The Bible is a living, breathing book. I’ve been reading it most of my life, and I’m still surprised by it. I taught Exodus in an adult class this past fall, and that allowed me to see a connection with Ezekiel, which I’m currently reading in my private devotional time.

In Exodus, you might think that Israel’s oppression is the main problem God intends to solve. It’s a problem, but the BIG problem is that no one knows the LORD!

In Exodus 5, Moses and Aaron appear before Pharaoh for the first time, voicing God’s command, “Let my people go.” Pharaoh replies, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.”

Big mistake.

Pharaoh did not know the LORD, but God would make himself known rather dramatically.

In Exodus 6, Moses receives instruction, “Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. 7 I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.”

Apparently, Israel did not know the LORD either.

Whose fault is this lack of knowledge? We could venture to say that it was the failure of mothers and fathers to pass their knowledge of God on, neglecting to tell the stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. But the Bible does not ascribe blame to anyone in particular.

There is a twin lack of knowledge – Pharaoh, representing the world, and Israel, as God’s chosen people, are both ignorant as to who the LORD is. The rest of the book of Exodus is jam-packed with the phrase “you shall know that I am the LORD” or some variation. God is intent on correcting this ignorance. How?

In Israel, God establishes offices and institutions to teach the people who God is and remind them lest they ever forget. Prophets and priests are established to teach the people and facilitate the relationship with the LORD. Feasts and services are instituted so that this knowledge never passes from Israel.

And this epochal act of deliverance is meant to be a display of God’s power that will spread his fame throughout the world. The LORD says to Pharaoh, ” But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” (Exodus 9:16). Moreover, Israel herself is established as a kingdom of priests: “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel” (Exodus 19:4-6).

Israel’s God given vocation was to make him known to the world. What Aaron’s sons were to Israel, Israel was to be to the nations.

Now Ezekiel. The language is very reminiscent of Exodus. God was going to execute judgments – he will stretch out his arm, vent his fury, pile up the slain, leave the land desolate, not have pity because of their abominations, leave them in mourning and despair, slaying many with the sword, leaving them paralyzed by terror – and then “they shall know that I am the LORD.”

But in Ezekiel, it isn’t Egypt that falls under God’s judgments. It is Israel! They need to be retaught who the LORD is. They’ve forgotten, and their ignorance is evident by their idolatry, their “whoring” after other nation’s gods.

Ok, now who’s to blame? Certainly, there is blame to go around. But through Ezekiel, the LORD places the blame squarely on the prophets and elders.

Ezekiel 13 records God’s word to the prophet: “The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel, who are prophesying, and say to those who prophesy from their own hearts: ‘Hear the word of the LORD!’ 3 Thus says the Lord GOD, Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! 4 Your prophets have been like jackals among ruins, O Israel.”

Later in the same chapter: “Because you have disheartened the righteous falsely, although I have not grieved him, and you have encouraged the wicked, that he should not turn from his evil way to save his life, 23 therefore you shall no more see false visions nor practice divination. I will deliver my people out of your hand. And you shall know that I am the LORD.”

Charged with speaking the word of the Lord to the people and fostering a knowledge of the LORD, the prophets were speaking instead from their own hearts (their loves, etc.) and their own spirits (agendas) rather than the Spirit of the LORD. Similarly, the elders of Israel had “taken their idols into their hearts.”

And if Israel does not know their LORD, certainly they are not able to fulfill their vocation of being a light to the world and making God’s name known among the nations.

Advance the timeline to 2025. The mission of making God known in Christ to the world falls to the church. 1 Peter 2:9 declares, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

I often hear Christians bemoaning the fact that the world doesn’t act very Christian, that the world doesn’t know and follow the LORD. Well, who’s to blame? It’s our job to make him known!

Sadly, I wonder how many in the church truly know the LORD. From the state of the church, I’d say not many, as is evident by the church “whoring” after other gods (to borrow language from Ezekiel).

And who’s to blame? Like in Ezekiel’s day, it’s the ministers whom God raised up to teach his people about Him! Blame falls, in part, on Christian ministers who chase their agendas, pursue their visions, speak false words, and take idols of wealth, power, influence, or approval into their hearts.

The book of Ezekiel is a gut check to all Christians, but especially those tasked with leadership in the church. Am I making God know? Or am I making myself famous, speaking what itching ears want to hear? Does God need to deliver his people out of our hands like in the days of Ezekiel?

Please, LORD, find us faithful.