[JohnnyM]

"It is not merciful to punish the innocent for the sins of the guilty."

Unless the innnocent willingly takes the place of the guilty.

JM

[malakhi]

Unless the innnocent willingly takes the place of the guilty.

I disagree. Even if the innocent is willing, it is unjust to punish the innocent for the crimes of the guilty. That, in my opinion, is the significance of the verse in question. Let me ask you -- how do you reconcile Ezekiel 18:20 with your beliefs about the sacrificial death of Jesus?