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Commentary on Ezekiel 18 verses 21–29
We have here another rule of judgment which God will go by in dealing with us, by which is further demonstrated the equity of his government. The former showed that God will reward or punish according to the change made in the family or succession, for the better or for the worse; here he shows that he will reward or punish according to the change made in the person himself, whether for the better or the worse. While we are in this world we are in a state of probation; the time of trial lasts as long as the time of life, and according as we are found at last it will be with us to eternity. Now see here,
I. The case fairly stated, much as it had been before (Eze 3:18, etc.), and here it is laid down once (Eze 18:21-24) and again (Eze 18:26-28), because it is a matter of vast importance, a matter of life and death, of life and death eternal. Here we have,
1.A fair invitation given to wicked people, to turn from their wickedness. Assurance is here given us that, if the wicked will turn, he shall surely live, Eze 18:21, Eze 18:27. Observe,
(1.)What is required to denominate a man a true convert, how he must be qualified that he may be entitled to this act of indemnity. [1.] The first step towards conversion is consideration (Eze 18:28): Because he considers and turns. The reason why sinners go on in their evil ways is because they do not consider what will be in the end thereof; but if the prodigal once come to himself, if he sit down and consider a little how bad his state is and how easily it may be bettered, he will soon return to his father (Luk 15:17), and the adulteress to her first husband when she considers that then it was better with her than now, Hos 2:7. [2.] This consideration must produce an aversion to sin. When he considers he must turn away from his wickedness, which denotes a change in the disposition of the heart; he must turn from his sins and his transgression, which denotes a change in the life; he must break off from all his evil courses, and, wherein he has done iniquity, must resolve to do so no more, and this from a principle of hatred to sin. What have I to do any more with idols? [3.] This aversion to sin must be universal; he must turn from all his sins and all his transgressions, without a reserve for any Delilah, any house of Rimmon. We do not rightly turn from sin unless we truly hate it, and we do not truly hate sin, as sin, if we do not hate all sin. [4.] This must be accompanied with a conversion to God and duty; he must keep all God's statutes (for the obedience, if it be sincere, will be universal) and must do that which is lawful and right, that which agrees with the word and will of God, which he must take for his rule, and not the will of the flesh and the way of the world.
(2.)What is promised to those that do thus turn from sin to God. [1.] They shall save their souls alive, Eze 18:27. They shall surely live, they shall not die, Eze 18:21. and again Eze 18:28. Whereas it was said, The soul that sins it shall die, yet let not those that have sinned despair but that the threatened death may be prevented if they will but turn and repent in time. When David penitently acknowledges, I have sinned, he is immediately assured of his pardon: "The Lord has taken away thy sin, thou shalt not die (Sa2 12:13), thou shalt not die eternally." He shall surely live; he shall be restored to the favour of God, which is the life of the soul, and shall not lie under his wrath, which is as messengers of death to the soul. [2.] The sins they have repented of and forsaken shall not rise up in judgment against them, nor shall they be so much as upbraided with them: All his transgressions that he has committed, though numerous, though heinous, though very provoking to God, and redounding very much to his dishonour, yet they shall not be mentioned unto him (Eze 18:22), not mentioned against them; not only they shall not be imputed to him to ruin him, but in the great day they shall not be remembered against him to grieve or shame him; they shall be covered, shall be sought for and not found. This intimates the fulness of pardoning mercy; when sin is forgiven it is blotted out, it is remembered no more. [3.] In their righteousness they shall live; not for their righteousness, as if that were the purchase of their pardon and bliss and an atonement for their sins, but in their righteousness, which qualifies them for all the blessings purchased by the Mediator, and is itself one of those blessings.
(3.)What encouragement a repenting returning sinner has to hope for pardon and life according to this promise. He is conscious to himself that his obedience for the future can never be a valuable compensation for his former disobedience; but he has this to support himself with, that God's nature, property, and delight, is to have mercy and to forgive, for he has said (Eze 18:23): "Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? No, by no means; you never had any cause given you to think so." It is true God has determined to punish sinners; his justice calls for their punishment, and, pursuant to that, impenitent sinners will lie for ever under his wrath and curse; that is the will of his decree, his consequent will, but it is not his antecedent will, the will of his delight. Though the righteousness of his government requires that sinners die, yet the goodness of his nature objects against it. How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? It is spoken here comparatively; he has not pleasure in the ruin of sinners, for he would rather they should turn from their ways and live; he is better pleased when his mercy is glorified in their salvation than when his justice is glorified in their damnation.
