{"id":74931,"date":"2020-05-19T16:44:03","date_gmt":"2020-05-19T13:44:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=74931"},"modified":"2020-05-19T16:44:03","modified_gmt":"2020-05-19T13:44:03","slug":"do-we-possess-free-will-to-change-immutable-decrees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/do-we-possess-free-will-to-change-immutable-decrees\/","title":{"rendered":"Do We Possess Free Will To Change Immutable Decrees?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[],"acf":{"old_id":"74931","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":46656,"related_cahpter":"485","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"Resolving some challenging contradictions\r\n\r\n","content":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The parable of the watchman in Ezekiel Chapter 33 speaks to a tension between divine providence and free will. Ezekiel is speaking to those of the Jewish nation remaining in Jerusalem (after the majority have been exiled to Babylonia) and relates a prophetic parable about action, consequences and responsibility.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">God has made it abundantly clear that the nation has transgressed, and the consequence is exile and the destruction of Jerusalem, along with those transgressors who remain. And yet, God has Ezekiel relate a prophecy in which Ezekiel is cast as a watchman over the city, warning the residents of imminent attack. If God has already decreed the end result, then why bother with a warning?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rabbi Gideon Rothstein (OU Torah) points out that the Ramban (Nachmanides) provided an idea that warning people of God\u2019s plan refers specifically to when human lives are at stake. In the story of the ten plagues on Egypt, only some of the plagues were preceded by a warning to Pharaoh. Those plagues that came with no warning (namely lice, boils and darkness) were not a direct threat to human life. Furthermore, whenever there was a warning, it was coupled with an \u201cunless\u201d statement. In the case of the plagues the warning included \u201cunless you, Pharaoh, let my people go.\u201d In the case of Ezekiel\u2019s warning the underlying message is \u201cunless you repent and change your ways.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We are told in this prophecy that the demise of the people is unequivocally a result of their own transgressions. But the responsibility to warn is so imperative that the prophecy also includes the indictment that should the watchman fail to warn the residents of an impending attack, some blame for the outcome also lies on the head of the watchman. We cannot change God\u2019s edict, but we are responsible for doing whatever is in our power to change the need to enact it. The purpose of Ezekiel\u2019s warning was to provide a pathway to redemption, so that this decree of death and destruction could be circumvented.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The parable is followed by God\u2019s reminder that \u201cif a wicked person turns back from his wickedness and acts with justice and righteousness, he shall live\u201d (33:19). God\u2019s decree of punishment for the transgressions at hand is irrevocable, but humans, with each others\u2019 help, have the free will to repent, and thus nullify their transgressions and void the decree.<\/span><\/p>\n","image":{"ID":74933,"id":74933,"title":"ez33-change","filename":"ez33-change.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/ez33-change.jpg","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/do-we-possess-free-will-to-change-immutable-decrees\/ez33-change\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"ez33-change","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":74931,"date":"2020-05-19 13:43:50","modified":"2022-05-29 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