Ezekiel

Ezekiel Chapter 33

Ezekiel 33:1 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:
3 If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;
4 Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.
5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.
6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.

Now we see in an easy to understand example, a spiritual truth. If a person was appointed a watchman literally to watch over a nation and blow the trumpet of alarm if the enemy comes, yet when they saw the enemy coming, they did not warn, the blood of the people would be required of him. This example was given in a practical sense but it is referring to watching for souls or watching against evil and warning people to get right with God by repenting of sin and living in righteousness.

Ezekiel 33:7 So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.
8 When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

This is a repeat of the warning God gave Ezekiel in chapter 3 and chapter 18.

The watchman is to warn the wicked of his death if he sins and does not change. If the watchman does not warn but is afraid of being rejected, then the blood of that soul is required at the watchman's hand.

The church is the watchman now. Are we warning the wicked or trying to lure them to church with entertainment and false love hoping that a little gospel will eventually change their lives? The church of today must not lose it's power and if it has, we must seek to receive again the power to do what Jesus instructed us to do. Preach the gospel, teach His words, heal the sick, warn, correct, comfort, pray and believe in the power of God to change lives.

We need the convicting power of the Holy Spirit when we teach or preach the gospel. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ that changes lives.

I'm not talking about the watered down gospel of "just accept Jesus in your heart" without warning of sin and the need of genuine repentance. The powerful gospel that the apostles preached was a gospel that delivered people out of the love of the world and out of the bondage of sin and caused them to repent and be filled with the Holy Ghost and fire.

This watered down stuff some of us have been giving people has not changed their lives. They are still getting divorces. Their young people are still getting into drugs and alcohol. They are still having sex outside of marriage. They still are supposedly coming to Christ but they still do the same things and act the same way they did before supposedly coming to Christ. The danger is that they think they are saved because they've been told that all they have to do is accept Jesus in their hearts and they are saved for eternity. There is no real change and they have not been born again by the spirit of God. If God's spirit causes one to be born again, there will be a change in their lifestyle.

The youth programs alone without the real genuine power of the Holy Spirit will not change their lives. Loud music used to draw them in without the power of God's spirit is a waste of electricity and cannot change their lives. We need the power of the gospel back. We need the power that draws them to Christ along with repentance and a changed life. I know they are not going to change overnight and I know we have to have love and patience with them but we are not to soft peddle the gospel and fail to preach it with power. We need to not fear man but rather fear God and seek God for His Holy Spirit to preach instead of us. We need to preach what Jesus and the apostles preach.

Some preachers have stopped using the word, born again or repentance. How in the world are we going to get anyone saved any other way? We need to get filled with the Holy Spirit and the in-depth study of the word of God. We need the power back if we've moved away from depending on the power of the Holy Spirit.

Ezekiel 33:9 Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

Our message is to preach the word of God. If they do not listen, it will not be held against us.

Ezekiel 33:10 Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live?
11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

I believe God is speaking of spiritual death, not natural death. All of us will die a natural death of the body if we do not live until the coming of the Lord. He is speaking of the death that refers to the spirit. If we die in our sin, we are lost and separated from God eternally. Since there is really no annihilation and the soul is alive in some place, the soul that dies in sin goes to hell. Heaven is only for those that repent and die in Christ.

In the Old Testament they had to repent and trust in the Christ that was to come and die for their sins. That is why they had to have animal sacrifices and ordinances to point to the one to come. We who live today have come to the knowledge of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ so we do not need to offer animal sacrifices. Our perfect sacrifice already came and did what God called Him to do. Now our faith in Him is what saves us. True faith in Him though is like this:

We know we have sinned and we need to be saved. We repent (turn from our sin) and believe in Jesus Christ to save us from sin. We then receive God's grace and mercy and can be filled with the Holy Spirit.

It is simple but there is no accepting Jesus in the heart without repenting of sin because it is the sin that is separating us from God. It is the sin that is causing us to need a savior in the first place. It doesn't make sense for us to receive Jesus and then still live in sin since that is why He came and that is why He died and took our sins upon Himself nailing them to the cross. We are not to pick them back up again and then claim to be saved by grace. When I say sin though, I don't mean opinions, traditions, or things people add to the word of God. Sin is transgression of the law of God.

Ezekiel 33:12 Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth.

Jesus came and made the way possible than anyone can be saved. The moment we believe and turn away from our sin, the blood Jesus shed covers every sin. Our soul is clean and we receive the very Spirit of God.

It happens in an instant the moment we believe. We do not do great deeds or do a bunch of ordinances to earn this grace. It is free the moment we believe.

After we believe though we continue in Christ and live for Him. Our will power to choose is never taken away and we still can return to sin but we have access to the power of God that can keep us from returning to sin.

Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Paul makes it pretty plain in the book of Romans. Although we are saved by grace and not by religious rituals, good deeds, and even living in moral purity without Christ, still grace never gives us a license to commit sin purposely. Most who are truly saved learn to love God and do not want to willingly commit sin.

Ezekiel 33:13 When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.
14 Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;
15 If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.
16 None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.

Look at verse 13 again. We cannot trust in our past righteousness if we return to the same sin Jesus died to save us from. It is how we are now and when we die that counts. We trust in Jesus yes, because we can't keep from sinning on our own but now that we have Jesus, we are not to return to sin willfully without repenting and expect to be saved.

