“Therefore, say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes.’” (Ezekiel 36:22-23)
The reason God judges us, and the reason He restores us afterward, is because of His name. The people of Israel, unlike the Gentiles, are a people who have entered into a covenant with God. In other words, they have become a people associated with God’s name. It’s like the relationship between a married couple and their children.
A name is not merely a name. When parents name their children, they don’t just choose a name that sounds good. They choose a name with the hope that their children will live up to its meaning. Similarly, the name of God represents His character. God introduced His name to us directly before.
“Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed His name, the Lord. And He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, ‘The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished; He punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.’” (Exodus 34:5-6)
He is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger.” In the New Testament, we are told “God is love” (1 John 4:8). Because this is who God is, even when we sin and are judged, He ultimately restores us. He cannot help but love His people to the end. He is willing to bear any sacrifice to restore us. This is why He died on the cross.
God desires to reveal His name through our entire lives. Whether we are judged for our sins, or whether He blesses us greatly, all of His actions toward us are filled with grace and love.
Our salvation, and the sanctification we experience after salvation, is not because of our works, but because of His name. It is because of the love of the One who has resolved to love us eternally. God’s name is the foundation of all our restoration and the reason for the sustenance of our entire lives.
“He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:3)
Therefore, we must live each day relying on the name of God. Especially when we feel too inadequate to trust even ourselves, when we are overwhelmed and everything seems hopeless, or when our wounds are too deep, we must live depending on His name.
