[39] “As for you, O house of Israel, thus says the Lord GOD: Go serve every one of you his idols, now and hereafter, if you will not listen to me; but my holy name you shall no more profane with your gifts and your idols.
[40] “For on my holy mountain, the mountain height of Israel, declares 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 contributions and the choicest of your gifts, with all your sacred offerings. [41] As a pleasing aroma I will accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered. And I will manifest my holiness among you in the sight of the nations. [42] And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the country that I swore to give to your fathers. [43] And there you shall remember your ways and all your deeds with which you have defiled yourselves, and you shall loathe yourselves for all the evils that you have committed. [44] And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I deal with you for my name's sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, declares the Lord GOD.”
[45] And the word of the LORD came to me: [46] “Son of man, set your face toward the southland; preach against the south, and prophesy against the forest land in the Negeb. [47] Say to the forest of the Negeb, Hear the word of the LORD: Thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree in you and every dry tree. The blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from south to north shall be scorched by it. [48] All flesh shall see that I the LORD have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.” [49] Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! They are saying of me, ‘Is he not a maker of parables?’”
(Ezekiel 20:33-49 ESV)
Today we see how God will use his wrath to bring his people back to him.
He will stretch out his might hand, and with an outstretched arm, with wrath poured out he will gather his people back in. He will bring them out from the peoples they are scattered amongst. He will bring them into the wilderness and punish them.
They will enter into judgement face to face. (v 35) Just as he did in the past.
The rebels will be purged. The transgressors will be banished.
THEN you will know that I am the Lord, says the Lord God to his people.
God is clear with his people. If they want to seek after false gods... they can do so, but they will no longer profane his name. They will no longer give gifts and service in a manner that speaks ill of the Lord.
God's mountain is his... it is holy. On HIS mountain he will be worshipped and served. There he will accept gifts and sacred offerings. There he will manifest his holiness among them.
Why will God do this?
So that the people will know that "I am the Lord". When he gathers them up from among the people they will know that "I am the Lord". When he accepts their service and acts of worship they will know that "I am the Lord".
God wants his people to remember him, to serve and praise him in a matter fitting of the Lord God himself.
God wants to deal with his people in a manner that befits being HIS people. He doesn't want to come in wrath and judgement, but he will if that is what is required to have his people remember that HE is Lord God. HE is significant and special to them.
The last section of this passage is an instruction to Ezekiel to preach against the southland and the forestland of Negeb. How he will kindle a fire in them that will burn from south to north, a fire kindled by the Lord that will not be quenched.
The last line I find an odd statement "Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! They are saying of me, ‘Is he not a maker of parables?" And I admittedly don't know what to do with this verse.
Do you hear though? Do you hear God's cry and his determination that his people remember WHO he is? That's the point of all of this you know, all the judgement and punishment, the gathering in the in your face statements. I WILL JUDGE YOU. YOU WILL KNOW!! God wants his people to realize that he is different than everything they are pursuing. He is the LORD GOD!!!
So I have to ask myself this. I call myself a Christian. Am I really truly aware that he is LORD GOD. That he is special and different and demanding of service and sacrifice. Does knowing him matter?