Ezekiel Ch18 - Does the son bear the iniquity of the father?
Are babies born with original sin, that sin which passes down from its parents?
The term "original sin" is not mentioned in this chapter of revelation.
It is implied and discussed within the boundaries of righteousness.
Wickedness is mentioned instead of sin. Straightly speaking "SIN" is not fully discussed here.
1. The word of Jehovah came unto me again, saying,
This is a revelation from the Word. The Word came and saying. So the Word is not something expressed by a speaker.
The Word is of Jehovah God. The Word carries the authority and representation of God. No separation, differentiation was mentioned.
This is not an exchange; but a revelation.
2. What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?
The proverb was used concerning the land of Israel, this nation. It was not used concerning mankind or its destiny.
The topic/discussion of sin would have to encompass the whole world.
The proverb relates to passing on of blessings and cursed according to the Mosaic Law.
3. As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.
God is setting out the reason why this proverb shall not apply any more.
This also means that it was appropiate to apply this proverb some time back. Yet sin is sin is sin. The substance of sin does not change.
This proverb was written, and was used. It was not wrongly conceived, only wrongly used in this particular incident.
4. Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Death because of sin is dictated by the owner of souls.
The owner of souls can authorise death as He see fit; but in this incident He decreed that the soul that sins shall die.
This verse reaffirm that death is related to sin. It is the result of sin.
The sould that does not sin shall not taste death.
5. But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,
No man is absolutely just.
God is referring to justice as required in the Mosaic Law - a limited justice.
This lawfulness refers to the given Mosaic Law, which includes sacrifice for sins.
There is no need for sin offerings if indeed anyone can escape from sin.
A man is appearing just if he keeps the whole Mosaic Law, and do according to the 10 commandments.
Herein a man is regarded as alright if he complies with the Mosaic Law. How can babies comply with the Mosaic Law by not doing much?
6. and hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbor's wife, neither hath come near to a woman in her impurity,
Verse 6 refers to the keeping of the 10 commandments.
7. and hath not wronged any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath taken nought by robbery, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;
The Law requires compassion from its followers, the Israelites.
8. he that hath not given forth upon interest, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true justice between man and man,
Repeating the Law of the Old Covenant which was not made at the time of the original sin of Adam.
9. hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept mine ordinances, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord Jehovah.
This verse tells us that the keeping of the Mosaic Law to the full produces a just person who shall surely live.
How do babies do that? How do they fulfil their duties?
How did those who died in the womb do that? How did they walk in His statutes and proved themselves righteous?
And they died.
Should not such who are regarded just live according to the revelation of Jehovah?
10. If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth any one of these things,
This verse does not directly discuss original sin. It turns us to the scenario of a wicked person/a robber, a shedder of blood, born of somebody. A breaker of the 10 commandments.
11. and that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbor's wife,
Breaking one point of the Law is regarded as unjust. Not doing any of those duties is regarded as unjust.
12. hath wronged the poor and needy, hath taken by robbery, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination,
Description of breaking the 10 commandments.
13. hath given forth upon interest, and hath taken increase; shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.
Shall a breaker of the 10 commandments live? Should he live according to the conditions of the Old Covenant/Testament?
These are abominations. He die because of his breaking of the Old Covenant.
This death he deserves is not a discussion of original sin.
The so called just man does not therefore inherit everlasting life. The Old Covenant dose not promise everlasting life.
14. Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father's sins, which he hath done, and feareth, and doeth not such like;
Verse 14 brings us the scenario that a person born of a wicked person could do the right things according to the Mosaic Law.
15. that hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbor's wife,
Keeping the 10 commandments.
16. neither hath wronged any, hath not taken aught to pledge, neither hath taken by robbery, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;
Keeping the requirement of the Old Covenant.
Being morally blameless.
17. that hath withdrawn his hand from the poor[iniquity], that hath not received interest nor increase, hath executed mine ordinances, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.
Withdrawing ones hand from the poor is not helping the needy. this is against the spirit of the Old Covenant and the New. A possible mis-writing of copies. Withdrawing his hand from iniquity means not participating with evil, keeps with the spirit of the Law, appears to be the correct reading.
By breaking with the sin of his father, he shall surely live.
But we did not break away from the sin of the first parents, Adam and Eve, when we were babies.
We have not done what is right. We have not personally avoid what is evil. Keeping the Law does not start from knowing the Law first. Ignorance is no defence.
Even our physical law, such as the law of gravity, has no regard of prior knowledge.
A person will drop dead, get crashed, if he jumps from a 100 storey building, falls straight down and hit the hard ground. His ignorance of science, the physical law does not afford him any reason to live. There is no bargain. No but!
So, when babies do not keep Sabbath, help the poor, offer sacrifice, praise the Lord, walk in all stautes, execute His ordinances, withdraw their hands from evil, ... you think they must live?
18. |0001| His father, |6233| because he did |4835| extortion, |1497| robbed |1498| by robbery |0251| {his} brother, |4100| and what |3808| not |2896| is good |6213| did |8432| among |5971| his people, |2009| listen, even |4191| he will die |5771| in his iniquity.
Those who do not keep the Old Covenant shall die in such iniquity as offending the Law.
How do babies keep the Old Covenant? Any provision in the covenant?
19. Yet say ye, Wherefore doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? when the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.
This passage is referring to the following of the Mosaic Law. Not all the law of God.
This passage is concerning the keeping and doing/performing of all statutes of God.
