Ezekiel 16:18
"You used the beautifully embroidered clothes I gave you to dress your idols. Then you used my special oil and my incense to worship them."
They even took their sons and daughters and sacrificed them to their pagan gods. Even the pagan Philistines, who are forever at war with God's people, were disgusted by their lewd behavior. The people of God surpassed even the prideful sin of Sodom and Samaria. They indulged in every sort of evil lust and idol practices. In their richness, in their prosperity, that The Lord had provided, they turned to the immoral character of the pagans. They were bold and prideful, lusting after one another, and lying together in unnatural affections. They broke the covenant and gave themselves over to ever abominable lewd lifestyle.
Ezekiel 16:63
"You will remember your sins and cover your mouth in silent shame when I forgive you of all that you have done.
I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”
Like it or not, the Lord has commanded that he will forgive your sinful ways. Even Sodom will be restored when the Lord returns.
The Lord is just and will forgive who he forgives and judge who he must. He knows the hearts of all the people and he'll forgive or judge as he sees fit. He's very equitable in his judgment.
Ezekiel 18:20b
"Righteous people will be rewarded for their own righteous behavior, and wicked people will be punished for their own wickedness."
When righteous people turn from their righteous behavior and start doing sinful things, they will die for it. And if wicked people turn from their wickedness, if obey the law, and do what is just and right, they will save their lives. God is absolutely interested in the behaviors of all the people.
Ezekiel 18:28
"They will live because they thought it over and decided to turn from their sins. Such people will not die."
But Israel...hmmm...Israel.
They refused to see the justice in it. They argued, ‘The Lord isn’t doing what’s right!’ (vs 29)
And don't we see the same today? Not just in Israel but all throughout the world. The people seem to be hellbent on getting rid of God's sovereign powers from within their cultures. They remove God's law from their homes, their families, their governments, and even their churches. Their hearts were given to their idols. They speculated about the divine truth and the word of God, and imagined that the invisible Lord is not truly engaged in their day to day sins.
And in the face of all that rebelliousness, God...
Ezekiel 18:32
"I don’t want you to die, says the Sovereign Lord. Turn back and live!"
And today.
Today the people take what the Lord has given them, all their possessions and wisdom, and they've fashioned the ultimate idol. Today the fabricate a facsimile human intelligence, so called Ai, and they give to it every idol thought they have ever had to give. And then they ask it to be their sage. To be their creator god. The ultimate idol is being erected. Now their silent pagan statues have become living gods of a kind, filled with all the wisdom of mankind.
It's as if the people are trying to piss off God.
And yet Jesus...
“When He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” Luke 5:20
Thank God that the Lord is equitable when it comes to forgiveness. Thank all that is holy that he will give forgiveness to those who turn from their sin in faith.