CHAP. VI.
A prediction of the destruction of the idols and idolaters of Israel, and that a remnant shall be saved, 1-10. The prophet is ordered to use vehement expressions, to shew his detestation of the sins, and his sorrow for the calamities, of his people, 11
-14.
AND
ND the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, a set thy face towards b the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them,
3 And say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GoD; Thus
saith the Lord God to the mountains and
to the hills, to the rivers and to the valleys; Behold, I, even 1, will bring a sword upon you, e and I will destroy your high places.
God;" and he was determined not to rest, till he had satisfied his justice, and glorified his Jewish nation, the awful sentence, which will
in the temporal judgments executed on the be denounced against them "in the day of
name in their condign punishment; and in this he would take pleasure. For though he "de-wrath," when God shall deal with them accord
lights not in the death of a sinner," yet he delights in acting in a manner worthy of himself, even by taking vengeance on incorrigible rebels. This sentence he had denounced in his zeal for his own glory; and he would accomplish it, in most tremendous vengeance upon the Jews. ( Notes , 16:35-43. 21:17. Is . 1:2124. 59:16-19. 63:1--6.)
V. 14-17. The event would shew, that God had denounced these tremendous judgments, from a due regard to the honor of his own name, which would also assuredly induce him to accomplish them in the most tremendous manner. ( Marg . Ref . Notes , 4:9-17. 14:13123.33:24-29. Deut . 28:37. 29:21–25. 1 Kings 9:7-9. Lam . 2:15,16.)-An instruction. (15) 'They shall learn from such an example of 'vengeance, to hear me and to be afraid of my 'judgments.' Lowth . ( Note , Deut . 13 : 6-11 . )
ing to their abominations. However he may now spare guilty nations or individuals; he will then have no pity on those, who have defiled his sanctuary, and disgraced his gospel, with their detestable things. Nor will he rest, or be "comforted" respecting them, till by their condign punishment he have wiped off the dishonor, which their crimes have cast upon his name and cause; and till he have satisfied his justice, in executing the most dreadful denunciations which he has spoken in his zeal.
Nor let those churches, who have changed, or made of none effect, his judgments and statutes, that they might observe their own traditions, and maintain their detestable idolatries and superstitions, expect to escape the doom of Jerusalem. By sore judgments will the Lord plead aga against them, and make them "a reproach, a taunt, an instruction , and an astonishment: for he has spoken, and all shall know his truth in the accomplishment of his word.
But let us be instructed by such examples and warnings; let us entreat the Lord to glorify himself in our salvation; and let us endeavor to "adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things." Then will he rejoice over us to do us good; all his promises will belong to us, all his perfections be engaged for our salvation; and "only with our eyes shall we behold, and see the destruction of the wicked."
NOTES.
PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS. It is so difficult to make men sensible of their guilt and danger; that we should employ for this purpose every expedient, argument, or illustration, which we can devise. - The severest vengeance of God is regulated by the most perfect wisdom and justice: every distinction, when abused, increases guilt and condemnation: and to whatever refuge sinners flee, the fire and sword of the Lord's indignation will overtake them.--The professors of Christianity are as a city on a hill, in the midst of the nations of the earth; their conduct cannot be hid.
If it consist with their holy profession, God CHAP. VI. V.2, 3. The mountains in the will be glorified, his truths and worship recom- land of Israel, or the whole land of promise. mended, and a blessing through them commu-had been polluted with the idolatries of the nicated to mankind. But alas! too many of people.
The prophet was therefore ordered them are the vilest of men: they depart from to look towards them, and address his predicthe judgments and statutes of God, even more tions to them, as if present, and capable of than the blind Pagans; they turn his grace into hearing his word: but the hills and valleys and licentiousness, and exceed in fraud, oppression, other parts of the country were concerned in cruelty, impiety, and iniquity, the worst of the it. ( Notes , 33:24-29. 36:1-15. 37:20-22. idolaters, among whom they disgrace the Deut . 32:1. Is . 1:2. Jer. 22:28-30. Mic . 1:2-4. Christian name.
But let such persons read, 6:1,2.) This was a rebuke of the stupidity of
4 And your altars shall be desolate, and || Premember me among the nations, whithyour images shall be broken: fand Ier they shall be carried captives, because will cast down your slain men before your idols.
8 Yet will I leave a remnant, that ye may have some that shall escape the sword among the nations, when ye shall be scattered through the countries.
9 And they that escape of you shall 10:2. Mic. 1:7. 5:13. Zeph. 1: 3,4. Zech. 13:2.
* Or, sun -images: and so 6. 2 Chr. 14:5. 34:4 Jer. 43:13. margins.
f 5,13. Lev. 26:30. 1 Kings 13: 2. 2 Kings 23:16-20. 2 Chr. 34:5. Jer. 8:1,2.
1 Ps. 115:8. Is. 1:31. Hab. 2.18. m 9:7. Jer. 14:18, 18:21. 25:33. Lam. 2:20,21. 4:9.
n 13. 7:4,9. 11:10,12. 12:15. 13: 9,14,21,23. 14:8. 15:7. 20:38, 42,44. 23:49. 24:24,27. 25:17. 26:6. 28:23. 30:26. 35:15. 38: 28. Ex. 7:5. 14:4,18. 2 Kings 19:19. Ps. 83:17,18. Dan. 4:35 -37. 6:26,27.
o 5:2,12, 12:16. 11:22. Is. 6:13. 27:7,8. Jer. 30:11. 44:14,28. 46:28. Rom. 9:27. 11:5,6.
the people; and intimated, that the Chaldeans would shortly desolate the whole land of Judah, as the Assyrians had done that of Israel. ( Marg . Ref . Note, Lev. 26:31-35.)
