The Citizen Basis of the Restored Community (Ch. 18). 

        Both Jeremiah and Ezekiel lived in a time when men were reaping the whirlwind of the storm their ancestors had sown. There seemed no point in individual effort, for a man’s, fate would be the same whether he fought against the current or swam with the tide. Their pessimism was summed up in the proverb, “The fathers have eaten sour grapes and the child­ren’s teeth are blunted” (Jer. 31:29; Ezek. 18:2). As they look to the future, both the prophets see a time when a man’s relationship to God will be essentially an individual one, not to be influenced by either the goodness or badness of his people. Jeremiah thinks more of the individual’s standing with God; Ezekiel, more of the reward or punishment of his actions.

        This chapter has suffered grievously at the hand of those that have wished to interpret it against the background of the New Testament. It is not in contradiction to the Gospel, be­cause Ezekiel is standing on the foundation of the Law. But he is shifting the operation of the Law from the nation and family to the individual. Quite typical of Ezekiel is the mixture of religious, ethical and ceremonial in his list of sins and virtues (vers. 6-9).

        The section ends with a lament over the kings of Judah: Jehoahaz (19:1-4), Jehoiakim-Jehoiachin, probably con­sidered as one (19:5-9), Zedekiah (19:10-14).