Ezekiel 18:1-32. In Ezekiel 18:1-4, we find the false accusation against God and the divine answer, and this is followed in Ezekiel 18:5-9 by the conditions of life, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4). But the conditions to have life and to be just cannot be fulfilled by sinful man; nor is In these verses “eternal life” in view; these are not conditions to secure “eternal life,” but to escape physical death in the announced judgment. The conditions which bring death are given in Ezekiel 18:10-13. The son does not die for his father’s sins, as they thought in their wrong reasonings (Ezekiel 18:14-20). All their accusations that the Lord is unjust are completely answered in the final paragraph of this message (Ezekiel 18:21-32).

Ezekiel 19:1-14. This lamentation has two sections. The lamentations for the princes come first (Ezekiel 19:1-9), and that is followed by the lamentation for the land of Judah (Ezekiel 19:10-14).

The princes are Jehoahaz and Jehoiachin. King Jehoahaz was carried away captive into Egypt 2Kings 23:33; his fate is lamented in Ezekiel 19:1-4. King Jehoiachin was taken to Babylon and he is lamented in Ezekiel 19:5-9. In the lamentation for the land of Judah the vine is once more mentioned. The vine is burned, the fruit devoured and there is no scepter in Judah.