Ezekiel 16:35-42: a reflection

35“Therefore, prostitute, hear the LORD’s word: 36‘The Lord GOD says, “Because your filthiness was poured out, and your nakedness uncovered through your prostitution with your lovers; and because of all the idols of your abominations, and for the blood of your children, that you gave to them; 37therefore see, I will gather all your lovers, with whom you have taken pleasure, and all those whom you have loved, with all those whom you have hated. I will even gather them against you on every side, and will uncover your nakedness to them, that they may see all your nakedness. 38I will judge you as women who break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will bring on you the blood of wrath and jealousy. 39I will also give you into their hand, and they will throw down your vaulted place, and break down your lofty places. They will strip you of your clothes and take your beautiful jewels. They will leave you naked and bare. 40They will also bring up a company against you, and they will stone you with stones, and thrust you through with their swords. 41They will burn your houses with fire, and execute judgments on you in the sight of many women. I will cause you to cease from playing the prostitute, and you will also give no hire any more. 42So I will cause my wrath toward you to rest, and my jealousy will depart from you. I will be quiet, and will not be angry any more.

At the end of a severe word about his people's unfaithfulness, God speaks of a time when his anger will come to rest: I will be quiet, and will not be angry any more. So I will cause my wrath toward you to rest, God says; my jealousy will depart from you. I will be quiet, and will not be angry any more. Much of this word is a hard one, about the serious consequences of persistent unfaithfulness to God. But it does not end in unending anger. God speaks of his anger coming, in time, to rest; his jealousy departing; his becoming quiet, no longer angry. God's anger against his people's sin is real, but it is not his permanent disposition or his final word; it comes to rest, and he desires quiet and peace. This shows that God's anger is not endless, but comes to rest. God's anger against sin is real, but not his permanent disposition. In time, God's anger comes to rest; he desires quiet, not perpetual wrath. God's anger is not his last word toward his people. Beyond the resting of his anger, God desires peace with his people.

Notice where this severe word finally comes to rest. Much of it is heavy, describing the serious consequences of a people's persistent unfaithfulness to God, which is no light thing. But the word does not end in unending wrath. God speaks of a time when his anger toward his people will come to rest: I will cause my wrath to rest; my jealousy will depart; I will be quiet, and will not be angry any more. God's anger against sin, real and serious as it is, is not his permanent, settled disposition toward his people; it is a response to their sin that, in time, comes to rest, giving way to quiet. This holds an important truth about God. God does take sin seriously; his anger against it is real, not a pretense. But that anger is not his permanent state or his final word toward his people. It comes, in time, to rest; he desires quiet, not perpetual wrath; he wants peace with his people, not unending anger. This is a comfort for those who fear God's anger against their sin. God's anger is real, and sin is serious; but his anger is not his settled, permanent disposition toward those who are his. It comes to rest; and beyond it, God desires quiet and peace. We need not imagine God as permanently, unchangeably angry; his anger against sin gives way, in his mercy, to rest and peace. We do well to remember that God's anger against sin, though real, is not endless or his last word, but comes to rest, and that beyond it he desires peace with his people. God's anger against sin is real, but not his permanent or final disposition. In time, God's anger comes to rest; he desires quiet, not perpetual wrath. Do not imagine God permanently, unchangeably angry with his people. Beyond the resting of his anger, God desires peace.

That is worth taking to heart, for God's anger against sin, though real, is not endless but comes to rest, and beyond it he desires peace, as God spoke of his wrath coming to rest. We can imagine God permanently angry; but God spoke of his anger coming to rest, his jealousy departing, his becoming quiet. His anger has an end. When you fear God's anger against your sin, remember that his anger, though real, is not his permanent disposition or final word, but comes to rest, and beyond it he desires peace. Remember that God's anger against sin, though real and serious, is not endless or his permanent disposition but comes in time to rest, and that beyond it he desires quiet and peace with his people, as at the end of a severe word about his people's unfaithfulness God spoke of a time when his anger would come to rest, saying he would cause his wrath to rest and his jealousy depart and would be quiet and not angry any more; for much of this word is a hard one about the serious consequences of persistent unfaithfulness, but it does not end in unending anger, since God speaks of his anger coming in time to rest and his jealousy departing and his becoming quiet, no longer angry, so that God's anger against his people's sin is real but not his permanent disposition or final word but comes to rest, and he desires quiet and peace, which holds an important truth about God, that he does take sin seriously and his anger against it is real and not a pretense, but that anger is not his permanent state or final word toward his people but comes in time to rest, giving way to quiet, since he desires peace with his people and not unending anger, a comfort for those who fear God's anger against their sin, that his anger is real and sin is serious but his anger is not his settled permanent disposition toward those who are his but comes to rest and beyond it he desires quiet and peace, so that we need not imagine God permanently and unchangeably angry, and we do well to remember it.

Lord, at the end of a severe word about your people's unfaithfulness, you speak of a time when your anger will come to rest: I will be quiet, and will not be angry any more. So I will cause my wrath toward you to rest, you say; my jealousy will depart from you. I will be quiet, and will not be angry any more. Much of this word is a hard one, about the serious consequences of persistent unfaithfulness to you. But it does not end in unending anger. You speak of your anger coming, in time, to rest; your jealousy departing; your becoming quiet, no longer angry. Your anger against your people's sin is real, but it is not your permanent disposition or your final word; it comes to rest, and you desire quiet and peace. Show me where this severe word finally comes to rest. Much of it is heavy, describing the serious consequences of persistent unfaithfulness to you, which is no light thing. But the word does not end in unending wrath. You speak of a time when your anger will come to rest: I will cause my wrath to rest; my jealousy will depart; I will be quiet. Your anger against sin, real and serious as it is, is not your permanent, settled disposition; it is a response to sin that, in time, comes to rest, giving way to quiet. This holds an important truth about you. You do take sin seriously; your anger against it is real. But that anger is not your permanent state or your final word toward your people. It comes, in time, to rest; you desire quiet, not perpetual wrath; you want peace with your people. This is a comfort for me when I fear your anger against my sin. Your anger is real, and sin is serious; but your anger is not your settled, permanent disposition toward those who are yours. It comes to rest; and beyond it, you desire quiet and peace. Take that to my heart. When I fear your anger against my sin, help me remember, Lord, that your anger, though real, is not your permanent or final disposition but comes in time to rest, and that beyond it you desire peace with your people, so that I need not imagine you permanently and unchangeably angry, but as one whose anger against sin gives way, in mercy, to rest and peace.