Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because [there is] no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.
Ver. 1. Hear the word of the Lord] This is the beginning of a new sermon, or judicial act of God against the ten tribes, which are here convented, convinced, sentenced. It begins with an Oyez, like that of St Paul, Acts 13:16, "Men of Israel, and ye that fear God" (if any such be in so general a defection), "give audience." Ye have heard God's mind before parabolically delivered and in types; now hear it in plain terms, that you may "see and understand and be converted, and I may heal you." Hear, and your souls shall live. Hear him that speaketh from heaven, even that excellent speaker as he is called, Daniel 10:4,9, that arch-prophet, whom ye are bound to hear, Deu 18:18 Matthew 17:5, upon pain of death, Hebrews 12:25, the Lord Christ I mean, who speaketh with authority, and is mighty in word and deed, Acts 10:36. He it was whom Isaiah saw upon his throne, and heard speaking, John 12:41. And it is a rule in divinity, that where the Old Testament bringeth in God appearing and speaking to the patriarchs, prophets, and people, it is to be understood of the Second Person. "Hear, therefore, and give ear; be not proud: for the Lord hath spoken it," Jeremiah 13:15. "The lion hath roared, who will not fear?" Amos 3:8. The Lord God hath spoken, who can but hear and fear, humble and tremble?
Ye children of Israel] But oh, how altogether unlike your father! Even as unlike as Jehoiakim (that degenerate plant) was to his father, Josiah, that "plant of renown," Ezekiel 34:29. His heart melted when he heard the law, 2 Chronicles 34:18,19, but Jehoiakim cut it with a penknife and cast it into the fire, Jeremiah 36:23. These were Israel's children, and named "the house of Jacob," as those in Micah 2:7; but an empty title yields but an empty comfort at last. Is the spirit of the Lord straitened? (saith the prophet there;) were these Jacob's doings? Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly? Were you Israelites indeed, I should not thus lose my sweet words upon you; but you would incline your ears and come unto me, Isaiah 55:3, hear as for life itself: especially since I am sent unto you (as once Ahijah was to Jeroboam's wife, 1Ki 14:6) with heavy tidings, with such a citation or process from heaven as may well be unto you as Samuel's message was to Eli, that made both his ears to tingle; or as the handwriting was to Balthasar, that made his knees knock together.
For the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land] The former title (children of Israel) was too good for them: they had disgraced their father's family, and were therefore (Reuben-like) fallen from their dignity. They shall henceforth be called the inhabitants of the land, as the wicked are called, Revelation 12:12, in opposition to "the heavens and those that dwell therein," the burgesses of the new Jerusalem. Abraham had seed of two sorts, some were as the dust of the earth, Genesis 13:16, others as the stars of heaven, Genesis 15:5. And all are not Israel that are of Israel, Romans 9:6. Multi sacerdotes et pauci sacerdotes, saith Chrysostom. There are many ministers, and yet but few; many in name, but few in deed, workmen that need not be ashamed; Nomen inane, crimea immane. It was cold comfort to Dives in flames, that Abraham called him son; or to Judas, that Christ called him friend; or to these rebellious Jews, that God sometimes called them his people, and had rooted out the cursed Canaanites to make room for them, when as they lived in God's good land, but not by God's good laws. For which cause the Lord hath here a controversy with them, a suit at law; and being himself both plaintiff and judge, he is sure to cast them; yea, to cast them out of that good land as evil tenants (Malae fidei possessores), that should hold no longer: for, Hosea 4:3, he threateneth to plead against them, non verbis sed verberibus, with pestilence and with blood, as Ezekiel 38:22, to make them say, as Isaiah 45:9, "Woe to him that striveth with his Maker," that hath him for his adversary at law; such a one is sure to be undone unless he agree with him quickly, Matthew 5:25, while he is yet in the way with him, and before he be brought to the tribunal. "For even our God is a consuming fire," Hebrews 12:29; his tribunal also is of fire, Ezekiel 1:27, his pleading with sinners "in flames of fire," 2 Thessalonians 1:7, the trial of men's works shall be by fire, 1 Corinthians 3:13, the place of punishment a lake of fire fed with a river of brimstone, Isaiah 30:33. O pray, therefore, and prevent, that God enter not into judgment with us: for if so, no man living shall be justified in his sight. God's people may have and shall be sure to have the devil an adversary at law against them, as St Peter's word, αντιδικος, signifies, 1 Peter 5:8. The accuser of the brethren he is called, which accuseth them before God day and night, Revelation 12:12. But him they may resist stedfast in the faith, and recover cost and charges of him, as I may so say; for they have Christ to appear for them in heaven, Hebrews 9:24, as a lawyer for his client, 1 John 2:2, to thwart all the devil's accusations. The Spirit also (as a paracletus or advocate) maketh request for them to God in their hearts, and helpeth them to make apologies for themselves, 2 Corinthians 7:11. Again, "If a man