They have dealt corruptly with him. They are not his children, because of their defect. They are a perverse and crooked generation.
Parallel Translations
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They have dealt corruptly with him. They are not his children, because of their defect. They are a perverse and crooked generation.
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They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation.
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Is corruption His? No; His children's is the blemish; a generation crooked and perverse.
Cross-references (18)
Passages linked to Deuteronomy 32:5 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Isaiah 1:4 Ah sinful nation, a people loaded with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken Yahweh. They have despised the Holy One of Israel. They are estranged and backward.
- Philippians 2:15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without defect in the middle of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world,
- Matthew 17:17 Jesus answered, “Faithless and perverse generation! How long will I be with you? How long will I bear with you? Bring him here to me.”
- Deuteronomy 31:29 For I know that after my death you will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn away from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will happen to you in the latter days, because you will do that which is evil in Yahweh’s sight, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands.”
- Luke 9:41 Jesus answered, “Faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.”
- Psalms 78:8 and might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that didn’t make their hearts loyal, whose spirit was not steadfast with God.
- Hosea 9:9 They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah. He will remember their iniquity. He will punish them for their sins.
- Matthew 16:4 An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and there will be no sign given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” He left them, and departed.
- Genesis 6:12 God saw the earth, and saw that it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.
- Exodus 32:7 Yahweh spoke to Moses, “Go, get down; for your people, who you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves!
- Judges 2:19 But when the judge was dead, they turned back, and dealt more corruptly than their fathers in following other gods to serve them and to bow down to them. They didn’t cease what they were doing, or give up their stubborn ways.
- Zephaniah 3:7 I said, “Just fear me. Receive correction, so that her dwelling won’t be cut off, according to all that I have appointed concerning her.” But they rose early and corrupted all their doings.
- Matthew 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
- Acts 7:51 “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so you do.
- 2 Corinthians 11:3 But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
- Deuteronomy 4:16 lest you corrupt yourselves, and make yourself a carved image in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
- Deuteronomy 9:24 You have been rebellious against Yahweh from the day that I knew you.
- John 8:41 You do the works of your father.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father, God.”
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Deu 32:5 They have corrupted themselves, their spot [is]…
Deu 32:5 They have corrupted themselves, their spot [is] not [the spot] of his children: [they are] a perverse and crooked generation.
Ver. 5. Their spot is not the spot.] Saints also have their spots, but not ingrained; not leopards’ spots, that are not in the skin only, but the flesh and bones, in the sinews, and the most inner parts, and so cannot be cured by any art, or washed away with any water. It is of incogitancy that the saints fall; put them in mind, and they mend all: it is of passion, and passions last not long. They are preoccupated, taken at unawares, &c. {Gal 6:1} They have ever God for their chief end, and will not forego him upon any terms: only they err in the way, as thinking they may fulfil such a lust, and God keep too; but there is no way of wickedness found in them. Though shaken, yet they are rooted as trees, and though they wag up and down, yet they remove not, - as a ship at anchor. Sin stings the wicked, as the fiery serpents did the Israelites: the sins of the saints are but like the viper on Paul’s hand, that hurt him not. Sin makes wicked men the object of God’s hatred, the saints of his pity: as we hate poison in a toad, but we pity it in a man; in the one it is their nature, in the other their disease.
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Perverse and crooked.] They wriggle and writhe after the manner of wrestlers, that wave up and down, and wind the other way: so the Hebrew word signifieth.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain They, i.e. the Israelites, as the following words manifest.
They, i.e. the Israelites, as the following words manifest.
Corrupted themselves: this phrase sometimes in Scripture notes sin, and sometimes destruction. And so the sense may be either,
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1. Their wickedness is not from God, but from themselves, and their own choice; they have wilfully and industriously depraved themselves, and sold themselves to sin. Or rather,
2. Their destruction is not from God. who is just and true, &c., as was now said, but wholly and solely from themselves, and from their own wickedness, as it here follows.
Their spot is not the spot of his children, i.e. their blemishes or sins are not committed through ignorance, or frailty, or surprisal, as good men sometimes sin, but they proceed from design and deliberation, are accompanied with malice, and wilfulness, and contempt, and followed with obstinacy, impenitency, and incorrigibleness. So that they carry themselves not like my children and people, as they seem to be and profess to be, but like mine enemies.
