No Pleasure In the Wicked's Death
Minister: |
Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: |
7/28/2013 PM
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Text:
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Ezekiel 33:10-20
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Psalters: |
317, 262, 397, 292 |
- The hopelessness.
- The occasion (not the cause) for the hopelessness.
- God had made a declaration of punishment upon the wicked (8) in Israel, which was to endure for 70 years (Jer. 25:11,12).
- God declares to the wicked in Israel that they would surely die (perish in hell) if they do not repent (9).
- Their response was one of hopelessness: what is the use or purpose of repenting (10).
- They thought that they were going to be punished (pine away) for their sins, so why repent?
- In their unbelieving sarcasm they charge God with being unjust.
- They are making some erroneous judgments.
- They are reacting to God?s punishment without humbly receiving it and taking it up cheerfully and joyfully.
- They think that their repentance deserves reward.
- They proudly bring charges of sin against God.
- God?s answer to their despair.
- God swears (?as I live?) that He has no pleasure in the death of the wicked.
- The ?wicked? are those who have been disobedient and hostile to God, and are thus guilty before Him.
- ?Pleasure? is a delight in the sense of desiring someone ardently.
- So fair or equal is God that those who were once righteous cannot rest in his past righteousness.
- Those who were wicked may not think that their past makes repentance useless (12b, 14-16).
- And those who were righteous cannot think that their past righteousness will save them when they sin so repentance is unnecessary (12a).
- God does not take perverse pleasure (pulling wings off a fly) in watching people suffer.
- This makes most urgent the call of the watchmen to alert the people to dangers so they flee from every sin in repentance.
- The CRC in 1924 used verse 11 to support common grace, namely, that God has favor for the reprobate in the preaching.
- Conclusion: it is most urgent to repent, for God ?will judge you everyone after his ways? (20).
- To the wicked sinners God says, ?Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?? (11b).
- Also the righteous must remember that they are righteous because they are given the grace to repent.
- The calling of all is one of constant repentance and looking always to the cross of Jesus and His righteousness if they sinned without repenting when told of their sin.