How does Ezekiel 3:20 warn about the consequences of turning from righteousness? Setting the Scene • Ezekiel has just been appointed “watchman for the house of Israel” (Ezekiel 3:17). • His task: hear God’s word and relay it faithfully to protect the people. • Verse 20 zooms in on one scenario—when a once-righteous person abandons holy living. The Stark Warning “Again, if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die.” (Ezekiel 3:20) • Righteousness is not a one-time badge; it must be maintained. • Turning to evil invites divine judgment, not mere disciplinary hardship but death. • God Himself places the “stumbling block,” underscoring His active justice (cf. Isaiah 8:14). God’s Stumbling Block • The phrase signals purposeful intervention—God allows consequences that expose hidden rebellion. • Similar pattern: Pharaoh’s hardened heart (Exodus 9:12) and the “deluding influence” for those who refuse truth (2 Thessalonians 2:11). • The stumbling block is both warning and judgment; the man falls because he chose sin. The Loss of Former Righteousness “…the righteous deeds he did will not be remembered.” • Past obedience cannot offset present rebellion (cf. Matthew 7:21-23). • God’s memory is moral, not sentimental; present stance toward Him determines destiny. • This rebukes any notion of “spiritual autopilot.” Accountability of the Watchman “If you did not warn him… I will hold you accountable for his blood.” • Personal apostasy is tragic, but silence from God’s messenger compounds the guilt. • James 4:17 echoes the principle: “Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” • Responsibility is twofold: the sinner’s choice and the watchman’s duty. Echoes in the Rest of Scripture • Deuteronomy 30:17-18—turning away brings “perish.” • Hebrews 10:26-27—deliberate sin after knowing truth leaves only “fearful expectation of judgment.” • 2 Peter 2:20-22—returning to defilement ends worse than the beginning. Living the Lesson Today • Continue in righteousness: “The one who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 24:13). • Stay alert to subtle drift; sin often begins with small compromises. • Welcome loving confrontation; a faithful friend who warns mirrors Ezekiel’s calling (Proverbs 27:6). • Serve as a modern watchman: speak truth when fellow believers veer off course (Galatians 6:1). |
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