Ezekiel 20:8-12: a reflection

8“‘“But they rebelled against me and wouldn’t listen to me. They didn’t all throw away the abominations of their eyes. They also didn’t forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the middle of the land of Egypt. 9But I worked for my name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among which they were, in whose sight I made myself known to them in bringing them out of the land of Egypt. 10So I caused them to go out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. 11I gave them my statutes and showed them my ordinances, which if a man does, he will live in them. 12Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them.

Recounting his history with Israel, God says he gave them his statutes and his ordinances, and also his Sabbaths as a sign; and he names the purpose of the sign: that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them. The Sabbath was to remind them that their holiness was not their own achievement, but God's work; he was the one who sanctified them, who made them holy, who set them apart as his own. Their sanctification was his doing, and the sign pointed to him as its author.

Notice how God describes himself here: the LORD who sanctifies them. He does not say, the LORD who commands them to make themselves holy; he says, the LORD who sanctifies them, who makes them holy. Their holiness was God's work in them, not merely their own effort; and the Sabbath was a sign to remind them of this, that their being set apart as holy was owing to God, who sanctifies. Sanctification, being made holy, is fundamentally God's work.

That is a truth to rest in and to rely on: that God is the one who sanctifies, who makes his people holy. We can approach holiness as though it were entirely our own achievement, a matter of our effort alone, and grow discouraged when we fall short. But God calls himself the LORD who sanctifies; the work of making us holy is fundamentally his, and he is committed to it. Do not think your holiness depends on your effort alone; God is the one who sanctifies you, who is at work to make you holy, and he will not abandon that work. Rely on the LORD who sanctifies, cooperating with his work rather than striving alone in your own strength. Your growth in holiness is not yours to achieve unaided; it is God's work in you, and you may trust the LORD who sanctifies to carry it forward, as you yield to him. He who sanctifies you is faithful, and will do it.

Lord, recounting your history with Israel, you gave them your Sabbaths as a sign, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them; their holiness was your work, not merely their own effort. Help me rest in that truth: that you are the one who sanctifies, who makes your people holy. I can approach holiness as though it were entirely my own achievement, a matter of my effort alone, and grow discouraged when I fall short. But you call yourself the LORD who sanctifies; the work of making me holy is fundamentally yours, and you are committed to it. Keep me from thinking my holiness depends on my effort alone; you are the one who sanctifies me, who is at work to make me holy, and you will not abandon that work. Help me rely on you, the LORD who sanctifies, cooperating with your work rather than striving alone in my own strength. My growth in holiness is not mine to achieve unaided; it is your work in me, and I may trust you, the LORD who sanctifies, to carry it forward, as I yield to you. You who sanctify me are faithful, and will do it; work your holiness in me, Lord.