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AskELM’s Ernest L. Martin on God commanding idolatry

We continue, from part 1, part 2, considering Ernest L. Martin, Ph.D.’s article titled, “Lingering Idolatry in the Temple of God,” AskELM (as in Ask Ernest L. Martin about whom I previously wrote Nightmare on AskElm Street – angelic “Sons of God”?), September 1, 2000 AD which contains some interesting point, some thought provoking speculations and some very serious errors.

Now comes a key point of Martin’s article:

Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live; 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.

Ernest Martin seems to think that God giving them statutes that were “not good, and judgments whereby they should not live” means that God purposefully, for example, tempted them towards idolatry and overall commanded them to perform acts that are against God’s very will—go figure. Yet, note that the context has been that His commandments were ignored, broken, He was rebelled against, etc.
Ernest L. Martin wrote of this text, “That is, God gave them commands which resulted in them NOT living in a righteous and proper manner.” Yet, note that it was “in their own gifts” which were clearly not given to the true God nor according to His law that “I polluted them” as a result as one example of that which they did was human-child sacrifice, “pass through the fire.”

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Thus, “statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live” seems to mean that which theology terms “positive commandments” versus “negative commandments,” in other words: positive as in things that are to be done and negative as in things that are not to be done—thou shall and thou shall not.
This specific portion of the text seems to have God stating that He told them to not do certain things “statutes that were” pertaining to things that were “not good” statutes that were negative, statutes that were about things to not be done and “judgments whereby they should not live” which seals the interpretive deal. This is another case of a complete thought which is just that; to reiterate: “statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live.” Those things they should not have done which God specified to them were not to be done such as the example of human-child sacrifice.

Now, keep in mind that the text continued referring to the old corrupt ungodly ways of the past generation, the fathers, and it continues emphasizing this:

…in this your fathers have blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me…when I had brought them into the land…they offered there their sacrifices…say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations?
For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols…ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.

Finally, God gives them over to idolatry as they have so rebelled against Him, “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.” Yet, God notes that “in mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel…all the house of Israel, all of them in the land” can still serve Him, “there will I accept them.” Also:

I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen….I shall bring you into the land of Israel…there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed….your wicked ways…your corrupt doings

Do you see how much richer the meaning becomes when kept, understood and elucidated within a greater context?


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