_Woe to them that are at ease in Zion._ THE SECURE ALARMED There is something very agreeable and desirable in ease. Yet, strange as the declaration may appear, this tranquillity is too common; and to disturb it should be our design. For your peace may be a false peace. Before an earthquake the air... [ Continue Reading ]
_Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath._ COMPARING NOTES This was a Divine challenge to Israel. Israel in those days thought that religion was often a great hardship; that it abounded with demands for self-denial; and that its numerous duties could be observed only at consid... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near._ MAN’ S EVIL DAY I. All men have an evil day in their future. Calamities and trials are common to all. There is one evil day, it is death; but it need not be evil. II. Some men adjourn in thought this evil day. 1. N... [ Continue Reading ]
_They are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph._ PERSONAL SYMPATHY THE ONLY RIGHT BASIS FOR CHRISTIAN EFFORT The term “Joseph” is here employed for the whole of the people of the kingdom of Israel. The term “Ephraim” is usually employed by way of reproach when the sin and rebellion of the whole... [ Continue Reading ]
_Shall horses run upon the rock?_ will one plough there with oxen? LABOUR IN VAIN These expressions are proverbs, taken from the familiar sayings of the east country. A proverb is generally a sword with two edges, or, if I may so say, it has many edges, or is all edge, and hence it may be turned t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought, which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?_ HUMAN JOY IN THE UNSUBSTANTIAL “Horns” are signs and symbols of power; here they stand for the military resources with which they fancied that they could conquer every foe. “These delusions of Go... [ Continue Reading ]