Ezekiel 17-19

Introduction

Easy to understand. No hand?

Interesting. Interesting. But obviously in these first uh even the 19 chapters which we go through today, we’ve seen different uh ways of carrying out his message, haven’t we? We’ve seen him actually act out. Um when he, of course, built the siege around the model of Jerusalem and built the iron wall, and when he lay on one side and he ate polluted bread. We’ve seen him dig through the wall and carry all this baggage to the side to illustrate all of this, illustrating what, basically. What’s been the message up to this point? Jerusalem. That Jerusalem will fall. And will fall to the Babylonians. And why will it fall? These first 24 chapters just over and over from a different point of view states why it will fall.

Because of the sin, the iniquities of the people. But is God unfair? Has he warned them that it will fall? Yes. How many times has he warned them that it will fall? And so now do you understand more fully? Back in chapters two and three, when God sent Ezekiel out and he said, You’re going to face a people who are what? Revealed. Hard-headed, impudent, hard-hearted. And they’ll not really, they’ll not listen to you. But you go. Why? Over and over. He said this reason. Why? So they will know. No excuse. They shall know that I am the Lord. I am Jehovah. And not only did he act out different things, we have seen various ways of expressing. If you were here Wednesday night, chapter 16, one of the longer chapters, I guess the longest at least that we’ve had thus far for sure, 63 verses in it.

He illustrated the sin, the grievous way of acting of his people by an allegory. Today’s lesson, he has a riddle or a parable. What’s the difference between a parable and an allegory? You remember? An allegory using real things to make a form of careful pleasant. Alright. A parable may illustrate with things that are true to life from the New Testament. A sower goes out to sow seed and plants some in the good ground and some in turning ground, some right so forth. We understand that literally could happen, isn’t it? It’s a real thing that’s happened in life.

He didn’t do it that way. An allegory actually uses facts of history and can state here’s what happened. And so in the allegory of chapter 16, uh he illustrated that that Judah had a mother and a father. You remember their names?

One was Hittite, the other Amorites. Well, there really was, there really were Hittites, weren’t they? And they really were Amorites. Where do we read about those in the Bible? What were they? What did they represent? They were Canaanitesar. They were Canaanites. And being Canaanites, what kind of religion did they have? Idolatrous. That’s why God drove them out of the land too righteously. So why would he identify Judah with Hittite and Amorite? Well, they were worse. How about the background of the religion? Idolatrous had to become idolatrous? Yeah. In fact, even in our lesson today, we it’s kind of over and over today, but I guess I said probably two weeks ago and three weeks before that or whatever. Because of the sins of what king had really corrupted Judah?

Manasseh. Even had them offering their children in the fire. So because of this grievous sin, God’s gonna bring them down. Well, so were they like the Hittites and the Amorites and that they were idolatrous? But then he said you had two sisters that he named. You remember the sisters’ name? Sodom and Samaria. And why would well, what do you think of when you think of Sodom? Grievous, and God just so bad God destroyed it with fire, didn’t he? And Samaria, even the capital of the Lord, the kingdom of Israel. And again, because of their idolatrous and immorality ways, they were taken into captivity as well. So how did Judah compare with these? He’s like them. But she’s worse. He’s worse. And what way did he say in chapter 16?

How much worse were they? What did they do that was worse? They didn’t even take money. Mike, you’re gonna need two chairs, two seats? Just one. Your wife and that coming? No. Okay.

There’s one. On the other side, over there. By Jerona, get you under the stuff. This is one of my big sitters. Okay.

All right, thank you, guys. Where were we? Oh, yeah, the they were uh they were immoral. Right. In fact, they were they had become and used the word prostitutes, weren’t they? But they were worse than the average prostitute. What made them worse than the average prostitute? The prostitute used to get them and they’re not.

Pain the love. And so what could they say? That God is unfair? Well, they really couldn’t say that. And that’s emphasized over and over. They might try, and there’s some hinges to that even in our lesson today. Uh hints of that is. But uh, but really it’s not true. God is just, God is fair. With all of this, though, and looking at the different ways that Ezekiel illustrated the lesson and then described uh his lesson, there are uh captured within prophecies of the Messianic period. It’s gonna be a difference. These first 24 chapters don’t do it as much as you will see later. When uh you might say the last part of Ezekiel is gonna be more promise. Here’s the future, and here’s the Messianic kingdom, uh the coming of the Savior, and the establishment of the Lord’s church.

