"For my name's sake I defer my anger, for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off. Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another" (Isa. 48:9-11, ESV).
It is difficult for most of us to hear words like this and not think the worst. In this passage, God is telling Israel it isn't about them. And by extension, he is telling us that it is not about us either.
When Abraham was called out of Ur, it wasn't about him. When God chose Jacob over Esau, it wasn't about Jacob. It was about God. God created a universe through which, in which, and to which he would display his glory. He formed, for his own purposes, mankind (male and female) to bear his image. He did not do this because it had to be done. He did it because he wanted to do it. So when he showed favor to Noah or Abraham or Jacob or David, it was because the choice pleased him by fulfilling his purpose.
In these verses, we see God's chief purpose-that his name be honored. Because he promised to make Israel into a great nation, he does so. He also restrains his anger, preserving a remnant, to keep his name from being profaned. The concept of God's name being profaned means that his character is called into question. God will not have his character questioned.
What he says he will do, he will do. There is no weakness in God. He is completely able to do all that he says he will do. There is no gap in his knowledge, and no flaw in his wisdom. He is holy, righteous, and just. His word is trustworthy and true. When his character is called into question by sinful humanity it is a great affront to his character.
It should not surprise us, nor shock us that God functions, primarily, to preserve his name. God is perfect. He cannot put anything above himself, or he would be guilty of idolatry. This he cannot do. He is not a megalomaniac. He isn't obsessed with himself, like some vanity crazed narcissist. God's self-love is holy and righteous.
Thus, these verses hint at the answer to the question: "How could God love a sinner like me?". These verses tell us that God can love sinners like us, because that is who he is. It also tells us that God rescues sinners like us, so that his name might be glorified. It is grace offered freely, to undeserving wretches like us. We owe our allegiance to God because he made us, and yet, apart from Christ we rebelled against him. We owe him the deepest gratitude, because he ransomed us from our sin debt, yet most of us act as if he owed it to us.
When we love ourselves, so that we press for our interests above others, we think in natural. We shrug off any guilt and develop elaborate explanations as to why it is right that we should seek our own preferences. If someone questions our character or accuses of lying, we instantly try to defend ourselves. We feel justified in our defensive maneuvers. With all our sins and shortcomings, we find ourselves easily offended when someone questions our character or motives or trustworthiness. But we seem equally offended that God would be offended when sinful human beings call his holy character into question.
We shouldn't be offended by the truth that salvation isn't about us. It is about the One with the power to create us, the power to sustain us, and the power to redeem us. Jesus died for us, because it was his Father's will that he take our place. The Father loves us, because it is his will to do so. He sent his Son to die in our place because it manifested his glory to all creation. In Christ, we glimpse, the height, depth, width, and breadth of God's love and graciousness. Because God's chief end is to glorify his name, we live to glorify his name, as well.
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