I
S A I A H
CHAP. IX.
The
prophet in this chapter (according to the directions given him, ch.
iii. 10, 11) saith to the righteous, It shall be well with thee, but Woe to
the wicked, it shall be ill with him. Here are, I. Gracious promises to those
that adhere to the law and to the testimony; while those that seek to familiar
spirits shall be driven into darkness and dimness, they shall see a great
light, relief in the midst of their distresses, typical of gospel grace. 1. In
the doctrine of the Messiah, ver. 1-3. 2. His victories, ver. 4, 5. 3. His
government and dominion as Immanuel, ver. 6, 7. II. Dreadful threatenings
against the people of Israel, who had revolted from and were enemies to the
house of David, that they should be brought to utter ruin, that their pride
should bring them down (ver. 8-10), that their neighbours should make a prey
of them (ver. 11, 12), that, for their impenitence and hypocrisy, all their
ornaments and supports should be cut off (ver. 13-17), and that by the wrath
of God against them, and their wrath one against another, they should be
brought to utter ruin, ver. 18-21. And this is typical of the final
destruction of all the enemies of the Son of David and his kingdom.
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Judgment
and Mercy; The Promise of Gospel Grace; The Promise of Messiah;
The Titles of Messiah.
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1 Nevertheless the dimness shall not be
such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the
land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously
afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the
nations. 2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great
light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the
light shined. 3 Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not
increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and
as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. 4 For thou hast
broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his
oppressor, as in the day of Midian. 5 For every battle of the
warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this
shall be with burning and fuel of fire. 6 For unto us a
child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his
shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God,
The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his
government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David,
and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with
justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD
of hosts will perform this.
The first words of this chapter plainly refer to the close of the foregoing
chapter, where every thing looked black and melancholy: Behold, trouble,
and darkness, and dimness--very bad, yet not so bad but that to the
upright there shall arise light in the darkness (Ps. cxii. 4) and at
evening time it shall be light, Zech. xiv. 7. Nevertheless it shall not
be such dimness (either not such for kind or not such for degree) as
sometimes there has been. Note, In the worst of times God's people have a nevertheless
to comfort themselves with, something to allay and balance their troubles;
they are persecuted, but not forsaken (2 Cor. iv. 9), sorrowful yet always
rejoicing, 2 Cor. vi. 10. And it is matter of comfort to us, when things are
at the darkest, that he who forms the light and creates the darkness (ch.
xlv. 7) has appointed to both their bounds and set the one over against the
other, Gen. iv. 4. He can say, "Hitherto the dimness shall go, so long it
shall last, and no further, no longer."
I. Three things are here promised, and they all point ultimately at the grace
of the gospel, which the saints then were to comfort themselves with the hopes
of in every cloudy and dark day, as we now are to comfort ourselves in time of
trouble with the hopes of Christ's second coming, though that be now, as his
first coming then was, a thing at a great distance. The mercy likewise which
God has in store for his church in the latter days may be a support to those
that are mourning with her for her present calamities. We have here the
promise,
1. Of a glorious light, which shall so qualify, and by degrees dispel, the
dimness, that it shall not be as it sometimes has been: Not such as was in
her vexation; there shall not be such dark times as were formerly, when
at first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and Naphtali (which lay
remote and most exposed to the inroads of the neighbouring enemies), and
afterwards he more grievously afflicted the land by the way of the sea and
beyond Jordan (v. 1), referring probably to those days when God
began to cut Israel short and to smite them in all their coasts, 2
Kings x. 32. Note, God tries what less judgments will do with a people before
he brings greater; but if a light affliction do not do its work with us, to
humble and reform us, we must expect to be afflicted more grievously; for when
God judges he will overcome. Well, those were dark times with the land of
Zebulun and Naphtali, and there was dimness of anguish in Galilee of the
Gentiles, both in respect of ignorance (they did not speak according to
the law and the testimony, and then there was no light in them, ch.
