16 August 2015 A Call for Repentance Bible Background: Ezekiel 18; Proverbs 21:2–15 Printed Text: Ezekiel 18:1–13, 31–32 Devotional Reading: Hosea 14 Aim for Change By the end of the lesson, we will: REVIEW the message of Ezekiel that God holds each person responsible for his or her own actions; FEEL accountability for personal acts of omission that damage the community; and PRAY for discernment in how to amend our ways and build communities of justice. In Focus Philip couldn’t help but feel depressed. That’s all he had known since he could remember. The neighborhood he and his family lived in brought him down just by looking at it. Graffiti covered the walls and trash covered the streets. Liquor stores seemed to be on every corner along with check cashing places and winos begging for change. He could not help but get angry with his parents for not making enough money to move out. He felt like this was the reason he did so poorly in school and why he was fired from his last job. He was thirty years old and still living at home with his mother. He could not stand it any longer. He decided that he would begin to deal drugs. After all, that’s what it seemed he was born to do. That’s what many of his friends did. Most of them had either been killed or locked up in prison. Philip thought about a few of his friends who had gone to college and had determined to not let their past determine their future. Maybe he could do the same thing. Was there a better way for him? In today’s lesson, Ezekiel warns the people of Judah of approaching danger and pleads with them to take responsibility for their actions, repent, and live. Keep in Mind “Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit” (Ezekiel 18:31). Focal Verses KJV Ezekiel 18:1 The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying. 2 What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge? 3 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel. 4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. 5 But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,\ 6 And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour’s wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman, 7 And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment; 8 He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man,\ 9 Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD. 10 If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like to any one of these things, 11 And that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour’s wife, 12 Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination,\ 13 Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him. 31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye. NLT Ezekiel 18:1 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. 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. 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!” The People, Places, and Times Proverbs. Proverbs are a way of summarizing wisdom and real-life truth. Those compiled and written by King Solomon are preserved as the Bible book Proverbs. These phrases are usually structured according to parallelism. One line is compared or contrasted with the following line, to reinforce the point being made. Although Solomon had the most famous collection of proverbs in Israel, many others were quoted and cited in the everyday life of the common people. Usury. This is the act of giving a loan with exorbitant interest. The Israelites were forbidden to charge interest to one another, but they could charge interest to strangers. The practice of charging interest was evidently practiced by the religious and civic leaders that returned from Babylon. This prompted Nehemiah to command those who had charged interest to give back 1 percent monthly of the interest they took from their fellow Israelites (Nehemiah 5:9– 12). Background Ezekiel’s sermon in this lesson was preached to an audience of Israelites living in exile in Babylonia. They were foreigners living in a strange land, having a very hard time making sense of all the bad things that had happened to them. They had placed their hope in the temple and the God of their forefathers. They felt both helpless and hopeless. They blamed their current fate on the failures and sins of the generations before them. They no doubt just felt like giving up on their past, including their faith and their God, and were just trying to make the best of a bad situation. God had called Ezekiel to minister to these people of little hope. God had told him that this would not be an easy assignment. He had said these people were rebellious, obstinate, and stubborn and not likely to listen (Ezekiel 2:3–5). Ezekiel would need to employ some creative ways of communicating to the Israelites, including using dramatic object lessons and speaking in parables, as he does here. Through it all, Ezekiel was fearlessly faithful as God’s prophet. We can only hope that some of his original audience heeded his warnings, and that we heed them ourselves today. At-A-Glance 1. The Proverb from the Past (Ezekiel 18:1–4) 2. The Parable: Promise of Life for a Righteous Man (vv. 5–9) 3. The Parable Continued: Punishment for an Unrighteous Son (vv. 10–13) 4. The Pleading for Repentance (vv. 31–32) In Depth 1. The Proverb from the Past (Ezekiel 18:1–4) The people of Judah, exiles in a foreign land, rationalize that they are being punished for the sinful deeds of their ancestors. There was a popular proverb in those days that reflected this sentiment: “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” Apparently God was tired of hearing this proverb tossed about as a fatalistic and irresponsible view of the consequences of sin (vv. 2–3). He says He has heard it enough and He doesn’t want to hear it any more, so He bans its use. 2. The Parable: Promise of Life for a Righteous Man (vv. 5–9) Ezekiel uses a parable to illustrate his point about individual responsibility and punishment for sins.