Episode 204: I gave them laws that were not good

Ezekiel 17-21

17 ¹ God came to me and said,

² Son of man, tell this riddle to the people of Israel.

³ An eagle came to Lebanon....

Sour grapes

18 ¹ God came to me again and said,

² You know the proverb:

The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge.

³ Don't say it anymore.

⁴ Every soul belongs to me. And every soul that sins will die.

^5-9 If a person is just and does what is lawful and right, doesn't come near menstruating women, hasn't oppressed the poor, or robbed or killed anyone, has fed the hungry and clothed the naked, and has obeyed all my other laws, then that person is just and will live.

^10-13 But if he or his son does any of these things, then he will die, and his blood will be upon him.

¹⁴ However the son will not die for his father's sins, ²⁰ neither will the father die for his son's sins.

²⁴ If a righteous person does something wrong, then every good thing that person has done will be forgotten. And that person will die.

²⁵ You say, “God is not fair.” And I say, “Your ways aren't fair either. “

³⁰ I will judge everyone according to their works.

³¹ I get no pleasure from anyone's death. So, repent and live.

A lion's lamentation

19 ^1-13 A lamentation about your mother, who is a lion.

¹⁴ It’s a lamentation and it’s for a lamentation.

Polluted before the heathen

20 ¹ One day, some elders came to ask God something.

² The word of God said to me,

³ Son of man, go say this to the elders: This is what God says:

Did you come to ask me something?

Well, don't bother, because I won't answer.

⁷ I told them to throw away their abominations.

⁸ But they didn't listen to me. So I said, "I'll pour out my fury on them."

¹³ They rebelled against me again, and I said, "I'll pour out my fury on them."

¹⁴ But I decided not to because it would make me look bad to the heathen neighbors.

²¹ Then they rebelled against me again, so I said, "I'll pour out my fury on them."

²² But I decided not to because it would make me look bad to the heathen neighbors.

I gave them laws that were not good

²³ So I decided to scatter them among the heathen.

²⁴ Because they disobeyed me, polluting my sabbaths, and going after their fathers' idols.

²⁵ So I gave them laws that weren't good.

²⁶ And caused them to burn to death their children. I did all this so they would know that I am God.

²⁷ Therefore, son of man, say this to the people of Israel,

This is what God says,

Your fathers blasphemed against me.

³¹ So, are you asking me for help?

Well, don't bother asking. I won't answer.

I'll start a fire

⁴⁵ The word of God came to me and said,

⁴⁶ Son of man, prophesy against the forest, saying,

⁴⁷ I'll set a fire that will burn everything in its path. Every tree and face will be burned.

⁴⁸ Everyone who sees it will know I started the fire, and it will never go out.

⁴⁹ And they'll say about me, “Does God speak in parables?”

God's sword is against all flesh

21 ¹ The word of God came to me and said,

² Son of man, prophesy against Israel, saying,

⁴³ This is what God says,

I'm against you. I'll draw out my sword and kill everyone, both good people and bad.

⁵ When I draw out my sword, everyone will know that I'm God. And my sword will never go back into its sheath.

⁹ A sword is sharpened for slaughter.

¹¹ I'm giving the sword to the killer.

¹² Cry and howl, son of man, because the terror of the sword will be upon all my people.

²⁸ The sword is drawn for the slaughter.

³¹ I'll pour out my anger on you and deliver you into the hand of brutish men who will kill you.

³² You'll be fuel for the fire, and your blood will drench the land. For, I, God have said so.