viii. 20) and in respect of trouble, and the desperate posture of their
outward affairs; we have both together, 2 Chron. xv. 3, 5. Israel has been
without the true God and a teaching priest, and in those times there was no
peace. But the dimness threatened (ch. viii. 22) shall not prevail
to such a degree; for (v. 2) the people that walked in darkness have
seen a great light. (1.) At this time when the prophet lived, there were
many prophets in Judah and Israel, whose prophecies were a great light both
for direction and comfort to the people of God, who adhered to the law and the
testimony. Besides the written word, they had prophecy; there were those that
had shown them how long (Ps. lxxiv. 9), which was a great satisfaction to
them, when in respect of their outward troubles they sat in darkness, and
dwelt in the land of the shadow of death. (2.) This was to have its full
accomplishment when our Lord Jesus began to appear as a prophet, and to preach
the gospel in the land of Zebulun and Naphtali, and in Galilee of the
Gentiles. And the Old-Testament prophets, as they were witnesses to him, so
they were types of him. When he came and dwelt in the borders of Zebulun and
Naphtali, then this prophecy is said to have been fulfilled, Matt. iv. 13-16.
Note, [1.] Those that want the gospel walk in darkness, and know not what they
do nor whither they go; and they dwell in the land of the shadow of death, in
thick darkness, and in the utmost danger. [2.] When the gospel comes to any
place, to any soul, light comes, a great light, a shining light, which will
shine more and more. It should be welcome to us, as light is to those that sit
in darkness, and we should readily entertain it, both because if is of such
sovereign use to us and because it brings its own evidence with it. Truly this
light is sweet.
2. Of a glorious increase, and a universal joy arising from it, (v. 3)
"Thou, O God! hast multiplied the nation, the Jewish nation
which thou hast mercy in store for; though it has been diminished by one sore
judgment after another, yet now thou hast begun to multiply it again."
The numbers of a nation are its strength and wealth if the numerous be
industrious; and it is God that increases nations, Job xii. 23. Yet it
follows, "Thou hast not increased the joy--the carnal joy and
mirth, and those things that are commonly the matter and occasion thereof.
But, notwithstanding that, they joy before thee; there is a great deal
of serious spiritual joy among them, joy in the presence of God, with an eye
to him." This is very applicable to the times of gospel light, spoken of
v. 2. Then God multiplied the nation, the gospel Israel. "And to
him" (so the Masorites read it) "thou hast magnified the joy, to
every one that receives the light." The following words favour this
reading: "They joy before thee; they come before thee in holy
ordinances with great joy'; their mirth is not like that of Israel under their
vines and fig-trees (thou hast not increased that joy), but it is in the
favour of God and in the tokens of his grace." Note, The gospel, when it
comes in its light and power, brings joy along with it, and those who receive
it aright do therein rejoice, yea, and will rejoice; therefore the conversion
of the nations is prophesied of by this (Ps. lxvii. 4), Let the nations be
glad, and sin for joy. See Ps. xcvi. 11. (1.) It is holy joy: They joy
before thee; they rejoice in spirit (as Christ did, Luke x. 21), and that
is before God. In the eye of the world they are always as sorrowful, and yet,
in God's sight, always rejoicing, 2 Cor. vi. 10. (2.) It is great joy;
it is according to the joy in harvest, when those who sowed in tears,
and have with long patience waited for the precious fruits of the earth, reap
in joy; and as in war men rejoice when, after a hazardous battle, they
divide the spoil. The gospel brings with it plenty and victory; but those
that would have the joy of it must expect to go through a hard work, as the
husbandman before he has the joy of harvest, and a hard conflict, as the
soldier before he has the joy of dividing the spoil; but the joy, when it
comes, will be an abundant recompence for the toil. See Acts viii. 8, 39.