You get that especially in the last nine chapters where he measures the temple and the temple there representing the Lord’s church. So I’ll tell you while the first, well, let me say particularly the first 24 chapters, sort of is over and over and over, yes, Judah sin, and Judas are going to take captivity, and here’s why we take captivity. The content begins to change. First of all, in chapter 25, he starts talking about the sins of the nations around, and God’s hands over them too. And because of their sin, God will deal fairly with them and there’ll be captivity. But even in our lesson, for example, look at chapter 16, the close of it. In chapter 16, verse 60. Nevertheless, I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.

Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your older and your younger sisters. For I will give them to you for daughters, but not because of my covenant with you. I will establish my covenant with you, then you shall know that I am the Lord, that you may remember the ashamed and never open your mouth anymore because of your shame when I provide you an atonement for all you have done, says the Lord God. Now, just to read that, it sounds maybe rather strange. Is it a hint, perhaps, that there is forgiveness? Would there be a time, first of all, that a remnant would return to Jerusalem? You know, we know that is what happened after 70 years in captivity. Even Jeremiah had said specifically that it would be 70 years, they did come back.

And they did look forward to the everlasting covenant was made even to an ape, a David, particularly, and 2 Samuel said, that he would establish his throne forever. That of the lineage of David, who is that referring to? How does that being fulfilled? Is David’s lineage sitting on the throne now? It’s an everlasting covenant. It has to be a point of looking forward to the Messiah, to the Christ Himself. And as in Acts chapter 2, he was raised to sit on David’s throne. Acts 2 30. So that he is indeed at the right hand of God and ruling over God’s people. That’s what David did was rule over God’s people.

But it’s sort of a foresight into that that will later happen. And even in our lesson today in chapter 17, we have another hint. I’m going to kind of jump ahead a little bit. How that on uh in chapter 17, verse 23, on the mountain height of Israel I will plant it. Well, maybe I’ll start verse 22. Thus says the Lord God, I will take also one of the highest branches of the high cedar, set it out, I will crop off from the topmost of his young twigs, a tender one, and will plant it on a high and prominent mountain. On the mountain height of Israel, I will plant it, and it will bring forth boughs and bear fruit and be a majestic cedar. Under it will dwell birds of every sort.

In the shadow of its branches they will dwell. And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the Lord, have brought down the high tree, exalted the low tree, dried up the green tree, and made the dry tree flourish. I the Lord have spoken and done. You know, the half tree, you might say, here are here are those who God had set up as kings of Israel, or Judah particularly now. But, and as we see in this parable on riddle, they were brought down. Whether it was Jehoiakim or Zedekiah, they had every opportunity to remain, but they were brought down. Zedekiah, taken in the present, taken to Babylon, blinded. And the remnant of those that were left behind in the first sort were taken to Babylon captivity.

Sad day for Judah. But out of all that, God still brought.

Unlikely to succeed anything to grow there. And yet it grew. And as the New Testament speak about how that the Lord’s house would be what? It flourish. People of every name, tried, tongue, would obey the gospel. And so even these last few verses of chapter 17, he said he brought down the high tree but exalted the low tree. He’s dried up the green tree and made the dry tree flourish. Isaiah 2 and verse 2 that, you know, in the last days the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the mountain. And it speaks of how men of all ties will come and worship the Lord. So it is a prophecy of the future. And I say, you know, catch that right off of Ezekiel.

1. Son of Man, Pose a Riddle

It’s sort of, it’s it’s there. Better stop and think about it. So I say, catching catching the meaning of Ezekiel all the way through, it’s not easily. You don’t just sit down and say, oh boy, this is easy to read. I understand every word of it. It’s not that simple. But it’s got some tremendous, great lessons in it. Well, let’s start with chapter 17. I would usually start with questions, but since I’ve taken up the time to let’s just go within chapter 17. Where he starts off. The word of the Lord came to me saying, Son of man, pose a riddle. Speak a parable to the house of Israel. Now why would he start with a riddle? That’s new for us. But then he says, speak it as a parable.

