Ezekiel 18:1-4
THE PARABLE OF THE SOUR GRAPES... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PARABLE OF THE SOUR GRAPES... [ Continue Reading ]
The word of the Lord came unto me again, saying,... [ Continue Reading ]
What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, literally, "upon the land of Israel," in the sense of something that is harmful and wrong, SAYING, THE FATHERS HAVE EATEN SOUR GRAPES, AND THE CHILDREN'S TEETH ARE SET ON EDGE? This proverbial saying in the land of Judah reflected... [ Continue Reading ]
As I live, saith the Lord God, the sovereign Ruler of the Universe making this declaration with a solemn oath, YE SHALL NOT HAVE OCCASION ANY MORE TO USE THIS PROVERB IN ISRAEL. His intention was, by means of His righteous punishments, so to emphasize the justice of His acts that the people would no... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold, so the Lord says in stating the theme for His further discussion of the principle of His righteousness, ALL SOULS ARE MINE, they are all equally His, as Creator of the universe, as Father of all mankind; AS THE SOUL OF THE FATHER, SO ALSO THE SOUL OF THE SON IS MINE, each one standing before... [ Continue Reading ]
But if a man be just, righteous in all his doing, AND DO THAT WHICH IS LAWFUL AND RIGHT, literally, "judgment and righteousness," exercising himself in the demands of the Law of God,... [ Continue Reading ]
The Principle of God's Avenging Justice... [ Continue Reading ]
and hath not eaten upon the mountains, in sacrificial meals consecrated to idols, NEITHER HATH LIFTED UP HIS EYES TO THE IDOLS OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, in order to make them objects of confidence, of worshipful supplication, NEITHER HATH DEFILED HIS NEIGHBOR'S WIFE, in the sin of adultery, Exodus 20:... [ Continue Reading ]
and hath not oppressed any, no matter with what degree of violence this was done, Exodus 22:28; Leviticus 25:14, BUT HATH RESTORED TO THE DEBTOR HIS PLEDGE, the Law requiring that this raiment be restored before sunset, Exodus 22:26, HATH SPOILED NONE BY VIOLENCE, not gaining the property of another... [ Continue Reading ]
he that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, in exacting interest from a poor neighbor, contrary to the law of love, Deuteronomy 23:20; Leviticus 25:36, THAT HATH WITHDRAWN HIS HAND FROM INIQUITY, from the injustice or wickedness which selfishness prompts, in promoting o... [ Continue Reading ]
hath walked in My statutes and hath kept My judgments, in all ordinances, whether pertaining to Israel only or to all men, TO DEAL TRULY, with sound integrity: HE IS JUST, HE SHALL SURELY LIVE, SAITH THE LORD GOD. It is not that the righteousness of a man's life earns for him the fullness of life, i... [ Continue Reading ]
If he beget a son that is a robber, one addicted to violence, A SHEDDER OF BLOOD, AND THAT DOETH THE LIKE TO ANY ONE OF THESE THINGS, becoming guilty of any of the sins mentioned in the next verses,... [ Continue Reading ]
and that doeth not any of those duties, or, "whereas the father was not guilty of such wickedness," BUT EVEN HATH EATEN UPON THE MOUNTAINS AND DEFILED HIS NEIGHBOR'S WIFE,... [ Continue Reading ]
hath oppressed the poor and needy, those unable to defend themselves against violence in any form, HATH SPOILED BY VIOLENCE, HATH NOT RESTORED THE PLEDGE, AND HATH LIFTED UP HIS EYES TO THE IDOLS, HATH COMMITTED ABOMINATION, such as is mentioned at the end of v. 6,... [ Continue Reading ]
hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? Is it possible for him to become a partaker of that fullness of life which God has intended for His children? HE SHALL NOT LIVE; HE HATH DONE ALL THESE ABOMINATIONS; HE SHALL SURELY DIE, be condemned to eternal death if he per... [ Continue Reading ]
Now, lo, if he beget a son, thereby establishing the third generation of the family whose example is cited for the sake of the lesson the entire parable teaches, THAT SEETH ALL HIS FATHER'S SINS WHICH HE HATH DONE, AND CONSIDERETH, carefully observing the wickedness of his doings, AND DOETH NOT SUCH... [ Continue Reading ]
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 neighbor's wife,... [ Continue Reading ]
neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge, literally, "and the pledge not hath he pledged," neither hath spoiled by violence, BUT HATH GIVEN HIS BREAD TO THE HUNGRY AND HATH COVERED THE NAKED WITH A GARMENT,... [ Continue Reading ]
that hath taken off his hand from the poor, abstaining from doing him harm, even if he might have done so with impunity, THAT HATH NOT RECEIVED USURY NOR INCREASE, HATH EXECUTED MY JUDGMENTS, HATH WALKED IN MY STATUTES, thus refusing to partake of the guilt of his father: HE SHALL NOT DIE FOR THE IN... [ Continue Reading ]
