The idea of interest -taking or giving being an inherent crime is capturing my imagination. It is a theme common to all major religions and ethical systems, except capitalism, indeed, capitalism is grounded in usury by definition,
I heard a preacher man talk on the radio bout Exodus 20:
The sins of the fathers, unto the 3rd and 4th generation, is well known passage and if you study a concordance you'll sell several instances over several books of the bible.
So the economics of divine justice are sins are visited unto the 3rd and 4th generation, but blessing unto the 100th. A father sinning has been told: it will affect 3 or 4 more generations. When one decides to do so, he is condemning his kids. On the other hand the goods people do goes onto 1000th generations. This sounds about right.... roughly 250 to one..... a little bit of good goes a long way, becuase it is rare, and wickedness is limited, since there is so much. Preacher men work this theme regularly.
But look at this, Ezekial 18, 13-23:
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
I heard a preacher man talk on the radio bout Exodus 20:
4“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
So the economics of divine justice are sins are visited unto the 3rd and 4th generation, but blessing unto the 100th. A father sinning has been told: it will affect 3 or 4 more generations. When one decides to do so, he is condemning his kids. On the other hand the goods people do goes onto 1000th generations. This sounds about right.... roughly 250 to one..... a little bit of good goes a long way, becuase it is rare, and wickedness is limited, since there is so much. Preacher men work this theme regularly.
But look at this, Ezekial 18, 13-23:
8 does not lend at interest or take any increase, withholds his hand from iniquity, executes true justice between man and man, 9 walks in my statutes, and is careful to observe my ordinances[a]—he is righteous, he shall surely live, says the Lord God. 13 lends at interest, and takes increase; shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominable things; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon himself.......takes no interest or increase, observes my ordinances, and walks in my statutes; he shall not die for his father’s iniquity; he shall surely live. 18 As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what is not good among his people, behold, he shall die for his iniquity.19 “Yet you say, ‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done what is lawful and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live. 20 The soul that sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.21 “But if a wicked man turns away from all his sins which he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 22 None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness which he has done he shall live. 23 Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? 24 But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity and does the same abominable things that the wicked man does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds which he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, he shall die....
I edited to take out some mention of other sins, but the passage turns on usury and how it is particularly evil, so that who does it does not pass on the sin to his kids. Pretty seriouse not for a particular sin. Wonder why?
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
0 comments:
Post a Comment