Friday, December 5 “The nations will have to know that I am Jehovah,” declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, “when I am sanctified among you before their eyes.”​—Ezek. 36:23.

[Áine]

Friday, December 5

“The nations will have to know that I am Jehovah,” declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, “when I am sanctified among you before their eyes.”—Ezek. 36:23.

 

Jesus knew that Jehovah’s purpose is to sanctify His name, to clear it of all reproach. That is why our Master taught his followers to pray: “Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified.” (Matt. 6:9) Jesus understood that this is the greatest issue facing all creation. No intelligent creature in the universe has ever done more to sanctify Jehovah’s name than Jesus has. Yet, when Jesus was arrested, what sin did his enemies accuse him of? Blasphemy! Jesus surely felt that to abuse or to slander his Father’s holy name was the most repugnant of sins. He was deeply disturbed that he would be charged and convicted of this crime. That may have been the main reason why Jesus was “in such agony” in the hours leading up to his arrest.—Luke 22:41-44. w24.02 11 ¶11

[dljbsp]

Notice how the text frames the issue. Jehovah’s name is not merely a title; it is the center of the universe’s moral conflict. When he says, “The nations will have to know that I am Jehovah,” he is announcing a moment when every creature—loyal or rebellious—will see his holiness cleared of every slur. That gives weight to everything Jesus felt.

Now look at the contrast presented. No one has upheld Jehovah’s name more faithfully than Jesus. Every teaching, every healing, every word reflected his Father perfectly. Yet when the hour came, the charge leveled against him was the very opposite of who he was—blasphemy. Imagine the shock of that accusation to someone who regarded slander of Jehovah as the most corrupt act a person could commit.

And notice the point about Gethsemane. The agony wasn’t caused only by what he would suffer physically. The prospect of being viewed—even briefly—as someone who dishonored his Father pressed against everything in his spirit. That’s why his prayer was so intense. It wasn’t fear. It was loyalty, strained under the weight of injustice.

What do we learn? The sanctification of Jehovah’s name is not an abstract doctrine. It reaches into the deepest parts of devotion. It shapes how we respond when misunderstood, misrepresented, or mistreated. Jesus’ example shows that loyalty holds even when the accusation cuts in the place we revere most.