The revolters are profound to make slaughter.
The deep ways of apostates and false worshippers
There can be no blacker brand on a people or a man than this--he is an apostate, a revolter. We must understand this, their revolting, especially in reference to their falling off from the true worship of God to their idolatry.
1. It is a dangerous thing to venture on the beginnings of false worship, especially when the tide is flowing in.
2. It is a dangerous thing to be deeply rooted in superstitious ways. By custom men become deeply rooted.
3. The hearts of apostates are the most deeply rooted in wickedness.
4. Idolaters, especially apostates, are profound and deep. Only those who have the Spirit of God that.searches” the deep things, of God, are likely to stand out against the deep policies of idolaters. God calls their “sacrifices” making “slaughter,” by way of reproach. (Jeremiah Burroughs.)
I have been a Rebuker of them all.
Marg. “correction.” The sin of the people was increased by the circumstance that God had not ceased by His prophets to recall the Israelites to a sound mind, since they might not have been wholly irreclaimable. Or God may be thought of here as complaining that He had been an object of dislike to the Israelites, as though He said, “When I sent My prophets, they could not bear to be admonished, because My Word was too bitter for them.” Reproofs are not easily endured by men. What is clear is that the people of Israel were not only apostates, but hopelessly contumacious and refractory in their wickedness. (John Calvin.)