Another Thought
Wouldn't the verse below be a problem for hyper-Calvinists?
Say unto them, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel? (Ezekiel 33:11)
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Come, brethren, ye who love the Lord
12 hours ago
1 comment:
I think you could be correct about the verse being a problem for hyper-Calvinists in that it seems to say the opposite of what they do. But on the other hand, most individual verses that are hard verses are interpreted "by the system" we hold, whether it is hyper-Calvinism or any other theological system.
As to the verse itself, I have looked at it some since you mentioned it on my blog. Here are a few initial thoughts, though I reserve the right to change my mind at any time!
Contextually it is about Israel, though we will have to think about what principle it might provide for broader application. In his The Prophecy of Ezekiel, J.W. Kesner puts it this way: "...the reader is reminded that these Scriptures are not speaking of the salvation of the spirit, but they do afford Christians wonderful lessons in application." (p. 354)
In the preceding verse it seems that they are saying that things were hopeless. They are under God's judgment and all they can do is "pine away". Why should we do any better? There is no hope. Then God tells the prophet to tell them there is hope. He will judge them in their wickedness. But this should be an incentive to repent rather than to just pine away. As I said on the other blog, I think "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked" is not an absolute. He will have pleasure in bringing judgement on the wicked. But He does not have more pleasure in this than in them repenting and living. There is a contrast of the two in verse 11. I would add that pleasure with reference to God is not about an emotional feeling as with us humans. I would think of it more as a sense of right or satisfaction. So He can speak elsewhere, as Psalm 2:4, about "laughing" at the calamity brought on the wicked through His judgement.
I would be cautious with the spiritual application of this because it would seem to me that the context following verse 11 would spiritually imply works for salvation and falling from grace.
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