They are a perverse and crooked generation; not only some few of them, but the whole body or generation of them, are
perverse, i.e. froward and untractable,
and crooked, i.e. irregular and disorderly, not agreeing with the straight and righteous nature of God and of his law. Compare Isa 42:16.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain They have corrupted themselves,.... This and what follows may…
They have corrupted themselves,.... This and what follows may seem to be the characters of the enemies of Christ, who lightly esteemed and rejected him, set in a contrast with him; who were not only corrupt by nature, as all men are, but were men of corrupt minds in their tenets and principles; who corrupted the word of God by their traditions, in the times of Christ; and were men of corrupt practices themselves, and corrupters of others:
their spot is not the spot of his children; of the children of the divine Person before described; Christ the rock has "children" given him by his Father, in whose adoption he has a concern, and by whose Spirit they are regenerated: these have their "spots"; by which are meant sins, and by those men are stained and polluted; so called in allusion to the spots of animals, as leopards; or to spots in faces and garments, through dirt and the like: by nature they are as others, and while in an unregenerate estate, and indeed after conversion; though they are washed from their sins by the blood of Christ, and are justified by his righteousness, and so without spot, yet in themselves they are not without spots or sins, as their confessions and complaints, and all experience testify: but the spots or sins of wicked men are not like theirs; the children of Christ sin through infirmity of the flesh, and the force of temptation, but wicked men through the malignity of their hearts, willingly and purposely; what good men do of this kind they hate, but what Christless and graceless sinners do they love; saints do not continue in sin, but ungodly men do, and proceed to more ungodliness, and wax worse and worse; gracious souls when they sin, are sorry for it, repent of it, are melted for it, and take shame to themselves on account of it; but unconverted men repent not of their wickedness, are hardened in it, and glory of it; see the character of the Jews in Christ's time, to which this song refers, Joh 8:44; though these clauses may be rendered to another sense, more agreeably to the context, and to the Hebrew accents, as they are by some; "is there any corruption in him? no" (n), that is, is there any corruption in the illustrious Person before described, as without iniquity, just, and right? no, none at all in his nature, divine or human; not in his divine nature, being the incorruptible God; nor in his human nature, which is entirely free from that corruption by sin, common to all that des, tend from Adam by natural generation, he being conceived under the power of the Holy Ghost; nor any in his life and conversation, being perfectly agreeable to the pure and holy law of God; nor any in his doctrines, however they may be charged by ignorant and malicious men, a proof of which follows: or "his children are their spot" (o); so the clause may be rendered; the spots of the Jewish nation, the most wicked and vilest among them, became his children; not only the lowest and meanest of them, as to civil and worldly things, but the more ignorant and the more wicked, even publicans and harlots; these, and not the righteous, he came to call and save, and did receive; these were regenerated by his grace, and they believed in him; and to them gave he power to become his children: but then did they remain the wicked persons they had been? no, they were made new creatures, they were internally sanctified, and lived holy lives and conversations; a clear proof this, that there was no corruption in Christ, nor in his doctrine, and that he neither by his tenets nor example encouraged sin, but all the reverse; Wisdom is justified of her children, Mat 11:19; but then the rest, and the far greater part of the Jewish nation, in his time, have their character truly drawn, as follows:
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they are a perverse and crooked generation; men of perverse and crooked natures, tempers, dispositions, ways, and works; who walked contrary to the will and law of God, and were indeed contrary to all men, Th1 2:15; this is the very character that is given of them, Mat 17:17.
