Compare Ezekiel 7:3 with Revelation 22:12 regarding God's judgment and reward. Setting the Scene • Ezekiel 7 speaks to Judah just before Jerusalem’s fall, a moment of looming catastrophe brought on by persistent rebellion. • Revelation 22 closes Scripture at the threshold of the new creation, where Christ speaks of His imminent return. • Both verses frame God as the righteous Judge who “repays” according to human action, anchoring the entire biblical narrative in personal accountability. Ezekiel 7:3 – Immediate Judgment on a Wayward Nation “Now the end is upon you, and I will unleash My anger against you; I will judge you according to your ways and repay you for all your abominations.” • “The end is upon you” – no postponement, judgment is breaking in. • “My anger” underscores God’s personal response to sin; His wrath is not impersonal calamity but purposeful justice (cf. Nahum 1:2-3). • “Judge you according to your ways” – behavior is the measurable standard; no favoritism (cf. Romans 2:11). • “Repay … abominations” – the people’s idolatry and violence reap tangible consequences (Galatians 6:7-8). Revelation 22:12 – Final Reward at Christ’s Return “Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to repay each one according to what he has done.” • “I am coming soon” – the risen Christ Himself appears, echoing the urgency of Ezekiel’s “the end.” • “My reward is with Me” – identical principle of repayment, yet here both reward and retribution are implied (2 Corinthians 5:10). • “Each one” widens the scope from Judah to every individual; judgment now spans all nations. Shared Thread – God Judges Each One According to Their Ways • Same verb “repay” in both texts: divine recompense is perfectly balanced—never arbitrary, never unjust. • Absolute moral consistency from Old to New Testament affirms Hebrews 13:8: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” • The immediacy in Ezekiel previews the ultimate certainty in Revelation; temporal judgments foreshadow eternal outcomes. From Temporal Discipline to Eternal Destiny 1. Temporal dimension (Ezekiel) – Purpose: correct a covenant people, purge evil, preserve a remnant (Ezekiel 6:8-10). – Outcome: fall of Jerusalem, yet hope remains (Ezekiel 11:17-20). 2. Eternal dimension (Revelation) – Purpose: consummate God’s redemptive plan, reward faithfulness, banish evil forever (Revelation 21:6-8). – Outcome: believers inherit new heavens and earth, unbelievers face the lake of fire. Living in Light of Both Passages • Personal deeds matter eternally; grace never nullifies accountability (Titus 2:11-14). • Present obedience is motivated by both gratitude for salvation and certainty of evaluation (1 Peter 1:17). • God’s unchanging standard offers security: He will always do what is right, punishing sin and honoring faith (Psalm 98:9). |
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