CHAP. XXIV. V. 1-12. Various opinions have prevailed concerning the events predicted in this chapter, which begins a new subject, continued to the end of the twenty-seventh chapter. Some think, that it is a general denunciation of vengeance from God on sinful nations, and on the whole earth: and, like many other prophecies, it is couched in such terms, as may apply to many similar events, and can scarcely have its full accomplishment, except In the consummation of all things.
But it seems more immediately to contain a series of prophecy, relating to the nation of Israel, and to the church, which is yet fulfilling, but not accomplished. 'After having foretold the de'struction of the foreign nations, enemies of 'Judah, the prophet declares the judgments 'impending on the people of God themselves, 'for their wickedness and apostacy; and the 'desolation that shall be brought on their whole 'country.' Bp. Lowth .
The desolation of the kingdom of Israel by the Assyrians, and that of Judah by the Chaldeans; and the ravages afterwards committed by Antiochus Epiphanes, may be adverted to: but the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, and the dispersion of the Jews into all nations, with those events connected with that awful dispensation, and resulting from it, seem principally intended; till at the close of the chapter, a transition appears to be made to other important events. The same original word is rendered "the earth" and "the land:" and generally means the land of Israel.
When the Chaldeans, and afterwards the Romans, took Jerusalem; then "the LORD emptied and wasted that land, and turned it upside down," that none of its inhab
desolate; therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
7 The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merry hearted do sigh
8 The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy o the harp ceaseth.
9 They shall not a drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.
10 The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in.
11 There is a crying for wine in the streets; "all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.
12 In the city is lest desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction.
[Practical Observations.]
itants might continue in it: and in the latter dispensation, instead of sending them to some specified place, for a limited term of years, as before, he scattered them abroad over the face of the earth, and their dispersion continues to the present day. The distinction between priests and people was soon lost, along with their genealogies; and all ranks and orders of men were involved in indiscriminate ruin.
Thus the land, being emptied and plundered, as it were "mourneth and fadeth away," and is become at this day as barren, as it formerly was fruitful.-By "the world," may be meant, the whole of the Jewish economy; the Mosaic dispensation and the civil establishment of Israel as a nation, which waxed old, languished and expired, together with the destruction of all the haughty despisers of their lowly Messiah. For the land had long been polluted by the crimes; ( Notes , Lev . 18:24-30.
Num. 35:31 -34.) especially by the profaneness and hypocrisy of the people, who not only transgressed the laws of God, but "made them of none effect by their traditions:" they not only changed his ordinances, but they expressly brake the national covenant, which had endured for ages, by rejecting the promised Messiah, in and through whom it had been ratified: and thus they were deprived of all their covenanted privileges. Then, the curse of God devoured and desolated the land: his wrath, like fire, burned up the inhabitants, till very few in comparison were left of that devoted nation.
Their abused plenty and sensual mirth ceased; nay, the temple-music, and sacred psalmody, and solemn feasts, were put an end to; or rather were turned into lamentations, howlings, and bitterness of soul. The city, having become a scene of confusion, by the intestine discords of its inhabitants; and having experienced all the horrors of famine and pestilence in the extreme, was broken down by the Romaus, and the Jews were excluded from all access to it.
In vain did they then cry out for some cordial to 14 They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea.
13 When thus it shall be in the midst the treacherous dealers have dealt very of the land among the people, there shall treacherously. be as the shaking of an olive-tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done.
15 Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the * fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea.
16 From the futtermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. • But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, y 1:9. 6:13. 10:20-22. 17:5,6. 51:5. 60:9. Gen. 10:4,5. Zeph.
Jer. 44:28. Ez. 6:8-11. 7:16. 9:4-6. 11:16-20. 14:22,23.
Matt. 3:24:22. Rom. 11:26
11:2,3.
2:11. Zech. 10:9-12. Mal. 1: 11.
20:15 45:22.252:10 66
19,20. Ps. 22:27-31.67:
7. 72:8-11. 98:3. 117: Mic.
5:4. Mark 13:27. Acts 13:47. † Heb. wing.
d Ex. 15:11. Ps. 58:10,11. Rev. 15:3. 16:5-7. 19:1-6.
e 10:16. 17:4. Ps. 106:15.
Heb. Leanness to me. Or, My secret to me.
f 21:2. 33:1. 48:8. Jer. 3:20. 5: 11. 12:1,6. Lam. 1:2. Hos. 5: 7. 6:7. Hab. 1:3.
support them under their overwhelming distress: "all joy was darkened, and the mirth of the land was gone. The city was left desolate, the gate was smitten with destruction." ( Notes , Matt . 24:29-31. Mark 13:24–31. Luke 21:20 28.)