(n) "an est ipsi corruptio? non", Cocceius, van Till, Vitringa. (o) "filii ejus macula eorum", Van Till; "filii ejus labes ipsorum", Cocceius.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain They - The Israelites. Their spot - The wickedness…
They - The Israelites. Their spot - The wickedness with which they are stained, is not of his children - Plainly shews they are not his children, but the devil's. God's children have no such spot. Indeed this text does not affirm, they have any spot at all. Perverse - Froward and untractable: Crooked - Irregular and disorderly.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 5. Their spot is not the spot of…
Verse 5. Their spot is not the spot of his children] This verse is variously translated and variously understood. They are corrupted, not his, children of pollution. - KENNICOTT. They are corrupt, they are not his children, they are blotted. - HOUBIGANT. This is according to the Samaritan. The interpretation commonly given to these words is as unfounded as it is exceptionable: "God's children have their spots, i. e., their sins, but sin in them is not like sin in others; in others sin is exceedingly sinful, but God does not see the sins of his children as he sees the sins of his enemies," c. Unfortunately for this bad doctrine, there is no foundation for it in the sacred text, which, though very obscure, may be thus translated: He (Israel) hath corrupted himself. They (the Israelites) are not his children: they are spotted. Coverdale renders the whole passage thus: "The froward and overthwart generation have marred themselves to himward, and are not his children because of their deformity." This is the sense of the verse. Let it be observed that the word spot, which is repeated in our translation, occurs but once in the original, and the marginal reading is greatly to be preferred: He hath corrupted to himself, that they are not his children that is their blot. And because they had the blot of sin on them, because they were spotted with iniquity and marked idolaters, therefore God renounces them. There may be here an allusion to the marks which the worshippers of particular idols had on different parts of their bodies, especially on their foreheads; and as idolatry is the crime with which they are here charged, the spot or mark mentioned may refer to the mark or stigma of their idol. The different sects of idolaters in the East are distinguished by their sectarian marks, the stigma of their respective idols. These sectarian marks, particularly on the forehead, amount to nearly one hundred among the Hindoos, and especially among the two sects, the worshippers of Seeva, and the worshippers of Vishnoo. In many cases these marks are renewed daily, for they account it irreligious to perform any sacred rite to their god without his mark on the forehead; the marks are generally horizontal and perpendicular lines, crescents, circles, leaves, eyes, c., in red, black, white, and yellow. This very custom is referred to in Re 20:4, where the beast gives his mark to his followers, and it is very likely that Moses refers to such a custom among the idolatrous of his own day. This removes all the difficulty of the text. God's children have no sinful spots, because Christ saves them from their sins and their motto or mark is, Holiness to the Lord.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Deu 32:5. They have corrupted themselves — Notwithstanding that…
Deu 32:5. They have corrupted themselves — Notwithstanding that God hath fully displayed these excellences in his dealings with the Israelitish nation, yet how corrupt and ungrateful hath been their behaviour! Their spot — The wickedness with which they are stained; is not of his children — Plainly shows they are not his children, but of their father the devil, Joh 8:44. God’s children have no such spot. Indeed, the text does not affirm that they have any spot at all. The Hebrew לא בניו מומםlo banau, mumam, may be properly rendered as in the margin, or, as Le Clerc has it, according to the Samaritan version, the sons of pollution are not his. The true characteristic of the sons of God is to imitate and resemble God, 1Jn 3:10. It is true they are not without infirmities of various kinds, from which none dwelling in flesh are exempt. But they do not give that name to known sin, which they are always careful to avoid, and to walk in all well-pleasing before God. On the contrary, the Israelites are here denominated a perverse and crooked generation; froward and untractable; irregular and disorderly. In opposition to such characters the sons of God are described (Php 2:15) as “being blameless and harmless in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, shining as lights in the world, and holding forth the word of life.”
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Filth, or idolatry. The fidelity of God is contrasted…
Filth, or idolatry. The fidelity of God is contrasted with the infidelity of his people, who deserve not to be called his children. The Septuagint, Chaldean, Syriac, and Arabic, seem to have read in a different manner from what the Hebrew does at present. (Calmet) --- As it stands it is quite unintelligible: Corrupit, non filii ejus, macula eorum. Two letters have been carelessly inserted, and la has been placed after lu, contrary to the Samaritan text, which is perfectly clear: "They are corrupted, they are not his, but filii maculæ, children defiled." (Houbigant, prol. 75.) --- Capellus (p. 288,) condemns the Septuagint as he follows a wrong punctuation, and translates, "they did not sin against him, reprehensible children;" whereas, it more properly signifies, "they sinned, not his, but children deserving reprehension, (or children of blame, they did not belong or stick close to him) being a crooked and perverse generation." (Haydock) --- Their wickedness cannot be attributed to God. He is no less powerful and holy, though they have given themselves up to the service of idols. (St. Augustine, q. 55.) (Calmet) --- He had given them all necessary instructions and assistance; so that, finding them always prone to evil, the more favours he heaped upon them, he was on the point of exterminating all the guilty at once, ver. 26. (Haydock)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain They have corrupted themselves--that is, the Israelites by their…
They have corrupted themselves--that is, the Israelites by their frequent lapses and their inveterate attachment to idolatry.
their spot is not the spot of his children--This is an allusion to the marks which idolaters inscribe on their foreheads or their arms with paint or other substances, in various colors and forms--straight, oval, or circular, according to the favorite idol of their worship.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 5. They have corrupted themselves — A striking contrast…
5. They have corrupted themselves — A striking contrast is now presented. Jehovah, their God, is perfect, is unchangeable. The nation — for the prophet looks down the future and sees the rebellion and apostasy of Israel — becomes corrupt.
