STUDY IT FOR YOURSELF! Have the attitude of the Bereans… … take what you are taught and search the Scriptures each day to see if what was taught is what the Word of God says [Acts 17:11]! Have the attitude of the Bereans…

The Spirit of Knowledge and Fear of the LORD!!

Part Five of: The Spirit of COUNSEL and MIGHT; Part One of: The KNOWLEDGE and FEAR of the LORD!

Part One: God WEIGHS the HEART!

Proverbs 24:12 (a more literal xlation) For you say, “Behold, WE DID NOT KNOW this.” Does not HE WHO WEIGHS the HEART consider it? And the One who keeps your soul, does He not know? Yea, He REPAYS to EACH ONE ACCORDING TO THEIR work [deeds]. Does not HE WHO WEIGHS [H8505] the HEART consider it?

The Stimulus for this study The request – Explain the seeming conflict in Exodus 34:6-7 to “visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the 3rd and 4th generation.” Viz Ezk 18:20-21 ie son not bear fault of father nor father bear fault of son etc

Exodus 34:6-7 [6] Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed…

Exodus 34:6-7 – The Characteristics of God! [6] … “The LORD, the LORD God, COMPASSIONANT and GRACIOUS, SLOW to ANGER, and ABOUNDING in LOVINGKINDNESS and TRUTH; [7] Who KEEPS LOVINGKINDNESS for thousands…”

Exodus 34:6-7 – The Characteristics of God! [7] “… Who FORGIVES INIQUITY, TRANSGRESSION and SIN; YET HE WILL BY NO MEANS LEAVE the guilty UNPUNISHED, VISITING the INIQUITY of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.”

Ezekiel 18:20-21 [20] “The PERSON WHO SINS will DIE. The SON WILL NOT BEAR the PUNISHMENT for the FATHER’S INIQUITY, nor will the FATHER BEAR the PUNISHMENT for the SON’S INIQUITY…”

Ezekiel 18:20-21 [20] “… the RIGHTEOUSNESS of the RIGHTEOUS WILL be UPON HIMSELF, and the WICKEDNESS of the WICKED WILL be UPON HIMSELF.”

Ezekiel 18:20-21 [21] “BUT IF the WICKED man TURNS FROM ALL his SINS which he has COMMITTED AND OBSERVES all MY STATUTES AND PRACTICES JUSTICE and RIGHTEOUSNESS, he SHALL SURELY LIVE; he SHALL NOT DIE.

WEIGHING the ANSWER!

Start with the CONTEXT… of the verse(s) of the chapter of the ‘book’ of ‘first occurrence” of history of culture of chronology

Context of Exodus 34:20-21 At Mount Sinai [vss 1-4, 29] The giving of the SECOND SET of TABLETS [vss 1 & 4] The LORD God restates His making a COVENANT with Israel [vss 10ff.; esp. vss 10, 27] Second giving of the Ten Commandments [vs 28]

Historical Chronologic Context of Exodus 34 – A Period of ~852 Years After Leaving Egypt at Sinai – 1446 BC Preparation for entering the promised land in 1406 BC Moses reminds Israel of what occurred at Mount Sinai and encourages them to KEEP COVENANT with God. Ezekiel’s prophetic ministry – 594-573 BC

Exodus 34:7 – English vs Hebrew “… He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished…” [NASB] “… by no means CLEARING the guilty…” [NKJV] “… by no means CLEAR the guilty…” [KJV]

Exodus 34:7 – English vs Hebrew More Literally, “and clearing He will not clear” VISITING the INIQUITY of FATHERS on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.”

Visit – Strong’s number H6485 The basic meaning is to exercise oversight over a subordinate, either in the form of inspecting or of taking action to cause a considerable change in the circumstances of the subordinate (Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament)

Exodus 34:7 is WELL STATED as… “… But He will not leave the guilty unpunished, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ wrongdoing on the children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation.” [Holman Christian Standard Bible]

When trying to UNDERSTAND a DIFFICULT passage, look for OTHER PASSAGES that are EASIER to UNDERSTAND, Then MAKE APPLICATION to the DIFFICULT PASSAGE.

Deuteronomy 1:3; 24:16 [3] And it came about in the FORTIETH YEAR, on the first day of the eleventh month, that MOSES SPOKE to the children of Israel, according to ALL THAT THE LORD HAD COMMANDED HIM to give to them,

EVERYONE SHALL BE PUT TO DEATH for THEIR OWN SIN. Deuteronomy 24:3, 16 [16] “FATHERS SHALL NOT BE PUT TO DEATH for their SONS, nor SHALL SONS BE PUT TO DEATH for their FATHERS; EVERYONE SHALL BE PUT TO DEATH for THEIR OWN SIN.

