July 18, 2011
HOPE AND HORROR
Ezekiel 18
Kyle Kaigler
Central Truth
Each person is responsible for his own choices, consequences, and eternity, regardless of circumstances, family history, or predispositions towards sin.
Key Verse | Ezekiel 18:23
"Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked," declares the Lord GOD, "rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?" (Ezekiel 18:23)
Ezekiel 18
The Soul Who Sins Shall Die
1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “What do you 1 18:2 The Hebrew for you is plural mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge’? 3 As I live, declares the Lord God, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. 4 Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die.
5 If a man is righteous and does what is just and right— 6 if he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman in her time of menstrual impurity, 7 does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, commits no robbery, gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, 8 does not lend at interest or take any profit, 2 18:8 That is, profit that comes from charging interest to the poor; also verses 13, 17 (compare Leviticus 25:36) withholds his hand from injustice, executes true justice between man and man, 9 walks in my statutes, and keeps my rules by acting faithfully—he is righteous; he shall surely live, declares the Lord God.
10 If he fathers a son who is violent, a shedder of blood, who does any of these things 11 (though he himself did none of these things), who even eats upon the mountains, defiles his neighbor's wife, 12 oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore the pledge, lifts up his eyes to the idols, commits abomination, 13 lends at interest, and takes profit; shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon himself.
14 Now suppose this man fathers a son who sees all the sins that his father has done; he sees, and does not do likewise: 15 he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor's wife, 16 does not oppress anyone, exacts no pledge, commits no robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, 17 withholds his hand from iniquity, 3 18:17 Septuagint; Hebrew from the poor takes no interest or profit, obeys my rules, and walks in my statutes; he shall not die for his father's iniquity; he shall surely live. 18 As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what is not good among his people, behold, he shall die for his iniquity.
19 Yet you say, ‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done what is just and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live. 20 The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.
21 But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 22 None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live. 23 Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? 24 But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die.
25 Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just? 26 When a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it; for the injustice that he has done he shall die. 27 Again, when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life. 28 Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions that he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ O house of Israel, are my ways not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?
30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. 4 18:30 Or lest iniquity be your stumbling block 31 Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live.”
Dive Deeper | Ezekiel 18
"Hope and Horror" is one way you might describe the book of Ezekiel. Israel had prostituted herself before the gods of other nations. Integrated into her rebellion was a bad case of the blame game. The people of Israel were attempting to pin their own personal sin and national problems on the previous generation. As he speaks the word of God, Ezekiel reminds them that each person is responsible for his own choices, consequences, and eternity. For those who follow God's way, hope! For those who live in continual hard-heartedness toward God and His way, horror!
Thank goodness the blame game is not an issue for today's generation. Or is it? Does any of this sound familiar:
My older brother exposed me to pornography at an early age, so my addiction is understandable.
My employer does not pay me what I am worth, so I am justified in padding my expense account.
My dad was emotionally distant, so I looked to other places for affection and attention.
My family had very little money growing up. Therefore, I pad my savings account rather than give generously.
Do not get me wrong, all of our lives are full of difficult situations. Tough circumstances do affect us. Generational sin is a principle in Scripture. Regardless of our circumstances, family history, or our own predispositions, however, we all are responsible for the decisions we make and the consequences of those choices.
As we wrestle with this idea of justifying sin and disobedience, God turns us toward the all-important concept of REPENTANCE. In verses 21-23 and 27-28, God reminds us that even when we make bad choices, blame others, or live in habitual destructive patterns, God is waiting for us to acknowledge our selfishness, admit we have sought life in other places, and return to the place of "abundant life." There, God waits with open arms, past sins forgiven, and ready to restore us into a proper relationship with Him.
Horror waits for those who never come to that place of repentance, but hope waits for those who realize their disobedience and continually turn to Him.
Discussion Questions
1. Often, maturity is defined by how quickly you recognize your sin and repent. Are you growing in your ability to admit you're wrong and to make amends in a timely manner?
2. What areas of struggle in your life do you blame others and not take personal responsibility?
3. Are you sharing the good news of hope and forgiveness with others?
WEEKLY FAMILY ACTIVITY
EZEKIEL 18-22 (JULY 18-22)
Read Ezekiel 18:30-32.
What does it mean to "repent"? What was God calling the people to repent of?
When we repent, we agree with God that our sin is wrong, and then we TURN AWAY from it and TURN TO the path God wants us to travel.
Read 1 John 1:9.
Are there any sins that you need to confess and repent of before the Lord? What would TURNING AWAY from those look like? And what would you be TURNING TO (i.e. heart of love, words of kindness, etc.)?
ACTIVITY: Give each person an index card. On one side of the card write: TURN AWAY. On this side of the card write down the sins that you need to repent of and TURN AWAY from. On the other side of the card write TURN TO. On this side write the opposite of each of the things you are turning away from and what God would want you to TURN TO. Example: TURN AWAY from disrespect. TURN TO kind words and love.
Trade cards and pray for each other all week to TURN TO God's ways. Throughout this week, memorize 1 John 1:9 as a family.