Take thee a sharp knife.
God’s judgments upon the wicked
1. Wicked men are of little worth; take a whole city of them, they are of no more account with God than a little hair of the head or beard.
2. It is the privilege of Christ to appoint whom and what instruments He pleases to execute His pleasure upon sinners.
3. When God hath been long provoked by a people, He comes with sharp and sweeping judgments amongst them.
4. There is no standing out against God; whatever our number or strength is, His judgments are irresistible.
5. The judgments and proceedings of God with sinners are not rash, but most carefully weighed.
6. There is no escaping of God’s judgments for hard-hearted sinners.
7. In great judgments and general destructions, God of His infinite mercy spares some few. Ezekiel must take a few and bind up in his skirts, all must not be destroyed; the fire and sword devoureth many, but the dispersion preserved some, and some few are left in Judah. God is just, and yet when He is in the way of His judgments, he forgets not mercy: a little of the hair shall be preserved, when the rest goes to the fire, sword, and wind.
8. The paucity preserved in common calamities are not all precious, truly godly. Reprobates for the present escape as well as elect vessels; some choice ones may be cut off, and some vile ones may be kept. In a storm cedars and oaks are smitten, when bushes and briers are spared; and yet after they are cut up and cast into the fire. Sinners may escape present wrath, but there is wrath to come (Luke 3:7).
9. God may take occasion, from the sin of some, to bring in judgment upon all. He must take of the remnant preserved, and throw into the fire, and out of that fire went forth fire into all the house of Israel. (W. Greenhill, M. A.)