Ezekiel 18

The Jews, in Ezekiel's time, complained of God's dealing hardly with them in punishing them for the sins of their forefathers, Ezekiel 18:1 , Ezekiel 18:2 ; their temporal calamities having been long threatened as the consequence of the national guilt, ( Jeremiah 15:4 , etc.); and, from the general complexion of this chapter, it appears that the Jews so interpreted the second commandment of the Decalogue and other passages of like import, as if the sins of the forefathers were visited upon the children, independently of the moral conduct of the latter, not only in this world, but in that which is to come. To remove every foundation for such an unworthy idea of the Divine government, God assures them, with an oath, that he had no respect of persons, Ezekiel 18:3 , Ezekiel 18:4 ; strongly intimating that the great mysteries in Providence, (mysterious only on account of the limited capacity of man), are results of the most impartial administration of justice; and that this would be particularly manifested in the rewards and punishments of another life; when every ligament that at present connects societies and nations together shall be dissolved, and each person receive according to his work, and bear his own burden. This is illustrated by a variety of examples: such as that of a just or righteous man, Ezekiel 18:5-9 ; his wicked son, Ezekiel 18:10-13 ; and again the just son of this wicked person, Ezekiel 18:14-20 . Then a wicked man repenting, and finding mercy, whose former wickedness shall be no impediment to his salvation, Ezekiel 18:21-23 ; and a righteous man revolting, and dying in his sins, whose former righteousness shall be of no avail, Ezekiel 18:24 . The conduct of the Divine Providence is then vindicated, Ezekiel 18:25-29 ; and all persons, without any exception, most earnestly exhorted to repentance, Ezekiel 18:30 , Ezekiel 18:31 ; because the Lord hath no pleasure in the death of the sinner, Ezekiel 18:32 . As the whole of this chapter is taken up with the illustration of a doctrine nearly connected with the comfort of man, and the honor of the Divine government, the prophet, with great propriety, lays aside his usual mode of figure and allegory, and treats his subject with the utmost plainness and perspicuity.