiel 36
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Ezekiel 36
O) When the Israelites left Egypt, they were given instructions that would set them apart from the rest of the world. It started really started with the curcumcision of Abraham, but It resumed with the Passover instructions, and continued with the laws Moses passed down to them. At the root of a great number of those laws, was a concept of holiness that was, even in itself, holy. This was about distinction, about distinguishing the LORD from other gods, and His people from other people. But, throughout their history, they struggled to remain holy, to remain separate and distinguished and distinct. They were profaning God by worshiping idols, reducing their treatment of the LORD to the way they treated created gods. When they became totally profaned, as just another group of exiles to foreign conquerors, they continued to profane their God. So, when He chose to rescue them, to redeem them, to restore them, it was actually still about His own holiness first. Make no mistake, God was holy and righteous and pure, all this time (and all of time), but He was making Himself holy to them, again, and to all the world again.
A) This is an important lesson to me, to keep Treat God as holy as He is, which is completely holy. I need to carefully examine my life, and carefully examine to see if I am profaning His name at all. If I am calling myself a Christian (which I do, quite publicly), am I keeping the name of Jesus Christ as holy? If I am living a life that looks just like the world, then I am dragging the name of Jesus down as I mimic the world more than I mimic Jesus. If I do that, then I am begging God to discipline me, to prove His name as holy to me. I am inviting the judgment of my God. Instead, I need to judge myself, against the righteousness, holiness, and authority of Scripture. I need to keep Him holy. I also need to be holy, as He is holy.
A) This is an important lesson to me, to keep Treat God as holy as He is, which is completely holy. I need to carefully examine my life, and carefully examine to see if I am profaning His name at all. If I am calling myself a Christian (which I do, quite publicly), am I keeping the name of Jesus Christ as holy? If I am living a life that looks just like the world, then I am dragging the name of Jesus down as I mimic the world more than I mimic Jesus. If I do that, then I am begging God to discipline me, to prove His name as holy to me. I am inviting the judgment of my God. Instead, I need to judge myself, against the righteousness, holiness, and authority of Scripture. I need to keep Him holy. I also need to be holy, as He is holy.
P) Father, You are holy. Living my life fully devoted to following Jesus Christ, should also mean that I am holy. I know that I cannot do this alone, but I thank You that I don't have to do it alone. Let me walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, to walk in the righteousness You have given me. This, not for my sake, but for the sake of Your holy name. Let others see my life, and see Your holiness. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.
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