Their spot is not the spot of his children — It is not easy to render the Hebrew of this passage. Literally it is, not his children, their blemish. Instead of being Jehovah’s true children they are of such a character that they stain the family. Compare the figure used 2Pe_2:13, where false teachers and false brethren are called “spots” and “blemishes” in the Church.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 5. The text of the first line is corrupt;…
5. The text of the first line is corrupt; lit. he has dealt corruptly (as in Deu_9:12, cp. Deu_31:29) with him, not his sons, their blemish. Sam. LXX: they dealt corruptly not his sons, blameworthy things. Possible emendations, they dealt corruptly with him sons of blemish; his sons have corrupted their faithfulness to him; or as above. The line is overloaded. On blemish in physical sense see Deu_15:21, Deu_17:1.
twisted and crooked] Or tortuous; cp. Deu_5:20.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (5)— “He (Israel) hath destroyed himself.
(5)— “He (Israel) hath destroyed himself.
Their undutifulness,[5] that is their blot,
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[5] Literally, they are no sons to him. (Comp. Deu_32:20.)
A froward and crooked generation !”
These first two lines are given up as hopeless by many interpreters, not because the words are difficult of translation, but from the great variety of possible interpretations. After careful consideration of the passage with a learned Christian Hebrew,[6] I venture to propound this as the true translation. It is substantially identical with that of the English margin. The Hebrew consists of five words only (1) “He-hath-corrupted (2) to-him (3) not (4) his-sons (5) their blemish.” That the first two ought to be taken together, if the text is correct, seems certain. The same construction is found in Num_32:15, “ye shall destroy all this people,” and also in 1Sa_23:10, “to destroy the city.” As to the third and fourth words, we have thought that their true relation is the same which we find in Deu_32:21, a “not-God,” and a “not-people,” and also in Deu_32:5, “not-wise.” In like manner Israel are in this verse called “not-sons of His.” Their not-sonship, their unfilial, undutiful, ungodly behaviour to Him who is the perfection of truth and sincerity, a very Rock of fidelity to them, that is their great blemish. He has said, “Israel is my son, even my firstborn.” But all Israel’s behaviour gives Him the lie. The contrast between the two descriptions—the faithful God of Deu_32:4, and the unfaithful children of Deu_32:5—is the cardinal point in the verse. In the form of the expression, lo-bânâv is strictly parallel to the Lo-ammi of Hos_1:9. The “froward and crooked generation” supplies two words to Psa_18:26, “with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward” Compare also the context of the two passages. Many other interpretations have been proposed, and some have altered the text. I believe the text to be correct, and that this is the true meaning.
[6] Mr. Bernhard Maimon, to whom I desire once for all to express my great obligations for assistance in this and many other difficulties.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Vers. 5-14. Ungrateful men interrogated.
Vers. 5-14. Ungrateful men interrogated.
In almost every clause of this paragraph there is some specific allusion, for the elucidation of which the reader will refer to the Exposition. The commentary of Dr. Jameson thereon is very valuable. Our aim is strictly homiletic. The central words around which the preacher"s expository thoughts may gather are these ye thus requite the Lord?" Three main lines of illustration are suggested.
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I HERE IS A REHEARSAL OF THE DIVINE LOVING-KINDNESS AND TENDER MERCIES.
1. There is the mercy of redemption. "Is not he thy Father that hath bought thee?
2. There is the mercy of Divine choice of Israel as a people. "Hath he not made thee, and established thee?" (see also vers. 7, 8).
3. There is Divine leadership. "He led him about," etc.
4. There is Divine guardianship. "He kept him as the apple of his eye.
5. There is Divine help and training of the most tender kind. A wonderful description is given thereof in ver. 11.
6. There is abundant Divine provision for the wants of the ransomed ones (vers. 13, 14). Each one of these six points may be enlarged upon, as applicable to present gospel blessings and providential mercies.
II HERE IS A STRANGE RESPONSE TO SUCH ABOUNDINGS OF MERCY, The burden of Moses here is not unlike that of a far later prophet, even Isaiah. (see Isa_1:2-4) The moan of many of God"s prophets has been the same ever since; it is so now. The contrast between God"s bounty and man"s perversity causes a grief almost too heavy to be borne. Here are at least five complaints.
