A Word About Fathers, Sons and Everyone Else

A Word About Fathers, Sons and Everyone Else
Ezekiel 18:1-32
By Harold D. Dinsmore, M.Div.
Ó 2007 Harold D. Dinsmore

             I would like to draw your attention for a moment to a passage in the book of Ezekiel.  Ezekiel was one of the exiles take to Babylonia by the armies of Kind Nebuchadnezzar somewhere around 597 BC.  This book is rich in prophetic symbolism and is a balance work of art.  The first half is delivered as a cold, clear accusation of Israel’s guilt as being a faithless nation.  The second half from about chapter 33 one depicts the coming blessing and hope beyond the exile and God’s judgment.

            We want to find our way this morning to chapter 18 of this intriguing book.  Here we find God addressing Israel’s weird custom of holding a father responsible for the sins of his son and a son responsible for the sins of his father.  This is summed up in an evil proverb here in verse 2.  “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.”  The nation of Israel really use this now that they were in captivity.  They were blaming their predicament on the sins of their ancestors.  By this silly little proverb  they were insinuating that God was unjust in his dealings and thus they fanned the malice of hell against God, believe it or not!  They actually believed it was God’s fault not theirs that they were exiled.  This proverb cast a bad light and was meant to reflect it upon God.  Instead of condemning themselves and repenting of their sin, they condemned God and justified themselves.