18:8The jaw of Moses had rules about charging interest (Exodus 22:25: Leviticus 25:36; Deuteronomy 23:19, 20) to prevent God’s People from taking advantage of the poor among them.
Life Application Study BibleEzekielChapter 18
Ezekiel 18
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 1328, 1329, 1330
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18Ezekiel 18
1Then another message came to me from the LORD: 2“ Why do you quote this proverb 18% 0, concerning the land of Israel: ‘The parents have eaten sour grapes, but their children’s mouths pucker at the taste’? 3As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, you will not quote this proverb anymore in Israel. 4For all people are mine to judge—both parents and [84 o. 4g children alike. And this is my rule: The person who sins is the one who will die. Isa 42:5; 57:16 5“Suppose a certain man is righteous and does what is just and right. 6He does not feast in the mountains before Israel's idols* or worship them. He does not commit adultery or have intercourse with a woman during her menstrual period. 7He is a merciful creditor, not keeping the items given as security by poor debtors. He does not rob the poor but instead gives food to the hungry and provides clothes for the needy. ®He grants loans without interest, stays away from injustice, is honest and fair when judging others, 9and faithfully obeys my decrees and regulations. Anyone who does these things is just and will surely live, says the Sovereign LORD. 10“But suppose that man has a son who grows up to be a robber or murderer and refuses to do what is right. 11And that son does all the evil things his father would never do—he worships idols on the mountains, commits adultery, 12oppresses the poor and helpless, steals from debtors by refusing to let them redeem their security, worships idols, commits detestable sins, 13and lends money at excessive interest. Should such a sinful person live? No! He must die and must take full blame. 14“But suppose that sinful son, in turn, has a son who sees his father’s wickedness and decides against that kind of life. This son refuses to worship idols on the mountains and does not commit adultery. 16He does not exploit the poor, but instead is fair to debtors and does not rob them. He gives food to the hungry and provides clothes for the needy. '’He helps the poor, does not lend money at interest, and obeys all my regulations and decrees. Such a person will not die because of his father’s sins; he will surely live. 18But the father will die for his many sins—for being cruel, robbing people, and doing what was clearly wrong among his people. 19” What?’ you ask. ‘Doesn't the child pay for the parent’s sins?’ No! For if the child does what is just and right and keeps my decrees, that child will surely live. 20The person who sins is the one who will die. The child will not be punished for the parent's sins, and the parent will not be punished for the child’s sins. Righteous people will be rewarded for their own righteous behavior, and wicked people will be punished for their own wickedness. *'But if wicked people turn away from all their sinsand begin to obey my decrees and do what is just and right, they will surely live and not die. 22All their past sins will be forgotten, and they will live because of the righteous things they have done. 23"Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign LORD. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live. 24However, if righteous people turn from their righteous behavior and start doing sinful things and act like other sinners, should they be allowed to live? No, of course not! All their righteous acts will be forgotten, and they will die for their sins. I 25“ Yet you say, ‘The LORD isn’t doing what's right!’ Listen to me, O people of Israel. Am I the one not doing what's right, or is it you? 26When righteous people turn from their righteous behavior and start doing sinful things, they will die for it. Yes, they will die because of their sinful deeds. 27And if wicked people turn from their wickedness, obey the law, and do what is just and right, they will save their lives. 28They will live because they thought it over and decided to turn from their sins. Such people will not die. 29And yet the people of Israel keep saying, ‘The LORD isn’t doing what's right!’ O people of Israel, it is you who are not doing what's right, not I. 30” Therefore, I will judge each of you, O people of Israel, according to your actions, says the Sovereign LORD. Repent, and turn from your sins. Don’t let them destroy you! 31Put all your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves a new heart and anew spirit. For why should you die, O people of Israel? 321 don’t want you to die, says the Sovereign LORD. Turn back and live!
Textual footnotes
- a EE
- desert, a wind that could wither a flourishing crop. The hot wind 20:5). Instead, Ezekiel taught that the destruction of Jerusalem
- of Nebuchadnezzar’s armies was about to overcome the nation was due to the spiritual decay in previous generations. But this
- of Judah. belief in the corporate life of Israel led to fatalism and irresponsi-
- . op F ‘ bility. So Ezekiel gave God’s new policy because the people had
- :22, h t.W; rupee:
- 17:22, 23 Ezekiel’s prophecy of judgment ends in hope. When misconstrued the old one. God judges each person individually.
- the people put their hope in foreign alliances, they were disap-::
- pointed. Only God could give them true hope. God said he would Aithough we often suffer from the effects of sins committed by
- plant a branch, the Messiah, whose Kingdom would grow and those who came before us, God does not punish us for someone
- become a shelter for all who come to him (see Isaiah 11:1-5). else’s sins, and we can't use their mistakes as an excuse for our
- This prooh fulfilled at the coming of Jesus Christ. sins. Each person is accountable to God for his or her actions.
- is prophecy was fulfilled at the coming of Jesus Chris In addition, some people of Judah used the corporate umbrella
- 18:1ff The people of Judah believed they were being punished for of God’s blessing as an excuse for disobeying God. They thought
- the sins of their ancestors, not their own. They thought this way —_—_that because of their righteous ancestors (18:5-9), they would live.
- God told them that they would not; they were the evil children of
- 18:6 The Hebrew term (literally round things) probably alludes to dung; also in 18:12, 15.
Life Application Notes 5 notes
18:12Allowing people to “redeem their security” refers to lenders letting debtors use at night what they had pledged (often a cloak). Without their cloaks, debtors would be cold at night. (See Exodus
18:23God is perfect love, but he also dispenses perfect justice. His perfect love causes him to be merciful to those who recognize their sin and turn back to him, but he cannot overlook those who Wilifully sin. Wicked people die both physicaily and spiritually. God takes no joy in their deaths; he would prefer that they turn to him and have eternal life. Likewise, we should not rejoice in the misfortunes of nonbelievers. Instead, we should do all in our power to bring them to faith.
18:25A typical childish response to punishment is to say, “That isn’t fair!” In reality, God is fair, but we have broken the rules. It is not God who must live up to our ideas of fairness; instead, we must live up to his. Don't spend your time looking for the loopholes in God’s law. Instead, live up to God’s standards.
18:30-32Ezekiel’s solution to the problem of inherited guilt is for each person to have a changed life. This is God’s work in us and not something we can do for ourselves, The Holy Spirit does it (Psalm 51:10-12). If we renounce our life’s direction of sin and rebellion and turn to God, he will give us a new direction, a new love, and a new power to change. You can begin by faith, trusting in God’s power to change your heart and mind. Then determine to tive each day with him in control (Ephesians 4:22-24).
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Study feature · page 1330
King Jehoiachin, who had already been taken into captivity in Babylon (2 Kings 24:8ff), or King Zedekiah, who soon would be (2 Kings 25:7). This illustration showed that for Judah, there was no hope for a quick return from exile and no escape from the approaching Babylonian armies. 19:11, 12 Not even the political and military might of Judah’s kings could save the nation. Like branches of a vine, they would be cut off and uprooted by “the desert wind”—the powerful Babylonian army.