John Calvin Commentary Ezekiel 20:25

"Moreover also I gave them statutes that were not good, and ordinances wherein they should not live;" — Ezekiel 20:25 (ASV)

Here God announces that He had taken vengeance on such hard and obstinate people by permitting them to endure another yoke, since they would not be ruled by the doctrine of the law. For we saw that when God imposed the law upon the Israelites, they would have been extremely happy if they had only considered how honorable it was to be in covenant with God, who condescended to bind them to Himself in mutual fidelity.

This was a remarkable honor and privilege, since God not only showed them what was right but also promised them a reward which He by no means owed them. But what was the conduct of that unteachable nation? It threw off the yoke of the law; therefore, it deserved to experience a different government. God, therefore, gave them laws that were not good, when He allowed them to be miserably subjected to an immense heap of errors. Such laws as these were not good. Some writers have violently distorted this passage by thinking the law itself, as promulgated by Moses, was “not good” because Paul calls it deadly. However, they corrupt the Prophet’s meaning, since God is comparing His law with the superstitions of the Gentiles. Others explain it as referring to the tributes which the people were compelled to pay to foreigners. But, first of all, God does not speak here of only one age; indeed, during the time of the Israelites’ freedom, His vengeance was nevertheless severe.

Thus, in the next verse, the Prophet confirms what I have briefly touched on: namely, that the laws called not good are all the fictions of men, by which they harass themselves while they think that God is worshipped acceptably in this way. For we know how miserably people labor and distract themselves when Satan has captivated them with his snares, and when they anxiously invent numerous rites, because there is no end to their superstitions. Therefore, these statutes are not good. For when they have undergone much labor in their idolatry, no other reward awaits them than God’s appearing against them as an avenger to punish the profanation of His own lawful worship.

Indeed, they by no means expect this, but they utterly deceive themselves. Therefore, they must hope for no reward except what is founded on the covenant and promise of God. For all false and corrupt forms of worship, all arbitrary rites which people heap together from all sides, have no promise from God, and therefore they vainly trust in them for life.

God began to show them this in the wilderness, but in succeeding ages He did not fail to exercise the same vengeance. We see how they adopted the superstitions of the Moabites. And why so? Unless God blinded them by His just judgments (Numbers 25:1–3).

He had experienced their untamable character, and so He set them free from His control. Not only that, but He afterwards gave them up to Satan, and so He says that He gave them laws that were not good.

The Prophet might indeed have said that they despised God’s law through their own wisdom, and that they foolishly and rashly legislated for themselves; this was indeed true. But he wished to express the penalty Paul speaks of when he says that the impious were delivered to a reprobate mind and to obedience to a lie (Romans 1:24–26), since they did not submit to the truth and did not allow themselves to be ruled by God. Thus, they were given over to the tyranny of Satan and to the service of mere creatures.

Now, therefore, we understand the Prophet’s meaning. He says, I have also given them laws that are not good, as if he had said that the people threw themselves so deeply into various idolatries that God, in this way, desired to avenge their incredible obstinacy. For if the Jews had calmly accepted God’s sovereignty, He would not have given them evil laws; that is, He would not have allowed them to be so tormented under Satan’s tyranny. But when they were entangled in Satan's snares, God openly showed them to be unworthy of His governance and care, since they were too rebellious.