Good and Bad Gifts from God.
By W.
"And I gave them my statutes, and showed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them." Eze. 20:11.
"Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live." Eze. 20:25. THESE two texts have been the subject of a good deal of controversy, and the latter one has been used by infidel cavilers as an argument against the goodness of God. The two verses, occurring as they do in such close connection, and referring to things so directly opposite in their nature, are worthy of a careful consideration. Fortunately the data for the explanation of both verses is supplied in the context. A misunderstanding of these texts, as in all other cases, arises from not considering the connection and not comparing scripture with scripture. As to the meaning of the first verse there can be no difference of opinion. It evidently refers to the ten commandments. These statutes and judgments were delivered to the people when they had been brought out of the land of Egypt into the wilderness; and these statutes are the only ones "which if a man do, he shall even live in them." Some one may object that no one can live by keeping the commandments, but that is only because no one has done them. "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23), therefore no man can be justified by the law in the sight of God. Nevertheless it is a fixed and universal truth that "the doers of the law shall be justified." If the judgments "which if a man do, he shall even live in them" are the perfect and holy ten commandments, then the "statutes that were not good," and the "judgments whereby they should not live," must be something directly opposed to the ten commandments. This will more readily appear by reading the entire connection, which we quote:— (7) "Then said I unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God. (8) But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me; they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt; then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. . . (10) Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness. (11) And I gave them my statutes, and showed them my judgments, which if a man do,8he shall even live in them. (12) Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them. (13) But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness; they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted; then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them. . . (15) Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands; (16) because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths; for their heart was after their idols. (17) Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness. (18) But I said unto their children in the wilderness, walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols; (19) I am the Lord your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them. . . (21) Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me; they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them. . . (23) I lifted up mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries; (24) Because they had not executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had polluted my Sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols. (25) Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live; (26) And I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all that openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the Lord. (27) Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me. (28) For when I had brought them into the land, for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering." Eze. 20:7-28. No one, after reading the above scripture, can fail to see that the "statutes that were not good," and the "judgments whereby they should not live," were the heathen statutes, and the rites of heathen worship. If any additional evidence is needed, read verse 31, which says, "Ye pollute yourselves with all your idols," and verse 39, which says: "As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God: Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto me; but pollute ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols." In this last verse the whole matter is summed up. God gave them laws of truth, good laws, the doing of which would lead to life. But the people hated these holy commandments, and turned to the worship of dumb idols, which is expressly forbidden by the commandments, and the end of which is death. Therefore God gave them up to their own desires, and allowed them to have their own way. As still further proof, we have the testimony of Stephen. In his speech before the council, he covered the same ground that is covered by the prophet Ezekiel in the 20th chapter. Said he:— "And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness? Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them." Acts 7:41-43. Here it is expressly stated that because they refused to worship God, he turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven, and the figures made to represent the heavenly bodies. Again, the psalmist covers the same ground, in the following words:— "Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee; O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me; there shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god. I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt; open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me. So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust, and they walked in their own counsels." Ps. 81:8-12. This dealing with Israel is but a repetition of God's dealing with the heathen, who, "when they knew God, they glorified him not as God," "and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, through the lusts of their own hearts;" he also "gave them up unto vile affections;" "and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient." See Rom. 1:21-28. Moreover it is just in this way that God will deal with all who despise him and his truth. Of those who "received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved," the inspired apostle writes:— "And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie; that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." 2 Thess. 2:10-12. God always gives people just what they want. If they really want righteousness, he fills them with it, as it is written, "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled." Matt. 5:6. But if they deliberately choose to do wrong, and hate the good, God gives them up to be "filled with all unrighteousness." Rom. 1:28, 29. Of the twelve spies, ten brought back an evil report, and two a good report. Num. 13 and 14. Ten of them said, "We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we." The other two said, "Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it." The ten rejected God and his promises; the two trusted him, and relied upon him for aid. The sequel was in harmony with the principle commented on in this article. Those who said they could not go up, never did go up; while those who said they were able to possess the land, did possess it. God will not force anybody into the path of righteousness. If men wish to walk therein, he makes the way very plain. But if they refuse and rebel, he gives them ample scope for the exercise of their own will. We conclude, therefore, that it is best for a man to walk in the way of the Lord, and to keep his commandments. It is a terrible thing for a man to be given up to the pursuit of his own way. "For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord; they would none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil." Prov. 1:29-33.