IX. (1) The last vision is transferred to the shrine at Bethel, the seat of the calf-worship. The prophet sees Jehovah Himself standing in pomp by the altar of burnt offering, and by His side the angel of His presence, to whom now, as on many other occasions, the mission of destruction has been entr... [ Continue Reading ]
DIG. — For this expression _break_ should be substituted. “Hell,” or rather, _Hades_ (_Sheôl_), the dark abode of the gathered dead, is contrasted with “heaven,” the abode of light. Escape from the universal Lord is impossible.... [ Continue Reading ]
SERPENT. — On this expression, _i.e.,_ the “waterserpent,” comp. Isaiah 27:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
Accumulate in grand imagery the majesty, power, and irresistible resources of the Lord, who has at length become their enemy. The very world itself melts, as Sinai did, at His touch. The word “is” should be omitted in the rendering. The predicate “Jehovah (the Lord) is His name” (Amos 9:6) stands a... [ Continue Reading ]
ETHIOPIANS. — Israel had presumed on the special favour of Jehovah. The prophet asks them whether, after all, they are better or safer than the Ethiopians, whom they despised. He who led Israel from Egypt also brought the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from _Kir._ Caphtor is mentioned in... [ Continue Reading ]
SINFUL NATION. — The kingdom of the ten tribes which had so utterly revolted from the true centre and spiritual ideas of the worship of Jehovah.... [ Continue Reading ]
SIFT. — Literally, _shake to and fro._ That which is not chaff shall be preserved and dispersed as seed. The race shall live, though the kingdom be destroyed. This peculiar judgment is threatened in Leviticus 26:33; Deuteronomy 28:64. (Comp. Hosea 9:17.) The prediction is very remarkable, as pointin... [ Continue Reading ]
These verses present some difficulties, as the quotation of the passage in Acts 15:15 is a free reproduction by St. James of the rendering of the LXX. The apostle uses it to show that there was a prophetic promise that after the dispersion of Israel the power and throne of David should be so re-esta... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL OVERTAKE THE REAPER. — So rapidly will the harvest follow the ploughing. These closing verses foreshadow the glories of the restored kingdom of David (comp. Hosea 3:5), wherein we see the germ of the great Messianic prophecies of Isaiah.... [ Continue Reading ]