3. Of a glorious liberty and enlargement (v. 4, 5): "They shall
rejoice before thee, and with good reason, for thou hast broken the yoke of
his burden, and made him easy, for he shall no longer be in servitude; and
thou hast broken the staff of his shoulder and the rod of his oppressor,
that rod of the wicked which rested long on the lot of the righteous," as
the Midianites' yoke was broken from off the neck of Israel by the agency of
Gideon. If God makes former deliverances his patterns in working for us, we
ought to make them our encouragements to hope in him and to seek to him, Ps.
lxxxiii. 9. Do unto them as to the Midianites. What temporal
deliverance this refers to is not clear, probably the preventing of
Sennacherib from making himself master of Jerusalem, which was done, as in
the day of Midian, by the immediate hand of God; and, whereas other
battles were usually won with a great deal of noise and by the expense of much
blood, this shall be done silently and without noise. Under his glory God
shall kindle a burning (ch. x. 16); a fire not blown shall
consume him, Job xx. 26. But doubtless it looks further, to the blessed
fruits and effects of that great light which should visit those that sat in
darkness; it would bring liberty along with it, deliverance to the
captives, Luke iv. 18. (1.) The design of the gospel, and the grace of it,
is to break the yoke of sin and Satan, to remove the burden of guilt and
corruption, and to free us from the rod of those oppressors, that we might be
brought into the glorious liberty of the children of God. Christ broke the
yoke of the ceremonial law (Acts xv. 10; Gal. v. 1), and delivered us out
of the hand of our enemies, that we might serve him without fear,
Luke i. 74, 75. (2.) This is done by the Spirit working like fire (Matt. iii.
11), not as the battle of the warrior is fought, with confused noise; no, the
weapons of our warfare are not carnal; but it is done with the Spirit of
judgment and the Spirit of burning, ch. iv. 4. It is done as in the
day of Midian, by a work of God upon the hearts of men. Christ is our
Gideon; it is his sword that doeth wonders.
II. But who, where, is he that shall undertake and accomplish these great
things for the church? The prophet tells us (v. 6, 7) they shall be
done by the Messiah, Immanuel, that son of a virgin whose birth he had
foretold (ch. vii. 14), and now speaks of, in the prophetic style, as a
thing already done: the child is born, not only because it was as
certain, and he was as certain of it as if it had been done already, but
because the church before his incarnation reaped great benefit and advantage
by his undertaking in virtue of that first promise concerning the seed of
the woman, Gen. iii. 15. As he was the Lamb slain, so he was the child
born, from the foundation of the world, Rev. xiii. 8. All the great
things that God did for the Old-Testament church were done by him as the
eternal Word, and for his sake as the Mediator. He was the Anointed, to whom
God had respect (Ps. lxxxiv. 9), and it was for the Lord's sake, for the Lord
Christ's sake, that God caused his face to shine upon his sanctuary, Dan. ix.
17. The Jewish nation, and particularly the house of David, were preserved
many a time from imminent ruin only because that blessing was in them. What
greater security therefore could be given to the church of God then that it
should be preserved, and be the special care of the divine Providence, than
this, that God had so great a mercy in reserve for it? The Chaldee paraphrast
understands it of the man that shall endure for ever, even Christ. And it is
an illustrious prophecy of him and of his kingdom, which doubtless those that
waited for the consolation of Israel built much upon, often turned to, and
read with pleasure.
1. See him in his humiliation. The same that is the mighty God is a
child born; the ancient of days becomes an infant of a span long; the everlasting
Father is a Son given. Such was his condescension in taking our
nature upon him; thus did he humble and empty himself, to exalt and fill us.
He is born into our world. The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.
He is given, freely given, to be all that to us which our case, in our fallen
state, calls for. God so loved the world that he gave him. He is born to
us, he is given to us, us men, and not to the angels that sinned. It is
spoken with an air of triumph, and the angel seems to refer to these words in
the notice he gives to the shepherds of the Messiah's having come (Luke ii.
11), Unto you is born, this day, a Saviour. Note, Christ's being born
and given to us is the great foundation of our hopes, and fountain of our
joys, in times of greatest grief and fear.
