5:10,20 Hagarites are descendents of Hagar, and so also in Psa 86:6

5:17 So here we have an indication of when this list was compiled.

5:26 In mentioning ‘Pul’ king of Assyria’ we realise that this part at lest of the record was written after that time – :17 provides another indication of when the record was written – or at least what had happened before it was written.

V.18 Buckler is a shield which was either made of leather or bronze.  Leather shields had to be oiled regularly to prevent their being damaged by moisture. 

Note: in 1Chron 12:8, the word buckler has been stated in error, in the KJV.  Here, the original word means a spear and not a shield.  More modern translations have corrected the problem.

Vs.10,20 The Hagarites were named after Hagar and were, therefore, Ishmaelites.  However, they became a particular tribe at some point (See Psa 83:6).

V.26 Pul and Tiglath-pileser were, probably, the same person.  The Assyrian king was the monarch of both Assyria and Babylon.  Therefore, he wanted to distinguish his identity between the two states.   Pul was the name used when the king sat on the throne of Babylon, while Tiglath-pileser was the name the king used when sitting on the Assyrian throne.

5:1 In reminding us that Reuben had ‘defiled his father’s bed’ – Gen 32:22– we are provided with the reason why he was not treated as the firstborn.

V.22 After saying in V.20 "the soul that sinneth, it shall die" Ezekiel brings out the mercy of God when he speaks of the wicked man who turns from his wickedness, the result being that his sins are forgiven. But, this by no means clears the guilty, for the person that sins shall die. 

I agree with Peter Forbes' 2001 comment.

During their captivity in Babylon the Jews felt God was unjust and the proverb in Eze 18:1-2 indicates they felt they were being punished for the sins of their parents. This would seem in harmony with God's word in Exo 34:7 that the children are punished to the 3rd and 4th generation. Paradoxically in Eze 18:20 we read, "The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share in the guilt of the father." How do we reconcile these these two apparent contradictions? In Exo 20:5-6 we have the answer as we read of God "punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments."  So God who knows the end from the beginning wouldn't punish the 3rd and 4th generations if they didn't deserve it; God's mercy is much greater than His wrath; we will be dealt with evenly in the ultimate sense upon Christ's return. Another lesson this emphasizes is an isolated Scripture may sometimes provide only a partial explanation so we must study and compare to arrive at a more complete understanding.

V.20 It is difficult to understand the mind of Yahweh (Isa 55:8,9).  At times, it seems, He would punish His people for their sins to the third or fourth generation (Deut 5:9); and yet we see that He emphasizes personal responsibility. 

There were times when the nation was punished for the sin of one man.  David, for example, erroneously numbered the people.  He was sorry for his misdeed and yet Yahweh meted out punishment options to David which affected the people (2Sam 24:10,12,13).  David chose one punishment option which resulted in the death of 70,000 people (2Sam 24:15). 

There are times when the patience of Yahweh reaches an end and He cannot be appeased.  Josiah did a commendable job in bringing Judah and Jerusalem back to Yahweh (2Kin 23:25); and yet Yahweh would not turn from His avowed intent to destroy Jerusalem and annihilate Judah (2Kin 23:26,27). 

We should realize that our God is a jealous God who demands obedience (Exo 34:14; 1Pet 4:17).  He is full of goodness towards those who love and obey Him but punishing to those who do not (Rom 11:22).  Let us not take Him lightly!  Salvation is a serious business and we should be sober in our approach towards it (Phil 2:12).

18:26  This is similar to the words of Jesus – Matt 10:22

V.2 The people of Israel were making excuses for the reasons they were being punished.  This is embodied in the proverb quoted by Ezekiel.  Ezekiel elaborates on the proverb first published by Jeremiah (Jer 31:29). 

Although, as we have seen, Yahweh can extend punishment to subsequent generations of those who hate Him (Deut 5:9), He has always held people personally responsible for their own sins (Deut 24:16). 

18:17 Ezekiel again stresses that each man is responsible for his own actions. The captivity was because of heir own sins. There was no one else to blame.

18:31 In speaking of the ‘new heart and new spirit’ Ezekiel is reminding Israel of the words of a prophet they doubtless heard – Jer 31:33

V.32 Yahweh is not happy with the death of His people.  He would rather they stopped sinning so that the He could give them life.  We have the privilege of asking Yahweh for forgiveness of our sins, in the Name of Jesus.  Without forgiveness, we cannot obtain eternal life.

