Moreover, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them through the countries,
In this chapter Ezekiel retells Israel's history — how God chose the nation, brought them out of Egypt, and met rebellion at every stage. Here the same raised hand that swore to give them a land swears to take them out of it, which raises a question: how can an oath of blessing and an oath of scattering belong to the same God?
The raised hand is an oath
The lifted hand in this verse is the sign of an oath. One writer points out how often the chapter comes back to it.
William KellySee how often Jehovah reminds His people of His oath! He swore by Himself, since He could swear by no one greater, to show how unchangeable His purpose is. It is of Israel that the apostle says the gifts and calling of God are never taken back. For this very reason He judges and must judge their ways.
The same hand, turned the other way
The same hand had already been raised over Israel for mercy and goodness. Here God raises it for the opposite purpose, and one writer points to when this happened and to the earlier books that had warned of it.
William KellyBut the same hand He had raised over the family of Jacob for mercy and goodness, He now raised over them in the wilderness. This was before they had even entered the land of Canaan. He swore that He would scatter them among the nations and spread them through the countries. Compare Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28, 32.
Mercy and righteousness together
God holds His hand back for the sake of His own Name. That mercy does not cancel the sentence, and one writer sets the two side by side.
An Outline of Sound WordsIn His purposes of grace, God tied the honour of His own Name to the blessing of His people. Not even the wickedness of Israel could turn Him from what He had planned and set His hand to do. He lifts His hand in judgment, then in mercy holds it back, because He weighs how their enemies would read the destruction of His people. But He is not only merciful. He is also righteous, and because of their rebellion He swore in the wilderness that He would scatter them among the nations and spread them through the countries.
What the scattering was for
When the time came to carry out the threat, the prophet Amos pointed back to the wilderness as the cause.
William KellyWhen it became a question of carrying out the long-suspended threat, Amos is explicit that the captivity and dispersion of the people came on them because of their idolatrous rebellion against Jehovah in the wilderness. "Did you bring to Me sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? … Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Damascus, says Jehovah, whose name is The God of hosts." (Amos 5:25-27)
The long gap between sentence and execution
God swore the oath in the desert. The scattering came much later, and the gap itself is part of the lesson.
An Outline of Sound WordsGod draws back the hand that holds the sword. Then He raises the hand that swears, and His voice announces His judgment on their sins. He did not carry out that sentence at once. In His patience He waited more than 800 years before He scattered His rebellious people among the nations. All through that time they provoked Him almost without a break, and again and again He stepped in with mercy to keep them.
Scattered by oath, gathered by oath
Later in the chapter God promises to bring them back from the nations He scattered them among. He gives the reason for gathering them as plainly as the reason for scattering them.
William Kelly"And you shall know that I am Jehovah, when I have dealt with you for My name's sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O house of Israel, says the Lord Jehovah." … God will then accept them, and they will know Jehovah. He will keep the promises made to their fathers, to the people of Israel on the earth. They will repent, and their repentance will be real only because of His mercy. He acts freely, above the evil of His creatures, for His own sake. Without that, a sinner would be ruined beyond remedy or hope.
Summary
- One hand. One hand is raised over Israel all through this chapter — to choose them, to promise them good, and here to scatter them.
- Sworn, not merely said. God swears by Himself, because there is no one greater. The purpose that never changes secures His gifts, and it also means He judges their ways.
- Held back. He holds His hand back for the sake of His Name. He weighs how their enemies would read their ruin. Merciful, and still righteous.
- Delayed, not dropped. The sentence spoken in the desert waited more than 800 years. They kept provoking Him. He kept rescuing them.
- Lifted again to gather. The hand that scattered them is the hand that brings them back — not for their corrupt ways, but for His own Name's sake.