Habeeb George Habeeb

Published: The Middle East Family Tree brochure has been published and is available at Amazon.com - Click here to order

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Habeeb Habeeb

In the Old Testament, God promised earthly blessings to the Israelites. However, they were to obey the law, and if they did not, they had to offer sacrifices. This was very hard and no one was able to obey the Law as they should.

Jesus came to be offered as a sacrifice once and for all for our sins. Jesus suffered tremendously by being rejected while he was alive, and he suffered severely on the cross.

Peter, in his letter (1 Peter 2:18-21) says that Jesus suffered as an example to us so that we can suffer also.

1PE 2:18 Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. 19 For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.”

See also 1 Peter 3:13 - 4:13

Jesus suffered, even though God was happy with him. If we suffer, it is not an indication that God is unhappy with us. This world is full of sin and the devil rules it. When the end comes, God will rule and we will live eternally blessed. There will be no more suffering. There will be a new Jerusalem as described in Revelation 21:1-4

REV 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. (2) I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

The short answer is NO, not any more… Originally, God did indeed punish children for the sins of the parents. Exodus 34:4-7 “So Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the LORD had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands. (5) Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. (6) And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, (7) maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.”

However, God foretold of a new covenant with the house of Israel. Ezekiel chapter 17:22-24 speaks of a tender shoot of a cedar tree and birds of every kind will rest on it and enjoy the shade of its branches, a reference to all mankind that will be able to claim Jesus as a savior. Jesus will bring a new beginning.

Then, immediately in the next chapter (Ezekiel chapter 18), the Lord declares that this new beginning will mean that men will pay for their own sins.

EZE 18:1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel:

” `The fathers eat sour grapes,
and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?

EZE 18:3 “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. 4 For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son–both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die.

EZE 18:5 “Suppose there is a righteous man
who does what is just and right.

EZE 18:6 He does not eat at the mountain shrines
or look to the idols of the house of Israel.
He does not defile his neighbor’s wife
or lie with a woman during her period.

EZE 18:7 He does not oppress anyone,
but returns what he took in pledge for a loan.
He does not commit robbery
but gives his food to the hungry
and provides clothing for the naked.

EZE 18:8 He does not lend at usury
or take excessive interest.
He withholds his hand from doing wrong
and judges fairly between man and man.

EZE 18:9 He follows my decrees
and faithfully keeps my laws.
That man is righteous;
he will surely live,
declares the Sovereign LORD.

EZE 18:10 “Suppose he has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these other things 11 (though the father has done none of them):

“He eats at the mountain shrines.
He defiles his neighbor’s wife.

EZE 18:12 He oppresses the poor and needy.
He commits robbery.
He does not return what he took in pledge.
He looks to the idols.
He does detestable things.

EZE 18:13 He lends at usury and takes excessive interest.

Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he will surely be put to death and his blood will be on his own head.

EZE 18:14 “But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things:

EZE 18:15 “He does not eat at the mountain shrines
or look to the idols of the house of Israel.
He does not defile his neighbor’s wife.

EZE 18:16 He does not oppress anyone
or require a pledge for a loan.
He does not commit robbery
but gives his food to the hungry
and provides clothing for the naked.

EZE 18:17 He withholds his hand from sin
and takes no usury or excessive interest.
He keeps my laws and follows my decrees.

He will not die for his father’s sin; he will surely live. 18 But his father will die for his own sin, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people.

EZE 18:19 “Yet you ask, `Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?’ Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live. 20 The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him.

EZE 18:21 “But if a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. 22 None of the offenses he has committed will be remembered against him. Because of the righteous things he has done, he will live. 23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?

EZE 18:24 “But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked man does, will he live? None of the righteous things he has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness he is guilty of and because of the sins he has committed, he will die.

EZE 18:25 “Yet you say, `The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear, O house of Israel: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? 26 If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin, he will die for it; because of the sin he has committed he will die. 27 But if a wicked man turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life. 28 Because he considers all the offenses he has committed and turns away from them, he will surely live; he will not die. 29 Yet the house of Israel says, `The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are my ways unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?

EZE 18:30 “Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. 31 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!

The same is mentioned in Jeremiah chapter 31. The scripture describes this new covenant and says that people will start worshiping the Lord “in their hearts” as opposed to having to go to the temple to worship:

JER 31:21 “Set up road signs; put up guideposts. Take note of the highway, the road that you take. Return, O Virgin Israel, return to your towns. 22 How long will you wander, O unfaithful daughter? The LORD will create a new thing on earth– a woman will surround a man.”

JER 31:23 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “When I bring them back from captivity, the people in the land of Judah and in its towns will once again use these words: `The LORD bless you, O righteous dwelling, O sacred mountain.’ 24 People will live together in Judah and all its towns–farmers and those who move about with their flocks. 25 I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.”

JER 31:26 At this I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant to me.

JER 31:27 “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will plant the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the offspring of men and of animals. 28 Just as I watched over them to uproot and tear down, and to overthrow, destroy and bring disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant,” declares the LORD.

29 “In those days people will no longer say, `The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’

JER 31:30 Instead, everyone will die for his own sin; whoever eats sour grapes–his own teeth will be set on edge.

JER 31:31 “The time is coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them, “ declares the LORD.

JER 31:33 “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

JER 31:34 No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, `Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

This is the new covenant that we live under. Therefore, you need never worry that God is punishing you for the sins of your parents. However, bad decisions that parents make will indeed cause harm on their children, not because God desires it, but because actions have lasting consequences.

The Bible (in the New Testament) the letter to the Hebrews 9:27 “Man is destined to die once and then face the judgment.” Therefore, this verse says that there is no re-incarnation and no second chance. Man should be ready to face the judgment when he dies. Are you ready?

Published: The Middle East Family Tree brochure has been published and is available at Amazon.com - Click here to order

The book is in progress and will be published this year 2009.