(Verse 20) - We have already seen that they were guilty of the grossest of slander and deceit. Now they move on to the worst possible manifestation of that sin - that directed against even those who are closest to us. In virtually all cultures family is sacred. Even the most hardened of criminals usually pays deference to his family and reserves them from any of his criminal activity. It is a most vile and thoroughly depraved act to prey on those who ought to be the closest to us. Yet, this is precisely what these had done.

This is both literal and metaphorical. It is literal in that they we quite literally deceiving the one's in their own families. It is metaphoric in that they were leading others down a deceptive path of thinking they were right with God but ready were not.

''Slander" is literally "give to ruin" or "aim a blow". It is both a realistic  and a poetic expression of what was happening. The hypocritical approach to religion that they espoused was quite literally ''leading them to ruin". The deliberate nature of the actions made it as if they were ''aiming a blow" at them. Remember, we are talking about family here!

We should remember that polygamy was tolerated here. Mary children could have the same father. The idea here is the absence of natural affection. They did not have the natural degree of care that would normally prevent such activity. Hardened sin has this effect on those who give themselves over to it.

(Verse 21) - This is not to be taken as anything other than the expression of great patience on God's part. The fact that God restrained judgment can only be seen as an act of mercy. How? By giving more and more time for repentance. In a world that has given itself over to sin, God could have exercised judgment long ago. Yet, He did not. What else can it be but patience and mercy?

The withholding of judgment is not the absence of it. This is the erroneous conclusion at which the Jews had arrived. They had concluded that there would be no judgment for their hypocrisy. They would simply die and cease to exist. There would be no accounting to the Father and certainly no payment for their disobedience to His command.

''Like you" means that they imagined God was like men in that He could let sin go by. This shows us another possibility - that is that God might simply let them off the hook, sort of say ''Oh well, that's OK, forget about it  - we'll pretend it just didn't happen." We do that kind of thing as humans all the time. After all, we are all human who among us is without his own flaws. Well, God is without flaw, and it is a gave error to imagine Him to be as a man.

We often try to reimagine God in our own image. we seem to have a tremendous vested interest in God being like a man. This is almost like a sport with us. Tune and again throughout history we have seen heresy after heresy arise that has tried to make God like a man. At present, there are those who, in the guise of protecting the will and responsibility of man have made man sovereign and made God like man. This, of course, is more than merely tragic. It is catastrophic!

Here we see another of the ''big buts'' of Scripture. Contrary to their persuasion God would rebuke them. Rebuke carries the sense of demonstrating to them their error. God will correct them and see to it that they are put in their place. God will vindicate Himself and His Word.

''Will" demonstrates the determination of God and speaks of the surety of His action. This is not a maybe - it is a definite thing. There is no possibility of God failing to judge. Of all the certainties in life, none is more sure than this. Despite the seeming absence of judgment, despite the fact that it may appear that men have escaped judgment altogether, God will judge. Nothing is more than this. 

"Set them in order" is literally "array" them. This speaking of the itemizing of their sins. The nature of this judgment is such that it involves an accounting for the deeds done in the flesh. If there is a truth about how God does things, it is that He is detailed and systematic. We are assured in the Bible that there is a record of every deed done everywhere at every time. This is tai record that well be laid out before them and that is the record that will convict and condemn them.

''Before thine eyes" refers to being in plain sight. The evidence will be so very plain that it will be undeniable, by anyone! The main reason that men deny God's justice now is because of their wicked rebellion against God. Despite clear revelation from God and even a clear understanding of that revelation, they still deny the truth, and will continue to deny it for as long as they have breath. There will come a time, the time of judgment, when that evidence will no longer be able to be denied.

It may also refer to being clearly perceived for what they are by the people themselves. Even the guilty parties will acknowledge, however unwillingly, the truth and justice of the claim of God. In the end, God's justice will be shown to be just what it is, fully righteous and completely justified!

The horror and certainty of the judgment of God should cause me to pause and reflect on the fate of the wicked. That in turn should do two things. First, it should make me fall down on my face and heartily thank God that I am a saved man. Second, it ought to crush my heart and burden me to pray for the unsaved and to preach the Gospel to them. 

See the above! I should do it!