As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, as stated in detail above, LO, EVEN HE SHALL DIE IN HIS INIQUITY, being punished for the guilt which he loaded upon himself.... [ Continue Reading ]
Yet say ye, in accordance with the ancient false proverb which had been in circulation, WHY? DOTH NOT THE SON BEAR THE INIQUITY OF THE FATHER? That is, Would not that be the right and the just thing? God's answer is, WHEN THE SON HATH DONE THAT WHICH IS LAWFUL AND RIGHT AND HATH KEPT ALL MY STATUTES... [ Continue Reading ]
The soul that sinneth, It shall die, every person in the world being held responsible for his own acts. THE SON SHALL NOT BEAR THE INIQUITY OF THE FATHER, so that his father's guilt would be imputed to him, NEITHER SHALL THE FATHER BEAR THE INIQUITY OF THE SON; THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE RIGHTEOUS SHA... [ Continue Reading ]
But if the wicked, no matter where or what he may be, or in what relation he may stand to others, WILL TURN FROM ALL HIS SINS THAT HE HATH COMMITTED, by an act of true repentance, AND KEEP ALL MY STATUTES, in particular those given to the children of Israel, AND DO THAT WHICH IS LAWFUL AND RIGHT, wh... [ Continue Reading ]
God's Merciful call to Repentance... [ Continue Reading ]
All his transgressions that he hath committed, by which he brought guilt upon himself, THEY SHALL NOT BE MENTIONED UNTO HIM, the Lord's forgiveness being essentially a complete forgetting of the former sins; IN HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT HE HATH DONE, by virtue of the new life which followed his repenta... [ Continue Reading ]
Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God, an inherent delight, as it were, in cruel punishment of the wicked, AND NOT THAT HE SHOULD RETURN FROM HIS WAYS AND LIVE? this being much preferable in the sight of the Lord, since He delights in showing mercy. This is the on... [ Continue Reading ]
But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity, in the foolish notion that he may do so with impunity, since his good record will serve to excuse him, AND DOETH ACCORDING TO ALL THE ABOMINATIONS THAT THE WICKED MAN DOETH, SHALL HE LIVE? Will he be able to escape f... [ Continue Reading ]
Yet ye say, in a statement which lacked all foundation, THE WAY OF THE LORD IS NOT EQUAL, not in agreement with true equity. HEAR NOW, O HOUSE OF ISRAEL, IS NOT MY WAY EQUAL? Did He really treat different classes of men in a different way? ARE NOT YOUR WAYS UNEQUAL? since they, although living in si... [ Continue Reading ]
When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity and dieth in them, or "on account of this wickedness"; FOR HIS INIQUITY THAT HE HATH DONE SHALL HE DIE.... [ Continue Reading ]
Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, by a true repentance, not from a mere aesthetic loathing, AND DOETH THAT WHICH IS LAWFUL AND RIGHT, in agreement with God's holy will, HE SHALL SAVE HIS SOUL ALIVE, the mercy of God being put into operation in his ca... [ Continue Reading ]
Because he considereth, observing carefully and thereby, under the guidance of the Lord, obtaining the right understanding, AND TURNETH AWAY FROM ALL HIS TRANSGRESSIONS THAT HE HATH COMMITTED, HE SHALL SURELY LIVE, HE SHALL NOT DIE. Thus the divine procedure was justified, and the complaint of the p... [ Continue Reading ]
Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal, right and just. O house of Israel, are not My ways equal? Are not your ways unequal?... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, thereby bringing their whining and caviling to an end, EVERY ONE ACCORDING TO HIS WAYS, according to his manner of living and acting, SAITH THE LORD GOD. The Lord's way was right and good, and those who were not in agreement with His way and order would... [ Continue Reading ]
Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby ye have transgressed, the expression referring especially to the utter removal of all idols and idolatrous ways, AND MAKE YOU A NEW HEART AND A NEW SPIRIT, not in their own strength, indeed, but by the gracious gift of God; FOR WHY WILL YE DIE, O HO... [ Continue Reading ]
For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, a victim of perdition by his own fault, SAITH THE LORD GOD; WHEREFORE TURN YOURSELVES AND LIVE YE. Every sinner is a victim of spiritual death, and this will eventually lead to eternal death, unless the way of repentance is followed at the Lord'... [ Continue Reading ]