2. See him in his exaltation. This child, this son, this Son of God, this Son
of man, that is given to us, is in a capacity to do us a great deal of
kindness; for he is invested with the highest honour and power, so that we
cannot but be happy if he be our friend.
(1.) See the dignity he is advanced to, and the name he has above every name.
He shall be called (and therefore we are sure he is and shall be) Wonderful,
Counsellor, &c. His people shall know him and worship him by these
names; and, as one that fully answers them, they shall submit to him and
depend upon him. [1.] He is wonderful, counsellor. Justly is he called wonderful,
for he is both God and man. His love is the wonder of angels and glorified
saints; in his birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension, he was
wonderful. A constant series of wonders attended him, and, without
controversy, great was the mystery of godliness concerning him. He is the counsellor,
for he was intimately acquainted with the counsels of God from eternity, and
he gives counsel to the children of men, in which he consults our welfare. It
is by him that God has given us counsel, Ps. xvi. 7; Rev. iii. 18. He
is the wisdom of the Father, and is made of God to us wisdom. Some join these
together: He is the wonderful counsellor, a wonder or miracle of a counsellor;
in this, as in other things, he has the pre-eminence; none teaches like him.
[2.] He is the mighty God--God, the mighty One. As he has wisdom, so he
has strength, to go through with his undertaking: he is able to save to the
utmost; and such is the work of the Mediator that no less a power than that of
the mighty God could accomplish it. [3.] He is the everlasting Father,
or the Father of eternity; he is God, one with the Father, who is from
everlasting to everlasting. He is the author of everlasting life and happiness
to them, and so is the Father of a blessed eternity to them. He is the
Father of the world to come (so the LXX. reads it), the father of the
gospel-state, which is put in subjection to him, not to the angels, Heb. ii.
5. He was, from eternity, Father of the great work of redemption: his heart
was upon it; it was the product of his wisdom as the counsellor, of his
love as the everlasting Father. [4.] He is the prince of peace.
As a King, he preserves the peace, commands peace, nay, he creates peace, in
his kingdom. He is our peace, and it is his peace that both keeps the hearts
of his people and rules in them. He is not only a peaceable prince, and his
reign peaceable, but he is the author and giver of all good, all that peace
which is the present and future bliss of his subjects.
(2.) See the dominion he is advanced to, and the throne he has above every
throne (v. 6): The government shall be upon his shoulder--his
only. He shall not only wear the badge of it upon his shoulder (the key of
the house of David, ch. xxii. 22), but he shall bear the burden of
it. The Father shall devolve it upon him, so that he shall have an
incontestable right to govern; and he shall undertake it, so that no doubt can
be made of his governing well, for he shall set his shoulder to it, and will
never complain, as Moses did, of his being overcharged. I am not able to
bear all this people, Num. xi. 11, 14. Glorious things are here spoken of
Christ's government, v. 7. [1.] That it shall be an increasing
government. It shall be multiplied; the bounds of his kingdom shall be more
and more enlarged, and many shall be added to it daily. The lustre of it shall
increase, and it shall shine more and more brightly in the world. The
monarchies of the earth were each less illustrious than the other, so that
what began in gold ended in iron and clay, and every monarchy dwindled by
degrees; but the kingdom of Christ is a growing kingdom, and will come to
perfection at last. [2.] That it shall be a peaceable government, agreeable to
his character as the prince of peace. He shall rule by love, shall rule in
men's hearts; so that wherever his government is there shall be peace, and as
his government increases the peace shall increase. The more we are subject to
Christ the more easy and safe we are. [3.] That it shall be a rightful
government. He that is the Son of David shall reign upon the throne of David
and over his kingdom, which he is entitled to. God shall give him the
throne of his father David, Luke i. 32, 33. The gospel church, in which
Jew and Gentile are incorporated, is the holy hill of Zion, on which Christ
reigns, Ps. ii. 6. [4.] That it shall be administered with prudence and
equity, and so as to answer the great end of government, which is the
establishment of the kingdom: He shall order it, and settle it, with
justice and judgment. Every thing is, and shall be, well managed, in the
kingdom of Christ, and none of his subjects shall ever have cause to complain.