1. They are corrupt.
2. They are perverse, or false.
3. They are crooked, twisted.
4. They are foolish, not acting as reasonable men.
5. Instead of being like his children, they are a spot upon them a stain (see Hebrew).
The question may fairly be asked, Who are they of whom similar complaints may be made now?
We reply:
1. Those who profess to be the people of God, and who show no signs whatever that their profession is real.
2. Those of God"s children who are but half-hearted in their love and zeal.
3. Those who are ready with lip-service, but are grievously defective in Christian morality.
4. Those who have neither yielded themselves to God nor yet made any profession thereof. Of all such, similar complaints may be made to those here laid against Israel of old.
III HERE IS A REASONABLE QUESTION. It is, indeed, a reproachful one. And if ever the servants of God now take it up and apply it to the heart and conscience of their hearers, it should be done with the utmost tenderness, even unto tears; remembering, on the one hand, how infinitely greater the mercies of God are now, compared with aught that Moses knew; and also considering themselves, how often they have been as ungrateful Israel of old, and that, if it had not been for almighty grace, would have been ungrateful still. The solemn and sorrowful interrogative ye thus requite the Lord? may be pressed home in a series ofcumulative inquiries. It may be asked:
1. Is this the natural return for mercies so great?
2. Do not such love and care demand a holy and grateful life?
3. Can any reason whatever justify so poor a response as God has yet received?
4. Have men no remorse in the review of the contrast between God"s mercies and their sin?
5. Should not remorse lead on to repentance?
6. And shall not this penitent life begin now? It is quite certain that, though God is long-suffering, "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance," he will not always allow his mercies to be thus trifled with. (see Am 4) But why, why should men compel us to present thus "the terrors of the Lord?" He would rather win by love. Judgment is "his strange work."
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain They have corrupted themselves.
Deu_32:5
They have corrupted themselves.
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Man corrupting his way
If we consider what this people seemed once to be, and thought themselves to be, we may easily know how they corrupted themselves. If ye look on them at one time (Exo_19:8; Deu_5:27) ye would call them children. There was never a fairer undertaking of obedience. But compare all this peoples practice with this profession, and you shall find it exceeding contrary; they indeed corrupted themselves, though they got warning to take heed of it (Deu_4:15). But, alas! it was within them that destroyed them; there was not such a heart in them as to hear and obey; but they undertake, being ignorant of their own deceitful hearts, which were desperately wicked. And therefore behold what corruption followed upon such a professed resolution: they never sooner promised obedience but they disobeyed; they did abominable works and did no good, and this is to corrupt their way (Psa_14:1). We may make this song our own. We have corrupted ourselves. Once we had a fair show of zeal for God, of love and desire of reformation of life, many solemn undertakings were that we should amend our doings. But what is the fruit of all? Alas! we have corrupted ourselves more than Israel promised, but we vowed to the most High amendment of life. Lay this rule to our practices, and are we not a perverse generation? Oh! that we were more affected with our corruptions, and were more sensible of them; then we could not choose but mourn for our own and the lands departing from God. There is a great noise of a public reformation of ordinances and worship; but, alas! the deformation of life and practice outcries all that noise. Every man useth to impute his faults to something beside himself. Ere men take with their own iniquity, they will charge God that gave no more grace. But if men knew themselves, they would deduce their corruption and destruction both from one fountain, that is, from themselves. What was the fountain of this peoples corruptions and apostatising from their professions? The Lord hints at it (Deu_5:25). Oh, that they had such a heart! Alas! poor people, ye know not yourselves that speak so well; I know thee better than thou dost thyself. I will declare unto thee thy own thought: thou hast not such a heart as to do what thou sayest. If thou knewest this fountain of original corruption thou wouldst despair of doing, and say, I cannot serve the Lord. Why is our way corrupted? Because our hearts within were not cleansed, and because they were not known. If we had dried up the fountain, the streams had ceased; but we did only dam it up, and cut off some streams for a season. We set up our resolutions and purposes as an hedge to hold it in, but the sea of the hearts iniquity, that is above all things, hath overflowed it, and defiled our way more than in former times. Times do not bring evils along with them, they do but discover what was hid before. All the evils and corruptions you now see among us, where were they in the day of our first love, when we were as a beloved child? Have all these risen up of late? No, certainly; all that you have seen and found were before, though they did not appear. Before they were in the root, now you see the fruit. Now, so it is with us; we have corrupted ourselves still more. Backsliding cometh on as grey hairs, here and there, and is not perceived by beholders. No man becometh worst at first. There are many steps between that and good. Corruption comes on mens way as in fruits; some one part beginneth to alter, and then it groweth worse, and putrifieth and corrupteth the rest of the parts. An apple rots not all at once, so it is with us. Men begin at leisure, but they run post or all be done. (H. Binning.)
