DISCOURSE: 1151
THE FOLLY OF CREATURE-CONFIDENCE
Hosea 5:13. When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.
MEN continually provoke God to chastise them, but rarely make a due improvement of his chastisements. Instead of turning to God, they dishonour him still more by applying to the creature under their distress rather than to him. The ten tribes, when punished for their willing compliance with Jeroboam’s edicts [Note: ver. 11, 12. God consumed them as the moth consumes a garment, or as rottenness the bones, secretly, slowly, gradually, effectually.], sought repeatedly to the Assyrians for help, instead of humbling themselves before God: but they found, as “Judah” also did on similar occasions, that their confidence in the creature served only to involve them in shame and disappointment.
Taking the text simply as an historical fact, we deduce from it two observations, which deserve our consideration.
I. Men, in times of trouble, are prone to look to the creature for help, rather than to God—
This was one of the most common and heinous sins of the Jewish nation [Note: Sometimes they relied on Egypt, Isaiah 30:1-3; Isaiah 31:1. Sometimes on Assyria (as Manahem did on Pal, 2 Kings 15:19 and Ahaz did on Tiglath-pileser, 2 Kings 16:7 and sometimes on themselves, Isaiah 22:8-11. “Jareb” here certainly means the king of Assyria: but whether it was his proper name, or a name given him by the prophet, is uncertain. It means Defender, and might be applied to him in a taunting manner. In this view it would be a very severe sarcasm. See 2 Chronicles 28:20.]: and it is universal also amongst ourselves,
1. In troubles of a temporal nature—
[In sickness of body, we lean, like Asa [Note: 2 Chronicles 16:12.]; on the physician. In distress of mind, we complain and murmur; but forget; to pray [Note: Genesis 4:13-14.]. In straitened circumstances, we expect relief from friends, or our own exertions. God is invariably our last refuge.]
2. In spiritual troubles—
[Under conviction of sin, we betake ourselves to the observance of duties, and make resolutions to amend our lives, instead of fleeing to Christ as the refuge of lost sinners [Note: Isaiah 55:2.]. In seasons also of temptation, or desertion, we adopt a thousand expedients to remove our burthens, but will not cast them on the Lord [Note: 1 Samuel 16:14-16.]. Though foiled ten thousand times, we cannot bring ourselves to lie as clay in the potter’s hands; but will rest in the means, instead of looking simply to God in the use of means.]
But the longer we persist in it the more we shall find, that,
II.
The creature cannot afford us any effectual succour—
There are circumstances indeed wherein friends may be instrumental to our relief: but they can do,
1. Nothing effectual—
[The consolations which are administered by man, or by the vanities of this world, are poor, empty, transient [Note: Jeremiah 2:13.]. Not the whole universe combined can ever bring a man to “glory in tribulations [Note: Romans 5:3.],” and to say with Paul, “I take pleasure in them for the sake of Christ [Note: 2 Corinthians 12:10.]:” as soon might they enable him to stop the sun in its course, as to reduce to experience the paradoxes of that holy apostle [Note: 2 Corinthians 6:10.]—.]
2. Nothing of themselves—
[It is not a little humiliating to see how weak are man’s endeavours to heal either the disorders of the body, or the troubles of the soul, when God is pleased to withhold his blessing. The best prescriptions, or the wisest counsels, are even lighter than vanity itself. Reasonings, however just and scriptural, have no weight: advice, however sweetened with love and sympathy, is rejected: the very grounds of consolation are turned into occasions of despair [Note: Psalms 77:2-3.]. When God says, “Let there be light,” there is light: but till then, the soul is shut up in impenetrable darkness [Note: Job 34:29.]
Address—
1.
Let us guard against this sinful propensity, both in our national and personal concerns—
[We cannot but see how prone we are, as a nation, to rest on human alliances, and human efforts. Would to God we could correct this fatal error, and trust more entirely in the great disposer of all events!
As individuals at least, we may, and must, correct it. If we would have the blessing of God, and not his curse, we must renounce all creature-confidence, and trust in him alone [Note: Jeremiah 17:5-8. See David’s example, Psalms 60:11; Psalms 121:1-2.]. If we would do this, our happiness would be complete [Note: Psalms 91:1-7; Psalms 91:9-10.] — — —]
2. Let us especially rely on Christ as the healer of our souls—
[He is “the healer of the nations [Note: Revelation 22:2.],” “Jehovah, who healeth us [Note: Exodus 15:26.]:” there is no physician besides him; nor any balm, but his blood. We may use whatever means we will, either to pacify the conscience, or to purify the heart; but we shall find that they can “not heal us, nor cure us of our wound.” But Christ is all-sufficient: he can in one moment purge us by his blood, and renovate us by his Spirit. To him then let us look with humble, uniform, unshaken affiance.]