Link Ezekiel 18:23 & 2 Peter 3:9 on God.
Connect Ezekiel 18:23 with 2 Peter 3:9 on God's patience and salvation.

Setting the Stage

God consistently unveils His character throughout Scripture. In Ezekiel and 2 Peter, written centuries apart, one theme rises: His patient desire to save sinners rather than judge them.


God’s Heart Revealed in Ezekiel 18:23

“Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord GOD. Would I not prefer that he turn from his ways and live?”

• The verse exposes the divine disposition—no delight in judgment, great delight in repentance.

• “Turn … and live” underscores personal responsibility; God invites, not compels.

• The immediate context (vv. 21‒32) shows individual accountability, affirming that repentance reroutes destiny.


God’s Heart Echoed in 2 Peter 3:9

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.”

• Patience is not procrastination; it is purposeful delay, allowing space for repentance.

• The promised return and judgment remain certain (vv. 7, 10), yet mercy governs timing.

• “Anyone … everyone” widens the invitation, matching Ezekiel’s “wicked” category.


The Thread That Holds Them Together

• Same God, same heart—unchanged from Old Testament prophet to New Testament apostle.

• Repentance is the hinge: God’s pleasure flows toward life when sinners turn.

• Judgment is real, yet postponed; love provides the interval.

• Divine sovereignty and human responsibility coexist—He wills salvation, we must turn.


What God’s Patience Means for Us Today

• Every sunrise signals extended mercy (Lamentations 3:22-23).

• Evangelism gains urgency; time exists, but not forever (2 Corinthians 6:2).

• Personal repentance remains non-negotiable; holiness answers His patience (Romans 2:4).

• Assurance grows—God delights in saving, not condemning (John 3:17).


Living in Light of His Patience

1. Reflect: regularly remember the mercy shown to you (Psalm 103:8-12).

2. Repent: keep short accounts with God, turning quickly from known sin (1 John 1:9).

3. Reach: share the gospel while patience endures (Matthew 28:19-20).

4. Rest: trust His timing amid scoffers who mock delay (2 Peter 3:3-4, 14-15).


Supporting Scriptures

Isaiah 30:18 — “Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you…”

Romans 11:32 — “God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that He may have mercy on them all.”

1 Timothy 2:3-4 — God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Jonah 4:2 — “gracious and compassionate … slow to anger.”

Hebrews 10:26-27 — warning that patience has limits when grace is despised.


Takeaway Points

• God’s consistent pleasure is salvation, not destruction.

• Patience postpones judgment to maximize repentance.

• Each believer is called to respond with repentance, gratitude, and gospel witness before the day of the Lord arrives.

How can Ezekiel 18:23 encourage us to pray for others' repentance?
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