and they will know that I am the LORD." (Ezekiel 30:19)
Throughout this section of the Bible's book of Ezekiel, the prophet condemns first one neighboring nation, then another and another. This is his frequent refrain, "...they will know that I am the LORD." It's almost as if the wrongdoing of those nations and their subsequent punishments are incidental to God's primary purpose of self-disclosure, namely, making God's self known. What more can God do? God has signed all of the natural world with God's beauty, making God known. God has given the people of all nations gifts of life, food, clothing, and shelter, revealing God's providence. God has called, wooed, healed, and forgiven human beings many, many times, uncovering God's love, mercy, and grace. So God repeats these and other messages over and over in order to drive home the point that God is God. The LORD wants humanity to know and know deeply.
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