Ye shall see their way, &c.— "Their afflictions shall bring them to a due sense of their former iniquities; and, escaping from these sore judgments, they shall humbly confess their own sins, and the sins of those who were consumed in the destruction of their city: whence it will appear, that I have not punished them beyond what their sins deserved." See Lowth and Calmet.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, We have here,
1. Certain of the elders of Israel waiting on the prophet with apparent concern about their souls, and solicitude to hear and receive his admonitions. Whether they were of the captivity, or some who had come on business from Jerusalem to Babylon, is uncertain. Note; The face of devotion and seriousness is often put on by those who are utterly destitute of the power of godliness.
2. God let the prophet know what manner of men these were, whose hearts so ill corresponded with their exterior appearance. They have set up their idols in their heart, or caused them to ascend upon their heart; their affections were placed upon them, their hearts the throne of idolatry; and, though at a distance from their images, still slaves to these vanities; such an ascendant had they over them. They put the stumbling-block of their iniquity before their face, and fall down to the stock and stone: and should such dare inquire of God? what impious effrontery! what answer can be expected, but wrath to the uttermost? Note; (1.) Heart-idols are equally abominable with those that are the work of men's hands; and covetousness, self-love, &c. &c. as much idolatry as the bowing down to gods of gold or silver. (2.) They who put the stumbling-block of their iniquity before them, can expect nothing but to fall into the pit of destruction.
3. The Lord gives him an answer for them. With God there is no respect of persons; whoever draws near to him in hypocrisy, shall bear his burden, and receive an answer according to the multitude of his idols; he will give them up to the delusions which they have chosen, and punish them according to their crimes: That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, exposing their sin and folly, and bringing them to deserved shame and punishment; because they are all estranged from me through their idols, alienated from the service and worship of God by their attachment to these abominations. Note; Our own hearts are naturally our great plague and snare; they seduce us from God to indulge some favourite lust, the idol within, and in spite of the remonstrances of God's word, and our own consciences, hurry us on to our ruin.
4. A solemn warning is given them to repent, on pain of eternal perdition: be they native Israelites, or sojourners among them, they have the same call; they must turn from their idols, and from all their abominations; else, if they continue to separate themselves from God in this hated service, and walk in these iniquities,
God will speak to them in terrible wrath, confound that daring impiety and hypocrisy which leads them to the prophet, pretending to consult him; will make them spectacles of horror, cut them off by sudden death, and by these monuments of vengeance teach others to tremble, and fear to offend that God who is a consuming fire. Note; (1.) The hypocrite shall be detected and confounded, often in this world, at farthest in a judgment-day. (2.) Of all sinners the hypocrite's doom will be most terrible, Matthew 24:51.
5. The doom of the false prophets is read. The deceiver and the deceived shall perish together. Since the people choose their own delusions, God will give up the prophets whom they consulted to a lying spirit, 1 Kings 22:22-23 and in just judgment suffer them to be deceived by the devil. He will stretch out his avenging arm, and utterly destroy them from the midst of the people; and both the false prophet, and they who seek to him, shall bear the punishment of their iniquity, dreadful as their aggravated provocations. Mysterious are the ways of God; and, though we are often lost in our inquiries why he permits the evil that we see, the day will come when all his dispensations will be proved, beyond contradiction, to be altogether righteous and true.
6. The judgments executed on the wicked will be a warning to many of the house of Israel, that they go no more astray, beholding the dire effects which arise from such departures from God, and made wise by the sufferings of others: neither be polluted any more with all their transgressions, which would necessarily involve them in the same ruin; but on the contrary learn to love and serve the blessed God, that they may be my people, approving their fidelity to the end, and I may be their God, saith the Lord God, blessing them with all good things here, and their portion and exceeding great reward hereafter. Note; (1.) The punishments of others should deter us from their iniquities. (2.) Sin defiles the soul, and renders it odious in the eyes of a holy God. (3.) They who are, and continue to approve themselves to God, as his faithful people, shall find the present and eternal advantages of his love and favour.
2nd, We have,
1. The heavy judgments threatened on a guilty land. When the measure of their sins is full, wrath to the uttermost will overtake them. Four sore plagues are mentioned; Famine, when the staff of bread is broken, and man and beast perish with hunger. Noisome beasts, so numerous and ravenous, that all travelling must be unsafe, and the land deserted and desolate. The sword, commissioned of God to go through the land, and consume what the famine had left: and pestilence, which depopulates the country, and puts a taint in the blood incurably fatal. These are the arrows bent against wicked nations.
2. All intercession is vain when the decree is gone forth. Though Noah, Job, and Daniel joined as advocates, their piety and prayers could be of no avail. They could not deliver a son or daughter; their own souls only should be given them for a prey. The mention of Job, with Noah and Daniel, clearly proves, that he really lived, and answered the character given him in the book which bears his name; eminent for patience as Noah for his integrity, when all flesh had corrupted their ways; and as Daniel, who, though a young man, had already appeared distinguished by his wisdom, humility, piety, zeal, and prayer. Perhaps some few remained who resembled these holy men, and for their sake a hope might be entertained that Jerusalem would yet be spared, as Sodom might have been if but ten righteous had been found in it. Indeed, if any thing could have averted the threatened wrath, these advocates had prevailed; but her time is come, the measure of her guilt is full, her ruin determined, and the wrath denounced inevitable. Note; (1.) In the worst of times, some few eminent saints are found. (2.) Though they may not prevail to avert the ruin of their land, themselves shall be saved amid the general desolations, sometimes exempted from the common calamity, and wonderfully preserved: at least, if they suffer with others, they shall enjoy divine consolations; and whatever becomes of their bodies, their souls, faithfully resting on Jesus, shall be ever with their Lord.
3. A remnant is reserved from the general ruin, brought forth out of Jerusalem to join their brethren in captivity; and ye shall see their way and their doings; either behold their penitent return to God, humbled and converted by the judgments that they have suffered; or their hardened wickedness, which would convince the captives of the righteous judgment of God upon them; and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem; pleased to see the blessed effects wrought thereby, if it led the sufferers to repentance; or satisfied of the justice of God in his severity upon such transgressors: and they shall comfort you, when ye see their way and their doings; either it would delight them to see the gracious symptoms of their conversion; or, if they persisted in their abominations, they would no longer grieve for their sufferings, but justify God in them; and ye shall know that I have not done without cause, all that I have done in it, saith the Lord God; but that the Lord in all his dispensations is righteous, just, and good. Note; (1.) Nothing will hereafter be matter of greater thankfulness to God's people, than those bitterest afflictions here which have contributed to the good of their souls. (2.) God will be glorified in all his works, and his saints will adore him and delight in them: even the punishment of the wicked shall redound to his honour, and minister matter for their praises.