Connect Ezekiel 28:22 with other scriptures about God's judgment and holiness. Reading the Text “and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Look! I am against you, Sidon, and I will display My glory within you. Then they will know that I am the LORD when I inflict punishment on her and demonstrate My holiness in her.’” (Ezekiel 28:22) God’s Glory Revealed Through Judgment • The Lord openly declares, “I am against you.” • His opposition is not hidden; it is purposeful, so that His “glory” becomes unmistakable. • Judgment is not merely retribution—God uses it to make Himself known (“Then they will know that I am the LORD”). Holiness Displayed in Justice • “Demonstrate My holiness” shows that holiness is never abstract; it is seen whenever God confronts sin. • Leviticus 10:3: “Among those who approach Me, I will show Myself holy; in the sight of all the people I will be glorified.” • Isaiah 5:16: “But the LORD of Hosts will be exalted by His justice, and the holy God will show Himself holy in righteousness.” • Holiness and justice walk together; holiness fuels the severity of the judgment, justice validates the purity of that holiness. Parallel Passages Emphasizing Judgment and Holiness • Ezekiel 38:23 – “I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will make Myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.” • Ezekiel 39:21 – “I will set My glory among the nations; all the nations will see the punishment I inflict and the hand I lay on them.” • Exodus 15:11 – “Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” • Isaiah 6:3 – “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory.” Consistent Thread in the Prophets 1. Pronouncement of judgment (e.g., “I am against you”). 2. Execution of judgment (plagues, exile, destruction). 3. Recognition of God’s identity (“they will know that I am the LORD”). 4. Revelation of divine holiness (holiness vindicated before a watching world). This pattern appears repeatedly: Sidon (Ezekiel 28), Egypt (Ezekiel 32), Gog (Ezekiel 38–39), Babylon (Isaiah 13–14), and many others. New Testament Echoes • Romans 1:18 – “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men…” • 2 Thessalonians 1:8–10 – The Lord Jesus “will punish those who do not know God…on that day He comes to be glorified in His saints.” • Revelation 19:1–2 – “Hallelujah! Salvation, glory, and power belong to our God! For His judgments are true and just.” The same purposes seen in Ezekiel—glory displayed, holiness manifested—carry forward into final judgment. Living in the Light of His Holiness • God’s judgments are not random; they consistently reveal who He is. • Awareness of His holiness should shape daily conduct (1 Peter 1:15–16). • Reverence grows when we see that even acts of discipline are demonstrations of His perfect purity. |
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