Be An Example - Even In Discipline - Ezekiel 25-30

Ezekiel 28:25-26 (ESV)
“Thus says the Lord GOD: When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and manifest my holiness in them in the sight of the nations, then they shall dwell in their own land that I gave to my servant Jacob. And they shall dwell securely in it, and they shall build houses and plant vineyards. They shall dwell securely, when I execute judgments upon all their neighbors who have treated them with contempt. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God.”

In this section of Ezekiel, the prophet is setting oracles against all the nations that persecuted Israel, and/or God used to discipline His people.   In the midst of these oracles we read the above two verses.   Like all the oracles in this section, the purpose for God moving in the midst of the nations and Israel was so that they may know that I am the LORD their God.  But the prophesy in these two verses is not about the doom of the other nations, it is, instead, a prophesy about the security of Israel in the midst of their captors.   Israel is still, despite their rebellious nature, to be a light to the Gentiles of the world.   They are to show that God is holy and that God is good.   Even in the midst of discipline we are to be a reflection of God.   For Babylon, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are those examples.  Even in the midst of their evil, the people of Babylon saw the glory of God and His power through these men.   We must never forget that our example for God is to have no boundaries.  It is to never be diminished, even in the midst of God’s discipline in our lives.