sin against another, the judge shall judge him," saith old Eli to his wicked sons; that is, the umpire may come and take up the controversy and put an end to the quarrel. "But if a man have sinned against the Lord, who shall entreat for him?" 1 Samuel 2:29. Who dare be his daysman? no mediation of man can make his peace; no reconciliation can be here hoped for, but by running from God as a Judge, to God as a Father in Christ. Let men, therefore, be wrought upon by the reprehensions of God's faithful ministers, by whom he appealeth and impeacheth them. If they stand out as the old world did against that preacher of righteousness, by whom he went and preached to those spirits now in prison (because they would not take up the matter in time, but futured and fooled away their own salvation), he will break off his patience, and say, as Genesis 6:3, "My Spirit shall not always strive with these men, for that they also are flesh," &c., and are therefore the worse, because they ought to be better (Ideo deteriores quia meliores esse debebant); therefore they shall fare the worse, because they would be no better. I have hewed them by my prophets, Hosea 6:5, but can make no good work of them. Like ill timber, they fall to splinters; and like ill stones, they crumble all to gravel; they are therefore fitter for the highway and chimney corner then for my building. My Spirit shall therefore strive no more with these perverse persons, either by preaching, disputing, convincing, &c., in the mouth of my ministers; or in their own minds and consciences, by inward checks and motions, which they reject, refusing to be reformed, hating to be healed. I will take away my Spirit, and silence my prophets (as he doth Hos 4:4), and resolve upon their utter ruin; since there is no good to be done upon them. See Hosea 4:17. See Trapp on " Hos 4:17 " Currat ergo poenitentia, ne praecurrat sententia, &c.
Because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land] Lo, here the charge: and "knowing the judgment of God," you must needs say that "those that commit such things are worthy of death," Romans 1:32. For "if the word spoken by angels" (the law given by angels in the hand of Moses a mediator) "were stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience" (that is, every commission and omission) "received a just recompense of reward," Hebrews 2:2, how should these miscreants escape, that had left off to do good? and for evil, they did it with both hands earnestly; for the second table of the law, it is articled against them (for matter of omission or defect) that there was "neither truth nor mercy in the land"; and for the first table, that there was no sound "knowledge of God" there; and, consequently, no care of God, either inward or outward worship: for there can be neither faith, nor repentance, nor due obedience yielded to an unknown God. A Samaritan service there may be ("ye worship ye know not what," Joh 4:22), but not a rational service, Romans 12:1, such as whereof a man can render a reason. Now God will not have a blind sacrifice, Malachi 1:8 1 Chronicles 28:9; it is worthless that men are virtuous, unless they join to their virtue knowledge, 2 Peter 1:5; nor that they offer sacrifice, if they bring the "sacrifice of fools," Ecclesiastes 5:1. Those must needs be "abominable and disobedient" that are to "every good work reprobate," injudicious, as the word signifies, Titus 1:11; and what marvel though men be "alienated from the life of God" (or a godly life), "through the ignorance that is in them?" Ephesians 4:18. But let us take the words in order. "There is no truth." Here God declareth against them (as lawyers do against offenders in court), and not for trifles, but first for want of truth or trustiness in word and deed; without which human society is but funiculus ex arena, a rope of sand, or arena sine calce, sand without lime, it cannot hold together. It was an old complaint of the prophets, that "Truth was fallen in the streets, and faithfulness failed from among the children of men," Isa 59:14 Psalms 12:1. When Varus was slain Augustus grieved excessively; and that because non esset a quo verum audiret, he had none about him that would tell him the truth of things, and deal plainly with him. Multis annis iam transactis, nulla fides est in pactis, &c. Jeremiah bewails it in his treacherous countrymen, that they "bent their tongues like their bows for lies; but they were not valiant for the truth on the earth," Jeremiah 9:3; they were mendaciorum loquaeissimi (as Tertullian phraseth it), loud and lewd liars, and (as Hegesippus saith of Pilate) they were viri nequam et pravi facientes mendacium, naughty men, and such as made nothing of a lie. But God's people are said to be "children that will not lie," Isaiah 63:8, they are φιλαληθεις, lovers of truth, which was the title of honour given to Arrian, the Greek historian; whereas of all other historians Vopiscus testifieth, that there is none qui non aliquid est mentitus, that taketh not the liberty to lie more or less. And for slipperiness in contracts and covenants nothing is more common among men; it is counted a peccadillo. But the God of truth, the faithful and true witness, as Christ is called, counteth it not so. See Ezekiel 17:15,21 1Ti 4:2 2 Timothy 3:3. There are those who take truth here for justice, according to Zechariah 8:16, and so it suits well with that which followeth.
