The hand of brutish men— The hand of men skilful to kindle a flame, and to bring destruction. Houbigant. Instead of brutish men, the LXX read barbarians; meaning the Medes and Persians, the successors of Nebuchadrezzar.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, That the people might be left without excuse, we have here a clear exposition of the foregoing parable.
1. Against Jerusalem is the prophetic word directed, the forest, where the fire of wrath is about to kindle, and the holy places, the temple and its courts, the profanations of which God will especially avenge. He is against them, and nothing then can protect them from ruin; he threatens to draw the sword of judgment, and cut off the righteous and the wicked, who share often together in national calamities, though God will abundantly make up to his saints in inward consolations, whatever outwardly they suffer in common with others. From the south to the north universal ruin is spread by the Chaldean army; and the sword, once drawn, is no more sheathed, till it has made an utter end of them, agreeably to the foregoing parable, chap. Ezekiel 20:46-48.
2. To affect them with a sense of the terribleness of the threatened ruin, the prophet must himself appear deeply affected with it. He must sigh with such depth and bitterness before them, as if his heart was ready to break; and, as the expression of such vast anguish would make them inquisitive into the cause, he must tell them, that it is for the doleful tidings he is sent to deliver, the certain accomplishment of which approached, when every heart would melt, &c. their courage fail; and so dispirited would they be, as neither to be able to fight nor fly. God hath spoken it, and not one jot or tittle shall fail. Note; (1.) A minister who would affect others with what he speaks, must be affected himself; and a tear dropt over a perishing soul is the most moving admonition. (2.) They who are never so stout-hearted against God's warnings now, will be overwhelmed with terror in the day of their calamity.
2nd, The sword drawn, in the foregoing verses, is sharpened to do terrible execution; glittering and bright, bearing down all before it. The sceptre of Israel's king is as unable to resist its fury, as a rotten stick; or the words may be rendered, it is the rod of my Son, the rod of Christ, executing judgment: It despiseth every tree, resistance is vain when he strikes; for when God contendeth, he will overcome.
1. It is put into the slayer's hand, into the hands of Nebuchadrezzar, and directed against the princes and people of Israel; against all their gates, that their heart may faint, and their ruins be multiplied, their city utterly demolished, and they, without power of resistance, faint and disheartened. Whichever way the sword moves, to the right or left, it spreads havock around; and the great men who fly in terrors to their secret chambers, find no protection from it, even there slain in their lurking-places. And a severe trial it will prove to God's people, when they shall see it contemn even the rod, destroy the king, and put an end to the government of David's royal line. It shall be no more, saith the Lord God, none of David's family shall again wield the sceptre till the Messiah comes. Note; (1.) No eminence of station can secure from God's judgment; nay, rather they who have by their ill examples contributed to the seduction of others, shall be most severely punished. (2.) Terrors will seize the guilty in the day of vengeance, from which they cannot flee. (3.) The strongest fortress has no defence, when God is the assailant. (4.) The sword of judgment turns every way; let no sinner hope to escape from it.
2. The prophet is commanded to testify his bitter grief at these desolations, and to call on the people to join his lamentations. He must cry and howl, for the ravages that he foretels; smiting his hands, in the greatest agony, while the third time he redoubles the warning, A sword, a sword, which some refer to the three captivities of Jehoiakim, Jeconiah, and Zedekiah; others to the coming of the Chaldeans: first, when they took Jerusalem; secondly, when Nebuzar-adan burnt it: and lastly, when, in the twenty-third year of his reign, Nebuchadrezzar carried away the remnant of the people, Jeremiah 52:5-30. Thus God will cause his fury to rest, when he hath executed vengeance on the devoted land, according to his faithful word; and seeing this must shortly come to pass, the prophet expostulates with them on the unreasonabless of their present jollity: should we then make mirth? when a drawn sword hangs over our heads: rather in the dust of deepest humiliation, with bitter cries and tears, should they seek to avert the impending blow. Note; (1.) They who declare the terrors of the Lord must urge them vehemently, and redouble their warnings. (2.) It is a heart-felt grief to God's ministers, to see sinners unconcerned about their approaching and endless miseries. (3.) God's word will have its accomplishment, however now men slight and despise it.
3rdly, The same subject is farther pursued, and the sword brought to their walls.