A riddle. Sometimes riddles teach, you know. Maybe they teach before the heart ever really understands a riddle. Remember probably one of the more easily recognized in the Bible when uh when David had committed sin, Bathsheba and even had her husband Erija killed. Nathan, the prophet came to David, and he posed a riddle. What was the riddle? You lamb. Yeah. Here’s the man, the poor man had one little lamb, another man had many, and Travers came through. The man with abundance took the poor man and killed it and fed. And David’s reaction, he understood. Let that man be put to death and restore four bowl. He understood, and then David said, You are the one. So sometimes riddles help teach, even before you might understand. You know, maybe just started with Nathan, you’ve done wrong.

Maybe David would have understood, but still the riddle really put it on it, didn’t it? And so here, here’s the riddle that uh Ezekiel is to put forth children of God. Son of man, pose a riddle. Speak a parable. So here it is. Verse 3 a great eagle with large wings and long pinions full of feathers of various colors came to Lebanon and took from the cedar the highest branch. He cropped off its topmost young twig, carried it to a land of trade, set it in a city of mercies. Then he took some of the seed of the land, planted it in a fertile field. He placed it by abundant waters and set it like a willow tree. It grew and became a spreading vine of low stature.

Its branches turned toward him. But its roots were under it, so it became a vine, brought forth branches and put forth shoots. Now at this point, we don’t maybe have enough to really comprehend what he’s talking about. He later does give an explanation of this parable. But looking at it, and later with what he says in it, we begin to understand that this eagle of wonderful appearance, large wings and long pinions, seems here to represent Babylon. And perhaps even under Nebuchadnezzar, came to Lebanon. The cedars of Lebanon were known in that period of time of being of stature and health and strong. So Lebanon here seemed to represent Israel, God’s people in a time where, you know, they could be under God’s guidance strong and resilient and would stand.

But here in verse 4, he cropped off its topmost young twig, carried it to a land of a trade. So he uh he took perhaps this king, seems to represent at this point in the history, the king named Jehor. Juan Jehoragin. Y’all remember in the captivity when Jehorakin, somebody maybe that’s a Jehoiacin, because it’s the last name C-H-I-N. He’s also known in the Bible as Koniah. What was it that uh that was significant about the taking of Kaniah or Jehoragan to Babylon? What went with him? I guess is my better question. Anybody remember? He would he was told to go. Yeah, yeah. But what went with him? Just Jehoracin? No. How many? Gentile. Sometimes we don’t associate. I we’ve gone over this over and over. I said, Do you remember when Ezekiel was taken captives when God took the 10,000?

Well, Jehoiakim was the king. Jehoiakin only remained three months. Not very long. So you might say he was, you know, he had an opportunity. He was of the lineage of Josiah, he was of the lineage of David. He was the king that ought to have been on the throne and strong and healthy there. But he rebelled. And so Nebuchadnezzar said enough of that. And took him along with 10,000 the finest. Then in who was placed in his place? Who became king in Jehoracam? Jehoraca was taken. Who then became king? Jeekiah. Zedekiah. Zedekiah now is inserted. Now Zedekiah has every reason to serve Babylon, wouldn’t you think? If the king has already shown his strength, he’s already taken 10,000 the finest, and he left the poorest of the land back in Jerusalem.

Wouldn’t you think Zedekiah would say, Oh, whatever Nebuchadnezzar you want about it? Did he? What did he do? Well he ran, but you know the uh green Wilcom said he politicked himself into trouble. He knew more than the Lord, he thought. Because what did he look to for help? Egypt. Here we got Babylon on the one hand, they got Egypt down another, and and yet Babylon’s taking 10,000 or finest, but you know what? Pharaoh will come up, and Pharaoh will protect us. And that’s how we’ll have to evidently no thought of God. You know. And God through Jeremiah and also Ezekiel said, Sir Nebuchadnezzar, and it’ll be all right with you. Don’t oppose him. If you oppose him, you’re going to be taken captive. That’s not what Zedekiah thought.

