Ezekiel 18-20 – August 31

In Ezekiel 18:2 the LORD says the people are saying “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, And the children's teeth are set on edge?” The people were saying that the present generation was paying the price for the sins of past generations. The LORD makes it clear that anything anyone suffers because of past generations has nothing to do with the LORD's judgment. He clearly says in Ezekiel 18:20, “The soul who sins shall die. The 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.” Then He reminds the people again that they can find forgiveness and mercy even if they have lived a life of wickedness; He says, "But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, … he shall surely live; he shall not die” (Ezekiel 18:21). Israel was complaining about the LORD’s ways not being fair (just), but they said this because of their wrong understanding of God; it was Israel’s ways that were not fair (just). The LORD said in Ezekiel 18:25, "Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair.' Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair?”