Oldalképek
PDF
ePub

nant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation; a part of them shall be preserved, in whom the future designs of my providence shall be accomplished: and the LORD shall reign over • them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever. And thou, O tower of the flock, O Jerusalem, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion,* unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion, equal to David's and Solomon's; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem, though now in an afflicted 9 state. Now why dost thou cry out aloud? [is there] no king in thee is thy counsellor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail; probably referring to the captivity 10 of their kings, just before their own. Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail : for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go [even] to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies; you have reason to be in hangs, for you shall be led out of your capital, and carried captive to Babylon; but from thence I will deliver you.

11

Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion, let it delight itself with beholding their calamities; referring to the attempt of Sennacherib; he and his army desired to see that city destroyed, which was the head quarters of the religion which op 12 posed their idolatry. But they know not the thoughts of the LORD, neither understand they his counsel; the purpose of God to destroy Sennacherib's army: for he shall gather them 13 as the sheaves into the floor. Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the LORD, and their substance unto the LORD of the whole earth; thou shalt trample on thine enemies with as much ease, as the ox treadeth out the corn, and take their spoil, and dedicate it to the temple of the Lord; which we have reason to believe Hezekiah did.

1.

REFLECTIONS.

AMIDST the confusion of the nations, we have reason to

rejoice that the gospel has been and will be supported in the world. Though Jerusalem is ruined, and the Jews dispersed, yet the church of God is still supported in one form and place or another. It went out from Zion, and, from a small be. ginning, became great. Let us attend to the hints of duty here given us; let us invite one another to go up to the house of the

The tower of the flock, or the tower of Eder, was a place near Bethlehem, where the shepherds used to keep watch in the midst of a large plain; here put for Jerusalem, to intimate that God would protect his people and feed them there.

Lord, to worship him, and to learn his ways. Let us be united in these religious exercises'; and engage in them with a determination to walk in God's ways; else all our worship and pretences to serve him will be reckoned hypocritical.

2. Let the incurable superstition of others, lead us to be resoJute in the pure worship and service of our God. All people are fond of the religion of their fathers; whoever or whatever is their god, they will walk in his name, v. 5. And shall they be so resolute in walking in the ways of their false gods, and shall not we walk in the name of Jehovah our God for ever? Let us be careful to learn his name; engage in his service upon serious examination, and then be steady in his work; reverencing his authority, governing ourselves by his law, and doing this for ever and ever. We shall never find a better master, a more pleasant service, or a greater reward.

3. Let us learn from the example of the Israelites, v. 13. to consecrate our gain to God; remember, that he is Lord of the whole earth, who has a right to every thing we have. To his bounty and blessing we owe whatever we acquire. We are but stewards, and, as such, accountable to him for our gain; and therefore it ought to be employed for him, and made subservient to his glory, in supporting religion and doing good to others; by providing for the welfare of their bodies and souls. Then it will be consecrated to the Lord, made holiness to him; and with such sacrifices he will be well pleased.

CHAP. V.

The birth and kingdom of Christ are here foretold, and his complete conquest over all his adversaries.

1

Now gather thyrian army be led on with all its troops

[OW gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops;

he hath laid siege against us; we have seen their encampments they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek; they have treated Hezekiah in the most contemptu- / ous manner, nevertheless they shall be destroyed, and Jerusalem 2 shall still continue. But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, [though] thou be little among the thousands of Judah, [yet] out of thee shall he come forth unto me [that is] to be ruler in Israel; the Messiah shall be born there, and that shall make it famous; whose goings forth [have been] from of old, from everlasting; 3 who existed long before his incarnation. Therefore, or nevertheless, will he give them, Israel, up for a season, until the time [that] she which travaileth hath brought forth; till the virgin mother hath brought forth her Son, and the gospel has

4

been preached: then the remnant of his brethren, Christ's people in every nation, shall return unto the children of Israel, and the Gentiles be united to the believing Jews.

And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide; his church shall be safe and secure under his protection for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth. 5 And this [man] shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land; referring to the latter day, and to the attack that shall be made on the Jews after their conversion and restoration; the Assyrian being put as a common name for any implacable enemy: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men; a competent number of considerable persons, 6 who shall deliver us from our enemies. And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances, or frontiers, thereof, where the strongest garrisons are usually placed: thus shall he deliver [us] from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he tread7 eth within our borders. And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men; as the falling of dew, which is not the effect of human thought and industry, refreshes the earth, so the converted Jews shall be a blessing to all about them, be instruments of bringing into the church the remaining unconverted Gentiles, and of reviving the christian cause. But they shall be terrible to their enemies.

