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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
EZEKIEL 18
LESSON #16
THE REPERCUSSIONS OF SIN TO THE THIRDAND FOURTH GENERATION
v MEMORY VERSE: MICAH 6:8
v READ EZE 18:1-2 THE PROVERB AND ITS MEANING
Ø EZEKIEL MENTIONS A FAMOUS PROVERB THATHAD EXISTED FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS IN ISRAEL. IN FACT, PEOPLE STILL BELIEVED THIS PROVERBWHEN JESUS WALKED ON EARTH. THIS PROVERB COMES FROM A POOR INTERPRETATION OF A PASSAGE INEXODUS. THE PROVERB KEPT ALIVE THE POOR INTERPRETATION OF EXODUS 20:5.
§ READ EXO 20:5 VISITING THE INIQUITY OF THE FATHERUPON THE CHILDREN TO THE THIRD AND FOURTH GENERATION.
· EZEKIELS PROVERB SAYS THAT THEFATHER ATE SOUR GRAPES AND THE CHILDREN PAID THE PENALTY. (2)
¨ THE PEOPLE BELIEVED THAT CHILDREN PAIDFOR THE SINS OF THEIR PARENTS. THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL WERE SAYING THAT THEIR PARENTSSINS CAUSED ALL THEIR SUFFERINGS AND DESTRUCTIONS.
§ READ JOH 9:1-3 A MAN BLIND FROM BIRTH
· EVEN THE DISCIPLES BELIEVED THIS OLDPROVERB THAT CHILDREN PAID FOR THE SINS OF THE PARENTS.
Ø WHAT IS THE CORRECT INTERPRETATION OFEXO 20:5?
§ EZEKIEL 18 ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT THEMIS-INTERPRETATION CARRIED BY THIS PROVERB. THEREFORE,WE WILL FIND THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION IN OUR STUDY OF EZE 18.
v READ EZE 18:3-9 FOURTEEN EXCERPTSFROM THE MOSAIC LAW
Ø IN VERSES 5-9, EZEKIEL MENTIONS 14POINTS IN THE MOSAIC LAW.
§ FOR EXAMPLE: HE SAYS THAT A MAN ISRIGHTEOUS IF HE HAS NOT EATEN ON THE MOUNTAINS (6).
· THAT MEANS HE HAS NOT PARTICIPATED INPAGAN WORSHIP IN PAGAN TEMPLES ON THE MOUNTAINTOPS.
¨ EXO 20:3,5 THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODSBEFORE ME THOU SHALT NOT BOW DOWN TO THEM NOR SERVE THEM.
§ GOD SAID MAN IS RIGHTEOUS IF HE CANKEEP THE LAW. THE PROBLEM IS THAT NO MAN CAN KEEP THE LAW. THEREFORE, NO ONE IS RIGHTEOUS.
· THEREFORE, WHEN WE COME TO THE END OFVERSE 9, WE MUST CONCLUDE THAT IF NO ONE IS RIGHTEOUS, AND THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH, THENNO MAN CAN BE SAVED.
¨ HOWEVER, BOTH IN THE OLD TESTAMENT ANDIN THE NEW TESTAMENT, A PERSON IS SAVED BY FAITH IN THE MESSIAH, JESUS CHRIST. NO PERSONWAS EVER SAVED BY KEEPING THE LAW.
v READ EZE 18:10-13 THE PARABLE OF THE RIGHTEOUS FATHER AND THEEVIL SON
Ø IN THIS PARABLE EZEKIEL PRESENTS AFATHER WHO KEPT ALL THE MOSAIC LAW.
§ NOWWE KNOW THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANY PERSON TO KEEP THE LAW OF GOD FOR SALVATION.THEREFORE, WHEN EZEKIEL USES THE WORDS LIFE AND DEATH, HE ISREFERRING TO PHYSICAL LIFE AND PHYSICAL DEATH, NOT ETERNAL LIFE AND ETERNAL DEATH.
Ø THIS GOOD FATHER HAD A SON WHO DIDEVIL.
