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The second: blocking from worldly interests as punishment was confused with blocking from religious interests, and this was imagined to be compulsion.
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As in: 'Make the heart of this people dull, stop their ears, and shut their eyes' (Isa. 6:10) — meaning: cause something to befall them so they cannot discern their worldly affairs such as war and plague.
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The third: the strengthening of the soul upon the onset of a disaster or frightening news — so a person not be destroyed by them — was heard in scripture and taken to mean strengthening hearts against accepting obedience.
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Such as: 'I will harden Pharaoh's heart' (Exod. 7:3), 'I have strengthened Pharaoh's heart' (Exod. 9:12), 'For I have hardened his heart' (Exod. 10:1).
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Pharaoh needed his resolve strengthened so he would not be destroyed by that plague — but would remain until the rest of the punishment was completed on him, as God said: 'For by now I could have stretched out My hand and struck you; but for this reason I have let you stand' (Exod. 9:15–16).
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The fourth: designation and classification — people saw it mentioned in scripture and thought it meant causing and imposing.
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A skilled judge establishes what is right and refutes what is wrong — as when we say 'The judge vindicated Reuben and convicted Simeon.' This does not mean he caused either to do anything or commanded them — it means he clarified and revealed it to them.
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The fifth: the category of forgiveness. A servant is seen saying: 'Incline me toward You; do not turn me away from You,' as he says: 'Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to selfish gain' (Ps. 119:36).
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People think what is meant by the inclining is compulsion — but it is the category of forgiveness. The meaning is: if You forgive me, You have inclined me not to return to sinning against You.
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The sixth: describing the original structure of acts — this is taken to mean inspiration and prompting. Such as: 'A person's heart plans, but the LORD directs the tongue's response' (Prov. 16:1) — referring to the original created structure.
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The seventh: a figure of speech that exaggerates. A listener imagines it refers to specific control, as in: 'The king's heart is like channels of water in the LORD's hand; He turns it wherever He wishes' (Prov. 21:1).
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People imagine this means God has a special ability to place whatever He wishes in kings' hearts — but this is hyperbole, saying: even the king's heart can be in God's obedience like water in its own channel, which the king can direct wherever he wishes.
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The eighth: the occurrence of a cause that coincides with a person's choosing to do something — and this falls into three types.
The first: holding back enemies, whereupon the servant is free to perform some act — and so it is said by way of metaphor that the One who held back his enemies caused that act.
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The second: clarity of mind and soundness of judgment through balance of temperament — so that the servant understands the domain of religion and knowledge.
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The third: a miraculous sign performed by the Creator that becomes the cause of many people's belief — a listener hears it and takes the statement to mean compulsion.
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As in Elijah's prayer: 'Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that You are the LORD God, and that You have turned their heart back' (1 Kgs. 18:37) — meaning: when this fire descends and burns the offering, it will win over the hearts that have turned away.
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After these eight principles, what remains is only what has been misunderstood due to the grammatical arrangement of the verse.
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As in: 'Against You alone have I sinned and done what is evil in Your eyes, so that You may be justified in Your words' (Ps. 51:6) — a listener supposes this penitent is saying he sinned in order to fulfill what his Lord decreed.
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But 'so that You may be justified' does not refer back to 'I have sinned' — rather, it connects to 'and purify me from my sin' (Ps. 51:4). He says: forgive my sin so that Your word may be vindicated — the word You spoke with wisdom: that every penitent who returns to You is forgiven.
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With this clarification, the apparent difficulties that suggest compulsion dissolve. Our Creator's argument against His servants is established regarding their obedience and disobedience — they have no argument against Him.
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And so the signs, the miracles, and the mission stand firm. The Fourth Maamar is complete.