2 Kings 14:6 (see also 2 Chronicles 25:4) King Amaziah (797 BC), son of Joash, But the sons of the slayers he did not put to death, according to what is written in the book of the law of Moses, as the LORD commanded, saying, “The fathers shall not be put to death for the sons, nor the sons be put to death for the fathers; but each shall be put to death for his own sin” [Deuteronomy 24:16].

Lamentations 5:7 – Brings a Conclusion Our FATHERS SINNED, and are no more; IT IS WE who have BORNE THEIR INIQUITIES.

Lessons from Ezekiel 18:1-32!

Ezekiel 18:1-5 But the children’s teeth are set on edge’?” [1] Then the word of the LORD came to me saying, [2] “What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel saying, ‘The fathers eat the sour grapes, But the children’s teeth are set on edge’?”

The SOUL WHO SINS WILL DIE. [3] “As I live,” declares the Lord GOD, “you are surely not going to use this proverb in Israel anymore. [4] “BEHOLD, ALL SOULS are MINE; the SOUL of the FATHER as well as the SOUL of the SON IS MINE. The SOUL WHO SINS WILL DIE.

Discipleship Lesson #1 from Ezekiel 18:4 A. ALL SOULS are GOD’s! B. The SOUL WHO SINS WILL DIE.

[5] “BUT IF a man IS RIGHTEOUS, and PRACTICES JUSTICE and RIGHTEOUSNESS, A CLARIFICATION: That IS, DOING the things God says WILL BRING LIFE! And AVOIDING the things God says WILL BRING DEATH!

Some SINS that BRING DEATH from Ezekiel 18 Eating at the mountain shrines [vss 6, 11, 15]; Lifting eyes up to idol [vss 6, 12, 15]; Defiling one’s neighbor’s wife [vss 6, 11]; Approaching a woman during her menstrual period [vs 6];

Some SINS that BRING DEATH from Ezekiel 18 (continued) Oppressing anyone [vss 7, 12, 16] Committing robbery [vss 7, 12, 16] Not restoring a pledge [vss 12, 16] Lending money on interest and taking increase [vs 13]

Discipleship Lesson #2 from Ezekiel 18:9 “IF one WALKS FAITHFULLY in God’s STATUTES and ORDINANCES – The Lord GOD declares… THEY ARE RIGHTEOUS AND WILL SURELY LIVE”.

BUT IF’s…

If a man HIMSELF DOES NOT DO any of these things [vss 6-8, 11-13, 15-17], he WILL SURELY LIVE! BUT IF he has a VIOLENT [a tyrant] SON who HAS COMMITTED these ABOMINATIONS [vss 10-13], the SON WILL SURELY BE PUT to DEATH; THE SON’S BLOOD WILL BE ON the SON’S HEAD [vs 13]!

and OBSERVING DOES NOT DO LIKEWISE. [vs 14] BUT IF a son who HAS OBSERVED all his father’s SINS [vss 6-8, 11-13, 15-17], and OBSERVING DOES NOT DO LIKEWISE. [vs 14] the SON WILL NOT DIE for his father’s INIQUITY, he will SURELY LIVE. [vs 17]

BECAUSE he PRACTICED [the things of vss 6-8, 11-13, 15-17]… BUT AS FOR the father, BECAUSE he PRACTICED [the things of vss 6-8, 11-13, 15-17]… … he WILL DIE for his INIQUITY [vs 18]

Ezekiel 18:19-28 When the SON has PRACTICED JUSTICE and RIGHTEOUSNESS, ‘Why should the son NOT BEAR the PUNISHMENT for the father’s INIQUITY?’ [19] “Yet you say, ‘Why should the son NOT BEAR the PUNISHMENT for the father’s INIQUITY?’ When the SON has PRACTICED JUSTICE and RIGHTEOUSNESS, and has OBSERVED all My STATUTES and done them, he SHALL SURELY LIVE.

[20] “The person WHO SINS WILL DIE [20] “The person WHO SINS WILL DIE. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the RIGHTEOUSNESS of the RIGHTEOUS will be upon himself, and the WICKEDNESS of the WICKED will be upon himself.

