Jer. 7:31, 19:5, 32:35 are frequently alleged by Arminians that God did not ordain this sin. Open theists even use this passage to attempt to rague that God did not even know that Israel would commit such a sin. The passage is saying neither of these things. The rest of the particular, and particularly the prophets, are quite clear that God ordains the sin of Israel, indeed, even this very sin:
"25 Moreover, I gave them statutes that were not good and rules by which they could not have life, 26 and I defiled them through their very gifts in their offering up all their firstborn, that I might devastate them. I did it that they might know that I am the Lord."-Ezek. 20:25-26.
This fact is further reflected in later revelation when Paul describes, in Rom. 7:1-13 and Gal. 3:21-23 how the function of the Mosaic Law which these very Israelites were under, was not to restrain their sin but rather to aggravate their sin in order to demonstrate the futility of attempting to obey God and merit salvation according to one's own efforts(cf. Rom. 4:15, 5:20). God has no problem ordaining in decree what he forbids in precept and command(Ezek. 14:9, Exod. 10:1-4).
"O Lord, why do you make us wander from your ways
and harden our heart, so that we fear you not?"-Isa. 63:17
Jeremiah himself teaches this:
"And I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and their daughters, and everyone shall eat the flesh of his neighbor in the siege and in the distress, with which their enemies and those who seek their life afflict them.’"(Jer. 19:9, cf. Isa. 9:20, Ezek. 5:20, Lam. 2:20. This is one of the standard covenant curses to which Israel was subject when she rebelled(Lev. 26:29, Deut. 28:53, 55).
Then what about these passages? The ISV and NLT translations make it clear that Jeremiah is simply saying that it never entered into God's command to command such a thing, not that he either didn't command or even didn't know that such a thing would happen:
"They built the high places of Baal that are in the Hinnom Valley in order to sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molech—something that I didn't command, nor did it ever enter my mind for them to require this utterly repugnant thing—and lead Judah into sin."-ISV
"They have built pagan shrines to Baal in the valley of Ben-Hinnom, and there they sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molech. I have never commanded such a horrible deed; it never even crossed my mind to command such a thing. What an incredible evil, causing Judah to sin so greatly!"-NLT













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