§ WILL THE SON INHERIT HIS FATHERSLIFE OF BLESSING? NO. THE SON WILL PAY FOR HIS OWN SINS BY LIVING A CURSED LIFE. (13)
v READ EZE 18:14-18 THE PARABLE OF THE EVIL FATHER AND THE GOODSON
Ø EZEKIEL CHANGES THE PARABLE. THIS EVILSON GROWS UP TO BE A FATHER AND HAS HIS OWN SON. THIS EVIL FATHER, WHO CONTINUES TO BREAKTHE MOSAIC LAW, HAS A SON THAT DECIDES TO DO RIGHT. (14)
§ THIS EVIL SON WHO BECAME AN EVIL FATHERWILL REAP DEATH. (18)
· REMEMBER EZEKIEL IS TALKING ABOUTPHYSICAL DEATH AND A CURSED LIFE.
§ HOWEVER, HIS GOOD SON WILL REAPLIFE. (17)
· REMEMBER EZEKIEL IS TALKING ABOUT APHYSICAL LIFE OF BLESSING.
v HOW DO WE KNOW EZEKIEL IS TALKING ABOUTPHYSICAL LIFE AND PHYSICAL DEATH?
Ø READ DEU 28:1-2
§ DEU 28:1-14 PRESENTS GODS PATTERNFOR A BLESSED LIFE.
· NOTICE IT SAYS THAT HE MUSTDO CERTAIN THINGS.
Ø READ DEU 28:15
§ DEU 28:15-68 PRESENTS GODSPATTERN FOR A CURSED LIFE.
Ø THEREFORE, IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, UNDERTHE LAW OF MOSES, A BLESSED OR A CURSED LIFE WAS CONDITIONED ON HOW WELL A PERSON WORKEDTO KEEP THE LAW.
v THE BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES INVOLVED IN THETWO SIDES OF THIS PARABLE:
Ø NEITHER PUNISHMENT FOR PERSONAL SIN NORBLESSING FOR PERSONAL RIGHTEOUSNESS IS INHERITED WHEN IT COMES TO GODS JUDGMENT.
Ø MAN IS ACCOUNTABLE TO GOD ONLY FOR HISOWN SIN BECAUSE GOD JUDGES INDIVIDUALLY. (17)
v READ EZE 18:19-2O THE SUMMARY OF THE PARABLE
Ø THE CENTRAL MESSAGE IN EZEKIELSPARABLE IS THAT EACH PERSON IS ACCOUNTABLE TO GOD FOR HIS OWN LIFE. GOD BRINGS JUDGMENTINDIVIDUALLY.
v AN IMPORTANT EXPLANATION:
Ø TODAY WE DO NOT LIVE IN AN AGE OF LAWWHERE GODS BLESSINGS AND CURSINGS ARE DIRECTLY DEPENDANT UPON OUR PERSONAL ACTIONSIN KEEPING SPECIFIC LAWS. WE LIVE IN AN AGE OF GRACE WHERE GOD PROMISES TO BE MERCIFUL TOUS.
Ø HOWEVER, YOU MUST REMEMBER THAT GOD HASNOT SUSPENDED THE PRINCIPLE OF SOWING AND REAPING. THAT PRINCIPLE IS IN THE NEWTESTAMENT FOR THE AGE OF GRACE. (2COR 9:6 GAL 6:7-8)
§ AS YOU SOW, YOU WILL ALSOREAP.
· THIS PRINCIPLE EXISTED IN THE OLDTESTAMENT BEFORE THE LAW OF MOSES. (GEN 9:5-6)
¨ UNDER MOSES AND DURING THE AGE OF LAW,THE LAW CAME IN ALONGSIDE THIS PRINCIPLE. THEN IN THE AGE OF GRACE, THE LAW IS REPLACED,BUT THE PRINCIPLE REMAINS.
· THIS PRINCIPLE OPERATES TODAY IN THELIVES OF BOTH CHRISTIANS AND NON-CHRISTIANS.
v READ EZE 18:21-32 REPENT AND LIVE!
Ø GOD GIVES THE ISRAELITES A CHANCE TOREPENT IF THEY WANT TO CHANGE THE OUTCOME. (21)
§ GOD DESIRES THAT MEN WILL REPENT OFTHEIR SINS AND BE BLESSED.
· HOWEVER, GOD WILL NOT FORCE ANYONE. HESHOWS MAN THE TRUTH OF HIS WAYS, AND PLEADS WITH MAN TO REPENT.
v EXO20:5 VISITING THE INIQUITY OF THEFATHER UPON THE CHILDREN
Ø IF THE PEOPLE OF EZEKIELS DAY ANDTHE PEOPLE OF JESUS DAY MIS-INTERPRETED EXO 20:5. WE NEED TO DETERMINE A CORRECTINTERPRETATION.