V. 4-6. ( Marg . Ref.) 'This verse (4) is 'plainly taken from Lev . 26:30.... The word 'hamannim, images , is generally supposed to 'mean such as were erected to the honor of the 'sun.' Lowth . ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . Note , Lev. 26:30.) The extraordinary, and, as it might previously have been thought, most unlikely event, of the Babylonish captivity, in entirely terminating gross idolatries in Canaan, and among such Jews or Israelites as were not incorporated with the Gentiles, is here emphatically predicted. ( Notes , Is . 27:7-11. Jer. 8:1-3.)
I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols: and they shall loathe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations.
10 And they shall know that I am the LORD, and that I have not said in vain that. I would do this evil unto them.
11 Thus saith the Lord GOD, " Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot, and say, * Alas! for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel: for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.
12 He that is far off shall die of the pestilence; and he that is near shall fall by the sword; and he that remaineth and is besieged shall die by the famire: a thus will I accomplish my fury upon them.
13 Then shall ye know that I am the LORD, b when their slain men shall be among their idols round about their altars,
p Lev. 26:40,41. Dent. 4:29 | 17. 14:22,23. Jer. 5:12-14.44: 31. 30:1-3. Jer. 51:50. Dan. 28. Dan. 9:12. Zech. 1:6. 9:2,3. Zech. 10:9.
q 5:13. 16:43. Ps. 78:40. Is. 7: 13. 63:10. Am. 2:13.
r 20:7,24,28. 23:14-16. Num. 15:39. 2 Kings 16:10. 2 Pet.
2:14.
s 7:16. 12:16. 16:63. 20:43. 36: 31,32. Lev. 26:39. Job 42:6. Is. 64:6. Jer. 30:18,19.
u 21:14,17. Num. 24:10. Is. 58: 1. Jer. 9:1,10.
x 9:4. Jer. 30:7. Joel 1:15. Am. 5:16. Rev. 18:10,16-19. y 5:12. 14:21. Jer. 15:2,3. 16:4. 24:10.
z Dan. 9:7.
a 5:13. Is. 40:2. Lam. 4:11,22, b 4-7. Is. 37:20,36-38.
to prefer every man she looks on to him. ( Marg . Ref . p-r.- Notes , 5:13. 16:15-29. 23: Gen. 6:6,7. Ps . 95:9-11. Is . 43:22-25. Am . 2: 13.) Thus they would learn to abhor themselves, and would become loathsome in their own sight; when they reflected on their base and ungrateful conduct towards the Lord, who had so greatly favored them: and they would know his power, truth, and justice, in the execution of the predicted evils upon them; and would confess, that they were not vain words, as they had once thought them, nor pronounced without cause; but that they deserved all which they endured. Then they would fear God, forsake all idolatry, and return to his worship and service. ( Marg . Ref . s, t.- Notes , 7:16-19. 16:60-63. 20:40-44. 36:31,32. Lev . 26:40-42. Deut . 4:29—31. 30:1—10. Job 42:1
V. 7. (Marg. Ref .) "The judgments God 'intended to bring on the Jews, would make |--6, v . 6.) 'the most hardened and stupid sinners sensi'ble, that this was his hand. Lowth .
V. 8-10. ( Marg . Ref . o. Notes , 12:16. 14: 22,23. Is . 4:2. 6:13. Jer . 30:10,11. 44:14. Matt . 24:21,22. Rom . 11:1-6.) The Lord did not
V. 11. The exceedingly great wickedness and insensibility of the Jews, and the terrible calamities coming upon them, required that the prophet should express his concern in the most emphatical manner: he was therefore di
intend that the nation of Israel should be ut-rected, as one carried away with the earnest
terly destroyed by these judgments. A small remnant should be reserved in mercy, though ali had deserved to perish: these should "escape the sword" which would be drawn out after the captives; and at length be led to remember God, and their obligations to him and rebellion against him. They would then recollect their proneness to idolatry from age to age, by which they had wearied out his patience and goodness; even as a beloved wife "breaks the heart" of her husband by her continual adulteries, and by shewing a disposition
ness and vehemency of his mind, to "smite with his hand and to stamp with his foot;" whilst he exclaimed against the abominations of the people, and denounced the judgments of God upon them. ( Marg . Ref . Notes, 21:6,7, 12-14,17. Num. 24:10,11. Is. 58:1,2.) This might give many of them an occasion to ridicule or revile him, as enraged or beside himself: but it might also tend to awaken some of them to a serious consideration of the predictions, which he delivered with so much vehemence.
Cupon every high hill, in all the tops of the || Lord God unto the land of Israel; b An
mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the place where they did offer sweet savor to all their idols.
14 So will I stretch out my hand upon them, and make the land desolate, yea, more desolate than the wilderness toward * Diblath, in all their habitations: and they shall know that I am the LORD.