By Chapter 18 Ezekiel is getting into his stride as a prophet to Israel in exile.  After bearing, in his own flesh, all the symbols of the failing and the punishment of the nation, he turns to challenging the people to be accountable for their sins. It’s not acceptable to blame others for our situation. In this he is refining the Hebrew notion of “reward and retribution” and moving them away from the default assumption of intergenerational curses. 

This is theology in the making. The process continues through scripture. Reward and retribution is itself qualified by events in the life of Job – and Jesus challenges a too simplistic  application of the doctrine. 

Nevertheless, in Ezekiel’s prophecy, it is made clear that that the exiles have to “own” their situation. Their punishment was due to their own failing, not others. In the same way, the future is over to them. 

Martin Sutherland