CHAPTER 17

1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel; 3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; A great eagle with great wings, longwinged, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar: 4 He cropped off the top of his young twigs, and carried it into a land of traffick; he set it in a city of merchants. 5 He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed it by great waters, and set it as a willow tree. 6 And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and the roots thereof were under him: so it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs. 7 There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers: and, behold, this vine did bend her roots toward him, and shot forth her branches toward him, that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation. 8 It was planted in a good soil by great waters, that it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a goodly vine. 9 Say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Shall it prosper? shall he not pull up the roots thereof, and cut off the fruit thereof, that it wither? it shall wither in all the leaves of her spring, even without great power or many people to pluck it up by the roots thereof. 10 Yea, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the furrows where it grew. 11 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 12 Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean? tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon is come to Jerusalem, and hath taken the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and led them with him to Babylon; 13 And hath taken of the king's seed, and made a covenant with him, and hath taken an oath of him: he hath also taken the mighty of the land: 14 That the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand. 15 But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered? 16 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die. 17 Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons: 18 Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these things, he shall not escape. 19 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head.

Here is a sermon presented to Ezekiel in the form of a "riddle" and a "parable." A riddle is a form of question requiring an answer. A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.

The first "eagle" represents Nebuchadnezzar who "cropped off" king Jehoiachin from Judah and made Zedekiah a puppet king in Judah. Compare verses 3-6 and 12-14.

The second "eagle" represents the king of Egypt who attracted Zedekiah. Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar. Compare verses 7-8 and 15-16.

By breaking the agreement with Nebuchadnezzar, Zedekiah was breaking the "covenant" of God's caretaking for Judah (verses 18-19).

20 And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me. 21 And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all winds: and ye shall know that I the LORD have spoken it. 22 Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent: 23 In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell. 24 And all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the LORD have spoken and have done it.

Verses 20-21 are a statement that God will cause Zedekiah to fall because he did not trust in the Lord.

Verses 22-24 are Messianic. They are prophetic of the Messiah to come. God promises to take a "tender twig" and plant it. This "tender twig" will become the strongest of trees, and will provide shelter. And every other tree will know that God has caused the "tender twig" to flourish.

Notice that in the last line of verse 24, God speaks of it as having been DONE! When God SAYS it, you can count it as DONE!

CHAPTER 18

1 The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying, 2 What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge? 3 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel. 4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. 5 But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right, 6 And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour's wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman, 7 And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment; 8 He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man, 9 Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD.

Here, in prophetic means, God sets down the truth that every individual is accountable to God for their life. One cannot "ride into heaven on the coattails of his parents." Neither can one blame his parent's sins for his failure to believe and commit to God.

There was a "proverb" floating around in those days that said, "The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge" (verse 1). And correctly realized, this is a truth. When parents sin, they do affect the lives of their childrens. When one generation sins, it affects the lives of the following generation.

But one cannot say that the parent's sins, nor the former generation's sins are the CAUSE for their unbelief!

As God outlines in verses 5-9, a person is individually responsible for his life. Whether we commit to God and live in obedience to Him is a matter of PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY.

10 If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like to any one of these things, 11 And that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour's wife, 12 Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination, 13 Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.

The matter of choosing to live for God or choosing to live selfishly is a PERSONAL CHOICE. Those who choose to live selfishly without regard to God, will die guilty and face God in guiltiness of their own "blood" (or life -- see Genesis 9:4 and Leviticus 17:14).

14 Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father's sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like, 15 That hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbour's wife, 16 Neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment, 17 That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live. 18 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity.

If a person chooses to live for God, then the matter of his guiltiness is of his OWN, and he will not be accountable for the guiltiness of others. Atonement is provided through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, and the person will appear before God "guiltless" (See 1Corinthians 1:8). The sacrifice of Christ for sinners is able to atone for all men's sins and present them blameless before God at judgment day.

However, the person who refuses to live for God in his life, shall appear before God "in his iniquity" (verse 18) because that person has refused the atonement that God offers.

19 Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live. 20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. 21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.

In those days, and in many parts of the world today, a person was "guilty by association." If a father killed a man, then the son could be punished for the father's crime simply because he was a son.

Many times, throughout history, vengeance has led to misuse and abuse of the law of God. Leviticus 2:24 and Leviticus 24:20 have been often quoted without reference to Deuteronomy 19:18-21. The law of God has always been relegated to "judges" - and was NOT MEANT to be used in personal vengeance.

AND, God said, even in our text today, that if a person REPENTS of his sins and turns to God for forgiveness, then NONE of his sins will be remembered (verses 21-22).

A person may have to pay a debt to society for sins; but if he genuinely repents to God, when it comes to that final judgment day, he will stand "ACQUITTED!"

23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live? 24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. 26 When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. 27 Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. 28 Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 29 Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?

God's full desire is that ALL men repent and be forgiven. God LOVES people, and desires that ALL should be saved (see verse 23 here, and 2Peter 3:9).

But a man who is "good" in character, without having repented and surrendered to Christ, will STILL be counted guilty of sins at the final judgment day (verse 24).

I've read many a "letter to the editor" by some well known people who claim to be atheist. They proclaim long and loudly that God is UNFAIR (see verse 26 & verse 29). But God is PERFECTLY fair! He promises to FORGIVE the wickedness of man if man will repent. And He promises to NOT FORGIVE those who will not repent. To me, that's pretty simple!

ETERNAL EXISTENCE is ALREADY granted to man's soul! ETERNAL LIFE is promised to those who repent to God and strive to live in obedience as an adopted child.
But, ETERNAL DEATH is promised to those who will NOT repent to God and strive to live for self.
Yup! Sounds simple to me!

30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. 31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.

IMPORTANT NEWS FLASH!!!
GOD is the One Who will JUDGE all men for their lives!
It will not be the wisdom or prudence of the person; it will not be the "say-so" of reknowned people; and it will certainly not be some senseless, imaginative character that men dream up.

On that final day, when all souls from all time are gathered before the throne of God, every individual soul will face the eternal and holy God of the Bible. It will be Jesus Christ sitting on the throne determining the place of eternal existence for every individual.

And, my friend, Jesus has already displayed the fact that He doesn't want ANY person to exist in eternal hell. Jesus came, lived and died a horrible death just to pay our sin debt. If we repent and surrender to Him, then He PROMISES to forgive our sins and give us eternal LIFE!

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.