For The Sake of His Name by Pastor Chuck Vedral

For The Sake of His Name by Pastor Chuck Vedral

In Ezekiel 20:8-9 God is speaking about the children of Israel. He’s trying to communicate what is on His heart. “But they rebelled against me and would not listen to me; they did not get rid of the vile images they had set their eyes on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in Egypt. But for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations they lived among and in whose sight I had revealed myself to the Israelites by bringing them out of Egypt.”

Hear what God is saying: they rebelled, they wouldn’t forsake, they profaned God’s name and namesake (who He is). They mixed God’s character and diluted and polluted His name and for that God said for that He wanted to pour out His wrath and spend His anger on them. BUT, He said, “For my namesake , because of who I Am I did what had to be done among them so the other nations would see who I am.” Even though they did that, this is who I am. This is the Father’s heart. Daddy is not angry because He already paid the price. He already made the way. He looked down and saw that we would never be able to do it even though He said, “This is the way, this is how you do it.” He didn’t say because you can’t do it I’m going to lower the bar. The bar is still up there. God said, “This is who I am and the only way you’re going to be able to be with me is to come higher,” so He sent Jesus to take us higher and Jesus came to do what we could not do. He took us higher.

Turn to verses 13 and 14. “Yet the people of Israel rebelled against me in the desert…” Notice, God blessed them and they yet rebelled against him. “They did not follow my decrees but rejected my laws—although the man who obeys them will live by them—and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths. So I said I will pour out my wrath and destroy them in the desert. But for the sake of my name (to declared who I am) I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.”

God said the Egyptians are watching, the Canaanites are watching and even though you deserve to be snuffed out He said, so they will know who I am, I’m going to bless you.

In verse 21 and 22 the same thing happens again. Notice, in every generation this happens. God in His mercy doesn’t respond to who we are but He keeps on loving us, He keeps blessing us, He keeps on making a way for us. In spite of how we rebel, He demonstrates who He is.

This is the God we serve. He doesn’t give up on us. He has unconditional love, forgiveness, acceptance and commitment. He’s the God without conditions.

Ezekiel 36:22 demonstrates the unconditional covenant (promise) to us. “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name …” Not just His name but who He is. He is love, He is grace. In the book of Exodus he describes to Moses who He is. He says “The Lord, the Lord, gracious, compassionate, full or mercy, slow to anger, relenting, repenting of sending calamity. That’s who I AM!!!

We think God is like us. We would have wiped out our enemies but because of His grace he says “…for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes.

We need to understand the God is making a statement. He wants to correct the misconception and put on the record that He’s not waiting for us to make a mistake so He can get us! He wants us to know that He loves us and He cares for us. The door is open and He’s waiting for us to come home! This is the message He wants to demonstrate through us to everyone else!

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