Ezekiel 39:17-24: a reflection

17“You, son of man, the Lord GOD says: ‘Speak to the birds of every sort, and to every animal of the field, “Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice on the mountains of Israel, that you may eat meat and drink blood. 18You shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bulls, all of them fatlings of Bashan. 19You shall eat fat until you are full, and drink blood until you are drunk, of my sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you. 20You shall be filled at my table with horses and charioteers, with mighty men, and with all men of war,” says the Lord GOD.’ 21“I will set my glory among the nations. Then all the nations will see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid on them. 22So the house of Israel will know that I am the LORD their God, from that day and forward. 23The nations will know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity, because they trespassed against me, and I hid my face from them; so I gave them into the hand of their adversaries, and they all fell by the sword. 24I did to them according to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions. I hid my face from them.

This is a dark and gruesome passage, part of the judgment on Gog, described in the stark imagery of a great sacrificial feast for the birds and beasts. The images are hard, and not to be dwelt on. But running through the whole section is a refrain that names God's ultimate purpose in all of it: that the nations may know that I am the LORD, and that the house of Israel will know that I am the LORD their God from that day forward. Even in judgment, God's aim is to be truly known.

Notice that stated purpose, repeated through the passage: they will know that I am the LORD. Behind even God's severe acts of judgment lies this aim: that he be known for who he truly is, holy, sovereign, not to be defied. And the passage is honest, too, about why judgment had come on Israel: they went into captivity for their iniquity, because they were unfaithful; God did not fail them, their sin had consequences. God's dealings, even the severe ones, are toward the end that he be known truly.

We are not meant to dwell on the grim imagery, but we can hold the purpose. God's deepest aim, running through all his dealings with the world, even the hard and severe ones, is that he be known, truly known, as the LORD. And the passage's honesty is worth holding too: consequences flow from sin, not from God's failure. Let God's purpose orient you: he is working, in everything, toward being known. Seek to know him truly, as the LORD, and let that knowing, rather than judgment, be how you come to it.

Lord, even through the severe imagery of judgment runs your purpose: that they may know that I am the LORD. Your deepest aim in all your dealings is to be truly known. Help me come to know you truly, as the LORD, holy and sovereign, through your word and grace rather than through judgment. And keep me honest, as the passage is, that consequences flow from sin, not from your failure. Let the knowing of you be the end you bring me to.