§ HOW IS SIN VISITED TO THE THIRD ANDFOURTH GENERATION?
· PARENTS ARE TO BE MODELS FOR THECHILDREN.
¨ WE DO THAT IN THREE WAYS:
Ø WE SET RULES AND BOUNDARIES FOR OURCHILDREN TO GUIDE THEM AS THEY GROW.
Ø WE ARE TO TEACH THEM THE PRINCIPLE OFSOWING AND REAPING BY ALLOWING THEM TO LIVE WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR MISTAKES.
§ MOST PARENTS VIOLATE THIS GUIDELINE. WELOVE OUR CHILDREN AND WANT TO PROTECT THEM FROM HURT. BECAUSE OF THAT WE OFTEN REMOVECONSEQUENCES FROM THEIR LIVES. CONSEQUENCES ARE DIFFICULT TO BEAR. HOWEVER, IF WE BEGIN TOTEACH THEM WHEN THEY ARE YOUNG THAT DISOBEDIENCE REAPS CONSEQUENCES, THE CONSEQUENCES ARENOT DEVASTATING. IF CHILDREN DONT LEARN THIS WHEN THEY ARE YOUNG, THE CONSEQUENCESWHEN THEY ARE TEENAGERS CAN BE DEVASTATING. THEN IT IS TOO LATE TO TEACH THEM ANDFREQUENTLY TOO LATE TO SAVE THEM FROM SO GREAT A HARM.
Ø WE ARE TO BE A LIVING EXAMPLE OF HOW TOLIVE A GOOD LIFE THAT REAPS THE BLESSINGS OF GOD.
· IF PARENTS ARE NOT GOOD MODELS FORTHEIR CHILDREN, THEY PERPETUATE SIN PATTERNS THAT ARE PASSED ON IN A FAMILY.
¨ WHAT ARE SIN PATTERNS?
Ø A SIN PATTERN IS A HABITUAL SIN THAT ISLIVED OPENLY , WITHOUT SHAME, AND TOLERATED. IT IS A LEARNED BEHAVIOR, AND IT CAN BEPASSED ON TO GENERATION AFTER GENERATION.
§ FOR EXAMPLE: ALCOHOLISM.
· MODERN SCIENCE SAYS THAT ALCOHOLISM ISINHERITED. ON THAT BASIS, NO PERSON CAN HELP BUT BE AN ALCOHOLIC IF ALCOHOLISM IS IN HISFAMILY. MORE ACCURATELY, IT IS A SIN PATTERN. THE BIBLE CALLS ALCOHOLISM A SIN. WHAT ISPASSED ON FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE NEXT IS A TENDENCY TO FALL INTO THE SIN OFALCOHOLISM.
§ OTHER EXAMPLES:
· OCCULT PRACTICES
¨ OFTEN YOU WILL FIND WITCHCRAFTPERPETUATED FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE NEXT
· SEXUAL SINS
¨ SOMETIMES YOU WILL FIND FAMILIES WHEREALL THE MEN IN THE FAMILY HABITUALLY PRACTICE ADULTERY. THE KENNEDY FAMILY IS A GOODEXAMPLE.
§ ALL THESE HABITUAL SIN PRACTICES ARESIN PATTERNS PASSED FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE NEXT SIMPLY BECAUSE THE FIRST GENERATIONDID NOT DEAL ADEQUATELY WITH THE SIN. INSTEAD THE FIRST GENERATION TAUGHT IT TO THE NEXTGENERATION.
§ THE MEANING OF EXO 20:5 IS THAT THEPATTERNS OF SIN ARE CARRIED FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE NEXT, AND THEREFORE, THECONSEQUENCES OF THOSE SIN PATTERNS ARE ALSO CARRIED FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE NEXT.
· TRUTHS ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN INLIGHT OF THE PRINCIPLE OF SOWING AND REAPING:
¨ WHEN YOU SOW EITHER GOOD OR EVIL, YOUWILL REAP THE SAME KIND OF GOOD OR EVIL.
Ø WHEN YOU PLANT CARROTS, YOU WILLHARVEST CARROTS.
¨ YOU WILL REAP MORE THAN YOU SOWED.
Ø WHEN YOU PLANT ONE APPLE SEED, YOU DONOT HARVEST ONE APPLE; YOU HARVEST HUNDREDS OF APPLES FROM ONE APPLE SEED.
