- I gave:
- The simple meaning of this place is, that when the Israelites had rebelled against God, despised his statutes, and polluted his sabbaths, in effect cast him off, and given themselves up wholly to their idols, then He, in a just judgment for their disobedience, abandoned them, "gave them up to a reprobate mind," ("Andª even asª they did²° notª likeª° to retainª° Godª inª [their] knowledge,ª Godª gave²° them² overª°¹ toª a reprobateª mind,ª to doª° those things which are²° not² convenient;ª°¹" {Rom 1:28}), and suffered them to walk after the idolatrous, cruel, and impious customs and ordinances of the heathen; by which they were ripened for the destruction which he intended to bring upon them, that they might learn to know God by his judgments, seeing they had despised his mercies. In the same sense God is said judicially to "send a strong delusion, that they should believe a lie," to those who "received not the love of the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." "And I pollutedª° them in their own gifts,ª in that they caused to pass throughª° [the fire] all¹ that openethª the womb,ª that¹ I might make them desolate,ª° to the end¹ that¹ they might knowª° that¹ I¹ [am] the LORD.ª" {Ezk 20:26} + "As for you,¹ O houseª of Israel,ª thus¹ saithª° the Lordª GOD;ª Go²°¹ ye, serveª° ye every oneª his idols,ª and hereafterª [also], if¹ ye will not¹ hearkenª° unto¹ me: but polluteª° ye my holyª nameª no¹ more¹ with your gifts,ª and with your idols.ª" {Ezk 20:39} + "And if¹ the prophetª be deceivedª° when he hath spokenª° a thing,ª I¹ the LORDª have deceivedª°¹ that¹ prophet,ª and I will stretch outª°¹ my handª upon¹ him, and will destroyª° him from the midstª¹ of my peopleª Israel.ª ... That¹ the houseª of Israelª may go no¹ more¹ astrayª° from¹¹ me,² neither¹ be pollutedª° any more¹ with all¹ their transgressions;ª but that they may be¹ my people,ª and I¹ may be¹ their God,ª saithª° the Lordª GOD.ª" {Ezk 14:9-11} + "And the LORDª shall scatterª° you among the nations,ª and ye shall be leftª° fewª in numberª among the heathen,ª whither¹¹ the LORDª shall leadª° you. ... And there¹ ye shall serveª° gods,ª the workª of men'sª hands,ª woodª and stone,ª which¹ neither¹ see,ª° nor¹ hear,ª° nor¹ eat,ª° nor¹ smell.ª°" {Deu 4:27-28} + "The LORDª shall bring²°¹ thee, and thy kingª which¹ thou shalt setª° over¹ thee, unto¹ a nationª which¹ neither¹ thou¹ nor thy fathersª have known;ª° and there¹ shalt thou serveª° otherª gods,ª woodª and stone.ª" {Deu 28:36} + "So I gave them upª° unto their own hearts'ª lust:ª [and] they walked²°¹ in their own counsels.ª" {Psa 81:12} + "I¹ also¹ will chooseª° their delusions,ª and will bringª° their fearsª upon them; because¹ when I called,ª° none¹ did answer;ª° when I spake,ª° they did not¹ hear:ª° but they didª° evilª before mine eyes,ª and choseª° [that] in which¹ I delightedª° not.¹" {Isa 66:4} + "Because² that,¹ when they knewª° God,ª they glorifiedª° [him] notª asª God,ª neitherª were thankful;ª° butª became vainª° inª their²¹ imaginations,ª andª their²¹ foolishª heartª was darkened.ª° ... Andª even asª they did²° notª likeª° to retainª° Godª inª [their] knowledge,ª Godª gave²° them² overª°¹ toª a reprobateª mind,ª to doª° those things which are²° not² convenient;ª°¹" {Rom 1:21-28} + "[Even him], whoseª comingª isª° afterª the workingª of Satanª withª allª powerª andª signsª andª lyingª wonders,ª ... Andª for this² causeª¹ Godª shall sendª° themª strong² delusion,ª¹ that² theyª should believeª° a lie:ª" {2Th 2:9-11}
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