What I Noticed Today (Ezekiel 18-20)
Ezekiel 18
Ezekiel 18 directs a message to the people of Israel regarding their guilt before the Lord and the inevitability of the coming judgment (similar to Ezekiel 12:21-28).
In verses 1-4, the Lord asks Ezekiel about a proverb that is being circulated among the people about fathers eating sour grapes and children’s teeth set on edge (quoted by Jeremiah 31:29-30). The people were blaming the father (God) for their suffering rather than their own sins. God said each person was responsible for their own sin.
In verses 5-9, Ezekiel presents the first of three examples to prove the Lord’s point of taking personal responsibility for your own sin. Verse 5 begins with “Now suppose” (some translations being with “If”) a man is righteous, then that righteous man will live. The requirements establishing a man as righteous are described in detail. No one could hope to meet this standard so all men should expect to be punished for their sins.
In verses 10-13, in the second example, Ezekiel describes a righteous father who has a rebellious son. God condemns the son, not the father, and the father’s righteousness is of no benefit to the son.
In verses 14-20, in the third example, Ezekiel describes the wicked son who has a son and the son is righteous, following the path of his grandfather. The son will not be held accountable for his father’s sins but will live. The father will die for his own sins.
In verses 21-24, the Lord explains that if a wicked person turns from their wickedness and becomes righteous, then his sin will not be remembered and he will live. On the other hand, if a righteous person becomes wicked, his righteousness will not save him, but he will be punished for his wickedness.
In verses 25-32, Israel claims that the Lord is unjust, but the Lord says no, His ways are just. Each person is judged for their own actions: their own sins or their own righteousness. The Lord warned them; they needed to repent and turn away from their iniquity, create a new heart and a new spirit, and they would live.
Ezekiel 19
Ezekiel 19 is the first of five laments in the book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel 19’s lament (funeral dirge) is for the leaders of Israel and her people.
In verses 1-2, Ezekiel identifies the lament as being for the princes of Israel (referring to the kings, who at this time was Zedekiah). The lament speaks of the king’s mother, referring to her as a lioness.
Note: Some scholars consider this a reference to a human mother of a king, but the reference is more fitting if one considers the reference to the mother as to that of the nation of Israel who gave birth to the kings.
In verses 3-4, the lioness (Israel) brought up a strong lion (king) who was led away with hooks to Egypt. This reference is to Jehoahaz who was deposed by Pharaoh Neco and led to Egypt with hooks
Note: Egyptians would tether captives together with ropes looped through hooks in the noses of their captives.
In verses 5-9, Ezekiel does not mention the next two kings, Jehoahaz or Jehoiachin because they died in Jerusalem. Verse 5 refers to another lion cub (Jehoiachin) who became a strong lion, terrorizing the land, and laid waste to the cities. Nations around him captured him and deported him to Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon, and he died there.
In verses 10-14, Ezekiel turns his attention to Zedekiah. The nation of Israel was a fruitful vine; it became strong and had many strong rulers. Ezekiel describes this strong vine (Israel) being plucked up in a fury, thrown to the ground, and burned (see judgment in Ezekiel 16-17). The reference to the east wind is a reference to Babylon which was in the east. Babylon blew in, and the nation of Israel was stripped of its fruit and withered. The fire consumed its strong stem; Nebuchadnezzar burned the city of Jerusalem. It was planted in the wilderness refers to the deportation of the people of Jerusalem to Babylon. No strong branch fit for a ruler’s scepter is left, refers to Zedekiah being the last king of the Davidic dynasty to rule over the city.
Note: God promised the scepter would never depart from the line of David. This promise will be fulfilled when Christ returns and reigns in the Millennium.
Ezekiel 20-24
Ezekiel presented a history of Judah and the coming judgment in parable form in previous chapters, but in these next five chapters, he presents a series of prophecies that plainly reveal the judgment coming to Judah and Jerusalem.
Ezekiel 20
In verses 1-2, Ezekiel records the date of the prophecy as the tenth day of the fifth month in the seventh year which was August 14, 581 B.C. nearly 11 months since the dated prophecy in Ezekiel 8. Once again, elders had come to Ezekiel’s house to inquire of God on their behalf.
In verses 3-8, the Lord refuses to give them an answer (we don’t know what the questions were), and tells Ezekiel to judge them and tell them what detestable practices their fathers had engaged in. The Lord reminds them that it was He who brought them out of Egypt to the Promised Land and made a conditional covenant with them: they must get rid of their idols and stop worshipping the idols of Egypt. But the people did not do as He asked.
In verses 9-12, the Lord brought them out of Egypt despite the fact that they had not obeyed. They deserved judgment, but for the sake of His name, He delivered them out of Egypt. God gave the people His Law and told then they would live if they kept His statutes. The Lord called out His Sabbaths as one of the Laws He had given them, but they had rejected His Laws and the Sabbath.
In verses 13-17, the people continued in their disobedience worshipping idols. Though they deserved judgment, once again, He spared them. However, the adults who had sinned were not allowed to enter the Promised Land.
In verses 18-26, The Lord gave the same instructions to the children to obey His Laws and the Sabbath. However, the children followed in the wicked ways of their parents. So God sent false prophets among them who deceived them (the false prophets and idols of the nations that surrounded them).
In verses 27-31, once the people were in the Promised Land, they continued to worship idols and present sacrifices at high places. The people were even involved in child sacrifices (to Molech). God refused to let them inquire of Him because they wanted to be like other nations around them who worshiped wood and stone.
In verses 32-38, as a result of their rebellion, the Lord promised to pour out His wrath on them. He will take them out of their land and scatter them. The shepherd would separate his sheep from the flock. In the same way, God intended to separate out the rebellious people and bring judgment upon them. The rebellious will not be allowed to enter the land of Israel. The people will know that He is the Lord.
Note: The phrase “pass under my staff (or rod)” is a metaphor for the way shepherds would count their sheep, allowing them to go single file under the staff.
In verses 39-44, the New Covenant is in view. Those who reject God will be allowed to worship their idols, but they will no longer be allowed to profane God’s holy name. During the Millennial kingdom, the Lord will accept the worship of his people, and restore them to their land. They will remember and be ashamed of the past worship of false idols, and they will know that He is the Lord.
In verses 45-49, the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel, telling him to turn to the south and preach against the Negeb. The forest of Negeb will be burned. All the trees will be destroyed, and the people will see that this is from the Lord. Ezekiel responds, saying the people are complaining because God speaks in parables and riddles and they don’t understand.
