For the earth will be filled with the knowledge
of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
Habakkuk 2:14 ESV
This week... finishing up Ezekiel... reading through Nahum and Habakkuk... the metastory... the greater narrative of God's Word embedded into all creation... came into view...
One thing I've always wondered about is why God just didn't abandon us after our rebellion...? why did He continue to pursue...? at great cost redeem...? His ungrateful... disobedient... creatures...?
Reading Ezekiel began to bring the bigger... much bigger picture into focus...
And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name,
which has been profaned among the nations,
and which you have profaned among them.
And the nations will know that I am the Lord,
declares the Lord God, when through you
I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.
Ezekiel 36:23 ESV
God cannot allow Himself to be seen as anything less than the Lord God...
He did not rescue and redeem the rebellious nation of Israel because they deserved it... He restored and redeemed so the rest of the world... the idolatrous nations... would not see Him as a weak... worthless... God...
His glory is at stake...
When we rebel... we steal His glory...
and He will not allow that to happen...
There is a bigger creation at stake than just what is seen in the world... there is the entire unseen creation where He must reestablish His glorious reputation...
Ephesians tells us that our battle is not against flesh and blood... but against an unseen realm of powers and authorities...
When God created it was all good...
When we rebelled it all went wrong...
We stole God's glory... and gave it to the enemy...
God pursues all of mankind... all creation... with a vengeance...
not because we deserve it... but because He must reaffirm His glory...
to all powers and authorities both seen and unseen in all creation...!
Who can stand before his indignation?
Who can endure the heat of his anger?
His wrath is poured out like fire,
and the rocks are broken into pieces by him.
The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble;
he knows those who take refuge in him.
But with an overflowing flood he will make
a complete end of the adversaries
and will pursue his enemies into darkness.
Nahum 1:6-8 ESV
He will not abandon us... because He cannot...
because He is great... and... good...
and will not be known... as anything less...
One day... the knowledge of His glory... will fill the whole earth...
No one will be able to deny who He truly is...
This week's readings...
Monday Jeremiah 1
Tuesday Jeremiah 2:1 - 4:4
Wednesday Jeremiah 4:5 - 5:13
Thursday Jeremiah 5:14 - 6:30
Friday Jeremiah 7:1-29
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