Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32 (NRSV)
Read Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32 on biblegateway.com
Chapter 18The word of the Lord came to me: Verse 2What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, "The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge"? Verse 3As I live, says the Lord God, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. Verse 4Know that all lives are mine; the life of the parent as well as the life of the child is mine: it is only the person who sins that shall die. Verse 25Yet you say, "The way of the Lord is unfair." Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair? Verse 26When the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity, they shall die for it; for the iniquity that they have committed they shall die. Verse 27Again, when the wicked turn away from the wickedness they have committed and do what is lawful and right, they shall save their life. Verse 28Because they considered and turned away from all the transgressions that they had committed, they shall surely live; they shall not die. Verse 29Yet the house of Israel says, "The way of the Lord is unfair." O house of Israel, are my ways unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair?
Verse 30Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, all of you according to your ways, says the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions; otherwise iniquity will be your ruin. Verse 31Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? Verse 32For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord God. Turn, then, and live.
Devotion
It seems to me that the question raised by our readings this week is: What is God asking of us? Because, sometimes it is hard for us to know what God wants. That seems to be the case in this reading from Ezekiel. After all, God had told Jeremiah to use this exact parable about “sour grapes” when Jeremiah was preaching. Now poor Ezekiel is told he messed up by using it! Here’s the thing, and this is good news even for Jeremiah and Ezekiel: God is good and has determined that we will be God’s for eternity. In Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, the old sins, shortcomings, the old regrets and recriminations, even the old parables, are blotted out by Jesus’ victory. To me this says that God’s desire is for us to trust and follow, to love and serve in Jesus’ name.
Prayer
Loving God; your will is sometimes obscure, clouded, like St Paul’s poor image in a bad mirror. But in Jesus we know that your final Word is to bring us to you. Amen.
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