Ezekiel 20:44

44 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name's sake, not according to your evil ways, or corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, says the Lord God.

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 You shall know that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the country that I swore to give to your ancestors.
43 There you shall remember your ways and all the deeds by which you have polluted yourselves; and you shall loathe yourselves for all the evils that you have committed.
44 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name's sake, not according to your evil ways, or corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, says the Lord God.
45 The word of the Lord came to me:
46 Mortal, set your face toward the south, preach against the south, and prophesy against the forest land in the Negeb;
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.