Ezekiel 3:20

The Message

“And if the righteous turn back from living righteously and take up with evil when I step in and put them in a hard place, they’ll die. If you haven’t warned them, they’ll die because of their sins, and none of the right things they’ve done will count for anything—and I’ll hold you responsible. But if you warn these righteous people not to sin and they listen to you, they’ll live because they took the warning—and again, you’ll have saved your life.”

Cross References

2 Chronicles 24:2

Taught and trained by Jehoiada the priest, Joash did what pleased God throughout Jehoiada’s lifetime. Jehoiada picked out two wives for him; he had a family of both sons and daughters.

Jeremiah 6:21

So listen to this. Here’s God’s verdict on your way of life: “Watch out! I’m putting roadblocks and barriers on the road you’re taking. They’ll send you sprawling, parents and children, neighbors and friends— and that will be the end of the lot of you.”

Ezekiel 18:24

“The same thing goes for a good person who turns his back on an upright life and starts sinning, plunging into the same vile obscenities that the wicked person practices. Will this person live? I don’t keep a list of all the things this person did right, like money in the bank he can draw on. Because of his defection, because he accumulates sin, he’ll die.

Ezekiel 33:6

“‘But if the watchman sees war coming and doesn’t blow the trumpet, warning the people, and war comes and takes anyone off, I’ll hold the watchman responsible for the bloodshed of any unwarned sinner.’

Ezekiel 7:19

“‘They throw their money into the gutters. Their hard-earned cash stinks like garbage. They find that it won’t buy a thing they either want or need on Judgment Day. They tripped on money and fell into sin. Proud and pretentious with their jewels, they deck out their vile and vulgar no-gods in finery. I’ll make those god-obscenities a stench in their nostrils. I’ll give away their religious junk— strangers will pick it up for free, the godless spit on it and make jokes. I’ll turn my face so I won’t have to look as my treasured place and people are violated, As violent strangers walk in and desecrate place and people— A bloody massacre, as crime and violence fill the city. I’ll bring in the dregs of humanity to move into their houses. I’ll put a stop to the boasting and strutting of the high-and-mighty, And see to it that there’ll be nothing holy left in their holy places. Catastrophe descends. They look for peace, but there’s no peace to be found— Disaster on the heels of disaster, one rumor after another. They clamor for the prophet to tell them what’s up, but nobody knows anything. Priests don’t have a clue; the elders don’t know what to say. The king holds his head in despair; the prince is devastated. The common people are paralyzed. Gripped by fear, they can’t move. I’ll deal with them where they are, judge them on their terms. They’ll know that I am God.’”

Daniel 9:18

“‘Turn your ears our way, God, and listen. Open your eyes and take a long look at our ruined city, this city named after you. We know that we don’t deserve a hearing from you. Our appeal is to your compassion. This prayer is our last and only hope:

Leviticus 19:17

“Don’t secretly hate your neighbor. If you have something against him, get it out into the open; otherwise you are an accomplice in his guilt.

Matthew 18:15

“If a fellow believer hurts you, go and tell him—work it out between the two of you. If he listens, you’ve made a friend. If he won’t listen, take one or two others along so that the presence of witnesses will keep things honest, and try again. If he still won’t listen, tell the church. If he won’t listen to the church, you’ll have to start over from scratch, confront him with the need for repentance, and offer again God’s forgiving love.

Luke 8:15

“But the seed in the good earth—these are the good-hearts who seize the Word and hold on no matter what, sticking with it until there’s a harvest.

Hebrews 13:17

Be responsive to your pastoral leaders. Listen to their counsel. They are alert to the condition of your lives and work under the strict supervision of God. Contribute to the joy of their leadership, not its drudgery. Why would you want to make things harder for them?

1 John 2:19

They left us, but they were never really with us. If they had been, they would have stuck it out with us, loyal to the end. In leaving, they showed their true colors, showed they never did belong.