Nor mercy] These two are set together, Micah 6:8 (to do justly, and to love mercy), as the sum of the second table. Mouth mercy there was enough, such as was that in St James' days, James 2:15,16. "But there is not any one that taketh Zion by the hand," Isaiah 51:18, that "draweth out his soul to the hungry, and dealeth his bread to such," Isaiah 58:7; Isaiah 58:10. Sodom hath fulness of bread, but would part with none to strengthen the hands of the poor and needy, Ezekiel 16:49. Therefore she had "judgment without mercy," that had showed no mercy, James 2:13. Whereas Tyre, when once she left heaping and hoarding, and brought forth her merchandise for them that dwell before the Lord to "eat sufficiently," and for "durable clothing," Isaiah 23:18, is renowned and reckoned among those that came to Christ with their desirable things, as some read that text, Haggai 2:7. Colligent omnes suos thesauros (so Calvin readeth it), they shall come with strong affections, with large contributions, as those primitive saints did, Acts 4:34. The same Hebrew word, chasid, signifieth both saint and merciful; and it comes of chesed, the word here rendered mercy, or bounty. The tender mercies of the Almighty shed forth abundantly upon such, leave a compassionate frame upon their hearts, as in the jailer, Acts 16:33. Their thoughts, steeped in the mercies they have received, are dyed of the same colour as cloth is in the dye fat, Colossians 3:12. This text, after no mercy, fitly adds,
Nor knowledge of God in the land] Heb. "And no knowledge of God": or, "because there is no knowledge of God in the land." Did men but know God savingly, had they but tasted and seen how good the Lord is, they would not be so hide bound, and strait handed to their poor brethren; but "ready to distribute, willing to communicate," 1 Timothy 6:18. They are the "dark places of the earth" that are "full of the habitations of cruelty," Psalms 74:20. But in the kingdom of Christ they "shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain," saith the Lord: and why? "For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea," Isaiah 11:9. St Paul thanks his ignorance for his persecutions and blasphemy, 1 Timothy 1:13, and resolves the sin of those killers of Christ into their "not knowing of him," 1 Corinthians 2:8. Surely as toads and serpents grow in dark and dirty cellars, so doth all sin and wickedness in an ignorant and blind soul. Hence, in this text, after "no knowledge of God in the land," followeth that black bead roll of abominations in the next verse: "By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing," &c. As blind alehouses are sinks and sources of all villany, so are blind hearts.
In the land] Though it were a land of light, a very Goshen in comparison to the rest of the world; though in Judah was God known, and his name great in Israel, Psalms 76:1; men may remain grossly ignorant amidst a multitude of means, and "in a land of righteousness deal unjustly": and why? they will not behold the majesty of the Lord, Isaiah 26:10. They will not see. They are "willingly ignorant," saith St Peter: Ut liberius peccent libenter ignorant, saith Bernard. They "hate the light," saith our Saviour, John 3:20 2 Peter 2:1,22; it "is unto them as the shadow of death," saith Job, Job 24:17. Hence they shut the windows, lest it should shine upon them; or if it do, they rebel against it, rush against it, as bats do against torches in the night. That light they have by nature, or otherwise (as a prophet from God), they detain and imprison in unrighteousness, Romans 1:18. Their knowledge of God, if any, is only apprehensive, and not affective, cognoscitiva, non vitae directiva, enlightening, not transforming into the same image, so as to make them children of light: it is notional knowledge, not experimental and practical. Hence such outrages in their lives, such errors and enormities: for,