Ezekiel 14:18
then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if these three men were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. They alone would be delivered.
then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD,
This phrase emphasizes the certainty and authority of God's pronouncement. The expression "as surely as I live" is an oath formula, underscoring the seriousness of the message. It reflects God's eternal nature and His ultimate authority over life and death. This is a common expression in prophetic literature, highlighting the unchanging and sovereign nature of God (see Numbers 14:21, Isaiah 49:18).

even if these three men were in it,
The "three men" refer to Noah, Daniel, and Job, who are mentioned earlier in the chapter (Ezekiel 14:14). These individuals are exemplars of righteousness and faithfulness in the Hebrew Scriptures. Noah is known for his obedience and faith during the flood (Genesis 6-9), Daniel for his unwavering faith in exile (Daniel 1-6), and Job for his perseverance through suffering (Job 1-42). Their mention signifies the extreme measure of righteousness required to avert judgment.

they could not deliver their own sons or daughters.
This highlights the principle of individual responsibility before God. In the context of Ezekiel, it underscores the severity of the judgment coming upon Jerusalem and Judah. The righteousness of even the most faithful individuals cannot save others; each person is accountable for their own relationship with God (see Ezekiel 18:20). This also reflects the cultural understanding of family and communal identity, where the actions of one often affected the whole.

They alone would be delivered.
This emphasizes personal accountability and the limits of intercessory righteousness. The deliverance of these righteous men alone signifies that salvation is a personal matter, not transferable to others, even family members. This principle is echoed in the New Testament, where salvation is through personal faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 10:9-10). The idea of individual deliverance also points to the ultimate deliverance found in Christ, who is the fulfillment of righteousness for all who believe.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ezekiel
A prophet during the Babylonian exile, Ezekiel was called by God to deliver messages of judgment and hope to the Israelites.

2. The Lord GOD
The sovereign and righteous God who speaks through Ezekiel, emphasizing His authority and the certainty of His declarations.

3. The Three Men
Refers to Noah, Daniel, and Job, who are mentioned earlier in the chapter as paragons of righteousness. Their presence in a sinful land would not be enough to save others, only themselves.

4. Israel
The primary audience of Ezekiel's prophecies, who were experiencing God's judgment due to their persistent idolatry and disobedience.

5. Babylonian Exile
The historical context of Ezekiel's ministry, where the Israelites were taken captive due to their unfaithfulness to God.
Teaching Points
Personal Responsibility in Faith
Each individual is accountable for their own relationship with God. Righteousness cannot be transferred or inherited from others.

The Limits of Intercession
While intercessory prayer is powerful, there are times when God's judgment is set, and personal repentance is necessary.

The Importance of Righteousness
The examples of Noah, Daniel, and Job remind us of the importance of living a life of integrity and faithfulness to God.

God's Sovereignty and Justice
God's declarations are certain and just. His judgments are based on His perfect knowledge and righteousness.

Hope in Personal Salvation
Even in times of widespread judgment, God provides a way of salvation for those who are faithful to Him.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the example of Noah, Daniel, and Job challenge us to live righteously in our own generation?

2. In what ways can we take personal responsibility for our spiritual growth and relationship with God?

3. How does understanding God's sovereignty and justice affect our view of His judgments in the world today?

4. What role does intercessory prayer play in our lives, and how do we balance it with the understanding of personal accountability?

5. How can we find hope and assurance in God's promise of personal salvation amidst a world that often seems to be under judgment?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Genesis 6-9
The account of Noah, who was righteous in his generation and saved from the flood, illustrating the theme of individual righteousness.

Daniel 1-6
The life of Daniel, who remained faithful to God in a foreign land, exemplifying personal integrity and divine deliverance.

Job 1-2
The account of Job, a man of unwavering faith amidst suffering, highlighting the concept of personal righteousness and endurance.

Jeremiah 15:1
Similar to Ezekiel 14, this passage emphasizes that even the presence of Moses and Samuel would not avert God's judgment on a sinful nation.
Human Atonement ValuelessJ.D. Davies Ezekiel 14:12-23
People
Daniel, Ezekiel, Job, Noah
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Affirmation, Alone, Daughters, Declares, Deliver, Delivered, Either, Midst, Safe, Save, Saved, Says, Sons, Sovereign, Themselves, Though
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Ezekiel 14:14-18

     1652   numbers, 3-5

Library
Education of Jesus.
This aspect of Nature, at once smiling and grand, was the whole education of Jesus. He learned to read and to write,[1] doubtless, according to the Eastern method, which consisted in putting in the hands of the child a book, which he repeated in cadence with his little comrades, until he knew it by heart.[2] It is doubtful, however, if he understood the Hebrew writings in their original tongue. His biographers make him quote them according to the translations in the Aramean tongue;[3] his principles
Ernest Renan—The Life of Jesus

"Thou Shalt Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother. "
From this Commandment we learn that after the excellent works of the first three Commandments there are no better works than to obey and serve all those who are set over us as superiors. For this reason also disobedience is a greater sin than murder, unchastity, theft and dishonesty, and all that these may include. For we can in no better way learn how to distinguish between greater and lesser sins than by noting the order of the Commandments of God, although there are distinctions also within the
Dr. Martin Luther—A Treatise on Good Works

"All Our Righteousnesses are as Filthy Rags, and we all do Fade as a Leaf, and Our Iniquities, Like the Wind, have Taken us Away. "
Isaiah lxiv. 6, 7.--"All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." Not only are the direct breaches of the command uncleanness, and men originally and actually unclean, but even our holy actions, our commanded duties. Take a man's civility, religion, and all his universal inherent righteousness,--all are filthy rags. And here the church confesseth nothing but what God accuseth her of, Isa. lxvi. 8, and chap. i. ver.
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

"And There is None that Calleth Upon Thy Name, that Stirreth up Himself to Take Hold on Thee,"
Isaiah lxiv. 7.--"And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold on thee," &c. They go on in the confession of their sins. Many a man hath soon done with that a general notion of sin is the highest advancement in repentance that many attain to. You may see here sin and judgment mixed in thorough other(315) in their complaint. They do not so fix their eyes upon their desolate estate of captivity, as to forget their provocations. Many a man would spend more affection,
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Ezekiel
To a modern taste, Ezekiel does not appeal anything like so powerfully as Isaiah or Jeremiah. He has neither the majesty of the one nor the tenderness and passion of the other. There is much in him that is fantastic, and much that is ritualistic. His imaginations border sometimes on the grotesque and sometimes on the mechanical. Yet he is a historical figure of the first importance; it was very largely from him that Judaism received the ecclesiastical impulse by which for centuries it was powerfully
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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