The noun is “theodicy.” It means “the justness of God,” literally. And in today’s Ezekiel Text God is giving us a prime example of “theodicy” at its very best! In fact … GOD IS HERE HIS OWN ADVOCATE, HIS OWN DEFENDER!

The question, “Why has God allowed Israel to suffer such agony?”

“Why the hardship she has faced?

Short answer: because of her unconfessed sin.

Even stubbornly continuing in iniquity … after God had sent her many a Prophet!

“So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward. And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword. According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them, and hid my face from them.” Ezekiel 39:22-24

The “reputation” of God’s Own Name is at stake.

He has said again and again that Israel is “the apple of His Eye.”

His “chosen” Nation!

He has pledged to be her “Protector!”

Yet she had been (apparently) forsaken of the God Who guaranteed her welfare.

Well, let’s look more closely at what God just said! “The heathen (gentiles, parts of nations who apparently did not take part in the attack on Israel) shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity (was taken prisoner) for their (own) iniquity (Israel brought such slavery upon herself): because they trespassed (‘maal’ = to act unfaithfully) against me, therefore hid I my face (‘sathar’ = concealed) from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies (uses the root word for ‘hatred’): so fell they all by the sword (the ‘deadliest’ weapon of that day). According to their uncleanness (‘filthiness’ seven times in Scripture) and according to their transgressions (‘pesha’ = rebellion) have I done unto them.” Wow!

I think God just said, “Don’t blame Me!”

“I am Holy! I MUST judge sin!”

“ISRAEL has sinned egregiously!”

“I have chastened her according to her wickedness!”

God does NOT want to be accused of unfaithfulness toward Israel!

(Here’s a paragraph long “illustration” of GOD’S NAME being vitally important. Israel had just sinned at the foot of Mount Sinai, the “golden calf” incident. And God is so angry at her He plans to “blot” her out of His Book! But Moses prays, intercedes for the nation. “I prayed therefore unto the LORD, and said, O Lord God, DESTROY NOT thy people and thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed through thy greatness, which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Remember thy servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; look not unto the stubbornness of this people, nor to their wickedness, nor to their sin. LEST the land (its inhabitants, the Egyptians) whence thou broughtest us out SAY, BECAUSE THE LORD WAS NOT ABLE to bring them into the land which he promised them, and because he hated them, he hath brought them out TO SLAY THEM in the wilderness. YET THEY ARE THY PEOPLE AND THINE INHERITANCE, which thou broughtest out by thy mighty power and by thy stretched out arm.” Deuteronomy 9:26-29, “Lord … don’t let them say: “God couldn’t do it, could not keep them safe through the wilderness!”)

But in Ezekiel here today it is not Moses defending God. This is … GOD defending GOD!

What a “price,” the “cost” of sin!

(I once saw a little Sermon in pamphlet form, simply entitled, “The Most Expensive Thing in the World.” I just had to look inside! It is SIN! I should have already known that answer.)

Wow!

God never acts without reason.

Even when we don’t understand the reason.

But today, in Ezekiel 39:22-24, God’s “reason” has been made known. One of them, anyway.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

One phrase caught my attention, verse 22, “from that day forward.”

That’s how dramatic the “deliverance” from Russia and her attacking allies will be! It’s the “clincher” that “proves” to Israel God’s Care for her.

She is beginning to see God as her Creator!

Protector!

Deliverer!

Shepherd!

But some day, not long after today’s Text, Israel will see God (know him) as her Saviour, Redeemer, Messiah! (“What a Day that will be!)