The Sealed Decree and the Closing Gate of Repentance

"If a man sins against a man, the judges shall judge him (the court makes a settlement between them); but if a man sins against the Lord, who shall intercede for him? But they did not listen to the voice of their father, because the Lord desired to put them to death" (1 Samuel 2:25). One verse says, "For I do not desire the death of the dead [reading 'the dead' for 'the wicked']" (Ezekiel 18:32), and another verse says, "Because the Lord desired to put them to death." How is it? How can these two verses both be upheld? Before the decree of judgment is sealed: "I do not desire the death of the dead"; but once their decree of judgment is sealed: "the Lord desired to put them to death." One verse says, "You who hear prayer, to You shall all flesh come" (Psalms 65:3), and another verse says, "You have covered Yourself with a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through" (Lamentations 3:44). How is it? How can these two verses both be upheld? Before the decree of judgment is sealed: "You who hear prayer"; but once the decree of judgment is sealed: "You have covered Yourself with a cloud," and so forth. One verse says, "Out of the mouth of the Most High does not come the evil and the good?" (Lamentations 3:38), and another verse says, "And the Lord watched over the evil" (Daniel 9:14). How is it? How can these two verses both be upheld? Before the decree of judgment is sealed: "Out of the mouth of the Most High it does not come"; but once the decree of judgment is sealed: "And the Lord watched over the evil." One verse says, "Wash your heart from evil, and so forth" (Jeremiah 4:14), and another verse says, "For though you wash with lye, and so forth" (Jeremiah 2:22). How is it? How can these two verses both be upheld? Before the decree of judgment is sealed: "Wash your heart from evil"; once the decree of judgment is sealed: "For though you wash." One verse says, "The Lord is near to all who call upon Him" (Psalms 145:18), and another verse says, "Why, O Lord, do You stand far off?" (Psalms 10:1). How is it? How can these two verses both be upheld? Before the decree of judgment is sealed: "The Lord is near to all who call upon Him"; once the decree of judgment is sealed: "Why, O Lord, do You stand far off?" One verse says, "Seek the Lord while He may be found" (Isaiah 55:6), and another verse says, "As I live, I will not be sought by you" (Ezekiel 20:3). How is it? How can these two verses both be upheld? Before the decree of judgment is sealed: "Seek the Lord while He may be found"; once the decree of judgment is sealed: "As I live, I will not be sought by you." One verse says, "Return to Me, and I will return to you" (Malachi 3:7), and another verse says, "Does one fall and not rise again? Does one turn away and not return?" (Jeremiah 8:4). How is it? How can these two verses both be upheld? Before the decree of judgment is sealed: "Return to Me, and I will return to you"; once the decree of judgment is sealed: "Does one turn away and not return?"