V. 13-15. The great distresses, brought 'upon Israel and Judah, drove the people
17. Fear, and the pit, and the snare are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.
18 And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.
19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage: and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; Pand it shall fall, and not rise again.
earth, were ascribing glory to the righteous Lord: the prophet, personating the Jewish nation, lamented his leanness; that is, the small number of believers found in Israel, the corru ed state of the church, and the miseries which had come upon the nation. The Jews continued to be most cruelly cruelly treated by their treacherous and violent enemies: but, their own hy
'away, and dispersed them all over the neigh-pocrisy, and enormous wickedness; their ava 21 day, that the LORD shall* punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.
th.
'boring countries. They fled to Egypt, to Asia 'Minor, to the islands, and the coasts of Greece. They were to be found in great numbers in 'most of the principal cities of those countries. 'Alexandria was in a great measure peopled 'by them. They had synagogues for their wor'ship, in many places; and were greatly instru'mental in propagating the knowledge of the 'true God among these heathen nations, and 'preparing them for the reception of Christian'ity. Bp. Lowth.
The word rendered "the sea," is sometimes translated, the west : because the Mediterranean sea was the western border of Canaan. ( Notes , 49:9-13. Hos . 11:8-11.)-The chief accomplishment of this prophecy, however, seems to have been after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans.
At that season, there was a small company, like the gleanings of the vine or the olive, which had embraced Christianity: ( Note , 17:4-8.) and wherever they were dispersed among the nations, and in the isles of the sea, they lifted up their voice in songs of praise, whilst they beheld the majesty of God displayed in accomplishing these predictions, and mingled thanksgivings with their fervent prayers: nay, they excited one another to glorify God, in the fiery trial of persecution, and though banished to the remotest regions. ( Marg .
Ref . a, b.) The destruction of Jerusalem was exceedingly conducive to the establishment of the Christian church; and in this respect was the subject of joy and praise to the primitive Christians, especially to the Gentile churches.
V. 16. This verse seems to intimate the calling of the Gentiles, as the consequence of the rejection of the Jews. While the converts to Christianity, from the uttermost parts of the
rice and deceit; and their most virulent persecutions of those who embraced the gospel, seem to be more especially the subject of the prophetical lamentation. As, however, the words rendered "the uttermost part of the earth," or "the wing of the earth," ( marg .) are supposed to mean the extremities of the land of Judah, it is by some interpreted in a more restricted sense. The prophet speaks in the person of the inhabitants of the land still 'remaining there; who should be pursued by divine vengeance, and suffer repeated distress'es from the inroads and depredations of their 'powerful enemies. ... 6:13. Bp . Lowth . Yet there is little proof that the Jews, dispersed in the land after the taking of Jerusalem, in any sense used songs giving "glory to the righteous.” "From the utterinost part of the earth," means the same as "from the isles of 'the sea," in the foregoing verses.' Lowth .
V. 17-20. In taking wild beasts, the hunters used to terrify them, that in their fright they might run into their pits, or be taken in their snares. Thus terror would drive the Jews into those very places, in which destruction was prepared for them, and every thing would concur in preventing their escape. ( Note , Am. 5:18-20.) For the flood-gates of divine vengeance being opened from above, the foundations of the earth would shake, as if the end of the world were come. 'God's wrath and 'vengeance should be over and under them, so 'that they should not any more escape than at 'Noah's flood.' ( Notes , Gen. 7 : 10—12,20–23. 19:24,25.) There were many great earthquakes about the time of the siege of Jerusalem: and Christ predicted the destruction of that city in terms very similar, and which may also be in
And it shall come to pass in that || and after many days shall they be
22 And they shall be gathered together, tas prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison,
9 10:25-27. 14:1,2. 25:10-12. * Heb. visit upon. 24:2,&c. Ps. 76:12. 149:6-9,
Ez. 38: 39: Joel 3:9-17,19. Hag. 2:21,22. Zech. 14:12-19. Rev. 6:14-17. 17:14. 18:9. 19:18-21.
г 17. 2:19. Josh. 10:16,17,22
26.
↑ Heb. with the gathering of prisoners.
† Or, dungeon.
terpreted of the consummation of all things. ( Notes , Matt . 24:29-41. Rev. 20:11-15.) Indeed the transgression of that land, especially in "crucifying the Lord of glory," was heavy upon it; and thus it fell and has never risen again to this day, as it did in comparatively a very short time, after the Babylonish captivity. The three Hebrew words, Pachad , Pa ' chath , and Pach ... have an affinity of sound 'with each other, which cannot be translated 'into another language.' Lowth . The form of expression seems to have been proverbial. ( Jer . 48:43,44.)
visited.
23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, " when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and ir Jerusalem, and before his ancients glori ously.
s Jer. 38:6-13. Zech. 9:11,12. Or, found wanting.
