UNDERSTAND the FAIRNESS of GOD’s JUDGMENT!
September
5 Bible Reading: Ezekiel Chapters 31-33
UNDERSTAND the FAIRNESS of GOD’s JUDGMENT
Therefore you, O son of man; say to the
house of Israel: thus you say, "If our transgressions and our sins lie
upon us, and we pine away in them, how
can we then live?" Say to them: 'As I live, says the Lord God, I have
no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way
and live. Turn, turn from your evil
ways! For why should you die O house of Israel?' Therefore you, O son of
man, say to the children of your people: 'The
righteousness of the righteous man shall not deliver him in the day of his
transgression; as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall because
of it in the day that he turns from his wickedness; nor shall the righteous be
able to live because of his righteousness in the day that he sins.'
(Ezek 33:10-12)
Even though
God’s message through prophet Ezekiel is to the whole house of Israel, but its
application was to be made on an individual basis. This is called “the doctrine of individual moral
responsibility”. God was not dismissing a person’s previous life in the
sense of having no interest in it. Rather God emphasizes here that in the
entire course of his/her life a person is free to change, through repentance
and become accepted by God.
Due to their
individual sins and transgressions before God many Israelites ask in despair: “How can we then live?” How many people even
today have lost all hope and are in depression and despair. The Lord’s answer
is: “REPENT” or, “TURN AWAY from your wickedness”. There is hope for the worst
sinner, but the only hope is in
turning from sin. When the people complained that God’s dealings with them were
not just, God denies this and reminds them that He will pardon a wicked man who confesses and forsakes his sin;
also, He will punish a righteous man who
turns to wickedness.
In punishing
Israel God was actually being faithful to His covenant stipulations with Israel.
This covenant had been approved by the Israelites by agreeing to its commands
and accepting the consequences of breaking them, both corporately and
individually (see Exodus 19:1–9; Deut. 27). God presents His rationale in these
verses for deciding who would be rewarded with life and who would suffer death:
He would save those who repent and turn to Him, but would condemn those who
trust in themselves and do evil. After presenting His rationale, God declares
that His judgment is just and fair.
Each day we
have many opportunities to choose to live righteously. As individuals, we are responsible
for our actions, and our destiny is determined by our choices. What God wants
from us today is true repentance
– turning away from our sins and turning
to God!
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart-- these, O God, You will not despise." (Psalms 51:17)
