“Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord GOD. “Therefore turn and live” Ezekiel 18: 30b-32, NKJV.
Heavenly Father, it is wonderful to know that Your desire for us is that we should live. We want to live, so please show us the path of life, through Your Son Jesus Christ. In His name we pray. Amen.
For some strange reason, many people think of God as a punishing, revengeful God, who can hardly wait for us to make one wrong move so that He can release all His wrath upon us. I am convinced that it is the plan of the Adversary that we see God in this light. However, the more we get to know the Lord for ourselves, the easier it will be for us to see Him as He really is, a God of love, who, has “no pleasure in the death of one who dies.” Blessed be His name! Let us divide our text for today into small portions, and let us study each portion separately.
“Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin.” This warning does not sound as if it is coming from someone who is anxious to punish or destroy. It sounds more like a plea; with the intent to avoid punishment! Our heavenly Father knows that violating His laws will not harm them in any way, because His laws are as immutable as He is. He knows that it is the sinner who will get broken; not His laws. He knows that every act of injustice, or immorality, will eventually ruin the one who commits it. So in love, He entreats the sinner to let go of evil and live! Because He alone can cause us to repent (Romans 2: 4) this is in essence, an invitation to repentance!
“Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.” This portion of our verse calls to my mind the prayer of David after he committed the sin with Bathsheba, “…According to the multitude of Your tender mercies blot out my transgressions… Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51: 1b. 10). Doesn’t this sound like a God-inspired prayer? Isn’t this exactly what the LORD is asking Israel to do? How evident it is, that God would have us get things right, and live!
“For why should you die O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord GOD.” Unlike the picture of a God of vengeance that has been painted by the Adversary, listen to the heartfelt request of a parent who humbles him/herself and opens his/her heart to his/her child, in order to convince that child of the depth of his/her love, and intentions for the child’s well-being. The Omnipotent One is saying, “I do not want to see you die; this will bring me no joy whatsoever!”
“Therefore turn and live.” This has always been God’s desire for His children. In Deuteronomy 30, we read the following, “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live” (19, Emphasis provided). Does this sound like a revengeful God? Far from it! This speaks of a God, who not only loves, but respects, His creatures; therefore, He offers them a choice.
Will you accept His suggestion, and “turn and live?”
I am inviting you to please take a few minutes to participate in our survey. Even if you only visited the website once, please give us your in-put, it will help us to serve you better in the new year. Just click on the SURVEY link, follow the instructions, and submit. Thank you so very much!