[5.] That it shall be an everlasting kingdom: There shall be no end of the
increase of his government (it shall be still growing), no end of the
increase of the peace of it, for the happiness of the subjects of this kingdom
shall last to eternity and perhaps shall be progressive in infinitum--for
ever. He shall reign henceforth even for ever; not only throughout
all generations of time, but, even when the kingdom shall be delivered up to
God even the Father, the glory both of the Redeemer and the redeemed shall
continue eternally. [6.] That God himself has undertaken to bring all this
about: "The Lord of hosts, who has all power in his hand and all
creatures at his beck, shall perform this, shall preserve the throne of
David till this prince of peace is settled in it; his zeal shall do it,
his jealousy for his own honour, and the truth of his promise, and the good of
his church." Note, The heart of God is much upon the advancement of the
kingdom of Christ among men, which is very comfortable to all those that wish
well to it; the zeal of the Lord of hosts will overcome all opposition.
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Threatenings
against Judah; Threatenings against Israel.
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8 The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath
lighted upon Israel. 9 And all the people shall know, even
Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of
heart, 10 The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn
stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into
cedars. 11 Therefore the LORD
shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies
together; 12 The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and
they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned
away, but his hand is stretched out still. 13 For the
people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts. 14
Therefore the LORD
will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day.
15 The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that
teacheth lies, he is the tail. 16 For the leaders of this
people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are
destroyed. 17 Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young
men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is
a hypocrite and an evil doer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his
anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
18 For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns,
and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like
the lifting up of smoke. 19 Through the wrath of the LORD
of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the
fire: no man shall spare his brother. 20 And he shall snatch on
the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they
shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own
arm: 21 Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: and they
together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned
away, but his hand is stretched out still.
Here are terrible threatenings, which are directed primarily against Israel,
the kingdom of the ten tribes, Ephraim and Samaria, the ruin of which is here
foretold, with all the woeful confusions that were the prefaces to that ruin,
all which came to pass within a few years after; but they look further, to all
the enemies of the throne and kingdom of Christ the Son of David, and read the
doom of all the nations that forget God, and will not have Christ to reign
over them. Observe,
I. The preface to this prediction (v. 8): The Lord sent a word into
Jacob, sent it by his servants the prophets. He warns before he wounds. He
sent notice what he would do, that they might meet him in the way of his
judgments; but they would not take the hint, took no care to turn away his
wrath, and so it lighted upon Israel; for no word of God shall fall to the
ground. It fell upon them as a storm of rain and hail from on high, which they
could not avoid: It has lighted upon them, that is, it is as sure to
come as if come already, and all the people shall know by feeling it what they
would not know by hearing of it. Those that are willingly ignorant of the
wrath of God revealed from heaven against sin and sinners shall be made to
know it.
II. The sins charged upon the people of Israel, which provoked God to bring
these judgments upon them. 1. Their insolent defiance of the justice of God,
thinking themselves a match for him: "They say, in the pride and
stoutness of their heart, Let God himself do his worst; we will hold our
own, and make our part good with him. If he ruin our houses, we will repair
them, and make them stronger and finer than they were before. Our landlord
shall not turn us out of doors, though we pay him no rent, but we will keep in
possession. If the houses that were built of bricks be demolished in the war,
we will rebuild them with hewn stones, that shall not so easily be thrown
down. If the enemy cut down the sycamores, we will plant cedars in the room of
them. We will make a hand of God's judgments, gain by them, and so outbrave
them." Note, Those are ripening apace for ruin whose hearts are unhumbled
under humbling providences; for God will walk contrary to those who thus walk
contrary to him and provoke him to jealousy, as if they were stronger than he.
