Please read Ezekiel 18 in its entirety. Write a one-sentence synopsis of this Old Testament chapter.
“God explains to the people of Israel that He holds each person accountable for their own sins alone – no one else’s – and He desires that all should repent and be saved”
Write your own basic outline of this chapter any way you wish using words, phrases, or sentences
“Misleading proverb
“Each soul treated separately
“Example
“Question
“Answer
“Call for repentance.
“Whose way is just?
“Righteous live
“Wicked die
“Roles can reverse
“Empassioned call for repentance”
What verse in Ezekiel 18 quotes God responding in a similar way (to ‘I’ve heard that out of your mouth more times than I ever wanted to! What you’re accusing Me of isn’t even true! Now let that be the end of it!’)?
“Verse 3 (though kind of verses 2 – 4)”
What evidence of God’s mercy do you see in the chapter?
“Even wicked sinners can repent, and He passionately wants them to do so.”
Do you detect a pleading coming from the heart of God at any point in this chapter? If so, what was He pleading for the people to do?
“Repent”
Take another look at Ezekiel 18:14, 31. In very simplified terms, describe how the chain of destructive behavior is broken.
“A grown child can look back over all the parents’ mistakes and make it their life ambition to avoid repeating any of them.”
Remember point 2 on day 1 of this week’s study? How do these synonyms differ from the concept of dishonoring a parent?
“They are about learning and self improvement, rather than judgment and blame.”
Fill in the blanks, according to Proverbs 30:11: ‘There are those who “curse” their fathers, and do not “bless” their mothers.’
Without this honoring anyone, what further enlightenment on chains you need to break has the Holy Spirit given you?
“I need to challenge my thinking on everything I buy and everything I keep and make a deliberate, determined effort to simplify/clean up my life.”
Look at the potter’s house in Jeremiah 18. Compare verses 1-5 with verse 12. God was so willing to re-mold and remake, but what was their reply?
“‘It’s no use.’ They would go on following their own evil plans.”
Do you think you have been preserving or working on rebuilding the ancient ruins? “yes and no” Explain your answer briefly.
“I more ignore than preserve the ruins, but I rarely work on rebuilding lately.
“This is an ‘either/or’ question not a ‘yes or no’ question, by the way.”
Write this week’s memory verse, Isaiah, 61:4:
“They will rebuild the ancient ruins, and restore the place is long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.”
Now check your context by rereading, Isaiah 61:1-4. To whom does the pronoun ‘they’ refer to in Isaiah 61:4?
“the captives who have been set free”
List reasons why you think He requires our cooperation.
“free will: even if something is the best thing for us, He’s not going to force it on us
“we grow through the process”
Dearest Rachel –
I know how you mentioned in your last homework session, you claimed to find little fault in your parents’ way of life, like that one theoretical ‘screwup’ Jeff Foxworthy imagined showing up on Oprah. At the same time, there was an attempt on your part to rebuild what ruins they had, as you tried to bring them back to faith in their last days (and, if Twofeathers is to be believed, there may have been some success, at least with your mother. I don’t know about your dad, but I suppose you would by now). I’m sure the Lord would reward the effort, even if it didn’t appear to have the desired results. He gave them free will, too, after all.
Of course, there’s also the fact that – and you admitted it frequently yourself – there was the depression-born desire to accumulate and hang onto everything that had been ingrained in you. It might not be considered a sin, as such, but it did interfere with the desire to be hospitable to others, I suppose. Then again, it’s not as if Daniel and I have hosted people here since cleaning the place up, so there’s that; essentially, we’re still no better than you were at your worst.
To be honest, I don’t know if we’re rebuilding here, so much as starting over, and we’ve still got a long way to go before the ruins are useful for more than a tourist destination. But until then, keep an eye on us, honey, and wish us luck; we’re going to need it.
Letters to Rachel 