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| EZEKIEL |
| Explanatory Footnotes - page 2 |
| Ezekiel 13:6-9 asserts that the false prophets thought up messages, then attributed them to God. Ezekiel, on the other hand, was repeatedly seized by a supernatural power. See, for examples, Ezekiel 8:1-5; 10:1-2; 24:1-2; and 33:21-22. 16:49 The Sin of Sodom Why had God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah? The Geneses 19 account suggests sexual perversion and violence as the cause. Ezekiel here adds an interesting aspect: arrogant, uncaring wealth. The attempt at homosexual gang rape, chronicled in Genesis, was only part of a bigger problem. 18:2 Jeremiah and Ezekiel This proverb, which suggests the way children pay for their parents' sins, was also quoted by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:29). While Ezekiel did his work in Babylon, Jeremiah carried out a parallel work in Jerusalem. Neither mentions the other, but their messages carry many similarities. Note particularly Jeremiah 1:14-19; 3:6-13; 6:27-30; 8:10-11; 15:1-2; 16:5-8; 23:16-40; 24; 29; 31:27-34; 39 - all passages that have close parallels in Ezekiel. 18:25 God is Unfair? "The way of the Lord is not just" probably was less a complaint than a fatalistic sigh, much like our saying, "Life isn't fair." People had lost any sense that they were suffering because of their sins. They were saying that it made no difference how they acted. Determined to break down this attitude, God guaranteed forgiveness for those who turn away from their sins. 29:7 Unreliable Egypt When threatened by another superpower (Babylon or Assyria) Israel often turned to Egypt fo rhelp. Each time that nation let Israel down. Right up until the final destruction of Jerusalem, the Israelites expected Egypt to come to their |