OT -- Ezekiel 18:1-19:14
What an interesting passage in Ezekiel! I haven't ever read anything else previous to this in the OT that has this particular theology.
The basics of Judaism are this: Sins committed by the father extend to the 7th generation while righteousness extends to the seventh generation as well but only if the succeeding generations follow the commandments.
Ezekiel says that this is not true. If a father sins and sins grievously, he will be killed. If the son sees how wicked his father is and does not follow in his footsteps, he will not be killed. If a man is righteous, he will live. If his son is evil, the son will die. Individual redemption. Really, quite different from the rest of the prophets who condemned the whole population, lock, stock and barrel.
Now, there are pros and cons of both sides.
But since my first reaction is to favor the individual versus the masses, I have been playing devil's advocate with myself over this one.
So, here goes:
If there is individual redemption and you have a really awful father, what kind of example do you have?
In the business world where I hover, many of our contacts think absolutely nothing of lying. What if that was the example you had as a child? It would be awfully hard to break that habit and that mold.
And to the community at large, if you are a bad person, doesn't the community suffer when your business implodes or you take advantage of the weak?
This is going to take some thought on my part.
Proverbs 27:10
I understand the first part -- "Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father" but have no idea on the second part "do not go to your brother's house when disaster strikes you -- better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away."
Anyone out there have any ideas?
My study Bible is silent on this one.
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