Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them and that they...are my people, declares the Sovereign Lord.

Ezekiel 34:30

My home church has undertaken reading the Bible through in a year. After reading now for eleven months, I’ve noticed a theme running through the Bible. God’s passionate desire is for everyone to know Him.

In the chapter of Ezekiel I read this morning, the phrase then they (you) will know that I am the Lord (Ezekiel 12:15, 16, 20) appeared three times. It appears many more times just in the book of Ezekiel. Jesus prayed, Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent (John 17:3).

God had his prophet, Ezekiel, doing some crazy things to get the people’s attention. He asked him to pack his bags and burrow through the city wall as though he were going into exile. He told him to lie on his left side for 390 days, then his right side for 40 days. Another time Ezekiel shaved his head and weighed his hair before dividing it into thirds. He burned a third, cut a third with a sword and scattered the rest. God orchestrated these signs in hopes that people would seek and know Him.

Perhaps they will understand (Ezekiel 12:3). “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart” (Joel 2:12). You were shown these things so that you might know that the Lord is God; besides him there is no other (Deuteronomy 4:35).

God doesn’t want us to come to Him to condemn us. He wants to shower His love on us. He longs to show us who we truly are and who He is.

“Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them and that they...are my people,” declares the Sovereign Lord (Ezekiel 34:30).

Father, may we turn to you in all areas of our lives. We want to know you more.

Terri