You know, the ways of man always, there’s a way which seems right to man, and thereof of the ways of death, and with Zedekiah, it was, hey, Egypt. Pharaoh Necho is strong. And if Pharaoh Necho comes up, you know, did it look like maybe that’s what’s going to happen? When it looked like the Babylonians really were in control of Jerusalem. And when Pharaoh did come up, what did they do? They did back off. And then there’s the word from Jeremiah. Don’t be deceived. That’s only temporary. Because indeed Nebuchadnezzar did come back and Pharaoh fled. Pharaoh wasn’t the help. He was uh he he was not what they had hoped. God had raised up Nebuchadnezzar, and that’s where Zedekiah as well as the other kings fell to heed the word of God.

So let’s begin reading verse 7. Verse 7 now describes Pharaoh or Egypt. There was another great eagle with large wings and many feathers. And behold, this vine been its roots toward him, and stretched its branches toward him. Of the garden of carrots where they’ve been planted. That he might water it. It was planted in good soil by many waters to bring forth branches, bear fruit, become them a majestic vine. And say, thus says the Lord God, Will it thrive? Will he not pull up its roots, cut off its fruit, leave it to wither? All of its spring leaves will wither, and no great power of many people. Will we needed to pluck it up by its roots? Behold, it’s planted. The question, will it thrive? You think there’s an answer?

Will it utterly wither when the east wind touches? It will wither and the garden perish where it grew. And others, now this is a parable, and this is an illustration. But when the vine turns toward the wrong source, and the old hot east wind blows, it’s not going to live. So here’s the parable. You know, you understand, here’s it looks like it’s healthy. It was given a good place. Nebuchadnezzar really did not intend for uh all of Jerusalem to be destroyed. Evidently, I think it’s verse six, is it? Where uh five and six. Uh verse six, he it grew, became a spreading vine. Uh it brought forth branches. I lost my thought, my verse at all. Anyway, the Nebuchadnezzar seemed to have set it so that it became fruitful with every opportunity to grow.

2. By Keeping His Covenant It Might Stand

It was the rebellion of Zedekiah that caused the land to actually fall. In fact, in verses 11, go through verses 11 through 14, where he begins to explain the thorough word of the Lord came to me, saying, Say now to the rebellious house, Do you not know what these things mean? Tell them, indeed, the king of Babylon went to Jerusalem, took its king and princes, and led them with him to Babylon. He took the king’s offspring, made a covenant with him, put him under oath. He also took away the might of the land that the kingdom might be brought low, not lift itself up, but that by keeping his covenant it might stand. That’s the thought I wanted to get singers earlier. Now, what Nebuchadnezzar tried to do was take away that further rebellion.

In other words, he did take away captives. But he left some there. And his intent was, as verse 14, by keeping his covenant, it might stand. He could have kept it as a vassal state. It could have continued at least. It would not have been destroyed had Zedekiah and Judah not rebelled against him first. Nebuchadnezzar’s intent, he could have destroyed it when he took away the 10,000. But he didn’t. He didn’t at that point in time. So in verse 15, explaining the parable. But he rebelled against him by sending his ambassadors to Egypt, that they might give him horses and many people. Will he prosper? Will he who does such things escape? Can he break a covenant so he’ll be delivered? As I live, says the Lord God, surely in the place where the king dwells, we made him king, his old people spied, and whose covenant broke with him in the midst of Babylon.

He shall die. So what’s the lesson here? God intended to let Judah stand. Actually, Jerusalem stand. The fact that we read and know later what happened, that he came back, Zedekiah was taken captive, blinded, and himself taken, and the temple itself burned. It was because of their rebellious heart. It’s because of their hard heads, their impudent spirit. They could have stood, but the reason they didn’t, it’s because of their sin. So in all this first part in this chapter 17 is simply an illustration. When he took Jehoakim captive and put Zedekiah in, yeah, he could have stood, but Zedekiah wasn’t content to be servant to Nebuchadnezzar. He was wiser than God. I’ll look to Babylon, I looked to Egypt. That wasn’t his Savior. So for that reason, Judah’s still going to be taken captive.