1. He is commanded to describe on a tile, or a table, two ways, leading from Babylon: the one to Rabbath, the capital of the Ammonites; the other to Jerusalem, the fortress and metropolis of Judah. Here, at the head of the way, he must represent Nebuchadrezzar halting; and, though resolved to attack both places, uncertain with which to begin, using divination to determine his way; brightening the arrows on which it is supposed the names of the cities were engraven, and determining that the first that was drawn was to be first attacked; consulting the images, and looking into the liver, the methods used by the heathens to obtain direction, and inquire into the success of their enterprizes. And all his divinations directed him to take the right-hand road which led to Jerusalem, to encamp around it, appoint the officers to direct the siege, raise up the hostile mounts, and batter the gates, till at the breach they might enter into the city. Note; (1.) The wisest men are often at a stand; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. (2.) Many are doing God's work, who are not at all sensible of him by whose hand they are guided.
2. Both prince and people draw their ruin upon their own heads.
[1.] The people who despise the prophetic warning shall be seized and led captives. The Jews derided the divination as vain, and not to be regarded; and the mention of it by the prophet disturbed not their security; though the oaths that they had sworn and broken might justly alarm them with fears of an avenging God. Or perhaps they depended on the league made with Egypt, and confirmed by mutual oaths, for assistance. But he will call to remembrance the iniquity, the treachery and perjury of Zedekiah and the people, that they may be taken as birds in an evil net. Therefore, thus saith the Lord God who is able to accomplish his purposes, and true to his word, because ye have made your iniquity to be remembered by new transgressions, adding to their past sins, in that your transgressions are discovered, their perfidious conduct exposed openly to the nations around, and to the king of Babylon; so that in all your doings, your sins do appear visible to every eye; because, I say, that ye are come to remembrance before God and the king of Babylon, ye shall be taken with the hand, seized as a helpless bird in a net, and led captives for their iniquities. Note; (1.) Sinners often flatter themselves that the warnings of God are false divinations, but they will be found dreadful realities. (2.) The transgressions of the wicked will be discovered and punished; if not before, at farthest at the great day of recompence.
[2.] The prince of Judah has a peculiar burden laid on him, as the chief author of the nation's ruin. He is charged as profane and wicked; and what can be more so than the ingratitude, perjury, treachery, and rebellion of which he was guilty? and kings are not too high to be plainly told their sin and danger. His day is come to be destroyed, when iniquity shall have an end, when the measure shall be filled, and the punishment due to it inflicted. Thus saith the Lord God, Remove the diadem, and take off the crown, degrade him from his dignity, and depose him from the throne of Judah; this shall not be the same, his kingdom shall not continue: exalt him that is low, Jehoiachin now a captive, Jeremiah 52:31-32 and abase him that is high, Zedekiah, the reigning monarch; or it may signify the changes which the conqueror at his pleasure would make. I will overturn, overturn, overturn it, certainly and utterly, and it shall be no more a kingdom under the rule of David's royal posterity, until he come whose right it is, the Messiah, raised up to sit on the throne of David his father, Luke 1:32 and I will give it him, even a throne enduring as the days of eternity, and universal from pole to pole. Note; (1.) Profaneness and wickedness in a prince are doubly criminal, as the evil of his example is more extensively infectious. (2.) The day will come when all who do iniquity, shall receive their righteous doom. (3.) Crowns are precarious possessions; the only unfading diadem must be fought in a better world. (4.) Pride will have a fall, while humility is the way to honour. (5.) The Lord Jesus is the rightful king and heir of all things; whatever enemies oppose his advancement, must finally be overthrown, and all his foes be made his footstool.
4thly, Though Judah be first visited, let not Ammon think to escape.
1. They had provoked God by their reproach, insulting over his Israel, as if he could not save them, chap. 25: Zephaniah 3:8-10 while they flattered themselves, now the king of Babylon was returned thither, that their gods would protect them; and their diviners and soothsayers confirmed them in their delusion. Note; (1.) God is jealous for his people, and will suffer no insult shewn them to go unpunished. (2.) Sinners usually flatter themselves into their ruin.
2. God threatens to pour out his wrath upon them. The sword that was drawn against Judah is still unsheathed, furbished for the slaughter, and whetted to consume them, to bring them on the necks of the slain, of the wicked: they who slew the rebellious Jews when their day was come, and their iniquities ripe for destruction, must perish by the same arm; nor will the sword return to its scabbard, till it has executed God's vengeance upon them in the land of their nativity, the place where they were settled ever since they were formed into a people. Fierce are the flames of wrath kindled against them; their appointed executioners savage in their tempers, and skilful to destroy. As fuel they must be consumed by the devouring fire of their enemies, and their blood be shed in the midst of the land whither the Chaldeans would penetrate; and the ruin they would make should never be repaired; thou shalt be no more remembered, saith the Lord God; all the traces of their nation being quite obliterated. Note; (1.) It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of that God who is a consuming fire. (2.) Sinners are fuel for the flames of hell. (3.) They who promise themselves, because they have long been secure, that they shall be always safe, will be dreadfully surprised when their unexpected ruin comes.