Ezekiel 18

Ezekiel 18 ESV

1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “What do you 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, 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, 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. 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.”

LOOK AT DEUT 30

Deuteronomy 30:11–20 ESV

11 “For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 14 But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it. 15 “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. 16 If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. 17 But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, 18 I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, 20 loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”

Choose Life: The Call to Repentance

Bible Passage: Ezekiel 18:30-32

Summary: In Ezekiel 18:30-32, God calls His people to repentance and offers them the promise of life. He urges them to turn from all their offenses and live, emphasizing that He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked.

Application: This message helps Christians understand the importance of repentance in their daily lives. It emphasizes that choosing God's ways leads to spiritual life and fulfillment, while rebellion brings death. The theme encourages believers to evaluate their choices and seek God's guidance in all aspects.

Teaching: The sermon teaches that God's desire for His people is life and restoration, not judgment and death. It conveys that repentance is not just an obligation but a path to experiencing the fullness of God’s grace and mercy.

How this passage could point to Christ: In the broader biblical context, this passage points to Christ as the ultimate source of life. Jesus embodies God’s desire for us to choose life over death, as He offers redemption and salvation through His sacrifice on the cross.

Big Idea: Choosing to repent and turn back to God leads to life and fullness, reflecting His love and desire for our restoration.

Recommended Study: As you prepare this sermon, consider exploring the themes of repentance and divine justice through the lens of Ezekiel's message in your Logos library. Look into commentaries that discuss the cultural context of Israel's exile and how repentance was understood at that time. Additionally, study the theological implications of life and death as presented in other prophetic and Pauline writings to enrich your application and connection to Jesus.

1. Urgency of Repentance

Ezekiel 18:30

You could highlight the urgency of God's call to repentance, pointing out that the Lord invites His people to examine their lives carefully and abandon their sinful ways. This plea for change underscores the loving aspect of divine justice—God desires transformation rather than punishment. You might suggest that believers today embrace this opportunity to live, turn from sin, and align themselves with God's will. In doing so, they embrace the abundant life found in Christ, who calls us to turn away from death. This point can encourage introspection and openness to divine guidance.

2. Heart and Spirit Renewal

Ezekiel 18:31

Perhaps focus on the metaphor of the 'new heart and new spirit' that God offers. Illustrate how this represents a complete renewal that can only be fully realized through repentance. This transformation symbolizes the life-giving relationship God wants with us, pointing forward to Christ’s work on the cross as the ultimate means of renewal. By aiming for this heart change, believers can experience true freedom from past transgressions and commune deeply with God. This invitation to transformation urges Christians to embrace God's promise of life over death through a sincere change in heart and spirit.

3. Life Affirmation

Ezekiel 18:32

Maybe concentrate on God's declaration of His pleasure in life rather than death. Emphasize God's loving nature, expressing His desire for our flourishing and restoration. This statement assures us that repentance leads to life—spiritually and eternally. This point directly connects to Jesus, who is life itself and offers eternal life to all who believe. Encourage the congregation to see repentance as an assurance of God’s never-ending grace, a reminder of His unyielding favor and love through Jesus. This assures believers of their value and God's unwavering commitment to their life and well-being.

QUESTIONS

What does God mean when He says, 'The soul who sins shall die' in Ezekiel 18:4?

In what ways can we actively choose to repent and turn from our sins in our daily lives?

APPLICATION: Choosing Life in a culture of death.

If your home has become a place where negativity and despair cloud your family’s outlook, tackle this by cultivating an atmosphere of gratitude and hope. Create a family gratitude journal where each member writes down something they appreciate about life each week. Supplement this practice with scripture readings focused on hope and life.

This simple yet profound shift will encourage everyone to recognize and celebrate the blessings of life, fostering a godly outlook anchored in faith and community.

WHAT KIND OF SHADOW ARE YOU LEAVING?

Dr. Lawless (April 2025)

Acts 5:15 tells us that the people of Jerusalem “even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them.” Apparently, those who came even near the presence of Peter experienced the power of God in his shadow.

This strange story makes me wonder why kind of “shadow” I leave behind. Which of these describes the shadow you leave?

Genuine faith. People just know by your choices and your actions that you seriously trust God.

Immediate negativism. Regardless of what happens, you find the negative first.

Unbounded love. You genuinely love all people, and you love them deeply.

Family neglect. Even if you’re seemingly a good leader, other people see that you give too little attention to your immediate family.

Ongoing criticism. Unless you do it yourself, you criticize everything somebody else does.

Sacrificial giving. Others see you as a giving person because you give time, dollars, and effort to the work of God.

Evangelistic fire. You share the gospel with everyone you see, and others have come to expect it.

Material idolatry. You have a lot of stuff, and it’s obvious you’re proud of it.

Christian hypocrisy. You claim to be Christian, but your actions and your words suggest otherwise.

Prayer passion. People turn to you with needs because they trust that you touch heaven with your prayers.

Continual selfishness. Everything is somehow about you.

Unfocused distractedness. You never really pay attention to anyone else, perhaps because your cell phone has become your god.

Global focus. Anyone who knows you knows that you love the nations and want them to know Jesus.

Committed dad (or mom). Everyone knows by your actions how committed you are to the children you love.

Christlike example. You can say with Paul, “Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ” (1 Cor 11:1)–and do it with deep humility.

What shadow do you think you’re leaving behind? And more importantly, what would those who know you best say? They see your shadow better than you do . . . .