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polluted name

Ezekiel 36:16-21 (JDV)

Ezekiel 36:16 The word of Yahveh happened to me:
Ezekiel 36:17 “Son of Adam, while the house of Israel lived in their land, they defiled it with their conduct and actions. Their behavior before Me was like menstrual impurity.
Ezekiel 36:18 So I poured out my wrath on them because of the blood they had shed on the land, and because they had defiled it with their idols.
Ezekiel 36:19 I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered among the countries. I judged them according to their conduct and actions.
Ezekiel 36:20 When they came to the nations where they went, they polluted my sacred name, because it was said about them, ‘These are the people of Yahveh, yet they had to leave his land in exile.’
Ezekiel 36:21 Then I had concern for my sacred name, which the house of Israel polluted among the nations where they went.

polluted name

While in the land, the Israelites had defiled it with their idolatry. Once in exile, they did something even worse. They polluted God’s name among the heathen. Only God’s patience and his intention to bring his Christ into the world kept him from destroying these people.

This should be a lesson to all of us who take his sacred name today. Are we polluting that name? May we not do, say or think things that dishonor our God and Savior.