Sour Grapes
Ezekiel 18:1-4, 19-20 “The
word of the Lord came unto me again, saying,
word of the Lord came unto me again, saying,
What mean ye, that ye use
this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour
grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge?
this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour
grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge?
As I live, saith the Lord
God, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.
God, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.
Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul
of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth it shall die….
of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth it shall die….
Yet say ye, Why? doth not
the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is
lawful and right, and hath kept all my statues, and hath done them, he shall
surely live.
the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is
lawful and right, and hath kept all my statues, and hath done them, he shall
surely live.
The soul that sinneth, it
shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the
father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteous shall be upon him, and the
wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.”
shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the
father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteous shall be upon him, and the
wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.”
Jeremiah 31:29-30, “In
those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the
children’s teeth are set on edge.
those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the
children’s teeth are set on edge.
But every one shall die
for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be
set on edge.”
for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be
set on edge.”
“The fathers have eaten a
sour grape, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” This proverb is in the Bible; however,
it is not a true proverb in the sense of a God-given proverb. This proverb is
mentioned twice in the Bible, and on both occasions, the person quoting the
proverb was rebuked.
sour grape, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” This proverb is in the Bible; however,
it is not a true proverb in the sense of a God-given proverb. This proverb is
mentioned twice in the Bible, and on both occasions, the person quoting the
proverb was rebuked.
From the time of the creation of man, when there is wickedness,
man always wants to blame someone else. When the first sin was committed
in the Garden of Eden, somebody else was blamed. In every consequent wicked
generation, man has always tried to lay blame on someone else. In every nation or civilization that
turns from God, this proverb, or one like it, becomes popular.
man always wants to blame someone else. When the first sin was committed
in the Garden of Eden, somebody else was blamed. In every consequent wicked
generation, man has always tried to lay blame on someone else. In every nation or civilization that
turns from God, this proverb, or one like it, becomes popular.
“The fathers have eaten a
sour grape and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” What is being
said here? The children are saying, “It is my dad’s fault, it is my mom’s fault,
it is my preacher’s fault, it is my youth director’s fault, it is my teacher’s
fault, or it is the principal’s fault!” Romans 14:12 says, “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
sour grape and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” What is being
said here? The children are saying, “It is my dad’s fault, it is my mom’s fault,
it is my preacher’s fault, it is my youth director’s fault, it is my teacher’s
fault, or it is the principal’s fault!” Romans 14:12 says, “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
Jerusalem is about to be destroyed. The armies of Babylon are
about to attack. Nebuchadnezzar is about to take over! He is about to take the
rich and middle-class Jews into captivity. The Jews say in response, “The fathers have eaten a sour grape and the
children’s teeth are set on edge.” God rebukes them!
about to attack. Nebuchadnezzar is about to take over! He is about to take the
rich and middle-class Jews into captivity. The Jews say in response, “The fathers have eaten a sour grape and the
children’s teeth are set on edge.” God rebukes them!
They say, “This is not our fault; it’s our grandfather’s fault,
our grandmother’s fault, our daddy’s fault, our mother’s fault, our man of
God’s fault, and our forefathers’ fault. We are being punished for their sin,
not ours. Our fathers ate sour grapes and now our teeth are set on edge.” God rebukes them, saying it is their own
fault, and no one else is to blame.
our grandmother’s fault, our daddy’s fault, our mother’s fault, our man of
God’s fault, and our forefathers’ fault. We are being punished for their sin,
not ours. Our fathers ate sour grapes and now our teeth are set on edge.” God rebukes them, saying it is their own
fault, and no one else is to blame.
The people are in captivity in Babylon. They are hundreds of
miles from home, and their houses have been leveled back in Jerusalem and in
Palestine. Their beloved Temple has been leveled to the ground. The walls of
the Holy City have been destroyed while they live hundreds of miles from home.
They begin to use this proverb again, “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and
the children’s teeth are set on edge.” They are in bondage! However, they are
not in bondage because their fathers sinned, but because they have sinned.
miles from home, and their houses have been leveled back in Jerusalem and in
Palestine. Their beloved Temple has been leveled to the ground. The walls of
the Holy City have been destroyed while they live hundreds of miles from home.