2.A fair warning given to righteous people not to turn from their righteousness, Eze 18:24-26. Here is, (1.) The character of an apostate, that turns away from his righteousness. He never was in sincerity a righteous man (as appears by that of the apostle, Jo1 2:19, If they had been of us, they would, no doubt, have continued with us), but he passed for a righteous man. He had the denomination and all the external marks of a righteous man; he thought himself one, and others thought him one. But he throws of his profession, leaves his first love, disowns and forsakes the truth and ways of God, and so turns away from his righteousness as one sick of it, and now shows, what he always had, a secret aversion to it; and, having turned away from his righteousness, he commits iniquity, grows loose, and profane, and sensual, intemperate, unjust, and, in short, does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does; for, when the unclean spirit recovers his possession of the heart, he brings with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself and they enter in and dwell there, Luk 11:26. (2.) The doom of an apostate: Shall he live because he was once a righteous man? No; factum non dicitur quod non perseverat - that which does not abide is not said to be done. In his trespass (Eze 18:24) and for his iniquity (that is the meritorious cause of his ruin), for the iniquity that he has done, he shall die, shall die eternally, Eze 18:26. The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways. But will not his former professions and performances stand him in some stead - will they not avail at least to mitigate his punishment? No: All his righteousness that he has done, though ever so much applauded by men, shall not be mentioned so as to be either a credit or a comfort to him; the righteousness of an apostate is forgotten, as the wickedness of a penitent is. Under the law, if a Nazarite was polluted he lost all the foregoing days of his separation (Num 6:12), so those that have begun in the spirit and end in the flesh may reckon all their past services and sufferings in vain (Gal 3:3, Gal 3:4); unless we persevere we lose what we have gained, Jo2 1:8.
II. An appeal to the consciences even of the house of Israel, though very corrupt, concerning God's equity in all these proceedings; for he will be justified, as well as sinners judged, out of their own mouths. 1. The charge they drew up against God is blasphemous, Eze 18:25, Eze 18:29. The house of Israel has the impudence to say, The way of the Lord is not equal, than which nothing could be more absurd as well as impious. He that formed the eye, shall he not see? Can his ways be unequal whose will is the eternal rule of good and evil, right and wrong? Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? No doubt he shall; he cannot do otherwise. 2. God's reasonings with them are very gracious and condescending, for even these blasphemers God would rather have convinced and saved than condemned. One would have expected that God would immediately vindicate the honour of his justice by making those that impeached it eternal monuments of it. Must those be suffered to draw another breath that have once breathed out such wickedness as this? Shall that tongue ever speak again any where but in hell that has once said, The ways of the Lord are not equal? Yes, because this is the day of God's patience, he vouchsafes to argue with them; and he requires them to own, for it is so plain that they cannot deny, (1.) The equity of his ways: Are not my ways equal? No doubt they are. He never lays upon man more than is right. In the present punishments of sinners and the afflictions of his own people, yea, and in the eternal damnation of the impenitent, the ways of the Lord are equal. (2.) The iniquity of their ways: "Are not your ways unequal? It is plain that they are, and the troubles you are in you have brought upon your own heads. God does you no wrong, but you have wronged yourselves." The foolishness of man perverts his way, makes that unequal, and then his heart frets against the Lord, as if his ways were unequal, Pro 19:3. In all our disputes with God, and in all his controversies with us, it will be found that his ways are equal, but ours are unequal, that he is in the right and we are in the wrong.
(Vers. 21, 22.) But if the wicked shall do penance for all his sins which he hath committed, and keep all my commandments, and do judgment, and justice: living he shall live, and shall not die. I will not remember all his iniquities that he hath done. In a way only, saith he, the sins of the fathers are not transmitted to the children, neither doth the wicked son any longer burden the righteous father; nor are others punished for the sins of others, so that he, who before was wicked and a sinner, if he afterwards do penance, and turn to better things, and blot out his former sins, be not judged by the old sins: but let him be received into my flock, by the renewal of virtue. At the same time, let us consider what sort of repentant person an impious and sinful person receives. If, he says, he turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all the commandments of the Lord, so that he truly abandons all wrongdoing and follows all virtues; if he does all good things and forsakes all evil; then I will forget all the injustices he has committed.
