Ezekiel 5:13-17: a reflection

13“‘Thus my anger will be accomplished, and I will cause my wrath toward them to rest, and I will be comforted. They will know that I, the LORD, have spoken in my zeal, when I have accomplished my wrath on them. 14“‘Moreover I will make you a desolation and a reproach among the nations that are around you, in the sight of all that pass by. 15So it will be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment, to the nations that are around you, when I execute judgments on you in anger and in wrath, and in wrathful rebukes—I, the LORD, have spoken it— 16when I send on them the evil arrows of famine that are for destruction, which I will send to destroy you. I will increase the famine on you and will break your staff of bread. 17I will send on you famine and evil animals, and they will bereave you. Pestilence and blood will pass through you. I will bring the sword on you. I, the LORD, have spoken it.’”

This continues the hard word of judgment against Jerusalem, and set within its severe imagery is a phrase that recurs, sealing each pronouncement: I, the LORD, have spoken it. Again and again God stamps his word of judgment with this declaration, that it is he who has spoken, and therefore it is certain. His words are not empty threats or idle warnings; what he has spoken, he will bring to pass.

Notice the weight God places on his own word: I, the LORD, have spoken it. The people had grown used to treating God's warnings lightly, as though they need not come true; but God underlines that his word is sure. What he speaks, he means; his warnings are as certain as his promises, for the same God stands behind both. To treat God's word as empty, whether his warnings or his promises, is to misjudge the God who does not speak in vain.

That is worth taking to heart about all of God's word. We can be tempted to treat God's warnings as though they will not really come to pass, and even his promises as though they may not really hold. But God stamps his word with his own name: I, the LORD, have spoken it. What God says, he means and will do. Take God's word seriously, both its warnings and its promises. Do not treat lightly what he has spoken, as though it were empty; the God who says I, the LORD, have spoken it does not speak in vain. Heed his warnings, trust his promises, and live as one who knows that what God has spoken is certain to come to pass.

Lord, in this hard passage you seal each word of judgment with the declaration, I, the LORD, have spoken it, underlining that your word is certain and no empty threat. Help me take all your word to heart. Your people had grown used to treating your warnings lightly, as though they need not come true; but you underline that your word is sure. What you speak, you mean; your warnings are as certain as your promises, for the same God stands behind both. Keep me from treating your word as empty, whether your warnings or your promises. Help me take your word seriously, and not treat lightly what you have spoken, as though it were idle; the God who says, I, the LORD, have spoken it, does not speak in vain. Help me heed your warnings, trust your promises, and live as one who knows that what you have spoken is certain to come to pass. Let me honor your word.