They begin to use this proverb again, “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and
the children’s teeth are set on edge.” They are in bondage! However, they are
not in bondage because their fathers sinned, but because they have sinned.
The Bible is very clear about where the burden lies. II
Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people,
which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my
face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive
their sin, and will heal their land.” If this verse is true, and it is,
then these people could have gotten right with God if they had quit blaming
their parents and followed the instructions in this verse.
Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people,
which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my
face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive
their sin, and will heal their land.” If this verse is true, and it is,
then these people could have gotten right with God if they had quit blaming
their parents and followed the instructions in this verse.
They are not in Babylon because their fathers sinned; they are
there because they sinned. They are not there because their mothers sinned;
they are there because they sinned. People in sin always blame someone else.
Every suffering generation invariably blames the previous generation for their
plight. “The fathers have eaten a sour grape and the children’s teeth are
set on edge.” They are saying they feel the bitter taste of their father’s
appetite. They say, “Our teeth are set on edge because of our fathers.”
there because they sinned. They are not there because their mothers sinned;
they are there because they sinned. People in sin always blame someone else.
Every suffering generation invariably blames the previous generation for their
plight. “The fathers have eaten a sour grape and the children’s teeth are
set on edge.” They are saying they feel the bitter taste of their father’s
appetite. They say, “Our teeth are set on edge because of our fathers.”
The Babylonians have taken two-thirds of the Jews into
captivity: the rich, the middle-class, and the craftsman. The remaining one-third in Jerusalem
are the poor. Some of the poor elders
who have been left in Jerusalem come to Babylon to visit. While in Babylon, they
repeat this proverb. Then they complain, “The city is laid waste, the Temple is
gone, the houses are gone, and we who have been left behind in this destruction
are suffering because of our fathers.”
captivity: the rich, the middle-class, and the craftsman. The remaining one-third in Jerusalem
are the poor. Some of the poor elders
who have been left in Jerusalem come to Babylon to visit. While in Babylon, they
repeat this proverb. Then they complain, “The city is laid waste, the Temple is
gone, the houses are gone, and we who have been left behind in this destruction
are suffering because of our fathers.”
Ezekiel comes along and says, “What mean ye… The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children’s
teeth are set on edge?”
teeth are set on edge?”
Ezekiel 18:20 is God’s response, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the
iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son:
the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the
wicked shall be upon him.”
iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son:
the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the
wicked shall be upon him.”
Before the destruction, they had used this proverb and Jeremiah
rebuked them for doing so. Now the people who have gone into captivity use the
same proverb, and Ezekiel rebukes them for doing so. The people who are left in
the land come to Ezekiel in Babylon and use the same proverb; they are also
rebuked for doing so.
rebuked them for doing so. Now the people who have gone into captivity use the
same proverb, and Ezekiel rebukes them for doing so. The people who are left in
the land come to Ezekiel in Babylon and use the same proverb; they are also
rebuked for doing so.
Jeremiah prophetically looks to the future and sees
another day when the Jews will return to the land. He sees a time when the
Temple site will no longer be barren. Another Temple will replace the one that
has been destroyed. He looks down and sees the date seventy years later when
they will return from captivity. The wall of the city will be rebuilt;
righteousness will prevail—although not perfect righteousness—and God shall be
honored. Jeremiah looks down the corridor of time and says, “The day will come
when you will no longer say ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and our teeth
are set on edge.’ The day will come when the people will be right with God
again. No longer will they blame their fathers, mothers, grandfathers,
grandmothers, or preachers for their troubles; instead, they will take personal
responsibility for their actions, whether good or bad!”
another day when the Jews will return to the land. He sees a time when the
Temple site will no longer be barren. Another Temple will replace the one that
has been destroyed. He looks down and sees the date seventy years later when
they will return from captivity. The wall of the city will be rebuilt;
righteousness will prevail—although not perfect righteousness—and God shall be
honored. Jeremiah looks down the corridor of time and says, “The day will come
when you will no longer say ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and our teeth
are set on edge.’ The day will come when the people will be right with God
again. No longer will they blame their fathers, mothers, grandfathers,
grandmothers, or preachers for their troubles; instead, they will take personal
responsibility for their actions, whether good or bad!”
