Ezekiel 20:39-44: a reflection

39“‘As for you, house of Israel, the Lord GOD says: “Go, everyone serve his idols, and hereafter also, if you will not listen to me; but you shall no more profane my holy name with your gifts and with your idols. 40For in my holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel,” says the Lord GOD, “there all the house of Israel, all of them, shall serve me in the land. There I will accept them, and there I will require your offerings and the first fruits of your offerings, with all your holy things. 41I will accept you as a pleasant aroma when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries in which you have been scattered. I will be sanctified in you in the sight of the nations. 42You will know that I am the LORD when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the country which I swore to give to your fathers. 43There you will remember your ways, and all your deeds in which you have polluted yourselves. Then you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that you have committed. 44You will know that I am the LORD, when I have dealt with you for my name’s sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, you house of Israel,” says the Lord GOD.’”

After a long recital of Israel's unfaithfulness, God makes a remarkable promise. Despite all their rebellion, he will gather his scattered people, bring them home, and accept them: I will accept you as a pleasing aroma when I bring you out from the peoples. What is striking is the reason he gives. It is not because they have earned it, but, as he says, for my name's sake, not according to your evil ways. His grace flows from his own character and commitment, not from their merit.

And notice the response God's grace produces in them. When they are gathered and accepted, God says, there you will remember your ways and loathe yourselves for all the evils you have committed. It is a striking sequence: grace comes first, and genuine repentance follows. Being accepted by God despite their sin does not make them careless; it breaks their hearts over what they had done. Undeserved grace produces a deeper repentance than judgment ever could.

This is the very shape of the gospel. God accepts his people not because of their worthiness but for his own name's sake, out of his own faithful love. And that undeserved acceptance, rather than making us complacent, produces genuine sorrow over our sin and a deeper devotion. If you have received God's grace, let it work this way in you: not presumption, but a humbled heart that grieves its sin all the more because it has been so freely forgiven. Grace received rightly deepens repentance and love.

Lord, you promised to gather and accept your people not for their worthiness but for your own name's sake, and that undeserved grace broke their hearts over their sin. Let your grace work that way in me. Save me from presuming on it, and let my being freely forgiven produce a deeper sorrow over my sin and a deeper love for you. Thank you that you accept me for your name's sake, and not according to my ways. Amen.