Bible Questions Answered:
“Ezekiel says that God will kill the
righteous and sinners alike! What kind of God is that?...”
Monty/ Oxford, England (United Kingdom)
Bible Answer:
Bible Text:
Ezekiel 21:4 NLT
Yes, I will cut off both the
righteous and the wicked! I will draw My sword against everyone in
the land from south to north.
You could think
that in light of …
Ezekiel 18:1-32
NLT (Always remember: Psalm 145:17 KJV The Lord is
righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works.)
1 Then another message came to me
from The Lord:
2 “Why do you quote this proverb
concerning the land of Israel: ‘The parents have eaten sour grapes,
but their children’s mouths pucker at the taste’?
3 As surely as I live, says The
Sovereign Lord, you will not quote this proverb anymore in Israel.
4 For all people are Mine to
judge—both parents and children alike. And this is My rule: The
person who sins is the one who will die.
5 “Suppose a certain man is
righteous and does what is just and right.
6 He 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.
7 He 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.
8 He grants loans without interest,
stays away from injustice, is honest and fair when judging others,
9 and faithfully obeys my decrees
and regulations. Anyone who does these things is just and will
surely live*, says The Sovereign Lord.
*Live-Hebrew:Chayah
(Khaw-yeh): To revive:-keep
(make) alive, give (promise) life, Preserve (alive), quicken,
recover, restore (to life), revive, (God save (alive, life), surely,
be whole.
10 “But suppose that man has a son
who grows up to be a robber or murderer and refuses to do what is
right.
11 And that son does all the evil
things his father would never do—he worships idols on the
mountains, commits adultery,
12 oppresses the poor and helpless,
steals from debtors by refusing to let them redeem their security,
worships idols, commits detestable sins,
13 and 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.
15 This son refuses to worship idols
on the mountains and does not commit adultery.
16 He 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.
17 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.
18 But 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.
20 The 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.
21 But if wicked people turn away
from all their sins and begin to obey My decrees and do what is just
and right, they will surely live and not die.
22 All 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.
24 However, 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.
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?
26 When 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.
27 And if wicked people turn from
their wickedness, obey the law, and do what is just and right, they
will save their lives.
28 They will live because they
thought it over and decided to turn from their sins. Such people
will not die.
29 And 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!
31 Put all your rebellion behind
you, and find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should
you die, O people of Israel?
32 I don’t want you to die, says
The Sovereign Lord. Turn back and live!
Our
Lord, deals with everyone on an individual basis.
Who
is righteous?”
Ezekiel
21:5-9 NLT
5 “Suppose a certain man is
righteous and does what is just and right.
6 He does not feast in the
mountains before Israel’s idols or worship them.
He does
not commit adultery...”
7 He 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.
8 He
grants loans without interest,
stays away from injustice,
is honest and fair when
judging others,
9 and
faithfully obeys my
decrees and regulations.
Anyone
who does these things is just and will surely live, says The
Sovereign Lord.
Who
is unrighteous?
Ezekiel
21:4 NLT
“...The
person who sins is the one who will die.”
The person who does not live as described above (verses 5-9).
+
Now the writings of Ezekiel in chapter 18, are different than his
writings of Ezekiel chapter 21.
In Ezekiel chapter 18, The Lord's words to the prophet are dealing
with the individual, but in chapter 21, the words of The Lord, are
dealing with the nation of Israel.
We cannot compare apples to oranges. Yes The Word Of The Lord,
promises to keep the righteous person. This fulfillment certainly
reaches its complete fulfillment in the next life, the eternal life
to come! The righteous will be kept alive, for rewards and eternal
joy.
Psalm 16:11 KJV
Thou wilt shew
me The Path Of Life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right
hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Now in dealing with chapter 21, The Lord is dealing with a sinful
nation which has turned it's back on God.
Ezekiel 21:1-17 NLT (The Lord's Judgment Of A Nation.)
