ESOCS Devotional 25 September 2026 – God Has No Pleasure in a Sinner’s Death
MEMORY VERSE: “Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live? (EZEKIEL 18:23 KJV).
TEXT: EZEKIEL 18: 14 – 24
Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father’s sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like,
15 That hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbour’s wife,
16 Neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment,
17 That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.
18 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity.
19 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 statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.
20 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.
21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.
23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
READ OTHER ESOCS DEVOTIONAL HERE
Over the centuries of time, there have been many different evil people rise to power and cause a lot of damage to the people. Attempts to cause genocide of groups of people have been done by some of these people. Often many in the world hate these people and want them removed. One way that many want to see the person removed is by death. When one of these evil rulers get killed, many will often rejoice at his death or destruction. It is seen as a relief from an evil person and that he got what he had deserved.
Ezekiel talks about the death and life of people. God points out that people will die for their sins (Ezekiel 18:20). However, God does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked. He would rather see them change and live (Ezekiel 18:23; 32).
GOD IS MERCIFUL. He does not hate His enemies; He loves those who are perishing. His longsuffering and delay of punishment, His readiness to forgive the penitent sinner, and, above all, the gift of His Son Jesus to redeem the world from death, are proofs that He has no pleasure in the death of the wicked. The story of King Nebuchadnezzar is one that clearly shows that God has no pleasure in the death of a sinner. God is as interested in saving the high as he is the low (Daniel 4).
The LORD speaks through Ezekiel to reveal that He takes no pleasure in the death of anyone. This is true of physical death and spiritual death. Yet the LORD certainly allows for it. His lack of pleasure in the death of people doesn’t cause Him to stop it from happening. Why is this important to note? Because God is capable of willing one thing to happen, even when in some sense God doesn’t take pleasure in the thing He is willing. The cross is the best example of this sort of thing. God despises the sin of the people involved in the wrongful death of His Innocent Son. The lies, pride, greed, injustice, and murder all violate His commands. Yet in another real sense, God delighted to crush His Son. He delighted in the death of His Son in the place of sinners.
God prefers life for us all. If God has no pleasure in the sinner’s death, He will welcome any avenue of escape. Nay, He will provide all possible means of deliverance – therefore the Gospel of Christ. A life of sin is a curse to the sinner and a blight on God’s world, but a return to the good way is open to all of us through Christ. “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15). God loves life, or He would not have created a world teeming with living beings. He loves to give us new life in Christ. “He that hath the Son hath life” (1 John 5:12). Let no one despair.
Every believer must keep in mind that at one time he was a wicked person in sin. It is only by the grace of God that he is now being saved. This salvation should be sought for every wicked person, not death. God does not desire the death of any sinner – He wills their life.
Challenges:
- Do you take pleasure in the death of the wicked?
- What steps are you taking to ensure that the sinner around you does not end up in hell?
Prayer:
Lord, help me to love the sinner and to minister to them of Your love in Jesus name. Amen.
FURTHER READING:
Matthew 10: 16 – 42; 1 Kings 7:13 – 24; 1 Corinthians 11: 1 – 12
ESOCS Devotional 25 September 2026
