Yet ye say, the way of the Lord is not equal ,.... Still obstinately persisting in their false charges, notwithstanding plain proofs to the contrary: O ye house of Israel, I will judge you everyone after his ways ; See Gill on Ezekiel 18:30 . read more
Men's misconception of God's government. Men are naturally prone to merge themselves in the nation. This was, perhaps, a stronger habit among the Jews than among us. They could not understand how that, while God punished the nation, he could protect the individual. Israel may be depressed in fortune, while yet Daniel and his companions are elevated. Sodom may be destroyed, but Lot shall be preserved. I. SUFFERING OFTEN BLINDS MEN 'S EYES TO GOD 'S EQUITABLENESS . It is... read more
Divine equity. Ezekiel was well aware that his message would not meet with universal acceptance. But he was also aware that it would meet, not only with indifference and unbelief, but also with hostility and rejection. The very principles of the Divine government would be questioned. Forewarned is forearmed. And the prophet was himself convinced of the Divine justice. For were he not so convinced, the heart would have been taken out of his work, and his personal and ministerial life would... read more
33:1-39:29 RETURN TO THE LANDA new phase in Ezekiel’s work (33:1-20)Up till now Ezekiel’s messages have been concerned mainly with God’s judgment - first his judgment on Jerusalem, then his judgment on other nations. Now that Jerusalem has fallen (see v. 21), the prophet concentrates more on the task of building up the exiles. He wants them to be a new people who will be ready to repossess the land when God’s time comes. This, however, is going to involve some stern warnings. Ezekiel is... read more
the Lord. Hebrew. Adonai . App-4 . read more
A. A warning to the exiles 33:1-20Since this message is undated, it may have come to Ezekiel about the same time as the previous two in chapter 32, namely, in the last month of 585 B.C. If so, Ezekiel received it about two months after God gave him the six messages recorded in Ezekiel 33:21 to Ezekiel 39:29 (cf. Ezekiel 33:21). Perhaps the writer inserted the present message in the text here because its strong encouragement to repent was more typical of Ezekiel’s emphasis before news of... read more
2. An exhortation to turn from evil 33:10-20This part of Ezekiel’s warning to the exiles is similar to Ezekiel 18:21-32. read more
The people persisted in claiming that the Lord’s ways of dealing with them were not just. Yet Yahweh assured them that He would deal with each of them fairly, according to their own individual behavior. God does not blame one person for another person’s sins.In our day many people refuse to take personal responsibility for their lives and chose rather to blame someone else for the way they live (e.g. a parent, employer, teacher, abuser, the devil, God). We may not be responsible for the actions... read more
The Prophet and the IndividualThis passage combines an expanded repetition of Ezekiel 3:17-21 with a condensed repetition of Ezekiel 18:5-29. The prophet is a watchman, responsible for warning his people of the consequences of sin. God deals with individual souls in strict justice, and desires that all should turn from their evil ways and live. These principles, already announced, became of special importance, and found their real application, after the fall of Jerusalem. As Ezekiel had... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 33:10-20
These verses are the substance of what we had before (Ezek. 18:20) and they are so full and express a declaration of the terms on which people stand with God (as the former were of the terms on which ministers stand) that it is no wonder that they are here repeated, as those were, though we had the substance of them before. Observe here, I. The cavils of the people against God's proceedings with them. God was now in his providence contending with them, but their uncircumcised hearts were not... read more