18:4 Whilst we might use this verses – ‘the soul that sinneth it shall die’ – to show that man does not have an immortal soul this is not the focus of what Ezekiel is saying. Israel were to learn that they were not ‘their onw man’. They belonged to God for Him to do with them as He saw best. Of course the same is true of us also.

V.2 We are all a product of parenting.  Some have had a negative and unhappy childhood.  Some people carry their poor childhood into adulthood but still blame their parents for everything that happens in their lives.  This is not valid because an adult has to take responsibility for himself/herself and can no longer blame his/her parents for his/her disposition.

V.21 It is reassuring that Yahweh is always willing to forgive anyone who turns from his/her evil ways.  In Jesus we have forgiveness of our sins at any time, if we take ownership of them (1John 1:9).

V.24 It is sobering to think that if we turn away from righteousness and commit sin, then all our past good deeds are counted as nought. To succeed, we must remain faithful to the end: … but he that endureth to the end shall be saved (Matt 10:22).

18:23 Amidst the pronouncements of death and judgement upon Israel the prophet reminded Israel how God thought about death. Rather than taking pleasure in death God uses it as a basis for seeking repentance as the way to avoid it.

15:20 'a great way off' is echoed  (Luke 16:23)  in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus - we have already noted similar language and ideas between these two chapters.

Parable of the Lost Sons V.11-16 - The father might symbolically be God. Perhaps the two sons refer to one who attends religious services and one who has left and made bad choices, or separatist Jews and Gentile outsiders. The famine might be a recognized spiritual famine as the younger son comes to his senses in v.17. The younger son repents and seeks out his father who (unlike the older brother) welcomes and uplifts him v.20. In v.22-24 the best robe (of righteousness?) and a ring (symbol of authority/honor?) etc. is given to him and they kill a fatted calf and celebrate that he has been found. V.28-29 - The older brother, who has followed his fathers orders to the letter, becomes angry and refuses to partake of the fatted calf though his father pleads with him to do so.

Although the younger son was lost and found, the older son, who feels he is better than the younger son, doesn't realize that he, though within the fold, has also actually been lost as he is unable to find the true spirit of forgiveness, love, and joy for his restored brother.

15:24,27,30  Notice the way in which the son who had remained at home could not bring himself to speak of the returning son as his own brother.

15:4 We saw in the March comment this year that the common people counted the cost and followed Jesus. The parable about the lost sheep is in reality about counting the cost. Would the Pharisee leave the comfort of the flock he was supposed to be caring for to go and seek the lost? Would he sacrifice his comfort for the uncertain life of searching in inhospitable places for the lost?

I have a humorous rendition of the Prodigal Son.  If you care to see it, e-mail me.

15:20  When the father ‘ran and fell on his neck and kissed him’ he is seen imitating the response when Jacob and Esau met – Gen 33:4

Contrast the examples, and emphasis, that Jesus gave.  He illustrates that the shepherd would leave his sheep (safely penned) and diligently search for 1% of his flock until found. 

Then, we have the woman who would diligently seek for 10% of her material wealth until found.  There was rejoicing, in both cases, when the lost things, great and small, were found. 

And so it is when one sinner repents - great rejoicing occurs.  What percentage of the community would that reclaimed sinner represent?  He or she would represent less than 1% of the household of Christ.  And yet, the Lord, together with brothers and sisters, would diligently work to reclaim that which was lost.

15:15 The prodigal makes his situation even worse. He is in a bad environment and so he ‘joins himself’ – that is joins in fellowship’ with the one who actually is unhelpful to him. We should take care ourselves that we do not compromise ourselves even more if we are in difficulties.

The three parables that Jesus related have to do with loss and recovery.

1)    The lost sheep was recovered. It represented 1% of the flock.

2)    The lost coin was recovered.  It represented 10% of the collection.

3)    The lost son was recovered.  He represented 50% of the siblings.

Whatever the percentage loss, the recoveries were equally important.

15:18 The prodigal had already repented before he began his journey. We should be aware that any believer who has strayed and then seeks reunion has started the journey a long time before they actually arrive on our doorstep.