Ezekiel 18-20: Repent and Live

God's original covenant with Abraham was with only one person, Abraham.  But as part of that covenant, God promised that Abraham would become a vast nation and the covenant expanded to all of Abraham's descendants, the nation of Israel.  Early in the  history of the children of Israel, they acted as and were treated by God as one.  When all but two spies coming back from the promised land convinced the people that they would be overtaken if they set foot in the promised land, it was an entire generation of people that bore the punishment.  But now, after decades of Israel being treated as a whole unit, things are changing.  The average Israelite hardly knows what righteousness is: 

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.
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.
He does not lend at usury
or take excessive interest.
He withholds his hand from doing wrong
and judges fairly between man and man.
He follows my decrees
and faithfully keeps my laws.
That man is righteous; - Eze. 18:6-9 NIV

With sin becoming endemic, God tells the people through Ezekiel, that no longer would the child be spared because of the father.  Each would be judged by his own actions and the soul that sins will be the one that dies. Sin always requires a sacrifice for atonement, and the sins of Israel had become so great that a corporate sacrifice would no longer be sufficient. 

"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. 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? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live! - Eze. 18:30-32 NIV