Page:Studies in the Scriptures - Series I - The Plan of the Ages (1909).djvu/118

 systematic order of God's plan, the " due time " for the ac- complishment of every feature of it, and the fefi, that every member of the human race has a place in it.

We can now see that those Amaiekites, Sodomites and others were set forth as examples of God's just indignation, and of his determination to destroy Anally and utterly evil- doers ; examples which will be of service not only to others, but also to themselves, when their day of judgment or trial comes. Those people might just as well die in that way as horn disease and plague. It mattered little to them, as they were merely learning to know evil, that when on trial, in due time, they might learn righteousness, and be able to dis- criminate and choose the good and have life.

But let us examine theprophecy further. After comparing Israel with Sodom and Samaria, and pronouncing Israel the most blameworthy (EzeL id: 48-54), the Lord says, "When I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then will I bring again the captivity of thy cap- tives in the midst of them. " The captivity referred to con be no other than their captivity in death j for those men- tioned werethen dead. In death allare captives; and Christ comes to open the doors of the grave, and to set at liberty the captives, (Isa* 61 : i; ZecL ps ir.) In verse 55 this is called a "return to their former estate" a restitution.

Some, who are willing enough to accept of God's mercy through Christ in the forgiveness of their own trespasses and weaknesses under greater light and knowledge, cannot con- ceive of the same fevor being applicable under the New Covenant to others; though they seem to admit the Apos- tle's statement that Jesus Christ, by the favor of God, tasted death for every man. Some of these suggest that the Lord must, in this prophecy, be speaking ironically to the Jews, implying that he would just as willingly bring back the Sod-

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