The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying, Vindication of God's moral government as to His retributive righteousness, from the Jewish imputation of injustice, as if they were suffering, not for their own sin, but for that of their fathers. As in Ezekiel 17:1 he foretold Messiah's happy reig... [ Continue Reading ]
What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge? WHAT MEAN YE, THAT YE USE THIS PROVERB CONCERNING ... ISRAEL ... THE FATHERS HAVE EATEN SOUR GRAPES, AND THE CHILDREN'S TEETH ARE SET ON EDGE... [ Continue Reading ]
As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel. YE SHALL NOT HAVE OCCASION ANYMORE TO USE THIS PROVERB - because I will let it be seen by the whole world in the very fact that you are not righteous, as ye fancy yourselves, but wicked, and that yo... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. ALL SOULS ARE MINE - therefore I can deal with all, being my own creation, as I please (). As the Creator of all alike, I can have no reason, but the principle of equi... [ Continue Reading ]
But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right, BUT IF A MAN BE JUST. Here begins the illustration of God's impartiality in a series of supposed cases: Firstly, from Ezekiel 18:5, the just man; the excellences are selected in reference to the prevailing sins of the age, from which s... [ Continue Reading ]
And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour's wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman, HATH NOT EATEN UPON THE MOUNTAINS - the high place, where altars were reared. A double sin: sacrific... [ Continue Reading ]
And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment; HATH RESTORED TO THE DEBTOR HIS PLEDGE - that which the poor debtor absolutely needed, as his raiment, which the c... [ Continue Reading ]
He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man, USURY - literally, biting [ neshek (H5392)]; because usury bites and consumes a man's substance and the man himself. The law forba... [ Continue Reading ]
Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD. TO DEAL TRULY - with integrity. HE SHALL SURELY LIVE - literally, live in life. He shall prosper in this life, but still more in the life to come (Proverbs 3:1, "Length... [ Continue Reading ]
If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like to any one of these things, IF HE BEGET A SON THAT IS A ROBBER. The second case is that of an impious son of a pious father. His pious parentage, so far from excusing, aggravates his guilt. ROBBER - or, literally,... [ Continue Reading ]
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, NOW, LO, IF HE BEGOT A SON, THAT SEETH ALL HIS FATHER'S SINS ... AND DOETH NOT SUCH LIKE. The third case: a son who walks not in the steps of an unrighteous father, but in t... [ Continue Reading ]
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. YET SAY YE, WHY? DOTH NOT THE SON BEAR THE INIQUITY OF THE FATHER? Here the Jews object to the prophet... [ Continue Reading ]
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. THE SON SHALL NOT BEAR THE INIQUITY OF THE FATH... [ Continue Reading ]
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. BUT IF THE WICKED SHALL TURN FROM ALL HIS SINS ... BUT WHEN THE RIGHTEOUS TURNETH AWAY FROM HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ... Two las... [ Continue Reading ]
Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal? YET YE SAY, THE WAY OF THE LORD IS NOT EQUAL. Their plea for saying "The way of the Lord is not equal," was that God treated different classes in a different way. But it was... [ Continue Reading ]
When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. WHEN A RIGHTEOUS MAN TURNETH AWAY FROM HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ... AGAIN, WHEN THE WICKED MAN TURNETH AWAY FROM HIS WICKEDNESS. The two last instances... [ Continue Reading ]
Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal? YET SAITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, THE WAY OF THE LORD IS NOT EQUAL. Though God's justice is so plainly manifested, sinners still object to it, because they do not wi... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. THEREFORE ... As God is to judge them "according to their ways" (Proverbs 1:31), their only hope is to... [ Continue Reading ]