By the time of the book of Ezekiel, the Israelites have messed up badly. They’ve sinned many times and, with hard hearts, they refuse to repent. God has warned them to turn away from their sin, but the words of the prophets He speaks through go in one ear and out the other. The Israelites continue in their current state—they worship idols, take pride in their sin, and conform to the world around them.
God, being just, cannot let their sin go without punishment. So He says He will punish Israel and bring sorrow upon them because of their sin. He also says that He will later redeem and restore them. And He says that then, when He has punished Israel and redeemed them, they will know that He is the Lord.
Hold up.
God says that then the Israelites will know that He is the Lord.
The Israelites were God’s chosen people. They knew of God, though they worshipped false idols, too. I would assume that the Israelites, having some knowledge of God, had already been told that God is the Lord. They most likely had access to the Old Testament books where God revealed that He is the Lord. If the Israelites were asked, it seems to me, they would have said that they already knew God is the Lord.
Why, then, did God say that the Israelites will know (as in, in the future) that He is the Lord? It’s worded in a way that implies they didn’t know before, but have to learn that God is the Lord.
Though the Israelites could have known that God is the Lord, just like they probably knew that grass is green and the sky is blue, they didn’t truly understand that God is the Lord. They certainly didn’t treat Him like they knew He is the Lord.
We know that the Israelites didn’t understand that God is the Lord because if they did they would have acted like it. They would have obeyed God’s commands, but instead, they served idols and disobeyed God’s instructions.
Though the Israelites were told the truth about God by His prophets, they didn’t fully understand it, and therefore couldn’t love God as He had called them to. It wasn’t God’s fault that they didn’t understand the He was the Lord—the Israelites hardened their hearts.
Aren’t there people like that today?
Have you ever met someone who, if asked about Jesus, could say “Jesus died on the cross for my sins” but not understand the gravity of that statement? Of course, we may never be able to fully understand the gravity of that statement. But the point stands. There are many people who know the gospel, but do not live out the gospel.
And if someone doesn’t live out the gospel, do they really know and believe it? I think it’s unlikely. They may have textbook knowledge of Christianity, but they don’t understand it or fully believe it. That’s a dangerous situation to be in—Jesus doesn’t want lukewarm Christians (Revelation 3:15-16). He wants wholehearted followers.
There are people who say they know Jesus, but don’t have an intimate relationship with Him. It’s like the difference between saying, “Oh yeah, I know that person,” about someone you’ve talked to someone a couple of times and “I know so-and-so,” while taking about a person you have a deep relationship with. You don’t really know that person you’ve talked to a couple of times, though you know of them.
Do you know of the Gospel or do you truly know the Gospel?
Do you only know the basic facts of Christianity or do you understand the gravity of the Gospel message?
Do you know Jesus and have a personal relationship with Him or have you only heard about Him?
For a long time, I didn’t understand the gospel, though it had been explained to me before. I was brought up in church but didn’t realize that Jesus wants me to devote everything to Him. I thought I knew what Christianity was about but didn’t understand that it was supposed to affect every aspect of my life. I knew about Jesus and what He had done, but never spent time with Him.
I am so happy that my perspective changed. To truly know the gospel is to be set free.