When the WICKED TURNS [vss 21-23] [21] “BUT IF the WICKED ONE TURNS FROM all their SINS which they have committed and OBSERVES all My STATUTES and PRACTICES JUSTICE and RIGHTEOUSNESS, they SHALL SURELY LIVE; they SHALL NOT DIE. and OBSERVES all My STATUTES and PRACTICES JUSTICE and RIGHTEOUSNESS,

[22] “All their TRANSGRESSIONS which they have committed will not be REMEMBERED against them; because of their RIGHTEOUSNESS which they had practiced, they will LIVE. [23] “Do I HAVE ANY PLEASURE in the death of the WICKED,” declares the Lord GOD, “rather THAN THAT THEY SHOULD TURN from their ways AND LIVE?

When the RIGHTEOUS TURNS [vs 24] [24] “But when a RIGHTEOUS ONE TURNS AWAY from RIGHTEOUSNESS, COMMITS INIQUITY, and DOES ACCORDING to all the ABOMINATIONS that a WICKED man DOES, WILL HE LIVE? … WILL THEY LIVE? …

[24] “… All their RIGHTEOUS DEEDS which they HAVE DONE WILL NOT BE REMEMBERED for their TREACHERY which they HAVE COMMITTED and their SIN which they HAVE COMMITTED; FOR THEM THEY WILL DIE.

Which IS RIGHT? God’s Way or Your Way? [25] “Yet YOU say, ‘The way of the Lord is NOT RIGHT [WEIGHED (H8505)].’ … … Is My way not right [WEIGHED (H8505)]? Is it not YOUR ways that are NOT RIGHT [WEIGHED (H8505)]?

FOR their INIQUITY which they have committed they WILL DIE. [26] “When a RIGHTEOUS ONE TURNS AWAY FROM RIGHTEOUSNESS, COMMITS INIQUITY, and DIES because of it, FOR their INIQUITY which they have committed they WILL DIE.

and PRACTICES JUSTICE and RIGHTEOUSNESS, they WILL SAVE their LIFE. [27] “Again, WHEN a WICKED one TURNS AWAY FROM WICKEDNESS and PRACTICES JUSTICE and RIGHTEOUSNESS, they WILL SAVE their LIFE.

they SHALL SURELY LIVE; they SHALL NOT DIE. [28] “BECAUSE they CONSIDERED and TURNED AWAY FROM ALL their TRANSGRESSIONS which they had committed, they SHALL SURELY LIVE; they SHALL NOT DIE.

Ezekiel 33:1-11 – The “WATCHMAN”! Upon WHO is the BLOOD? [11] “Say to them, ‘As I live!’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘I take NO PLEASURE in the DEATH of the WICKED…’”

TURN BACK, TURN BACK from your EVIL WAYS! WHY then WILL YOU DIE…?” [11] “… but rather that the WICKED TURN FROM their WAY and LIVE. TURN BACK, TURN BACK from your EVIL WAYS! WHY then WILL YOU DIE…?”

Ezekiel 33:13-16 – A WARNING! [13] “When I say to the RIGHTEOUS they WILL SURELY LIVE, and they so TRUST in their RIGHTEOUSNESS that they COMMIT INIQUITY NONE of their RIGHTEOUS deeds WILL be REMEMBERED…

and they TURN FROM their SIN and PRACTICE JUSTICE and RIGHEOUSNESS… [13] “… but in that SAME INIQUITY of theirs which they have COMMITTED they WILL DIE. [14] “But when I say to the WICKED, ‘You will surely die,’ and they TURN FROM their SIN and PRACTICE JUSTICE and RIGHEOUSNESS…

[16] “NONE of their SINS that they have committed WILL BE REMEMBERED against them. … they WILL SURELY LIVE.

Ezekiel 18:30-32 [30] “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, EACH ACCORDING to THEIR CONDUCT,” declares the Lord GOD. “REPENT and TURN AWAY FROM all your TRANSGRESSIONS, SO THAT INIQUITY MAY NOT BECOME a STUMBLING BLOCK to you.

For WHY WILL you DIE, O house of Israel? [31] “CAST AWAY FROM you all your TRANSGRESSIONS which you HAVE COMMITTED, and MAKE yourselves a NEW HEART and a NEW SPIRIT! For WHY WILL you DIE, O house of Israel? [32] “… Therefore, REPENT and LIVE.”

Here is Your Invitation to TURN to the GOD WHO WEIGHS the HEART and LIVE!