Ezekiel 18:20-21

November 6, 2025 by Leave a Comment

“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. 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.” (Ezekiel 18:20-21)

This is powerful! This may be the clearest demonstration of God’s grace and man’s personal responsibility in the Old Testament. After a fairly lengthy and clear explanation that man is accountable for his own sin and that God offers life to the repentant, Ezekiel offers this summary statement, to which I have matched New Testament parallels.

  1. The soul that sins shall die. (The wages of sin is death. Romans 6:23)
  2. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. (“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” 2 Corinthians 5:10)
  3. 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. (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. 2 Peter 3:9 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out. Acts 3:19)

Thank you, Father, for offering forgiveness. Please help me to have a heart of repentance. Amen.

Filed Under: devotional thoughts, Evangelism, Ezekiel, Faith, forgiveness, heart matters, Old Testament, repentance

Ezekiel 17:15

November 5, 2025 by Leave a Comment

“But he rebelled against him by sending his ambassadors to Egypt, that they might give him horses and a large army. Will he thrive? Can one escape who does such things? Can he break the covenant and yet escape?” (Ezekiel 17:15)

This is an interesting look into the heart. The background is critical: Judah had rebelled against the one true and living God by bowing a knee to the idols. God raised up Babylon as a means of punishment. Then, the king of Babylon made a covenant with one of the royal offspring. However, the royal offspring rebelled against Babylon. Interestingly, he didn’t rebel to return to the Lord. He rebelled to run into the arms of Egypt! Rather than run to the Lord, he ran further away.

Father, please help me not lean on my own understanding. Help me run toward you. Amen.

Filed Under: Babylon, devotional thoughts, Egypt, exile, Ezekiel, idolatry, Israel, Judah, Old Testament, rebellion

Ezekiel‬ ‭16‬:‭1‬-‭2‬, ‭8‬, ‭30‬, ‭48‬, ‭60‬

November 4, 2025 by Leave a Comment

“Again the word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her abominations.’“ (1-2)

“How sick is your heart, declares the Lord God, because you did all these things, the deeds of a brazen prostitute, (30)

As I live, declares the Lord God, your sister Sodom and her daughters have not done as you and your daughters have done. (48)

yet I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish for you an everlasting covenant.” (60)
‭‭
The first thing that stood out to me was the word “again.” The Lord was warning Judah once AGAIN! He truly is the God of the second chance. Over and over, he warned Judah of their unrighteousness.

Since he was warning them again, it seemed like some good news was coming. However, he brutally undressed them. I only included a sampling. But in this sampling, we see Judah compared to a prostitute. He also said Sodom’s sin was less than Judah’s. I didn’t include the description of sacrificing their children on the burning altar.

THEN, as He does, God offered them hope. Verse 60: yet I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish for you an everlasting covenant.” He has not and will not abandon them.

Thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness. Amen.

Filed Under: devotional thoughts, Ezekiel, Old Testament, repentance

Ezekiel 15:7-8

November 3, 2025 by Leave a Comment

“And I will set my face against them. Though they escape from the fire, the fire shall yet consume them, and you will know that I am the Lord, when I set my face against them. And I will make the land desolate, because they have acted faithlessly, declares the Lord God.” (Ezekiel 15:7-8)

Using the wood of a vine as imagery, the Lord makes two points to Ezekiel. First, the most important outcome of the Lord’s punishment on Judah is that Ezekiel will know that he is dealing with YHVH, the LORD. This foretelling of the future is indicative of God.

Second, great destruction is coming, though some will survive. This same imagery is used in Isaiah 6: “Then I said, ‘How long, O Lord?’ And he said: ‘Until cities lie waste without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is a desolate waste, and the Lord removes people far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. And though a tenth remain in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled.’ The holy seed is its stump.” (Isaiah‬ ‭6‬:‭11‬-‭13‬)

Thank you, Father, for confirming your identity and for being consistent. Amen.

Filed Under: devotional thoughts, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Israel, Old Testament, rebellion, Word Pictures

Ezekiel 14‬:‭2‬-‭3‬, ‭6‬, ‭10‬-‭11‬

November 2, 2025 by Leave a Comment

“And the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces.'” (2-3)

“Therefore, say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God: Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations.'” (6)

“And they shall bear their punishment—the punishment of the prophet and the punishment of the inquirer shall be alike— that the house of Israel may no more go astray from me, nor defile themselves anymore with all their transgressions, but that they may be my people and I may be their God, declares the Lord God.” (10-11)

I think some would be surprised to see these three steps in the Old Testament: 1) You are a sinner. 2) Repent. 3) Be my people. Here, God tells Ezekiel that some elders of Israel have taken their idols into their hearts. And, if the leaders are going astray, which way will they lead the nation? Away from the Lord.

What was the appropriate response to falling away from the Lord in those days? The same as today: Repentance! Today, we might look at Acts 3:19, for example – “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out.”

What was the outcome of repentance in Ezekiel’s day? Being the people of God. What is it today? “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John‬ ‭1‬:‭12‬-‭13‬)

I’m thankful for a God who is consistent, even when I am not.

Filed Under: Acts, devotional thoughts, Ezekiel, Faith, John, Old Testament, repentance
« Previous Page
Next Page »