Ezekiel 22:7 - Homiletics

Social sins.

The wickedness of Jerusalem was not confined to what might be called sins of religion—idolatry, sabbath-breaking, profanation of sacred things, etc. It was witnessed in gross outrages of social rights. Failure in religion leads to failure in society. Social wrongs are sins in the sight of Heaven which God observes, condemns, and punishes.

I. LOSS OF FILIAL REVERENCE . "They have set light by father and mother," The Hebrew Law attached great weight to the duty children owe to their parents ( Exodus 20:12 ). The requirement to honor father and mother was "the first commandment with promise" ( Ephesians 6:2 ). The breach of this law was a sin in the sight of God; so the prodigal son confessed that he had sinned against Heaven ( Luke 15:21 ). Christ condemned the mean devices by which some Jews in his day endeavored to escape from their filial duty ( Matthew 15:4 6). In this respect, the East, which we often despise for its supposed corruption and barbarism, is in advance of the West. One of the most ominous portents among us is a growing levity in the treatment of parental claims. No doubt it is well that the old stiffness of the family relationship has broken down, and that there is more mutual confidence between parents and children than there was in the olden times. Parental tyranny is no more admirable than filial rebellion. The formal manners which separated the older generation from the younger were hurtful to both. But with a fuller recognition of the rights of the young, and a greater freedom of intercourse between the older and the younger members of a family, we are in danger of losing filial reverence—one of the most sacred of duties. Well might King Lear exclaim—

"Sharper than a serpent's tooth it is

To have a thankless child!"

II. OPPRESSION OF THE STRANGER . Many and merciful were the regulations of the Jewish Law in favor of "the stranger that is within thy gates." In spite of the supposed Jewish exclusiveness—a trait of late Judaism rather than of ancient Israelite manners—the foreigner had a higher status in Jerusalem than was accorded by the liberal-minded Greeks at Athens to the Xenoi . Oppression of foreign residents was a sign of peculiar wickedness. The Jews were reminded that because they had been received as guests in Egypt and then betrayed by their hosts, they should feel peculiar sympathy with aliens. Let us Beware of selfish national exclusiveness. This is not patriotism; it is narrow-minded, selfish injustice and inhumanity. Observe some of the eases in which the sin of oppressing strangers may be committed.

1. Unkindness to foreign immigrants . England is the boasted shelter of the world's refugees. May she never forfeit her good name from greedy jealousy! Missions to Italian peddlers, lodging-houses for Lascars, etc; claim Christian attention for the saving of the poor and friendless from cruel wrong.

2. Cruelty to foreigners abroad . England has vast relations with feeble inferior races. The great empire of India is entrusted to our care. In Africa we have peculiar influence. The abominations of the treatment of women in the former ease, and the evil of the traffic in drink and firearms in the latter case, are instances of gross oppression of strangers.

III. VEXING THE FATHERLESS AND THE WIDOW . In the absence of a poor law, special attention was given to the provision for orphans and widows by private charity under the Jewish economy. But the rough justice of the East often failed to secure to the helpless even their own rights. Times of lawlessness were times when those poor persons suffered grievously. There is always a danger that the helpless should be trodden down in the fierce race of life. We cannot excuse such cruelty by quoting Adam Smith and Mill, as though the laws of political economy were sacred mandates or decrees of fate, instead of being simply generalizations of conduct prompted by self-interest. We are called to higher alms—to sympathy and mutual helpfulness.