2. Their incorrigibleness under all the rebukes of Providence hitherto (v.
13); The people turn not unto him that smiteth them (they are not
wrought upon to reform their lives, to forsake their sins, and to return to
their duty), neither do they seek the Lord of hosts; either they are
atheists, and have no religion, or idolaters, and seek to those gods that are
the creatures of their own fancy and the works of their own hands. Note, That
which God designs, in smiting us, is to turn us to himself and to set us a
seeking him; and, if this point be not gained by less judgments, greater may
be expected. God smites that he may not kill. 3. Their general corruption of
manners and abounding profaneness. (1.) Those that should have reformed them
helped to debauch them (v. 16): The leaders of this people
mislead them, and cause them to err, by conniving at their wickedness
and countenancing wicked people, and by setting them bad examples; and then no
wonder if those that are led of them be deceived and so destroyed. But it is
ill with a people when their physicians are their worst disease. "Those
that bless this people, or call them blessed (so the margin reads
it), that flatter them, and soothe them in their wickedness, and cry Peace,
peace, to them, cause them to err; and those that are called blessed of
them are swallowed up ere they are aware." We have reason to be
afraid of those that speak well of us when we do ill; see Prov. xxiv. 24; xxix.
5. (2.) Wickedness was universal, and all were infected with it (v.
17): Every one is a hypocrite and an evil doer. If there be any that
are good, they do not, they dare not appear, for every mouth speaks folly and
villany; every one is profane towards God (so the word properly signifies) and
an evil doer towards man. These two commonly go together: those that fear not
God regard not man; and then every mouth speaks folly, falsehood, and
reproach, both against God and man; for out of the abundance of the heart
the mouth speaks.
III. The judgments threatened against them for this wickedness of theirs; let
them not think to go unpunished.
1. In general, hereby they exposed themselves to the wrath of God, which
should both devour as fire and darken as smoke. (1.) It should devour as fire
(v. 18): Wickedness shall burn as the fire; the displeasure of
God, incurred by sin, shall consume the sinners, who have made themselves as
briers and thorns before it, and as the thickets of the forest, combustible
matter, which the wrath of the Lord of hosts, the mighty God, will go through
and burn together. (2.) It should darken as smoke. The briers and thorns, when
the fire consumes them, shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke, so
that the whole land shall be darkened by it; they shall be in trouble, and see
no way out (v. 19): The people shall be as the fuel of the fire.
God's wrath fastens upon none but those that make themselves fuel for it, and
then they mount up as the smoke of sacrifices, being made victims to divine
justice.
2. God would arm the neighbouring powers against them, v. 11, 12. At
this time the kingdom of Israel was in league with that of Syria against
Judah; but the Assyrians, who were adversaries to the Syrians, when they had
conquered them should invade Israel, and God would stir them up to do it, and
join the enemies of Israel together in alliance against them, who yet had
particular ends of their own to serve and were not aware of God's hand in
their alliance. Note, When enemies are set up, and joined in confederacy
against a people, God's hand must be acknowledged in it. Note further, Those
that partake with each other in sin, as Syria and Israel in invading Judah,
must expect to share in the punishment of sin. Nay, the Syrians themselves,
whom they were now in league with, should be a scourge to them (for it is no
unusual thing for those to fall out that have been united in sin), one
attacking them in the front and the other flanking them or falling upon their
rear; so that they should be surrounded with enemies on all sides, who should devour
them with open mouth, v. 12. The Philistines were not now looked
upon as formidable enemies, and the Syrians were looked upon as firm friends;
and yet these shall devour Israel. When men's ways displease the Lord he makes
even their friends to be at war with them.
3. God would take from the midst of them those they confided in and promised
themselves help from, v. 14, 15. Because the people seek not God, those
they seek to and depend upon shall stand them in no stead. The Lord will
cut off head and tail, branch and rush, which is explained in the next
verse. (1.) Their magistrates, who were honourable by birth and office and
were the ancients of the people, these were the head, these were the
branch which they promised themselves spirit and fruit from; but because these
caused them to err they should be cut off, and their dignity and power should
be no protection to them when the abuse of that dignity and power was the
great provocation: and it was a judgment upon the people to have their princes
cut off, though they were not such as they should have been. (2.) Their
prophets, their false prophets, were the tail and the rush, the
most despicable of all. A wicked minister is the worst of all. A wicked
minister is the worst of men. Corruptio optimi est pessima--The best things
become when corrupted the worst. The blind led the blind, and so both fell
into the ditch; and the blind leaders fell first and fell undermost.