Not the spot of His children.
The secret spot
There are frequently great difficulties in identifying the persons of men, even when they have been distinctly seen. Our police courts have given us most serious evidence that men may be utterly deceived as to the identity of individuals. Turning to the moral universe, identity there is far more difficult to be made out, for both the moral and religious world swarm with pretenders. You cannot know to a certainty who among your acquaintances is a Christian and who is not. You see the text talks about certain secret spots. These are tokens in which men cannot so readily deceive as to their identity. The mother will be able to tell whether this is her child or not by the spot which is known to none but herself. The pretender may be very like her child: the voice may be the voice of Jacob, and the hands may not be dissimilar, and he may be able to relate many things concerning his youth which it would seem that none but the real child could know; but the mother recollects that there was a secret spot, and if that be not there, she turns aside the pretender; but ii she discovers that private token, she knows the claimant to be her child. There are secret marks upon every Christian, and if we have not the spot of Gods child too, it will little avail us how fairly in our outward garb and manner we may conform ourselves to the members of the heavenly family.
I. First, then, at the mention of private spots which are to be the insignia of the regenerate, there are thousands who say, We do not shirk that examination. Truly, the signs of saints are in us also! Are others Israelites? so are we: we challenge an investigation. Be it so, then! Let us commence a minute examination. I am not now to deal with anything that is public. We are not speaking now about actions or words, but concerning those secret things which men have judged to be infallible marks of their being saved. Here is a friend before us, and as he lays bare his heart he indicates to us the spot which he thinks proclaims him to be a child of God. I will describe it. The man has embraced sound doctrine. Wherever he goes, his whole talk is of his favourite Shibboleth, The truth! The truth! Not that the aforesaid truth has ever renewed his nature; not that it has at all made him a better husband or a kinder father; not that it influences him in trade. Now, sir, we do not hesitate to say concerning you, although you will not be best pleased with us for it, that Four spot is not the spot of the children of God. No form of doctrine, however Scriptural, can ever save the soul if it be only received by the head, and does not work in its mighty energy upon the heart. Ye must be born again, is the Saviours word; and unless ye be born again, your carnal nature may hold the truth in the letter without discerning the spirit; and while the truth shall be dishonoured by being so held, you yourself shall not be benefited thereby.
II. What is the true secret spot which infallibly betokens the child of God? As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name. Here it is, then: if I have received Christ Jesus into my heart, then I am a child of God. That reception is described in the second clause as a believing on the name of Jesus Christ. If, then, I believe on Jesus Christs name, I am a member of the family of the Most High.
III. The discrimination of defiling spots. The term spot as used in the text will not be read usually as we have read it. It will, no doubt, to most readers suggest the idea of sin, and very properly so--then the text would run thus: the sin of the people mentioned here is not the sin of Gods people. There is a difference between their guilt and the offences of the Lords chosen. There is a discrimination to be made, even as to sinful spots. God forbid that you should imagine that I wish to excuse the sins of believers. In some views, when a believer sins, his sin is worse than that of other men, because he offends against greater light; he revolts against greater love and mercy; he flies in the teeth of his profession; he does despite to the Cross of Christ, and he brings dishonour upon the name of Jesus. Believers cannot sin cheaply. The very least speck on a Christian is more plainly seen than the foulest blot on the ungodly, just as a white dress shows the dirt the sooner. Sin is a horrible thing, and, it is above all things detestable when it lurks in a child of God; yet the sins of Gods people do differ from the sins of other men in many important respects: they do not sin with cool determination, meaning to sin and sinning for its own sake. A sinner in his sins is a bird in the air, but the believer in sin is like the fish that leaps for a while into the air, but must be back again or die. Sin cannot be satisfactory to an immortal spirit regenerated by the Holy Ghost. If you sin, you have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; but if you sin and love sin, then you are the servant of sin, and not the child of God. Again, the child of God cannot look back upon sin with any kind of complacency. The ungodly man has this spot, that after the sin he even boasts of it,; he will tell to others that he enjoyed himself greatly in his wicked sport. Ah, saith he, how sweet it is! But no man of God ever sins without smarting.
