Ezekiel 18:5-20

The Principle of God's Avenging Justice

v. 5. 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,

v. 6. 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 20:14; Leviticus 20:10, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman, Leviticus 18:19; Leviticus 20:18,

v. 7. and hath not oppressed any, no matter with what degree of violence this was done, Exodus 22:28; Leviticus 25:14-Esther :, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, the Law requiring that this raiment be restored before sunset, Exodus 22:26-Daniel :, hath spoiled none by violence, not gaining the property of another by false ware or dealing, hath given his bread to the hungry, Isaiah 58:7, and hath covered the naked with a garment, Matthew 25:26;

v. 8. 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interest from a poor neighbor, contrary to the law of love, Deuteronomy 23:20; Leviticus 25:36-Haggai :, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, from the injustice or wickedness which selfishness prompts, in promoting one's own gain at the expense of one's neighbor, hath executed true judgment between man and man, literally, "the judgment of truth," namely, in a manner in full agreement with the facts and conditions of every case presented,

v. 9. 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, including the blessings of eternal life, but that God rewards such evidences of true faith by bestowing His mercy upon the believers. Such a man, then, stands before the Lord for his own person, responsible for himself, the Lord dealing with his case on its own merits, regardless of his children or other relatives.

v. 10. 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,

v. 11. 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,

v. 12. 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,

v. 13. 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 persists in his wickedness; his blood shall be upon him, he will have but himself to blame for the terrible fate which will surely strike him. The thought of this paragraph, then, is this: If the wicked son of a righteous man will be punished if he commits even so much as a single sin of those which his father abhorred, how much more if he become guilty of the entire catalog of sins which are enumerated! So much for the second generation and its wickedness.

v. 14. 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 like, not following in his father's footsteps,

v. 15. 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,

v. 16. 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,

v. 17. 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 iniquity of his father, the father's guilt not being imputed to him; he shall surely live.

v. 18. 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.

v. 19. 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 and hath done them, he shall surely live. On the basis of all the arguments offered thus far the Lord now states His conclusion.

v. 20. 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 shall be upon him, so that he who is righteous, even if only by virtue of the righteousness of Christ imputed to him, will receive the reward of righteousness, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him, so that he is compelled to endure its punishment. In this way the Lord stated the principle of His avenging justice, a principle which He has ever followed in all His dealings with men.