Ezekiel 36:20

This was Israel's way in the land and out of it. Everywhere they were a shame to Him who chose them as His own. In Canaan it was idolatrous corruption and murderous violence. Among the nations it was profaning His name. And what did He do — the One against whom they had sinned? He is Jehovah and He does not change; therefore they were not consumed. Instead, He had pity for the name they had outraged, and He would set it apart as holy and be sanctified in them.

Jehovah had humbled and struck Israel in judgment. He used the nations as the rod of His anger, but they never considered that. Mocking and boasting, they blasphemed Jehovah's name. Surely He counted for less than their own idol-gods. He could not defend or save His professed people! They gloried in ruining the land and the people that bore that name. Israel had made Jehovah bear the load of their sins, so their sins dishonoured His name among the Gentiles. The very judgments His holiness had to bring on His sinful people ended in His dishonour in the eyes of the nations.

God puts the nation's past failure before them so that they may own it before Him. The nations said, "These are the people of the LORD, and yet they had to go out of His land." But then God remembers that His name is involved, and He delivers them for His holy name's sake. Then, as He had shown Nicodemus, the new birth was necessary even for the enjoyment of earthly blessings. As a teacher in Israel, Nicodemus ought to have known this from the testimony of the prophets.

The return from Babylon was no fulfilment, but at most a first instalment. Only a small remnant returned then. How far this falls short of what Ezekiel pledges should need no argument: "I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land." Most of Israel stayed scattered among the nations after the decree of Cyrus.

The result is summed up in one solemn statement: the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of the religious man. The Apostle is speaking of the Jew, but what he says is equally true of the professing Christian. The corruptions and degraded practices of professing Christendom are what have mainly provoked unbelievers to blaspheme. Men would not have become Christians just because Christians were consistent in practice. But if Christians lived out what they professed, men would have no occasion to blaspheme God.

Ezekiel had declared that the people of Israel profaned the name of God among the Gentiles. They were captives in a foreign land, showing by their evil ways what they were. Now, before God can sanctify His name through their restoration, the Lord taught His disciples about the opportunity and the service given to them. By their good works, the people around them would glorify their Father who is in the heavens. As His people, Israel should have shown the Gentiles what pleased God. As His children, the disciples should be illustrations of the moral character of their Father.