_THE BLESSED DEATH OF THE RIGHTEOUS. GOD REPROVETH THE JEWS FOR THEIR WHORISH IDOLATRY: HE GIVETH EVANGELICAL PROMISES TO THE PENITENT._ _Before Christ 699._ THE sixth section, contained in this chapter, may be divided into three parts: The _first part_ contains an exclamation of a prophet, or a p... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RIGHTEOUS PERISHETH, &C.— These words contain a kind of prelude to the distressful scene which is opened immediately after; for the prophet designing to describe the melancholy state of the _adulterous church,_ to be chastised by the severe judgments of God, he beholds the few pious and good men... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT DRAW NEAR HITHER, &C.— The prophet proceeds to exhibit the church, totally corrupt as it was, the good men being extinct or dispersed; so that they who remained of the faithful lay hid in solitary places; while the body of the church appeared like a dead carcase; not the true, but the _adulterou... [ Continue Reading ]
SLAYING THE CHILDREN, &C.— It is generally agreed, that the prophet in these words alludes to some detestable superstitious rite made use of in his times in the worship of idols, which some refer particularly to the sacrifices offered to Moloch, for which the valley of Hinnom was remarkably infamous... [ Continue Reading ]
AMONG THE SMOOTH STONES, &C.— _Among the smooth stones of the valley is thy portion; these, these are thy lot: Even to these hast thou poured out thy libation, hast thou presented thine offering. Can I see these things with acquiescence?_ Vitringa thinks that the meaning of the first clause is, "The... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHIND THE DOORS, &C.— _Thy remembrance,_ or _memorial,_ signifies, _thy idol._ "thy tutelar image, which at going in and out thou mayest adore." The reader will continue to bear in mind, that the ideas are here all taken from the expression of ancient times. See Revelation 2:14.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU WENTEST TO THE KING WITH OINTMENT— According to the interpretation which we have heretofore given, the king of mystical Babylon, or the Pope, must be meant, to whom the particulars in this verse very aptly pertain, as they who are acquainted with the history of that anti-christian monarch w... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU HAST FOUND THE LIFE OF THINE HAND, &C.— That is to say, "_Thou hast found thy delight_ in that troublesome superstition; wherefore, though thou mayest labour grievously, yet thou sustainest all the trouble of it, because this superstition satisfies thy desire." Kimchi has it, _The life of thy s... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHALT SAY, &C.— _And he said,_ or, _And a voice says,_ &c. These are the words of the prophetic chorus, relating that a _voice_ had gone forth, or a command of God, to prepare the way, and to remove all stumbling-blocks from it; that is to say, to reform the church from that state of corruption... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THUS SAITH THE HIGH AND LOFTY ONE— This exquisite sentence is not difficult to be understood, though it is not easy to comprehend its whole force and energy. It may be connected either with what precedes, or with what follows after. If with the former, a reason is given why God brought in a refo... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE INIQUITY OF HIS COVETOUSNESS— In order to reclaim a wandering and carnal people, we are here told that God had applied the rod of his chastising judgments, which yet however had produced no good effect, for that the people had still turned backward from God, and departed more and more from h... [ Continue Reading ]
I CREATE THE FRUIT OF THE LIPS, &C.— The meaning is, "that God would raise up at this time, by his grace, preachers of the pure and genuine Gospel;" who, after the example of the apostolic times, should powerfully preach that genuine and evangelical truth, which brings _peace_ and tranquillity to tr... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE WICKED, &C.— Hence we learn, that the church at this time should be divided into two parties: besides the humble and penitent, confessors of truth, there should be the wicked; those who were void of true righteousness; and, rejecting the righteousness of justification offered to them by the... [ Continue Reading ]