• What is going on in these verses?
  • Ezekiel wrote this book to the Israelites living in exile. They needed to know that the God of Israel was God even in pagan Babylon. Ezekiel warned the people that their idolatry would be judged. Later, after Jerusalem’s destruction, he wrote to encourage them that God would bring them back to Judah and Jerusalem and restore the temple.
  • God’s holy name is His great name, the Great “I AM”. His holiness is His greatness; so He believed it Himself. Nor does anything make a man truly great but being truly good, and receiving of God’s holiness. God will magnify His name as a holy name, for He will make it holy. When God performs that which He has sworn by His holiness, then he makes His name holy. The effect of this will be very happy. When God proves His own holy name, and His saints praise it, then He is made holy in them, and this contributes to the knowledge of Him being fruitful and spreading it.
  • It is also used as a symbol for the gift of God’s Spirit, in the anointing of kings and priests and in the prophetic call. This rich symbolism connects to baptism in the New Testament.
  • Instead of a heart of stone, unable to respond to God with love and obedience, God will provide a new heart and a new spirit. Note that these come as the result of divine initiation and not human accomplishment.
  • The new spirit would be the Spirit of God transforming those to who He dwells and enables them to obey the law of God.
  • Note, the promise of God’s grace to enable us for our duty should engage and accelerate our constant care and strive to do our duty. God’s promises must drive us to His commands as our rule, and then his commands must send us back to his promises for strength because without his grace we can do nothing.

• What is God’s word saying?
  • Basically, trust God. He knows what He is doing. Obey Him and be blessed. He has already proven His holiness.
  • As I always like to say, “Just Do It!”

Prayer: Thank You, ABBA YAH, for the gift of salvation and Your holy name. You are holy. Praise You. I lift up the ill, spiritually, mentally, and physically. I trust You to meet their needs according to Your will. I lift up this whole world. Your divine plan will be done with or without us. You don’t need any input or effort from us. I pray that we will trust and obey You, GOD! In Jesus’ name, amen.