18:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 18:2 “What do you mean by quoting this proverb concerning the land of Israel, “ ‘The fathers eat sour grapes And the children’s teeth become numb?’

Ezekiel gave Judah three proverbs in chapters 15-17. However, Judah did not like these proverbs, so she created a proverb of her own. The proverb was that the fathers ate sour grapes, so their children’s teeth become clean. Teeth are clean when one is starving to death. The point of this proverb was that the citizens of Jerusalem were starving to death not because of their own sin, but because of their parent’s sin. This was blasphemy against Jehovah, because they were stating that Jehovah was not fair in dealing with the modern generation of Jerusalem.

18:3 “As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, you will not quote this proverb in Israel anymore!

Jehovah would not allow this proverb to be repeated in Judah any longer.

18:4 Indeed! All lives are mine—the life of the father as well as the life of the son is mine. The one who sins will die.

The point is that these men in Jerusalem were just as guilty as their fathers. They would die in Jerusalem for their own sins. Many believers today have not even read the entire counsel of the Word of God, which leaves them void of Bible doctrine. When trouble comes upon them for their lack of Bible doctrine, they often blame others for their plight. Many times they blame God. They need to get their eyes on themselves.They need to look at the plank in  their own eyes.

18:5 “Suppose a man is righteous. He practices what is just and right, 18:6 does not eat pagan sacrifices on the mountains or pray to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife, does not have sexual relations with a woman during her period, 18:7 does not oppress anyone, but gives the debtor back whatever was given in pledge, does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and clothes the naked, 18:8 does not engage in usury or charge interest, but refrains from wrongdoing, promotes true justice between men, 18:9 and follows my statutes and observes my regulations by carrying them out. That man is righteous; he will certainly live, declares the sovereign Lord.

Ezekiel presented three cases to prove the principle of individual accountability. The first case emphasized a righteous man who kept the Mosaic Law. He practiced what was just and right. He did not eat sacrifices offered to pagan demonic gods. He did not pray to demonic idols. He did not commit adultery. He did not engage in sexual intercourse during his wife’s menstrual period. He did not oppress anyone. He paid his debts. He did not commit robbery. He gave bread to the poor. He clothed the naked. He did not charge interest. He refrained from wrong doing. He promoted justice. He followed the Mosaic Law. This man would not be punished for the sins of his father, as the man-made Israelite proverb falsely suggested. Jehovah declared this man as righteous. He would live and not die. Those who followed the commands of Jehovah listened to him and moved to Babylon. Those who were rebellious to Jehovah stayed in Jerusalem and suffered.

18:10 “Suppose such a man has a violent son who sheds blood and does any of these things mentioned previously 18:11 (though the father did not do any of them). He eats pagan sacrifices on the mountains, defiles his neighbor’s wife, 18:12 oppresses the poor and the needy, commits robbery, does not give back what was given in pledge, prays to idols, performs abominable acts, 18:13 engages in usury and charges interest. Will he live? He will not! Because he has done all these abominable deeds he will certainly die. He will bear the responsibility for his own death.

Ezekiel presented the second divine case of accountability. The father was righteous, but his son was not. The father’s righteousness would not save the son. The father would live, but the son would be put to death.

It is interesting to note that in many ancient cultures, the the sons were killed for the sins of the father. For example. Zedekiah rebelled against the pagan King Nebuchadnezzar. The children of Zedekiah were innocent, but they died for the sins of their father. The Mosaic Law protected the children from being publicly executed for the sins of their father. If God required this law of humans, then He would surely keep this law Himself.

18:14 “But suppose he in turn has a son who notices all the sins his father commits, considers them, and does not follow his father’s example. 18:15 He does not eat pagan sacrifices on the mountains, does not pray to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife, 18:16 does not oppress anyone or keep what has been given in pledge, does not commit robbery, gives his food to the hungry, and clothes the naked, 18:17 refrains from wrongdoing, does not engage in usury or charge interest, carries out my regulations and follows my statutes. He will not die for his father’s iniquity; he will surely live. 18:18 As for his father, because he practices extortion, robs his brother, and does what is not good among his people, he will die for his iniquity. 18:19 “Yet you say, ‘Why should the son not suffer for his father’s iniquity?’ When the son does what is just and right, and observes all my statutes and carries them out, he will surely live. 18:20 The person who sins is the one who will die. A son will not suffer for his father’s iniquity, and a father will not suffer for his son’s iniquity; the righteous person will be judged according to his righteousness, and the wicked person according to his wickedness.