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SUMMARY
Ezekiel 18:22 delivers a profound declaration of divine justice and boundless mercy, articulating God's principle of individual accountability and the transformative power of genuine repentance. It asserts that when a wicked person turns from their transgressions and embraces a life of active righteousness, their past sins will not be held against them, and they will, by virtue of their new obedience, experience true life and flourishing. This verse offers immense hope, underscoring God's fervent desire for reconciliation and His readiness to forgive and fully restore those who sincerely turn to Him.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Ezekiel 18:22 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message with striking clarity and impact. Contrast is central, starkly juxtaposing the "transgressions" of the past with the "righteousness" of the present, thereby highlighting the dramatic and transformative shift in the individual's standing before God. The phrase "they shall not be mentioned unto him" functions as a powerful form of Meiosis (understatement) or Hyperbole, emphasizing the completeness and finality of God's forgiveness; it's not merely that sins won't be casually recalled, but they will be judicially dismissed and rendered irrelevant for condemnation. The verse also presents a clear Conditional Promise, where the assurance of "life" is directly contingent upon the "righteousness that he hath done," establishing a direct cause-and-effect relationship between genuine repentance, new obedience, and divine favor. This precise structure underscores the individual's agency and responsibility in their spiritual journey towards restoration.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezekiel 18:22 stands as a cornerstone passage for understanding the multifaceted character of God as both perfectly just and limitlessly merciful. It profoundly reveals His desire for humanity's reconciliation, demonstrating that His justice is not solely punitive but deeply redemptive. This verse powerfully prefigures the New Covenant promise where God declares, "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more" (Hebrews 8:12). It lays essential groundwork for the biblical concept of justification, where a repentant sinner's past is not held against them, and their new life of obedience is recognized and honored by God. This principle of divine "forgetfulness" of sin upon genuine repentance is a testament to God's boundless grace and His unwavering commitment to providing a path to full restoration for all who sincerely turn to Him.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ezekiel 18:22 offers a profound message of hope, liberation, and empowerment for anyone burdened by the weight of past failures and sins. It powerfully dismantles the insidious lie that our past irrevocably defines our future, asserting with divine authority that God's mercy is infinitely greater than any transgression. This verse calls us to embrace personal responsibility for our spiritual journey, recognizing that genuine repentance—a sincere turning from sin to active righteousness—is met with the astounding promise of divine forgiveness and a complete fresh start. It encourages us to live not in the shadow of condemnation, but in the radiant light of God's restorative grace, knowing that our past sins, once confessed and forsaken, will not be held against us. This liberating truth empowers us to pursue a life of active obedience and unwavering faith, confident that God passionately desires our flourishing and offers a clear path to true, abundant life.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does "not be mentioned" mean God literally forgets my sins?
Answer: While God is omniscient and knows all things, the phrase "they shall not be mentioned unto him" in Ezekiel 18:22 is a legal and relational declaration of profound divine grace. It means that God, in His perfect justice and boundless mercy, chooses not to bring up or hold those past sins against the repentant individual as a basis for condemnation or judgment. It signifies a complete judicial pardon and a cessation of remembrance in an accusatory sense, similar to how God promises under the new covenant, "their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more" (Hebrews 8:12). It is an act of sovereign divine grace and forgiveness, not a limitation of God's infinite memory.
What kind of "life" is promised in this verse? Is it just physical life?
Answer: The "life" promised in Ezekiel 18:22 (Hebrew: châyâh) encompasses far more than mere physical existence. While it certainly includes the continuation of life, especially in contrast to the "death" (spiritual and physical judgment) that typically follows unrepentant sin, its primary meaning is a flourishing, vibrant, and blessed existence in covenant with God. It signifies spiritual vitality, divine favor, peace, and a restored, right relationship with the Creator. This concept of "life" is holistic, referring to true well-being, purpose, and spiritual abundance that comes from walking in righteousness before God.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Ezekiel 18:22, with its profound declaration of forgiveness for the repentant and the promise of life through righteousness, finds its ultimate and most glorious fulfillment in Jesus Christ. While the Old Testament offered a path to forgiveness through repentance and obedience to the Law, it simultaneously revealed humanity's inherent inability to perfectly maintain such righteousness. Christ, however, perfectly fulfilled the Law, living a life of absolute and unblemished righteousness on our behalf (Matthew 5:17; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, He bore the full weight of "all his transgressions" for those who believe, ensuring that our sins are not merely "not mentioned" but are completely blotted out, nailed to the cross, and remembered no more (Colossians 2:14; Hebrews 10:17). The "righteousness that he hath done" in Ezekiel 18:22, which leads to life, is ultimately imputed to believers through faith in Christ, who becomes our very righteousness before God (Romans 3:21-26; Philippians 3:9). Thus, the promise of "he shall live" is realized eternally and abundantly in Christ, who is Himself "the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25), offering not just physical existence but eternal life in communion with God for all who turn from their sin and trust fully in Him as Lord and Savior.