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Ezekiel 18 is a chapter that instructs us that God deals justly with individuals. Let's take a look at a few verses in Ezekiel 18 and some cross references to those verses. In verses 7-9 we read of some of the qualities or characteristics of a saved individual (I prefer the word "qualities").
In verse 7 we read that an indication of spiritual life in an individual is that they do not oppress anyone. The word "oppress" comes from a Hebrew verb "Yanah" which mean to treat violently. The word is used 20 times in the Old Testament and most often in Ezekiel, 7 times, three of which being in chapter 18. Note it use as translated "proud" in Psalm 123:
"Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud." - Psalm 123:4.
Yes we are. Yes we are.
"And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob." - Isaiah 49:16.
"Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him that handleth the sickle in the time of harvest: for fear of the oppress ing sword they shall turn every one to his people, and they shall flee every one to his own land." - Jeremiah 50:16.
"Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!" - Zephaniah 3:1.
Now look at another quality evidenced in a true believer according to Ezekiel 18:7: "hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment".
This of course is speaking about sharing the gospel. We clothe the spiritually naked and the bread we give to the hungry is the LORD Jesus Christ:
"Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." - John 6:43-51.
Looking at another quality of a true Christian in Ezekiel 18, this time we read in verse 8: "hath executed true judgment between man and man". In other words, a true child of God is just. Likewise we read these similar instruction recorded in Zechariah:
"Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother: And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart." - Zechariah 7:9,10.
"These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates" - Zechariah 8:16.
Being just also ties in and points to the fact that there is NOW no condemnation for those in Christ:
"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." - Romans 8:1-9.
And of course all we read in Ezekiel 18:7-9 parallels with the same teaching in Matthew 25 and James 1:
"For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in" - Matthew 25:35.
"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." - James 1:27.
So we see in many, many places the Bible telling us over and over; God commanding us to spread the gospel; share the gospel in whatever capacity one can. Some who have stamina can walk and pass out tracts or message cards; another who is homebound can work on the web all according to what we have been blessed with. Futhermore, we must never be reluctant to share the gospel, especially when another individual asks for the Word. Something to think upon this day.
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." - Matthew 13:44-50.
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