I believe that chapter 18 is the one of the most important chapters of the entire book of Ezekiel. The reason why I believe so, is because here lays the foundation of the recovery of Israel as nation under punishment as well as individuals and families. Israel was used to blame others for their disgrace, but here God is telling them that any disgrace that they might face could be the result of punishment for personal or national sin.
The prophet told them: “Repent and turn from all your transgressions; otherwise iniquity will be your ruin” (18:30) in other words you have the ability of build up or destroy your life, all depends what kind of behavior you have.
I think Prophet Ezekiel is a wonderful communicator. He was telling God’s words in a very symbolic and catchy way. However, he was denouncing Israel sins in ways that everybody will understand by then. The rest of this chapters talks about judgment and call to repentance. There is a very interesting thing in chapter 20 verse 49, the prophet just finished his prophecies, and then he said: “Ah Lord God! They are saying of me, ‘is he not a maker of allegories’?” In other words like the Message says it “O God, everyone is saying of me, He just makes up stories”
Prophets and their messages were not always welcome. Especially they were not welcome when they were denouncing sin and proclaiming judgment. Ezekiel was a prophet among the Israelites in their land and in the exile in Babylon. He paid a big price to be their prophet; He was actually chosen to be a living sign to them. When his wife died, God told him not to mourn for her and also God told him that the same thing that happened to him will happen to the rebellious Israelites (24: 15-25)
Would you like to be a prophet like Ezekiel? Maybe that would not be your favorite choice, but let me tell you that as Christians we were chosen to be a sign to this world. Jesus says that we are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14) and as light we were meant to shine the hope of God, but also to denounce the darkness of this world by the kind of life that we live. Sometimes people will not likes us because they might disagree with our life style and message, but as Ezekiel we have to keep living and proclaiming God’s word and God’s message regardless the price that it might represents for us.
Maybe somebody can say: That is Just good stories! Not at all, these are the stories and words of the almighty God.