Ezekiel presented his third and final divine case of accountability. In this case, the son observed all of the sins of his father, but he did not commit these sins himself. According to the Mosaic Law, the father would be punished, but the son would not. The point of these three parables was that fathers and sons were only punished for their own sins. Therefore, this man-made Israelite proverb was in theological error. The people in Jerusalem were being judged for their own sin and not the sins of their fathers.

18:21 “But if the wicked person turns from all the sin he has committed and observes all my statutes and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. 18:22 None of the sins he has committed will be held against him; because of the righteousness he has done, he will live. 18:23 Do I actually delight in the death of the wicked, declares the sovereign Lord? Do I not prefer that he turn from his wicked conduct and live?

There was still hope for the wicked people of Jerusalem. If they would turn from their sins, then Jehovah would deliver them from death by sword, starvation, or disease. Jehovah was not a petty despot who took revenge on humans who disobeyed His rules. Jehovah did not desire to kill the wicked. He would rather the wicked turn to Jehovah, repent (change their ways from bad to good), and live.

18:24 “But if a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and practices wrongdoing according to all the abominable practices the wicked carry out, will he live? All his righteous acts will not be remembered; because of the unfaithful acts he has done and the sin he has committed, he will die.

Even though the wicked people in Jerusalem would be killed or exiled, they would still be given another opportunity to repent and live.

18:25 “Yet you say, ‘The Lord’s conduct is unjust!’ Hear, O house of Israel: Is my conduct unjust? Is it not your conduct that is unjust?

Judah was claiming that God was unjust for punishing her for her father’s sins. Jehovah corrected this bad theological thinking. Jehovah informed the Jews that it was their conduct which was unjust.

18:26 When a righteous person turns back from his righteousness and practices wrongdoing, he will die for it; because of the wrongdoing he has done, he will die.

A righteous person who turned to wickedness would physically die for his sin. This was the sin unto death which Paul explained in his epistles.

18:27 When a wicked person turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will preserve his life.

If a wicked person turned from wickedness, then Jehovah would save him from the physical death of dying by the Babylonian sword, starvation from the Babylonian siege, or disease from the Babylonian siege. It is important to note that Jehovah was speaking to the Jews who were living in Jerusalem around 580 B.C. He was not speaking directly to modern Christians living in America in 2016. The death in this passage is not eternal death, but physical death.

18:28 Because he considered and turned from all the sins he had done, he will surely live; he will not die.

If the wicked people in Jerusalem would turn from their sin, then God would protect them from death by the Babylonians.

18:29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The Lord’s conduct is unjust!’ Is my conduct unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your conduct that is unjust?

The sinful people of Israel unfairly claimed that Jehovah’s ways were unjust. Jehovah told them that it was there conduct which was unjust.

It is important to note that many unbelievers and carnal Christians blame their problems on God. When a person says, “Oh my God!,” he is blaming God for his problems. Insurance will cover damages from “acts of God.” These catastrophes may actually be acts from the demonic world. However, Satan does have to receive permission from God before he attacks a believer.

18:30 “Therefore I will judge each person according to his conduct, O house of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord. Repent and turn from all your wickedness; then it will not be an obstacle leading to iniquity.

Jehovah will judge each person according to his own conduct. If the house of Israel wished to physically survive the Babylonian invasion, then she must  repent and change her ways.

18:31 Throw away all your sins you have committed and fashion yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why should you die, O house of Israel?

The house of Israel was commanded to throw away all of their past sins and to create within themselves a new heart and a new spirit. Otherwise, why should she physically die?

18:32 For I take no delight in the death of anyone, declares the sovereign Lord. Repent and live!

Jehovah does not delight in the death of anyone. Death is a result of the sin nature of man. Jehovah is sovereign over all things. He desires that the wicked people in Jerusalem repent and live.