¨ THERE IS A TIME DELAY BETWEEN SOWINGAND REAPING.
Ø WHEN YOU PLANT A FIELD, YOU DO NOTHARVEST IT THE NEXT DAY. THE HARVEST COMES LATER AFTER THAT SEED HAS GROWN AND MATURED.
§ THREREFORE, THE HARVEST MAY BE IN THESECOND OR THIRD GENERATION, OR IT MAY EVEN BE IN ETERNITY.
v BIBLICAL TRUTHS AND APPLICATION:
Ø MODERN PSYCHOLOGY:
§ IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF MODERNPSYCHOLOGY, THERE WAS A LOT OF EMPHASIS PLACED ON THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH A PERSON GREWTO ADULTHOOD.
· AS A RESULT, PEOPLE BLAMED THEIRPARENTS, THEIR ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, OR CERTAIN TRAUMATIC EVENTS OFLIFE FOR THE PROBLEMS THEY SUFFER.
· WHILE THERE IS SOME TRUTH IN BLAMING ABAD ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE SIN PATTERNS ARE PASSED FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE NEXT, ACCORDINGTO THE BIBLE AND EZE 18, THESE THINGS ARE NO EXCUSE BEFORE GOD.
¨ EVERY PERSON HAS FREE WILL. EVERYPERSON IS CALLED TO REPENTANCE BECAUSE ALL PEOPLE HAVE SINNED. ALL PEOPLE HAVE A TENDENCYTO SIN BECAUSE OF ADAM. THEREFORE, WE ARE ALL GUILTY, AND WE ALL NEED CHRIST TO SAVE USFROM SIN.
Ø WHEN WE ARE BORN AGAIN IN JESUS CHRIST,HE GIVES US A NEW NATURE. BECAUSE OF THIS NEW NATURE, IN JESUS CHRIST, WE CAN BE FREE FROMGENERATIONAL SIN PATTERNS.
Ø BIBLICAL TRUTH:
§ EACH PERSON ENDURES GODSCHASTISEMENT IN THIS LIFE FOR HIS OWN SINS.
· IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN AND FALL INTOSIN, GOD WILL CHASTISE YOU BECAUSE HE LOVES YOU.
· IF YOU REPENT, YOU ARE IMMEDIATELYFORGIVEN AND FOREVER FORGIVEN BECAUSE OF THE SHED BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST.
· HOWEVER, YOU STILL MAY HAVE TO SUFFERTHE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR SIN. GOD FORGIVES BUT HE DOES NOT OFTEN REMOVE THE CONSEQUENCESOF THAT SIN. WHY?
¨ IT IS BY SUFFERING CONSEQUENCES THAT WELEARN NOT TO SIN JUST AS A CHILD LEARNS NOT TO DISOBEY BY SUFFERING THE CONSEQUENCES OFDISOBEDIENCE.
§ THE PRINCIPLE OF SOWING AND REAPING ISA KINGDOM PRINCIPLE. THE SOONER WE LEARN TO LIVE ACCORDING TO THIS PRINCIPLE, THE MOREBLESSED OUR LIVES WILL BE.
HOMEWORK
EZEKIEL 19
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORKANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.
Ø APPLICATION OF EZE 18
§ WHAT NEW CONCEPTS HAVE YOU LEARNEDABOUT SIN IN THIS CHAPTER THAT YOU DID NOT REALIZE BEFORE?
§ WHAT CHANGES WILL YOU MAKE IN YOUR LIFETO SOW GODLINESS?
v PREPARATION FOR EZE 19
Ø READ EZE 19:1-14
§ EZEKIEL MENTIONS 2 KINGS OF JUDAH (VS.3, AND VS. 5). THESE TWO KINGS, JEHOAHAZ (OR SHALLUM) AND JEHOIACHIN, THOUGHT THEY WEREGREAT LEADERS. GOD DID NOT THINK SO. THEREFORE, HE REMOVED THEM FROM THE THRONE. WHAT DIDGOD DISLIKE ABOUT THESE TWO MEN?
· READ 2KINGS 23:31-34 (JEHOAHAZ)
· READ JER 22:21
§ A QUESTION TO THINK ABOUT: WHAT RESPONSIBILITY DO PEOPLE HAVE FOR THE SINS AND FAILURES OF THEIRLEADERS?
v MEMORY VERSE: PROVERBS 21:1