1 13:10. 30:26. 60:19. Ez. 32: 7,8. Joel 2:31. 3:15. Mark 13: 24-26. Rev. 6:12-14. 21:23. u 52:7. Ex. 15:21. Ps. 97:1. Zech. 9:9. Matt. 6:10,13. Rev.
11:15. 19:6.
12:6. Mic. 4:7. Heb. 12:22. Rev. 14:1.
|| Or, there shall be glory before his ancients. Job 38:4 7. Dan. 7:9,10,18,27.
cerning the restoration of Israel; yet it seems implied.
V. 23. When this victory has been won, the Millennium will be introduced: the Lord will set up his kingdom in its fullest glory on earth; and its splendor shall eclipse and put to shame, not only the borrowed light of the moon, but the light of the sun also; that is, all the majesty of the mightiest kingdoms, as well as that of the subordinate ones. He will then reign, as "LORD of hosts" upon his mercy-seat, and among his ancient people, or the elders or ministers of his church, in unrivalled and unclouded glory and majesty. ( Notes , 60:1522. Rev. 19:1-8. 20:4-6. 21:22-27.22:1-5.) The millennium seems especially predicted, but in language which also suits the heavenly state
PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS.
V. 1-12.
V. 21, 22. Here a transition appears to be made, from the ruin of the Jewish nation for opposing the gospel, to that of the antichristian powers, which will introduce a general prevalence of true religion: and such transitions are common in the prophets. But the subversion of the idolatrous Roman empire, (after it had executed God's judgments on Jerusalem,) to make way for the firmer establishment of Christianity in the primitive ages, may also be intended, as a shadow of the other still more decisive events.
However that may be, all the host of the high ones and the kings of the earth, who oppose the gospel, will be gathered as prisoners into a dungeon, deprived of power to do further mischief; and at last produced to take their trial and receive their sentence. (Notes, Josh. 10:16-18,2427.) 'Some commentators understand, by "the 'host of the high ones which are on high," the 'devil and his angels, who are described by St.
'Paul by the names of principalities and pow'ers, dwelling in high or heavenly places, and 'having power in the air, or lower region of 'the world; ( Eph . 2:2. 6:12.) and then by "the 'kings of the earth," must be meant those 'earthly princes, who are influenced by them, 'and are their instruments in abetting idolatry, 'or persecuting God's truth.... The verse al'ludes to the custom of kings who used to con'fine the chief commanders of their enemies, 'whom they took prisoners, and reserve them 'to some extraordinary day of triumph, and 'then bring them out to public punishment. '...
I cannot find any explication of this verse 'so agreeable to the natural sense of the words, 'as that of a late learned writer upon the Rev'elation, 19:6. who explains it of the kings of 'the earth, who made war with Christ and his 'saints, at Armageddon, Rev. 16:16. 19:19. and 'being there discomfited, lay languishing un'der the sentence of condemnation, till after 'the battle of Gog and Magog, 20:8-10. when they were, together with Satan their leader, punished with everlasting destruction.' Lowth . ( Notes , Ez . 38: 39: Dan . 11:40-45.
Rev. 16:12 -16, υ. 16. 19:11-21. 20:7-10.) Events, yet in futurity, are doubtless predicted: but, probably, no man will distinctly know what events , till the prophecy has received its accomplishment. Nothing is spoken expressly con- || ever been visited as the Jews were, after they
They, whose treasures and felicity are laid up on earth, will soon be reduced to indigence and misery; for the Lord will make the whole of it "waste and empty;" nay, he will "turn it upside down, and shake all its inhabitants out of it." Even in great national convulsions, the superior orders are often first exposed to peril, alarm, and ruin: and in the great day of God, the ungodly priest, or prince, or wealthy man, will have more to answer for, and will receive deeper condemnation, than his inferiors: and this will be his only distinction.
But the Lord has spoken the word, and the earth, which has been defiled by man's sin, must wax old and vanish away; and all the proud and haughty inhabitants of it must perish. All the miseries, which in every age have been experienced, are the effect of that curse, which is incurred by transgressing the law of God, and violating his righteous covenants. His wrath, like fire, consumes all before it: it will burn up the earth; ( Notes , 2 Pet . 3:5-13.) and it forms a hell for the everlasting punishment of the wicked.
There all mirth will cease; no joy can enter; even hope expires at the portal: all is destruction and despair, "weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth" for ever. Let then the merry-hearted, who now drink wine with festive songs, and add every incentive to sensual indulgence, pause, and reflect, and ask themselves, what they will do to eternity, when all such expedients fail.
Even in this world an hour may come, in which "strong drink may be bitter to them that drink it, and every enjoyment become irksome; and in deed such hours often occur in almost every man's experience: but at length carnal mirth must be turned into mourning and anguish of spirit; and how much better is it now to mourn with penitent sorrow, which makes way for holy hope and endless joy, than to spend eternity in hopeless lamentations! No nation has