Ezekiel 20:44

44 And you will know that I [am] Yahweh {when I deal with you} for the sake of my name and {not according to your evil ways} or {according to} your corrupted deeds, house of Israel," {declares} the Lord Yahweh.

Ezekiel 20:44 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 20:44

And ye shall know that I am the Lord
Jehovah their righteousness, their Redeemer and Saviour, Lord and King; they shall know Christ, and him crucified, and God in Christ as their covenant God; (See Gill on Ezekiel 20:42); when I have wrought with you for my name's sake; in the thorough conversion of them; not that there is any cooperation with God in that work; ministers indeed are coworkers, not as efficients, but instruments; persons converted are wholly passive in the first work of conversion or regeneration; and in all later actings move as they are acted, turn being turned, walk and run being drawn, not being able to do anything as of themselves: but the phrase signifies a working in favour of them; doing great things for them, and good things in them, well pleasing in his sight, and good unto them; plucking them as brands out of the burning; taking them out of the hands of Satan; calling them out of darkness into light, and bringing them out of bondage into liberty; and all this for his own name's sake,
of his own will and pleasure, according to his abundant mercy, and for the glory of his rich grace: not according to your wicked ways, not according to your corrupt
doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord God;
had he, they must have perished in their sins, and been miserable for ever; but he neither proceeds according to the bad works nor the good works of men, in calling and converting them, but according to his own purpose and grace, ( 2 Timothy 1:9 ) , their evil works do not hinder his grace when he is resolved to work, and their good works do not merit it; he acts freely, and in a sovereign way.

Ezekiel 20:44 In-Context

42 And you will know that I [am] Yahweh {when I bring you} to the land of Israel, to the land that {I swore} to give to your ancestors.

43 And you will remember there your ways, and all of your deeds {by which you were made unclean}, and you will feel a loathing {for yourself} for all of your evils that you have done.

44 And you will know that I [am] Yahweh {when I deal with you} for the sake of my name and {not according to your evil ways} or {according to} your corrupted deeds, house of Israel," {declares} the Lord Yahweh.

45 And the word of Yahweh {came} to me, {saying},

46 "Son of man, set your face [toward] the way of [the] south, and preach to [the] south, and prophesy against the forest of the territory of the Negev.

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "at/in doing my with you"
• [b] Literally "not like your ways the evil"
• [c] Literally "like"
• [d] Literally "declaration of"