Ezekiel chapter 33

vs 1

Once again. And don't think the repetition stops here. This is pretty much a summary chapter, before we move on.

vs 2

So for the moment, God is talking just in regular terms of what the job of a watchman is. Who watches the watchmen? God, apparently.

vs 3

This is the job of the watchman - to alert people that an army is coming.

vs 4

If you do nothing when you are warned, it's your own fault.

vs 5

You might think this is sounding familiar. But at the moment, it's still just talking about watchmen.

vs 6

Note the clarity here - the person dies because of their sin. But, the watchman is still culpable. There is a different level of responsibility that is open for the watchman because of his lack of doing his job correctly.

vs 7

And here we see what this illustration was all about. Ezekiel was probably thinking, "Man, do I have to go learn how to play the trumpet now?" But this time, God is happy to just describe the illustration. Ezekiel is the watchman, and God is the sword.

vs 8

God gives a warning that he is going to strike, and Ezekiel's job is to telegraph that warning. And if he doesn't, people will die, and he will be blamed (but of course, so will they).

vs 9

It he tells them and they do nothing, then it's all their fault. This is a repeat of an earlier chapter, chapter 3 I believe, from memory.

vs 10

They had sinned a hell of a lot. At least this is a reasonably understandable opinion for them to take.

vs 11

God doesn't want them to die in their sin! He is pleading with them now to turn. He delights in repentance, not in judgement. That is a verse well worth remembering. Ezekiel 33:11.

vs 12

This again is a repeat of a previous statement by God, in another chapter that I really can't remember. But this might be repeated because now Ezekiel is allowed to open his mouth and say it? I'm not sure. But it's definitely important - it's a vital part of God's message to Israel.

vs 13

So this verse focuses on the righteous half of the last verse, and expounds a little.

vs 14

This looks now at the wicked half a little more, and then breaks in half for no real reason.

vs 15

This verse is a fantastic definition of the term "repentance". If we defined repentance as this, I think Christians would be a hell of a lot more serious about it, and a lot more of them would recognise their unrepentance. I certainly do.

vs 16

God cares about what people do, make no bones about it. Repentance is a 'do'. The message here is simple - turn away from your evil ways, and you will live. Keep living the righteous life, and you will live. Yes, it is all in God's hands whether you live or die - it is God that gives you life. But we are still called to live that life.

vs 17

Again this is a repeat, when the people of Israel claim that God's ways are not just. Perhaps it isn't 'just' in our eyes to forgive someone who has sinned heaps, but punish someone who sins just once. I think the parable of the workers shows this powerfully: the end answer to that is, "It's my money, I'll do what I want with it."

vs 18

That is a plain and simple statement. Ouch.

vs 19

That is another plain and simple statement. Hooray!

vs 20

God makes it clear - repentance is rewarded with mercy, and evil is rewarded with judgment. How is that not fair? But God says he is going to judge Israel according to their own ways. Does that mean according to what they've done, or according to their own system of fairness? It probably means both, as God is certainly capable of both. The Israelites would certainly say, "Yes, judge evil! Evil is bad, punish it!" So God is going to do just that.

vs 21

The news finally comes. It's not happy news, but it is a fulfillment of all of Ezekiel's prophecies.

vs 22

There we go. Ezekiel's mouth was opened, so now he can let people know what's going on. In good timing, too.

vs 23

Again!

vs 24

Derp. There has been, what, two exiles now? Some people just never learn.

vs 25

The answer is obviously not, since they are defiling it with their ungodly lives.

vs 26

Pretty harsh judgment, but then God sees them doing it all. So it's not like he's lying.

vs 27

God's judgment is not yet finished - not so long as there are people in his nation who still hold to stupid notions and continue to defile his name.

vs 28

That's pretty darn desolate.

vs 29

One day, God says, they will look up and go, "Oh, riiiiiiiiight." One day.

vs 30

That sounds good.

vs 31

This is the book of James all over again. Or, well, I guess James is just the book of Ezekiel all over again... and a lot of other prophets who weren't listened to too.

vs 32

We don't even think of God's words as that any more. We have polluted them by drowning them in a sea of other words. I just look at my bookshelf, and there are so many books - there are probably more words on my bookshelf than were written down at all at the time of the canonisation of the OT. Hearing someone preaching, hearing a great orator, used to be a huge thing. Now it is relegated to an ABC show, and to 5 minute and 60 second slots, and sound bytes. Sigh.

vs 33

And what, then, will their response be, I wonder? For many, I'll bet it would be no different. They'll just clap and go home.