IV. An exhortation. To make sure work for eternity, and to make it clear to your own consciences that you are the children of God. A famous case is now pending, in which a person claims to be the son of a deceased baronet. Whether he be or not I suppose will ere long be decided by the highest authorities; meanwhile the case is pending, a very weighty case for him, for upon the decision will hang his possession or non-possession of vast estates and enormous property. Now, in your case you, many of you, profess to be the children of God, and heaven hangs upon the question of the truthfulness of your profession. A child of God! Then your portion is eternal life. An heir of wrath, even as others! Then your heritage will be eternal death. Is it uncertain now whether you are a child of God or not? Is it uncertain now whether your spot is the spot of Gods children? Then let not an hour pass over your head till you have said, Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The children and the spots
I. Gods children have their spots in this life. How many spots does the holy eye of God observe upon us every day!
II. There is an essential difference between the spots of Gods children and the spots of the unregenerate. Certainly ill the sight of God there is no difference in sin. Its nature is the same. And sin upon one of Gods children, abstractedly considered, is hateful.
1. Unregenerate men sin deliberately and habitually. When did you find a good man that was an habitual sinner?
2. Unregenerate men sin freely: there is no principle in their heart which stands opposed to sin.
3. In unregenerate minds there is always a love to some particular sin; but in the regenerate there is no one sin but he desires the death of it.
4. How different are the feelings of the regenerate and unregenerate, after having committed the same sin, both alike in the sight of men! An unregenerate man may weep bitterly: what is the cause? Shame! Men know it; he is afraid of punishment. But what produces the grief which a believer feels? Because he has given blasphemy among men; because he has offended his God, and has built up a wall between God and his soul. If a child of God has fallen, it will render him watchful and prayerful: if a wicked ,man gain peace, he will go his way, and sin on. (John Hyatt.)
The spot of Gods children
I. Gods people have their spot or distinctive symbol. The term spot is here plainly employed in allusion to the distinctive badge which idolaters were wont to receive upon their foreheads, faces or hands, to show what God they worshipped (Rev_20:4). Now, the Lords worshippers have their distinct mark, impressed not upon their persons, but upon their spirit, temper, principles, conversation, and behaviour, which is holiness unto the Lord (Jer_2:3). This has been the mark of Gods people from the beginning, and is so still (Zec_14:20).
II. The dishonour of those who have not the spot of His children. The marginal reading gives a remarkably important turn to the meaning of the text. They are not His children, this is their blot. That all are not His children who are so accounted, will be readily admitted, seeing the visible Church embraces many who do not exhibit the distinguishing mark. And, if within the pale of the Church are found those who are not Gods children, what estimate shall we form of those who are without? And if all who are not Gods children might be if they would, what a fearful blot is this upon their character!
1. What a reflection on any mans understanding to think lightly of so great a benefit:
2. Again, what must be his peril who is living in this state? What his misery who is without hope and God in the world? Shall such a blot remain long upon any of us? (J. Burdsall.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 General Information:
General Information:
Moses speaks a poetic song to the people of Israel. Moses continues to use parallelism to emphasize what he is saying. (See: Parallelism)
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acted corruptly against him
"opposed him by doing what is wrong." See how you translated these words in Deuteronomy 04:16.
a perverted and crooked generation
The words "perverted" and "crooked" mean basically the same thing. Moses uses them to emphasize how wicked the generation is. AT: "a completely wicked generation" (See: Doublet)
Do you reward Yahweh in this way ... people?
Moses uses a question to scold the people. AT: "You should give Yahweh proper praise ... people." (See: Rhetorical Question)
you foolish and senseless people
The words "foolish" and "senseless" mean the same thing and emphasize how foolish the people are for disobeying Yahweh. AT: "you extremely foolish people" (See: Doublet)
your father ... has created you ... made you and established you
Moses speaks to the Israelites as if they were one man, so the words "you" and "your" here are singular.
Is he not your father, the one who has created you?
Moses uses a question to scold the people. This rhetorical question can be translated as a statement. AT: "Yahweh is your father and the one who created you." (See: Rhetorical Question)
translationWords
corrupt
children
generation
reward
Yahweh
fool
people group
ancestor
create
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.