Day 6: Revealed in the Nations
Ezekiel 38:23
Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 are the prophesies the Lord declares to Ezekiel about how Israel will be attacked by Gog and his allies in the future. The alliance of Gog is formidable due to their great numbers of troops and nations, which God has described as “come like a storm” and “like a cloud covering the land” (Ezek. 38:9). This “storm” will not be anything like Operation Desert Storm but will be the storm of all storms.
In God’s majestic ways, He will use this storm to prove, show, and make Himself known as the Lord by destroying it, for He has no rival. The three verbs—prove, show, and make—could be synonyms and used interchangeably, though each has unique depth and strengths. When used together, as in Ezekiel 38:23, they deliver the absolute proof that God is the Lord.
The attribute of God’s holiness in Ezekiel 38:23 is His authority and power. God’s holiness sets Him above every creature with breath, and nothing unholy can withstand His holy wrath. When the storm of storms occurs, nations will acknowledge that our God is indeed the Lord of all!
Reflection Prayer
Dear Lord, holy, holy, holy are You—the Almighty, who was, who is, and who is to come. May our gaze ever focus on You as our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King. Grant us the strength to walk with You in holiness. May Your love for us overflow to the lost so they will come to know You before the storm of all storms and the Second Coming of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Armies. The whole earth is full of Your glory. Amen.
Week 1: The Holiness of God
A. W. Tozer writes in his book The Knowledge of the Holy, “We know nothing like the divine holiness. It stands apart, unique, unapproachable, incomprehensible and unattainable. The natural man is blind to it. He may fear God’s power and admire His wisdom, but His holiness he cannot even imagine. Only the Spirit of the Holy One can impart to the human spirit the knowledge of the holy.”
God is holy. Pastor Chip Ingram says, “He isn’t six or ten or one hundred times more holy than the best person you know. God Himself is an entirely different category in which He is the only member.”
God reveals His holiness to us in many ways, as we will see in the Scriptures this week. As we reflect on God’s holiness, how do we respond? Will we take off our shoes? Will we get on our face? Will we make every effort to keep peace? Will we confess or praise? Will we be God’s holy Church?
— Amy Roedding