3. A Lamentation for the Lioness’s Cubs

I think that’s basically the message of chapter 17. But even though, unless we talked earlier, God would indeed remember and make from the low tree, from the dry tree, still there would come a messiah still. I want to just quickly skip because I know the time we’ll get in this morning. Chapter 19. What’s the message in this? Remember the message in this? It looks a little another illustration. And again, you might be confused because in this one, Israel instead of being represented as Lebanon is the lioness. And here in chapter 19 seems to be the raising up of two different kings. That the lioness has a cub, but all of chapter 19 is a lamentation, verse 1. What’s a lamentation? Cry. Grieved. Alright. Why would Judah suffer?

Again, the same message over again. But look at these two kings. They’re like cubs. In verses 2 through 4, she gave birth to a young cub, and he was perhaps no doubt Jehoahaz. At verse 4, he was trapped in their pit. They brought him with chains to the land of Egypt. Jehoahaz reigned for three months. Like Jehoiakim. We talked about in chapter 7, just for three months, each of Jehoahaz didn’t reign any longer because he rebelled. And at that point in time, Egypt was in power. And Egypt took him captive, and that’s where he died. And he in his place, Jehoiakim reigned eleven years. Jehoiakim was the father of Conat. I know that’s probably history. But go back and read 2 Kings 24 and 25. And into Jeremiah, I think in the book I gave you several chapters in Jeremiah, if you’ll read, this all history will kind of fit together.

But the only point I want to make was chapter 19. It talks about two different ones, kings. They were from the lioness. She had cubs. They were, it looked like they could be very great. But they only reigned three months each because of their rebellion. So cry.

Both of them fell because of their own rebellion against God’s will, you might say. Although it looked like, oh, I’m just rebelling against Nebuchadnezzar. Really, they were rebelling against God’s will. So there’s a dirge here. There’s a lamentation.

4. The Soul Who Sins Shall Die

Aren’t they? Ezekiel keeps saying, here’s why you’re going to fall. You had every right and opportunity to be great, but you brought yourself down. Now, I wanted to get those two chapters of just a brief look. Unless you have a question, don’t go back to chapter 18 and spend our time in chapter 18. Chapter 18 is not hard to understand. Chapter 18, all of us can see an application for our own day. In fact, it starts off with verse 2. They have a proverb. They use this proverb concerning the land of Israel. The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge. What’s that proverb mean? That the sons are responsible for the father’s sins. No, fathers are responsible for the sons.

It’s not our fault. Isn’t that right? It’s our father’s fault. We’re here, you know, it’s sour grapes, and it set our teeth on an egg there or eating sour grapes. They’re eating a persimmon that’s green. It’ll set your teeth on the egg if you want it. And that’s what they’re saying. It’s not really our fault. And what is God answering them in chapter 18? You have your own sins. Yeah. You’re guilty for your own sins. And therefore, the problems that’s on you are yours. And there are many different points that are so applicable even in our generation time. Chapter 18 is one of those you all tomorrow can be able to come back to and easily read. In fact, don’t want to deal with this question.

Let’s read through verse 4. Verse 3 says, As I live, says the Lord God, you shall no longer use this proverb in Israel. Behold, 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. Isn’t that a point that God makes through that Ezekiel? Look at verse 20. And again, that’s reiterated. Just dropped down to 18 and 20. This is one I hope you mark. I hope you memorize. Because it answers the idea even of today that children are born in sin. You know, you ever heard that idea? Original sin. And therefore, why there’s infant baptism today? Our Catholic friends baptize infants for the remission of sins because they supposedly have inherited Adam’s sin.

And yet what Ezekiel 18 and 20 say, the soul that sins, what? It shall be. Son shall not bear the guilt of the Father. Nor the Father bear the guilt of the Son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. Here’s the principle and primary thought running through Ezekiel 18. Don’t blame your fathers for your sins. You didn’t inherit their sin.

That’s a principle true even to this day. Yes.

Why was this lesson never learned? Because the disciples of the New Testament, when they were walking into Jericho, saw the blind man, and they asked Jesus, they said, Who sinned? Himself or his father that he’s born this way. They never learned this lesson.

