Resources/Articles
The Bible Story of The Three Wise
n Ezekiel’s day, God’s people, who were in captivity in Babylon, were told, “Son of man, when a land sinneth against me by committing a trespass, and I stretch out my hand upon it, and break the staff of the bread thereof, and send famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast; though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord Jehovah. If I cause evil beasts to pass through the land, and they ravage it, and it be made desolate, so that no man may pass through because of the beasts, though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, they should deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only should be delivered, but the land should be desolate. Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off from it man and beast; though these three men were it it, as I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, they should deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only should be delivered themselves. Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my wrath upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast, though Noah, Daniel, and Job were it in, as I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, they should deliver neither sons nor daughters; they should but deliver their own souls by their righteousness” (Ezekiel 14.13-20).
These three delivered their souls “by their righteousness.” Was that referring to their own righteousness (Titus 3.5) or the obedience of their faith (Romans 1.5; 16.26)? By which righteousness would they deliver their own souls? Do we read of the faith and obedience of Noah, Daniel, and Job (cf. Noah - Hebrews 11.7; Job - Job 1.1,8; 2.3; Daniel - Daniel 1.8; 6.16,23b; 10.12)