4. That the desolation should be as general as the corruption had been, and
none should escape it, v. 17. (1.) Not those that were the objects of
complacency. None shall be spared for love: The Lord shall have no joy in
their young men, that were in the flower of their youth; nor will he say, Deal
gently with the young men for my sake; no, "Let them fall with the
rest, and with them let the seed of the next generation perish." (2.) Not
those that were the objects of compassion. None shall be spared for pity: He shall
not have mercy on their fatherless and widows, though he is, in a
particular manner, the patron and protector of such. They had corrupted their
way like all the rest; and, if the poverty and helplessness of their state was
not an argument with them to keep them from sin, they could not expect it
should be an argument with God to protect them from judgments.
5. That they should pull one another to pieces, that every one should help
forward the common ruin, and they should be cannibals to themselves and one to
another: No man shall spare his brother, if he come in the way of his
ambition of covetousness, or if he have any colour to be revenged on him; and
how can they expect God should spare them when they show no compassion one to
another? Men's passion and cruelty one against another provoke God to be angry
with them all and are an evidence that he is so. Civil wars soon bring a
kingdom to desolation. Such there were in Israel, when, for the
transgression of the land, many were the princes thereof, Prov. xxviii. 2.
(1.) In these intestine broils, men snatched on the right hand, and yet
were hungry still, and did eat the flesh of their own arms, preyed
upon themselves for hunger or upon their nearest relations that were as their
own flesh, v. 20. This bespeaks, [1.] Great famine and scarcity; when
men had pulled all they could to them it was so little that they were still
hungry, at least God did not bless it to them, so that they eat and have
not enough, Hag. i. 6. [2.] Great rapine and plunder. Jusque datum
sceleri--iniquity is established by law. The hedge of property, which is a
hedge of protection to men's estates, shall be plucked up, and every man shall
think all that his own which he can lay his hands on (vivitur ex rapto, non
hospes ab hospite tutus--they live on the spoil, and the rites of hospitality
are all violated); and yet, when men thus catch at that which is none of
their own, they are not satisfied. Covetous desires are insatiable, and this
curse is entailed on that which is ill got, that it will never do well.
(2.) These intestine broils should be not only among particular persons and
private families, but among the tribes (v. 21): Manasseh shall
devour Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh, though they be combined against
Judah. Those that could unite against Judah could not unite with one another;
but that sinful confederacy of theirs against their neighbour that dwelt
securely by them was justly punished by this separation of them one from
another. Or Judah, having sinned like Manasseh and Ephraim, shall not only
suffer with them, but suffer by them. Note, Mutual enmity and animosity among
the tribes of God's Israel is a sin that ripens them for ruin, and a sad
symptom of ruin hastening on apace. If Ephraim be against Manasseh, and
Manasseh against Ephraim, and both against Judah, they will all soon become a
very easy prey to the common enemy.
6. That, though they should be followed with all these judgments, yet God
would not let fall his controversy with them. It is the heavy burden of this
song (v. 12, 17, 21): For all this his anger is not turned away, but
his hand is stretched out still, that is, (1.) They do nothing to turn
away his anger; they do not repent and reform, do not humble themselves and
pray, none stand in the gap, none answer God's calls nor comply with the
designs of his providences, but they are hardened and secure. (2.) His anger
therefore continues to burn against them and his hand is stretched out
still. The reason why the judgments of God are prolonged is because the
point is not gained, sinners are not brought to repentance by them. The
people turn not to him that smites them, and therefore he continues to
smite them; for when God judges he will overcome, and the proudest stoutest
sinner shall either bend or break.
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