(Special thanks to David for substitute teaching for Robert last Wednesday) This week’s lesson was based on Ezekiel 18 and 34.
Pro-Life
God loves life. He creates it with his own breath (Gen 2:7). He goes to utmost lengths to ensure we have it in abundance (John 10:10-11). He provides sustenance for it for every person and every creature (Gen 1:30; Psalm 145:15-16).
So why does God sometimes get a bad rep for enjoying death, punishment? It’s wrong.
He doesn’t enjoy death. He enjoys life. He delights in love (Jeremiah 9:24).
But death
Yet Ezekiel, through God’s prodding, had to predict heavy doses of God’s wrath. If you’re looking for gloom-and-doom language, you’ll find it in this book.
But it wasn’t God’s pleasure to do so. It was his last resort for a wicked people who were literally hell-bent on death anyway. It’s not how the Lord wanted it.
For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone,
declares the Lord GOD;
so turn, and live.
Ezekiel 18:32
He desires all to live. But he declares that the wicked will die. Each man will die for his own sins. “The soul who sins is the one who will die” (Ezekiel 18:20).
You choose
It’s our personal responsibility to choose. Him or me? Life or death?
But the help and information and love we have in choosing is phenomenal. In Ezekiel 34, we listen to statement after statement about their harsh and brutal shepherds, who led the willing into sin. So God promises that He himself will be the shepherd to his sheep (Ezekiel 34:15).
We have him. The perfect Shepherd is Jesus (John 10:11-16). He came to give us full life. Now and forever.
Like always, he gives us a choice (Deuteronomy 30:19).
We can choose life.
Or we can choose death.
Choose life. Choose Jesus.
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NEXT: Week 8, Separation
Ezekiel 8-11
More Ezekiel notes
Class outline