And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people, as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver; all who, from enmity to the gospel, confederate against them, shall find them unconquerable, and be ruined 9 by them. Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversa10 ries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off. And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy char iots; I will bring thee to an entire dependence upon me, and thou 11 shalt no more trust in prohibited aids : And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds; thou shalt not trust even in thy fortifications, but in God himself, wh● 12 will fully secure thee: And I will cut off witchcrafts, or, thy sorcerers, out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no [more] 13 soothsayers: Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no 14 more worship the work of thine hands. And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy

15 cities, or rather, thine enemies.* And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard; or, who have not hearkened unto me : the meaning is, they shall become entirely obedient to God, trust in him alone, and be delivered from all their enemies.

1.

L

REFLECTIONS.

ET us regard the Lord Jesus Christ in the instructive view here given of him. An illustrious prophecy, which has been most exactly accomplished. Let us reflect upon his bigh original; honour him as the Son of God; reverence his authority, as the ruler of Israel, and the shepherd of his people; who feeds, instructs, and protects them. Let us commit ourselves to his care, submit to his laws, and trust in his power and grace to save us.

2. Let us reflect on the security of his church. He is its peace; when enemies rise, he will raise up shepherds to defend it. It shall abide, notwithstanding all attempts to destroy it; and spread to the ends of the earth; both Jews and heathens shall be brought into it. Let our faith receive and rejoice in these promises; and let them animate our prayers, and our endeavours to advance his interest.

3. See what a blessing lively christians are to the places in which they live, v. 7. They refresh and make fruitful those about them. Their attempts to do good are vigorous and extensive; their exhortations, prayers, and examples, make them public blessings. But still it is the power and grace of God that make their attempts successful. In his strength let us exert ourselves to do good, and to promote the salvation and comfort of all around us.

4. See the sad consequences of opposing and despising the gospel. In what awful words does God express his determination to punish those who do so, v. 15. I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon those, who, after so many wonderful events in the conversion of the Jews, will not hear. And such, and even more severe, will be the punishment of those under a christian name, who have been educated in the principles of the gospel, who have it preached to them, and who profess to believe it, and yet will not hear, that is, will not obey it. The omniscient,

almighty, holy Lord God, is not to be trifled with; and from a dread of his wrath, and a desire of his favour, let every soul hear, and be obedient.

• Their conversion is here described by their renouncing all kinds of idolatry, because then they were much addicted to it; though they are not now.

CHAP. VI.

The prophet here returns to speak of his own times, and relates God's controversy for unkindness, ignorance, injustice, and idolatry.

'HEA Hthou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy

EAR ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend

2 voice. Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD's controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth; the hills and the moun tains are addressed to reprove the stupidity of the people: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel; he will argue the case with them, and convince them of the equity of his judgments. O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me; what injustice or grievances have you to complain of? For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam the prophetess, (Exod. xv. $ 20.) O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal, from the encampment at Shittim, (Numb. xxv. 1.) on the way to that of Gilgal, (Joshua iv. 19.) that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD; or, that train of providentes which attended the Israelites from their last encampment on the other side Jordan, to their taking possession of Canaan; particularly, their passing over Jordan ; taking Jericho; renewing the covenant of circumcision, and dividing the land. The people, alarmed by this representation, inquire,

Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, [and] bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? or does he expect a more costly sacrifice? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, [or] with ten thousands of rivers of oil? oil attended their meat offerings: shall I give my first born, the dearest of my offspring, [for] my transgression, the fruit of my body [for] the sin of my soul? The prophet answers, He hath showed thee, O man, by reason and conscience, and his written law, what [is] good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? in these he takes pleasure, and without these the most costly sacrifices will be detested. The LORD's voice crieth unto the city, Jerusalem, and [the man of] wisdom shall see thy name, shall learn what thou art: hear ye the rod, and whe hath appointed it.

It is well known, that the Phenicians, and their descendants the Carthagenians, sacificed their children to Saturn, and some of the idolatrous jews and Israelites imitated ale Borrid practice. Bp. Nemcome.

VOL. VI.

Qq

« ElőzőTovább »