This is happening again in the twenty-first century. We pay a
psychologist a hundred dollars an hour to let us lie on a couch and tell him
about our childhood woes. He searches and searches until he finds the person to
blame for our misery.
psychologist a hundred dollars an hour to let us lie on a couch and tell him
about our childhood woes. He searches and searches until he finds the person to
blame for our misery.
This philosophy is not of God! We must take personal
responsibility for our actions. In the final analysis, we are accountable for
our own actions from birth to death. If you take full responsibility for your
actions, then you can accomplish great things during your lifetime.
responsibility for our actions. In the final analysis, we are accountable for
our own actions from birth to death. If you take full responsibility for your
actions, then you can accomplish great things during your lifetime.
We do not need a psychologist’s couch; we need a mourner’s
bench! We do not need another pill; we need the Gospel! We do not need
counseling; we need repentance! We do not need tranquilizers to have peace; we
need the Prince of Peace to have peace! We do not need analyzing; we need
personal revival!
bench! We do not need another pill; we need the Gospel! We do not need
counseling; we need repentance! We do not need tranquilizers to have peace; we
need the Prince of Peace to have peace! We do not need analyzing; we need
personal revival!
Parents, Quit Blaming Authority for the Child’s
Rebellion
Rules do not make rebels. They merely expose the rebels. The
hair issue in I Corinthians is a symbol God uses to stress a chain of command
that is essential to having order in the home. The hair represents submission
to a greater authority. Many parents have ruined their children by constantly
defending them and running interference for them against the injustices in
their lives. My friends, welcome to the real world of injustices. There is no
such thing as pure justice. When
my children complained about injustices in their lives, I told them, “Welcome
to the real world!” Our philosophy was not “innocent until proven guilty”;
rather, it was “guilty until proven innocent.” Mrs. Gray and I never tore down
the authorities in front of our children.
hair issue in I Corinthians is a symbol God uses to stress a chain of command
that is essential to having order in the home. The hair represents submission
to a greater authority. Many parents have ruined their children by constantly
defending them and running interference for them against the injustices in
their lives. My friends, welcome to the real world of injustices. There is no
such thing as pure justice. When
my children complained about injustices in their lives, I told them, “Welcome
to the real world!” Our philosophy was not “innocent until proven guilty”;
rather, it was “guilty until proven innocent.” Mrs. Gray and I never tore down
the authorities in front of our children.
Young People, Quit Blaming Others
A young person must come to realize life is composed of ups and
downs, victories and defeats. The sooner a young person accepts full
responsibility for his or her actions in life, the sooner that young person
will mature into adulthood. Very few people who get into serious trouble ever
recognize they are fully responsible for their actions.
downs, victories and defeats. The sooner a young person accepts full
responsibility for his or her actions in life, the sooner that young person
will mature into adulthood. Very few people who get into serious trouble ever
recognize they are fully responsible for their actions.
God comes to a young person who has no character and says, “It
is your fault!” God comes to a young person with bad study habits and says, “It
is your fault!” God comes to a young man who is bitter and says, “It is your
fault! God comes to a young lady who is angry because her parents divorced and
tells her, “It is your fault you are angry!” God comes to a young man who
blames his drunkenness on his dad’s drinking, and He says to him, “Your
drinking is your own fault!”
is your fault!” God comes to a young person with bad study habits and says, “It
is your fault!” God comes to a young man who is bitter and says, “It is your
fault! God comes to a young lady who is angry because her parents divorced and
tells her, “It is your fault you are angry!” God comes to a young man who
blames his drunkenness on his dad’s drinking, and He says to him, “Your
drinking is your own fault!”
God comes to an immoral young lady and says, “It is your fault!”
God comes to young people who are mad at God because they have stepparents and
says, “It is your fault you are mad!” God comes to a bus kid who is bitter
because of his lot in life and says, “It is your fault you are bitter!” Gang
member, you will answer to God for your sins! Unloving teenagers, you will
answer to God, not your parents!
God comes to young people who are mad at God because they have stepparents and
says, “It is your fault you are mad!” God comes to a bus kid who is bitter
because of his lot in life and says, “It is your fault you are bitter!” Gang
member, you will answer to God for your sins! Unloving teenagers, you will
answer to God, not your parents!