This passage does not mention the sin of Adam and Eve. They sinned that even the world was cursed with them. Thorns and thistles started to grow. All were sent out of the garden of Eden.
This verse tells us that a person who sided with what is right and lawful shall not face death. He shall surely live by doing the right things.
Yet the righteous shall live by faith. No one should boast of his ability to stay from sin. We are saved by placing our faith in the trust of God's saving hand.
19. |0559| Yet you say, |4100| Why? |3808| Does not |6509| carry |1121| the son |5771| the iniquity of |0001| the father? |1121| When the son |4941| justice |6666| and righteousness |6213| has done, |3605| all |2708| My statutes |8104| he has kept |6213| and has done |0853| them, |2421| surely |2421| he will live.
Yet you answer back!
This is concerning the doing of the Law.
You deserve to live when you have done all that is required.
How have babies, even the unborn ones, done all that is right?
What and how many have you done? You who are old enough to know and yet do not know it in full? How much less for babies who just do not know?
20. The soul that sinneth, it shall die:
the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
If the soul that sin shall die;
It is natural to follow that the soul that does not sin shall live.
Death was not created in the 7 days creation. It was first mentioned as a consequence of man eating the forbidden fruit(Gen2 v17).
The ground is also cursed because of the first sin of the first man (Gen3 v17). We are still eating from the ground in toil all days of our life (Gen3 v18). We have thorns and thistles as well.
Men can do the things that pleases God (Gen4 v4). Having regard from God does not equate sinlessness. Both Cain and Abel were not born into heaven, the garden of Eden, or living with God just like Adam was in the beginning.
A degree of righteous does not mean absolute righteousness.
"the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him" - one gets what is due to him. One does not get everything as he has not come to deserve everything.
The Mosaic Law allows individuals to appeal to God for their own commitment.
The Mosaic law also requires sin offerings.
Those who have their sins covered by the offerings are regarded righteous. They were not spotless all the time. They have only become blameless; not really faultless from the beginning.
The righteous shall escape death. But there is not one who has always been righteous, free from sin. not even one. So all deserved death from the very beginning.
2Thes2 v 13. - But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, for that God chose you from the beginning unto salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
God chose men from the beginning. No man should boast of his own decision in choosing good and choosing God.
God also took the initiation to call mankind to Him (2Thes1v11). The elect are called.
20. |5315| The soul |2398| that sins, |1961| it |4191| will die.
|1121| A son |3808| not |5375| will carry |5771| the iniquity of |0001| the father |0001| and a father |3808| not |3205| will carry |5771| the iniquity of |1121| the son.
|6664| The rightness of |6662| the righteous |0000| on him |1961| will be,
|7562| and the wickedness of |7563| the wicked |0000| on him |1961| will be.
Not the righteousness of the wicked. Not the wickedness of the righteous.
The starting point is not somebody who is pure and then sinned, nor somebody who is wicked and then separate from sin.
20. |5315| The soul |2398| that sins, |1961| it |4191| will die.
OK! Who has escaped death? Which baby? Whose baby? Where in the Bible?
All babies of Adam die physical death (apart from Enoch and those elect at the return of Christ). the rule of exception applies here. The general rule is that all babies will die physical death.
21. But if the wicked turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
The starting point here is "the wicked". Not "the righteous".
The starting point is somebody who is quilty of sin. Not somebody who is innocent of sin.
Adam and Eve did not have a covenant by which they may regain heaven before they died physical death.
Cain and Abel also died. Noah and Abraham died. Doing righetous things did not undo death caused by the disobedience of Adam and Eve. Why should original sin and the curse of death be taken away from infants?
21. |1100| But the wicked |0000| if |7725| he will turn |3605| from all |2403| his sins |0834| which |6213| he has done, |8104| and keep |3605| all |2708| My statutes, |6213| and do |4941| justice |6666| and righteousness, |2421| surely |2421| he will live. |3808| not |4191| He will die.
Who can truly turn from all his sins he has done?
Who can truly abstain from sinning?
Who can abstain from sin offering?
22. None of his transgressions that he hath committed shall be remembered against him:
in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.
Living for a life time, a generation.
Has Job committed any sin? Did he not live for a generation only?
Generally, all the faithful died. The just shall live everlasting life by faith, not by works.
22. |3605| All |6588| his trangressions |0000| that |6213| he has done |3808| not |2142| they will be mentioned |0000| to him.
|6664| In his righteousness |0000| that |6213| he has done |7931| he will live.
Babies are not capable of doing righteous things. What have babies done that is righteous? They can not tell right from left.
30. Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord Jehovah. Return ye, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
This judgment is according to the Mosaic Law.
All are regarded as having iniquity.
The appeal is for their return to the Lord, to turn from all their transgrasions. Otherwise iniquity will be their ruin.
There is no mentioning here that anybody began life with no iniquity.
God does not appeal to the innocence anyone once had.
There was no innocence. Only a call for repentance, or ruin will follow.
31. Cast away from you all your transgressions, wherein ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
People need a new heart and a new spirit.
No one has or had a heart good enough to escape death.
David did not pray for former innocence. He asked for the creation of a clean heart. The heart he had simply was not clean. He did not have the righteous spirit required to be with the Lord.
32. For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord Jehovah: wherefore turn yourselves, and live.
Those who will not turn, simply will not live.
How could babies/infants turn? Do you therefore assume, without appropiate judgment of their hearts and spirits, that they are not just without sin, but innocent and pure, suitable for the kingdom of God?
Strangely enough, such pure souls were not born into heaven all the time.
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