Instead of asking me why. I don’t know why. Maybe they had a rebellious heart. But you know, there is that thought, even to this day that people say, Well, you know, some tragedy has come, and I’m wondering what have I done wrong. People today sometimes will think that way. Is God punishing me for this? And the Bible certainly teaches that it’s not true, that it doesn’t just punish us. But I do want to ask another question. I thought you might be reasoning this. If the lesson is that you shall stand for your own sins, be punished for your own sins. Why are these people with Ezekiel over in Babylon 300 miles away from Jerusalem? They were saying our fathers ate sour grapes and our teeth are on edge.

That’s our father’s fault. They ate sour grapes. Alright. Did they eat sour grapes too? Yes, they ate sour grapes, right? We can call it idolatry. We can call it or adultery. And the idolatry and adultery to me means the same thing. They had divorced God. God did not divorce them. And the idolatry is worshiping someone other than God or everyone other than God. Yes, Manasseh. God said under Manasseh, in fact, that because of Manasseh’s sin, that this would be happening to Judah. So in a sense, they could say, yeah, our fathers did that too. But even their own generation had they not also sinned. See, God had established that point with Manasseh. But they too had followed in the footpaths. I think there’s another lesson to be glain.

In Exodus, the Bible teaches in chapter 20, the sins of the father shall pass to the what, third and fourth generation?

So does that mean that the children will inherit to the third and fourth generation inherit their father’s sin? No. Consequences.

They inherit learned behavior to those generations. And I to me that maybe not the only message, but part of the message. We learn from our parents. And as parents, as parents, we either teach good or we teach bad. Or sometimes something in between. But that therein is part and parcel to the message. All right. We do learn behavior. That still needs each child has the right to his own choice. And we get that in the Zika too, that the son doesn’t do what’s called it. Michael? There’s also, I imagine these exiles that Ezekiel is with they have somewhat a lukewarm that the lukewarm church philosophy of we’re better than they were. We’re comparing ourselves to them. We’re doing better than they were, but they weren’t actually where they need to be.

And if we die in a spiritual sense, it’s because of our sin, not that we inherit a father’s.

And of the sins of the people as a as a congregate. So it’s even true to this day. If your father has been a murderer and in prison, or and then finally say the elector chair, do you think, you know, you want to say, you know, my dad was, or would you kind of feel just a little bit ashamed in the marriage? And maybe you wouldn’t have the opportunities, maybe the the fellow who was the neighbor that was a good man that he murdered, you wouldn’t have the same opportunities as his children. I mean, I’m just saying, and I’m trying to think of an illustration, but there are some consequences that we do pass on to our children. Maybe you are a thief or a drunkard or whatever.

5. Each One Stands for the Life He’s Chosen

So there are consequences of sin. And that’s why as parents we need to have the right environment. Pass that on to our children as well. Evelyn? What scripture you gave in Exodus for that? In chapter 20, verses five and six. That’s in the chapter for the Ten Commandments being given. All right, so in each in this really to illustrate the point that each one will die for his own sins, chapter uh chapter 18, verses 5 through 20 then goes through various scenarios. Verses five through nine. What about a righteous man? A righteous man will live and uh because uh he’ll live really enjoy the life of peace and joy. Verse 5, if a man is just, does what is lawful and right, he’s not eaten on the mountain, nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, nor defiled his neighbor’s wife, nor approached a woman during her impurity.

If he’s not oppressed anyone, but has restored to the debtor his fledged, has robbed no one by violence, but has given his bread to the hungry and covered the naked with clothing. If he’s not exact of usury, nor taken any incense, but has withdrawn his hand from iniquity and executed true judgment between man and uh and man. If he’s walked in my statutes, kept my judgments faithfully, he is just he should surely live, says the Lord God. You know, here’s the man. He sets forth a lot of different credentials, then he’s he’s trying to do righteousness necessarily he’s perfect, but he’s the kind of man who is faithful, he is just. So, pretty easy to understand. I would say probably Ezekiel and Jeremiah, fast like examples, right?

