Ezekiel 33

The chapter starts with what is more or less a repeat of the message God gave to Ezekiel earlier on in his career. Namely that he had the responsibility of a watchman to warn the people, and that if people repented then they would be saved.

Why did God repeat the message? Well what is the crucial difference between now and then? It is that Jerusalem had fallen as Ezekiel finds out in verse 21. This momentous event had actually changed nothing. Ezekiel had the same task, and the message was the same. The fundamental problem was that Israel needed a change of heart, that was the problem before the fall of Jerusalem, and it was the problem after the fall. On a more positive note, the solution was the same. The apparent disaster of Jerusalem falling actually made no difference to their chances of salvation. If they turned away from the Lord they would not be saved, if they did turn to Him then they would be saved.

We can apply this to ourselves. From time to time various events happen in our lives, sometimes it seems that they spell disaster for us, but this is never true. It is always the case that if we turn to the Lord then we will live. Note too that God says that this applies to those who have been evil as well. If they turn from their evil ways and turn instead to God then they will live. So even if we have sinned and so experienced some disaster, if we repent and turn to God we will find a path to life.

Ezekiel had been silent for some time, but just before the messenger arrived the Lord opened his mouth again. The people in Jerusalem were still relying on their Abrahamic ancestry, but God tells them it is worth nothing because of their evil behaviour. Jesus encountered the same attitude, as shown in John’s gospel.

Even in the midst of disaster the people in Jerusalem were holding on to hope, but this was not a heroic attitude, but plain stupidity. The people in exile were no better, for they said they wanted to hear the word of God, they had no intention of acting upon it. They were like the people in Jesus’ parable who built their life upon the sand.

One of the things that strikes me about Ezekiel is how much of it is reflected in the life of Jesus. I don’t think there are any direct quotes from Ezekiel by Jesus, but the message is repeated and fulfilled in many ways in His life.