The following post was my Wednesday night devo/invitation on 18 June 2014.
I read an article recently about a celebrity who claimed God had given her son autism because of her sins. The captivity generation of Israelites used a similar argument, blaming their suffering on the sins of their fathers by quoting this proverb: “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge”. Basically they were saying “we didn’t do anything wrong, it’s our parent’s fault”. We read God’s response in Ezekiel 18:
1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 "What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge'? 3 As I live, declares the Lord GOD, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. 4 Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die. 5 "If a man is righteous and does what is just and right-- 6 if he does not eat upon the mountains orlift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman in her time of menstrual impurity, 7 does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, commits no robbery, gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, 8 does not lend at interest or take any profit, withholds his hand from injustice, executes true justice between man and man, 9 walks in my statutes, and keeps my rules by acting faithfully--he is righteous; he shall surely live, declares the Lord GOD. 10 "If he fathers a son who is violent, a shedder of blood, who does any of these things 11 (though he himself did none of these things), who even eats upon the mountains, defiles his neighbor's wife, 12 oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore the pledge, lifts up his eyes to the idols, commits abomination, 13 lends at interest, and takes profit; shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon himself. 14"Now suppose this man fathers a son who sees all the sins that his father has done; he sees, and does not do likewise: 15 he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor's wife, 16 does not oppress anyone, exacts no pledge, commits no robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, 17 withholds his hand from iniquity,takes no interest or profit, obeys my rules, and walks in my statutes; he shall not die for his father's iniquity; he shall surely live. 18 As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what is not good among his people, behold, he shall die for his iniquity. 19"Yet you say, 'Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?' When the son has done what is just and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live. 20 The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. 21 "But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.22 None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live. 23 Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? 24 But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die.
Notice in verses 4 and 20: “The soul (Hebrew word nephesh) who sins shall die”. God is not talking about just a physical death, but a spiritual death as well. It’s about entering God’s kingdom or being separated from him for all eternity, which is the worst of the potential punishments in the next life.
Then in Ezekiel 18:32, God sums it up by reiterating: “I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live.”
Turn and live. A central theme that is repeated over and over in the Bible. Here are some examples:
Isaiah 58:3-9: “3 'Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?' Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. 4Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high. 5 Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the LORD? 6 "Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? 8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. 9 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, 'Here I am.'
Turn and live.
Luke 13:1-5: 1 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."
Turn and live.
2 Peter 3:9: The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Turn and live.
Acts 2:36-38: Let all the house of Israel
therefore know for certain that God has made him both
Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified." 37 Now
when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to
Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall
we do?" 38 And Peter said to them, "Repent and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the
gift of the Holy Spirit."
Turn and live.
If you had to pick three words to sum up the Bible, “turn
and live” would be a pretty good choice. That’s God’s message to a sinful
humanity. This message is so important that God allowed his only son to die so
that we could live, not as slaves to sin but rather to obedience which leads to
righteousness. “Turn and live” also implies the opposite: “Don’t turn and
perish”. If you’re here tonight and you are not a Christian, that’s God’s
message to you: continue in sin and you will perish. It’s time for you to change.
Come forward, repent of your sins, confess your faith, be baptized by immersion
in water, and start a new life. Turn and live. If you are a Christian and you
have let sin gain a foothold in your life, God’s message is the same: turn and
live. Come forward, we’re here to help. If you have any need, come as we stand
and sing.
