What does "My eye spared them" reveal about God's character? Context in a Nutshell • Ezekiel 20 recounts Israel’s long-running rebellion—idolatry in Egypt (vv. 5-9), the wilderness (vv. 10-17), and the land (vv. 18-32). • Verse 17 interrupts the cycle of judgment with a stunning statement: “Nevertheless, My eye spared them from destruction, and I did not bring them to an end in the wilderness.” ( Ezekiel 20:17 ) Why “My Eye”? • In Hebrew thought the eye represents attention, assessment, and intent. • When God says His eye “spared,” He is saying, “I deliberately looked on them with pity and withheld the deserved consequence.” • The verse spotlights God’s inner disposition before any outward action. Five Facets of God’s Character Revealed 1. Compassion That Feels • Psalm 103:13—“As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.” • God’s heart is not coldly mechanical; He feels pity even while confronting sin. 2. Patience That Waits • 2 Peter 3:9—“The Lord…is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish.” • Decades passed in the wilderness; His restraint proved He would rather reform than remove. 3. Covenant Faithfulness That Holds • Deuteronomy 7:9—“The faithful God…keeps His covenant of loving devotion…” • His promise to Abraham (Genesis 15) outlasted Israel’s failures; He spared them to preserve that line. 4. Sovereign Control With Restraint • Exodus 34:6-7 describes Him as “slow to anger.” • Omnipotence does not make God impulsive; He governs His power with purposeful mercy. 5. Hope-Giving Discipline • Lamentations 3:22-23—“Because of the LORD’s loving devotion we are not consumed…great is Your faithfulness!” • By not ending the nation in the desert, He left room for repentance, renewal, and a future Messiah. What This Means for Believers Today • God still looks on His people with compassionate eyes—He “pities” yet purifies. • His patience is an open door: delay in judgment is an invitation to repent, not a sign of indifference (Romans 2:4). • Covenant faithfulness culminates in Christ; the same God who spared Israel secures our salvation (Hebrews 10:23). • Knowing His restrained sovereignty calms fear—nothing random rules our lives. • Hope shines even after failure: if He did not give up on that generation, He will not abandon those who turn back to Him today. |
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