1 Then this
message came to me from The Lord:
2 “Son of
man, turn and face Jerusalem and prophesy against Israel
and her sanctuaries.
3 Tell her,
‘This is what The Lord says: I am your enemy, O Israel, and
I am about to unsheath My sword to destroy your people—the
righteous and the wicked alike.
4 Yes, I
will cut off both the righteous and the wicked! I will draw My
sword against everyone in the land from south to north.
5 Everyone in
the world will know that I am the Lord. My sword is in My hand, and
it will not return to its sheath until its work is finished.’
6 “Son of
man, groan before the people! Groan before them with bitter anguish
and a broken heart.
7 When they ask
why you are groaning, tell them, ‘I groan because of the terrifying
news I have heard. When it comes true, the boldest heart will melt
with fear; all strength will disappear. Every spirit will faint;
strong knees will become as weak as water. And The Sovereign Lord
says: It is coming! It’s on its way!’”
8 Then The Lord
said to me,
9 “Son of
man, give the people this message from The Lord: “A sword, a sword
is being sharpened and polished.
10 It is
sharpened for terrible slaughter and polished to flash like
lightning! Now will you laugh?
Those far
stronger than you have fallen beneath its power!
11 Yes, the
sword is now being sharpened and polished; it is being prepared for
the executioner.
12 “Son of
man, cry out and wail; pound your thighs in anguish, for that sword
will slaughter My people and their leaders— everyone will die!
13 It will put
them all to the test. What chance do they have? says The Sovereign
Lord.
14 “Son of
man, prophesy to them and clap your hands. Then take the sword and
brandish it twice, even three times, to symbolize the great massacre,
O the great massacre facing them on every side.
15 Let their
hearts melt with terror, for the sword glitters at every gate. It
flashes like lightning and is polished for slaughter!
16 O sword,
slash to the right, then slash to the left, wherever you will,
wherever you want.
17 I, too, will
clap My hands, and I will satisfy My fury. I, The Lord, have spoken!”
Here we see the judgment of the nation of Israel.
Just as The Lord has a standard for righteousness and sin, for
individuals, so to He has a standard for nations, and they are the
same standards!
What is the criteria for a righteous nation?
Ezekiel
21:5-9 NLT
(Men or Nations.)
5 “Suppose a certain man is
righteous and does what is just and right.
6 He does not feast in the
mountains before Israel’s (no) idols or
worship them.
He does
not commit adultery...”
7 He 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.
8 He
grants loans
without interest,
stays away from
injustice,
is
honest and fair when
judging others,
9 and
faithfully obeys my
decrees and regulations.
Anyone
who does these things is just and will surely live, says The
Sovereign Lord.
Alright, and now what we know only too well, THERE ARE NO GODLY
NATIONS IN THE WORLD TODAY!
Israel, was “not,” a Godly nation, and what would it mean?
Judgment, the Chaldean hordes from the North, were coming, and
terrible judgment with it.
“But pastor, what about God keeping the righteous?”
When nations are judged, even the righteous suffer, yet their
suffering is only temporal, while the ungodly suffer here and yet to
come, in eternal punishment.
Is this why our Lord, called us to evangelism, to dissuade men of
their sinful madness?
"Retribution" Poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:“
Though the
mills of God grind slowly;
Yet they grind
exceeding small;
Though with
patience He stands waiting,
With exactness
grinds He all.
Ecclesiastes
8:11 KJV
Because
sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the
heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
Hebrews 4:7 KJV
"...To day
if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts."
II Chronicles
7:14 KJV
If My people,
which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and
seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from
heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Revelation
21:22-27 KJV
22 And I saw no
temple therein: for The Lord God Almighty and The Lamb are the temple
of it.
23 And the city
had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the
glory of God did lighten it, and The Lamb is the light thereof.
24 And the
nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and
the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it.
25 And the
gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no
night there.
26 And they
shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.
27 And there
shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither
whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are
written in The Lamb's book of life.