We know they are trying to do God’s will. We may not be able to blame anybody else, but we name those two. But on the other hand, in verses 10 through 13, that same man may have a child who is ungodly. Does that ungodly child? Is he to be regarded as righteous because his father is righteous? He changes and explains that. He says, But if he begets a son who’s a robber or a shedder of blood, who does any of these things and does none of those duties, but has eaten on the mountains, or defiled his neighbor’s wife, if he’s oppressed the poor and needy, robbed by violence, nor restored the pledge, lifted his eyes to the idols, or committed abomination, if he’s exacted usury or taken increase, shall he then live?

He shall not live. If he has done any of these abominations, he shall surely die. His blood shall be upon him. Pretty easy stated, isn’t it? That’s not hard reading to understand. Each one stands for the kind of life he’s chosen to live. A righteous man will be blessed. The wicked man perish, even though his father was righteous. But then in verses 14 through 18, I think we kind of go to the grandson of the righteous man. Here’s the righteous man in verses 5 through 9, and the wicked son, verses 10 through 13. And then verses 14 through 18, if, however, he, that is the wicked man begets a son, who sees all the sins which his father has done, considers but does not do likewise.

Who is not eaten on the mountain, nor lifted his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, nor defile his neighbor’s wife, has not oppressed anyone, nor withheld a pledge, nor robbed by violence, but has given his bread to the hungry, and covered the naked with clothing, who’s withdrawn his hand from the poor, not received usury or increase, but has executed my judgments and walked in my statutes. He shall not die for the iniquity of his father. He shall live. Again, easily put, isn’t it? Man’s child doesn’t inherit his father’s sin or his father’s righteousness. And that’s how it stated to come to verse 20. And he says in verse 19, yet you shall say, What should the son not? What? Why should the son not bear the guilt of the father?

Because the son has done what is lawful and right and has kept all my statues. You so observe them, he shall surely live. And then this verse 20. I hope you’ll mark it and memorize it. The son, the soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, but the father bear the guilt of the son, the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him, upon himself. But it continues. In really verse 19, each person is going to reap what he sows. If a wicked man turns from all his sins which he’s committed, keeps all my statutes, does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him because of the righteousness which he’s done and he shall live. Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die, says the Lord God, and not that he should turn from his ways and live. But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live. All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which is committed because of them, he shall die. Pretty clear. As I said, in fact, I think the detail is more than even obviously necessary that each man reaps what he sow.

6. Inherited Total Depravity Is Not True

I made some observations in your workbook, an application for today. I don’t know if you uh if you took time to actually look at that on page 46. Under the application for today, I made two of them, Ezekiel 18 and verse 2, excuse making does not remove ill. We must examine ourselves as one who would give account for our own deeds. We must all be made manifest before the judgment of Christ, 2 Corinthians 5.10 says, to receive the things done in the body. So each of us will answer for ourselves. But under point number two, Ezekiel 18 and verse 20, inherited total depravity is not true. John Calvin, we call it Calvinism, is a popular doctrine, has affected even many in the religious world of today, who believe that idea.

But total depravity is a little different even from the doctrine of original sin. The original sin idea is a baby is born in sin, inheriting Adam’s sin. And therefore, baptism to wash away sins. You watch, if you read your Catholic catechism, that’s literally how that practice got started. But Cavan came along in the 1500s, and in his doctrine, total depravity. There were five cardinal points to it. Y’all know them, I’m sure you all know that. Total depravity, unconditional. Election. L for limited atonement. Limited atonement. I for irresistible grace. And P perseverance. I tell you Ezekiel 18 is a good answer for Calvinists. Total depravity, really, is more than original sin, for it says that you’re born, if God did not elect you, in fact, you’re born with such depraved condition.

You cannot change it. You have total depravity in such that even if you wanted to be saved, you couldn’t. The only ones going to be saved are those God has elected. Irresistible grace. Or election, really, is the word. Irresistible. God has chosen you and elected you, that’s it. The L stands for only those God elected will have the atonement. In other words, Christ didn’t really die for everybody. He died for those God elected. And uh I said, uh I said there’s an unconditional election. I’ll get it right in a minute. I for irresistible grace, God’s favor, he’s going to put faith in you. And then P, if all that happens to you, you’re gonna, once saved, always saved. You will persevere to the end. Are those arguments found in Ezekiel 18?

