Questions for thought:
1. Is a baby born in sin? How do you know?
2. When it seems the whole world has turned against God, what one thing should we remember?
3. Sometimes the righteous have to suffer punishment with the wicked here on earth. With that being the case, what is the profit in being righteous?
Ending up chapter 17 in the last blog, we found the Lord had promised to plant a new twig which would mature into a goodly cedar, while at the same time punishing the wicked cedar which had forsaken Him. In chapter 18, we will find while it sounds like a punishment for the nation, it is due to individual sins and each person will be held responsible for his or her own sins.
There was a saying concerning how the fathers had eaten sour grapes and the children’s teeth were set on edge, but God said in verse 3 there would no longer be a need for that saying. Instead, if a person was found to be just and doing what was right, he would surely live according to verse 9. If this just person had a son that did evil, the son would stand guilty of his own sin. But on the other hand, if the father was a rotten sort of person and the son turned out good, the father would be responsible for his own sins and the son would surely live according to verse 17. In verse 20, God said the soul that sins shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, nor shall the father bear the iniquity of the son.
Even the wicked had another chance because according to verse 21-22, we see if the wicked person would change and keep God’s laws, he would live and his transgressions would not be held against him. But if a just person turned from God and began to do evil and did not repent, according to verse 24, none of his righteousness would be remembered and he would die in his sins. We see in verse 33, the judgment would be personal with everyone being judged according to his own ways.
This chapter does away with the false doctrine of original sin. According to that doctrine, since we all came from Adam, we inherit a tainted nature and are born in sin. That is not at all what God said. Instead, Christ said in Matthew 19:14 to allow little children to come to Him because of such is the kingdom of heaven. In other words, the kingdom of heaven is made up of those who are childlike. We know how sweet and kind little children are. If they get mad, they get over it quickly. They don’t normally hold a grudge unless they have seen that behavior in adults. They are caring and tender. We too need to be that way as children of the kingdom.
In chapter 19, Ezekiel was to take up a lamentation for the rulers of Israel. This chapter is concerned with the last kings over Israel. The last four kings of Judah were taken captive. King Jehoahaz represented in verse 4 was taken to Egypt. Kings Jehoiakim and Jehoiachin were taken to Babylon. Then the final king Zedekiah is the subject of verses 10-14. Remember from the timeline in the last blog, he was taken to Babylon where he had his eyes put out. Now in verse 14, we see there are none left to be king so this chapter is a lamentation.
Some of the elders of Israel went to Ezekiel in chapter 20 to enquire of the Lord. God refused to be enquired of by them. He told Ezekiel to tell them of their sins. Ezekiel was to remind them of how God had brought them out of Egypt to a land flowing with milk and honey and how they had rebelled against Him. Although they deserved more severe punishment, God said in verse 17 He had spared them and not destroyed them. But they still rebelled. So now even though He was punishing them, He was again promising them they would be restored and He would be their God. They would know He was their God because of the way He dealt with them for His name’s sake and not according to their wicked ways (verse 44).
In verses 45-49 and chapter 21 verses 1-5 God made it clear both the righteous and the wicked would be punished in the upcoming destruction. This was a physical punishment afflicting all but that does not go against what Ezekiel said in chapter 18 about the just not suffering because of the unjust. That eternal punishment would affect only the unrighteous.
While those in Ezekiel’s audience may have pretended not to understand based upon Ezekiel’s comment in verse 49 where he told God the people were saying Ezekiel was speaking in parables, they would have no reason not to understand once they heard what Ezekiel had to day in chapter 21 where God gave Ezekiel the sign of the drawn sword.
Once again in chapter 21, Ezekiel is prophesying against Israel. The Lord said in verse 2 He was come against them and would draw forth His sword and cut off both the righteous and the wicked. Ezekiel was commanded to sigh in front of the people and to let them see him in bitterness. When they would ask him why he was sighing, he was to tell them how awful it was going to be upon them. In verse 8 Ezekiel was told to tell them about the sword and how it was sharpened and how it was going to slay. He was to cry out and wail among the people. He was to smite his hands together (verse 18) as would the Lord God do also (verse 17).
In verses 18-23, Ezekiel learned how Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, would use divination to find out if he should attack Jerusalem or Rabbath of the Ammonites first and God would make the answer to be Jerusalem and he would attack there first. While the king was using divination, God was actually making the decision for him. And God would have His way because of the iniquity of the people (verse 24). When it seems the whole world is serving evil, we must remember God is still in control and His desires will be accomplished.
Then in chapter 22, God expanded upon what that iniquity consisted of. Among other things, they had shed blood, made idols, defiled themselves with idols, mistreated fathers and mothers, despised God’s holy things, committed sexual sins, and been greedy and used extortion (verses 3-12). Therefore, God again decreed how they would suffer as He dispersed them among the heathen people and they would know He was God. All the people from the common man to the priest, prince, and prophet were guilty of sinning against God and all would be punished.
It seems no one was even trying to serve God. Instead of speaking up against the evils committed by the priests and princes and prophets, the common people went along and did likewise. In verse 30 God said He had looked for anyone to stand in the gap or stand for the right, but He found none. All would be punished. How is that any different from today when we so often talk about the government and how it works against God, but the common people do not do any better? As Christians, we must stand for the good and resist the evil even if it means our own death. Just as the righteous would be punished with the sinful here in Israel, the same can happen to us, but in eternity the righteous will have a lovely eternal abode.
Next time we will look at more parables given by the Lord beginning in chapter 23.
Christian Women's Responsibility in Sharing God's Word 