What is the meaning of Ezekiel 36:23? I will show the holiness of My great name • God Himself takes the initiative. Just as He parted the Red Sea to vindicate His glory (Exodus 14:17–18), He now promises to act again so His reputation will shine unmistakably. • “Holiness” speaks of His utter separateness from sin (Isaiah 6:3). Here He is not merely teaching about holiness; He is putting it on display for all to witness. • His “great name” recalls passages such as Psalm 115:1—“Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name be the glory.” The point is that everything God does aims at magnifying who He is. which has been profaned among the nations • Israel’s rebellion dragged God’s name through the mud. When the covenant people were exiled, the surrounding nations mocked, assuming Israel’s God was powerless (2 Kings 18:33–35). • Profaning the name means treating what is sacred as common (Leviticus 22:32). Israel’s disobedience misrepresented God’s character to the watching world. the name you have profaned among them • The Lord speaks directly to the exiles: “you.” Their personal accountability is inescapable (Ezekiel 18:30–32). • Though God will restore them, He makes clear that the restoration is motivated by His own honor, not their merit (Ezekiel 36:22). This keeps grace front and center. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD • The repeated purpose clause in Ezekiel—“then they will know that I am the LORD” (over 60 times)—highlights the mission: universal recognition of Yahweh’s sovereignty (Psalm 46:10). • God’s acts of judgment and restoration both serve this end (Ezekiel 25:17; 39:28). His identity is revealed through real historical events. declares the Lord GOD • The phrase stresses absolute certainty. It is the signature of divine authority (Isaiah 40:5; Jeremiah 1:12). • Because God’s word cannot fail (Numbers 23:19), His promise of vindication stands firm. when I show My holiness in you before their eyes • God will transform His people so markedly that observers cannot miss the change (Ezekiel 36:24–27). • This outward demonstration parallels passages like Deuteronomy 4:6–8, where obedience to God’s statutes leads surrounding nations to marvel. • Ultimately, God’s holiness on display in His people anticipates the new covenant reality—hearts of flesh, the Spirit within (Jeremiah 31:33; Galatians 2:20). The church today is called to the same purpose: “that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him” (1 Peter 2:9). summary Ezekiel 36:23 teaches that God is committed to vindicating His holy name, tarnished by His people’s sin, through decisive, gracious action that transforms them. This restoration, rooted in His unchanging character, compels the nations to recognize that He alone is the LORD. |
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