First of all, Ezekiel 18, does it talk like, well, sorry, if you’ve been depraved, totally depraved, you can’t save yourself. Is any thought as you read Ezekiel 18? Does it sound like maybe people have a choice in a matter? In fact, here’s a father who’s righteous, his son is wicked, his grandson is righteous. Does it sound like they have a choice in the matter, or are they just inheriting what their fathers did? There’s a choice in the matter. In fact, uh throughout the scripture, not only does Ezekiel 18 answer the arguments of uh of total depravity, how about uh once saved, always saved? You see anything in once saved, always say that say, hey, that this is not true. Look at verses 21 through 23. If a wicked man does what?

Since turns from all.

Can a righteous man turn from God? Verse 24? Yeah. A righteous man can turn away from sin. You can’t store up righteousness, and it’ll be alright if you happen to sin.

Ezekiel answers, once saved, always saved is not true. Election of individuals to be saved and not necessarily their choice at all, but it’s only the choice of God is not true. Inherited total depravity is not true. And here’s a chapter that really has such long reaching application even to our day and time. Well, let’s read one more. I didn’t finish the chapter, so verse 25. Uh again, he comes back to their charge against God. He says, Yet you say the way of the Lord is not fair. God just didn’t fair. Well, is that true? Here now, O house of Israel. Is it not my way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair? When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and dies in it, it’s because of the iniquity which he hath done that he dies.

Again, when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness which he committed and does what is lawful and right, he preserves himself alive. Because he considers. What does that mean? Some thought in it. And turns away from all the transgressions which he committed. He should surely live, he shall not die. Yeah, the house of Israel says the way of the Lord is not fair. O house of Israel, is it not my ways which are fair? And your ways which are not fair. Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, everyone according to his ways.

Turn from all your transgressions so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you’ve committed. Get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies, says the Lord God. Therefore turn and live. What does that mean? God says, I have no pleasure in the death of the other. He wants everybody to say.

Is there, have you heard of an argument when faced with Ezekiel 18 from those who believe follow the Calvinistic doctrine? Do they have an argument for this? You know, I don’t I really would not propose to give you how they could answer because logically. Michael? I can’t say how an original sin believer would respond, though. Um, if that um original sin technically the doctrine of it doesn’t go so far as to say that you’re born with the guilt of sin. It only goes so far as to say you have the tendency towards sin. So if you go strictly, so by that word, by that difference in wordplay, like if you but Augustine believes that you were born with the guilt of sin, but not all Catholics do.

So a Catholic could say, no, you’re not guilty of it. You’re just from the world. But all Catholics, if they are a good Catholic, their doctrine is from Augustine, which says they were born in sin. Uh there uh you know, even to this day, there are many Catholics who don’t agree with all Catholic doctrine. So that’s where you may have some really what Calvin did was seize upon Augustine’s ideas, just uh, you know, 1200 years later, and develop for Protestants uh who are not Catholic. But yes, you’re you’re right. There’s some who would say you know they don’t necessarily believe they were actually in sin were born. But if you study their history, Augustine really set the principle. Why else would they baptize an infant? An infant hasn’t sinned, does he?

I mean, has he had time to sin, therefore needs it? They believe baptism is for remission of sins. And the only reason the Catholic would teach that and practice that is because they believe that infant is in sin. Born with inherited sin. So Augustine said for the tradition that I think any um what’s the word I want to use? Uh authentic. That’s not the right word for Catholic, but that really says well, Catholic doctrine is the final word. That’s Catholic doctrine. But Ezekiel 18 is an answer. Um, can you explain what uh usury is and does it apply to us today? Yeah. Usury is what the credit card companies are charging today. Too much interest. Too much interest. That’s really what it is. It’s unjust interest.

Too much interest?

Unjust interest. I don’t think it’s necessarily any interest. But which is really unfair and out of greed in that sense. It’s almost like stealing. You’re going to hear some of this in the sermon I’m about to preach today.