_Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria._ GOD THE CHAMPION OF THE OPPRESSED I. The character of these men. “Ye kine of Bashan,” etc. The feminine, “kine,” marks their effeminacy; the reference to Bashan, where the richest pasture-land of Israel lay, shows that they... [ Continue Reading ]
_Come to Bethel, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression._ ILL-SPENT SERVICE I. The scenes of this idolatry. “Come to Bethel, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression.” Idolatry was flourishing in the seats of their most hallowed memories. “Come,” he says, “to Bethel.” Here, where... [ Continue Reading ]
_And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities._ AFFLICTIONS PROVIDENTIAL There is a material difference between what may be called permissive and active providences; and between such as are disciplinary, and such as are strictly punitive. The afflictions enumerated here were sen... [ Continue Reading ]
_Your young men have I slain with the sword. .. yet have ye not returned unto Me, saith the Lord._ GOD’S DEALINGS WITH US NATIONALLY, AND THEIR OBJECT While we are in this state of trial and probation God does not punish us, individually or nationally, in the spirit of vindictiveness” or vengeance... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning._ THE FIREBRAND PLUCKED OUT OF THE BURNING A large portion of the sacred writings sets forth God’s exhibitions of kindness towards men as their Protector. Men in every age should study to preserve in their memory the Divine procedure, both in prov... [ Continue Reading ]
_Prepare to meet thy God._ PREPARATION FOR JUDGMENT We will endeavour to enforce the exhortation of the text in a series of arguments, illustrating the reasons why due obedience and attention should be given to this command of the great Omnipotent. 1. Because we shall most certainly be summoned t... [ Continue Reading ]
_He that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind._ BACKGROUNDS AND FOREGROUNDS The mountains made, for the Hebrew, the background of every landscape in which they stand. The foreground of the plain-land rests upon the background of the hills. From them it gains its lights and shadows. The two... [ Continue Reading ]