Ezekiel 18:24-32: a reflection

24“But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, should he live? None of his righteous deeds that he has done will be remembered. In his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them he shall die. 25“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not equal.’ Hear now, house of Israel: Is my way not equal? Aren’t your ways unequal? 26When the righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and dies in it, then he dies in his iniquity that he has done. 27Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he will save his soul alive. 28Because he considers, and turns away from all his transgressions that he has committed, he shall surely live. He shall not die. 29Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ House of Israel, aren’t my ways fair? Aren’t your ways unfair? 30“Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, everyone according to his ways,” says the Lord GOD. “Return, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions, so iniquity will not be your ruin. 31Cast away from you all your transgressions in which you have transgressed; and make yourself a new heart and a new spirit. For why will you die, house of Israel? 32For I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies,” says the Lord GOD. “Therefore turn yourselves, and live!

In a chapter about personal responsibility, God makes clear that the righteous who turns to sin will be judged for it, and the wicked who turns to righteousness will live. And when the people complain that God's ways are unfair, he answers, and then reveals the heart behind all his warnings: I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies, says the Lord GOD. Therefore turn, and live! God's deepest desire is not to condemn, but that his people should turn and live.

Notice what God reveals about his own heart: I have no pleasure in the death of anyone. God does not delight in judgment; he takes no pleasure in the death of the sinner. His warnings, his calls to repentance, are not the words of a God eager to condemn, but of a God who longs for his people to turn and live. Behind the sternest warning lies this desire: turn, and live. God pleads with his people to repent precisely because he does not want them to perish.

That reframes how we hear God's warnings and calls to repentance. We can hear them as the threats of a God eager to punish; but they are the pleadings of a God who has no pleasure in our death, and who longs for us to turn and live. His call to repentance is an invitation to life, offered by a God who wants us to have it. When God calls you to turn from sin, hear it not as a threat but as the pleading of a God who takes no pleasure in your death, but longs for you to live. Do not resist his call as though he were against you; he is for you, and pleads, turn, and live. Turn to him, and receive the life he longs to give you; for the God who warns you has no pleasure in your death, but every desire that you should turn and live.

Lord, in this chapter you make clear that you judge each according to his ways, and then you reveal the heart behind all your warnings: I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies; therefore turn, and live. Reframe how I hear your warnings and calls to repentance. I can hear them as the threats of a God eager to punish; but they are the pleadings of a God who has no pleasure in my death, and who longs for me to turn and live. Your call to repentance is an invitation to life, offered by a God who wants me to have it. When you call me to turn from sin, help me hear it not as a threat but as the pleading of a God who takes no pleasure in my death, but longs for me to live. Keep me from resisting your call as though you were against me; you are for me, and plead, turn, and live. Help me turn to you, and receive the life you long to give me; for you who warn me have no pleasure in my death, but every desire that I should turn and live. Thank you for so merciful a heart.