1John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

The gospel of Jesus Christ and even the law in the Old Testament is really simple. Its not hard at all. Both the Old and New Testaments teach repentance for salvation.

Ezekiel 33:17 Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal.
18 When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby.

It doesn't matter what good we did in the past, it is how we are now that counts.

Ezekiel 33:19 But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.

That is how fast salvation comes to one who repents. The past is gone and he is free from sin and made righteous.

Ezekiel 33:20 Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.
21 And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten.
22 Now the hand of the LORD was upon me in the evening, before he that was escaped came; and had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb.
23 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
24 Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance.
25 Wherefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood: and shall ye possess the land?
26 Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbor's wife: and shall ye possess the land?
27 Say thou thus unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely they that are in the wastes shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured, and they that be in the forts and in the caves shall die of the pestilence.
28 For I will lay the land most desolate, and the pomp of her strength shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, that none shall pass through.
29 Then shall they know that I am the LORD, when I have laid the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed.

The stories of Israel is a pattern and an example. God promised Abraham the land of Canaan because the Canaanites were very wicked. When their wickedness went past the point of no return, God allowed the children of Israel to take the land of promise. It was theirs but with conditions.

Israel later lost that land because of sin and idolatry as we see in these scriptures. They will get all the land back one day but the sin question has to be taken care of in order for them not to lose it again.

To this day, they still have not changed their old ways. They have rejected the one who can save them. There is a terrible time of Jacob's trouble coming in the latter days just before the coming of Christ for the 2nd time. In that day the armies of the antichrist will attempt to take their land away once again. He will almost succeed until the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords returns to deliver them. That land is Israel's land and we have no right to take it away from them. God may allow a wicked nation to take it away temporarily but they will get it back permanently when they turn to the Lord permanently.

Sin separated Israel from God many time. Repentance brought them back in His favor.

We are no different. We cannot get rid of sin by animal sacrifices or by our own will power. We need a savior from sin and the Holy Spirit to keep us out of the sin that separated us from a Holy God. If we return to sin we will be separated from God again. It is that simple. The simple act of repenting and turning back to God is the remedy.

Jesus came so that faith in Him brings the help we need to not return to sin. He puts the Holy Spirit within us to convict us when we sin and bring us to repentance. He will cause us to desire to be holy as God is holy. We still have the will power to return to the old ways but we do not have to.

Fellowship with other believers, the study of the word and constant seeking God is prayer and worship is necessary. That doesn't mean we are trying to be saved by works.

The phrase that we are saved by grace and not works is referring to trusting in keeping the ordinances and rituals of religious acts to save our souls. Trusting in things like communion, someone praying over us, Old Testament rituals and ceremonies is what is meant when we are trying to be saved by works instead of trusting in God's grace. We are saved by grace alone but we must remember that we are saved from sin. How can we say that we are saved from sin if we are still living in sin?

Some think if they feed the poor, do good deeds and such they will earn the right to salvation. That is what is meant when we try to be saved by works. It does not mean that we are saved one time and then can return to sin and expect to be saved. That is nonsense as the above scriptures from both Paul and John warn of us of.

James gets it right when he says:

James 2:14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Being saved by grace is being saved by faith in Jesus Christ and then giving our lives to Him. We then seek to walk in the spirit and in holiness without which no man will even see the Lord.

Ezekiel 33:30 Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD.

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Hearing brings faith.

Ezekiel 33:31 And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.

Here we see that they heard the word and expressed faith in the word showing much love but their heart was into covetousness which is a form of idolatry. They hearts were far from God.

We need faith in Christ to bring us salvation but we need the works of faith to follow. The works that accompany true faith is brought about by genuine repentance and turning away from sin and giving ourselves completely to God.

If we go to church and go through the motions only in order to make us think we are saved and make an appearance of being saved yet we go away and act the same, do the same sins and think we can trust in a pastor or priest to do some ritual to cause us to enter heaven, we are mistaken.

We trust in Christ alone and allow His Holy Spirit to change us and make us new creatures in Christ.

2Corinthains 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Remember this isn't hard, its a new and living way. It is joy unspeakable, it is a way of peace and a way of eternal life.

Ezekiel 33:32 And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.

If we say we believe, we are to live like we believe. If we say we believe that the bridge across a certain road is not safe and will fall if we go across it, and still go right ahead across the bridge and it falls that is not true faith. True faith in the knowledge that the bridge would fall, would keep us from going across it.

True faith brings action.

Ezekiel 33:33 And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them.

This is the mercy of God. When He sends messengers, pastors, teachers, prophets, apostles, and watchmen who warn of evil to come. He doesn't have to send anyone. We have the written word but He sends His messengers also.

Look at the mercy of God. He gave us:

Jesus Christ, the way to salvation and eternal life.
The Holy Spirit to bring conviction for sin bringing the lost to salvation and edify believers.
The apostles to preach the way of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Preachers, evangelists to continue the message the apostles started.
The written word of God
Teachers to teach the word.
The fellowship of other believers

All these things are given so that we are without excuse. There is no reason for us to return to sin and be lost. The right equipment is available. If we do sin however, we are to repent, turn back and accept God's forgiveness. We don't have to go away and stop believing.

Ezekiel 34

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