And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.
Ver. 4. And ye shall know that I have sent, &c.] That is, ye shall know by woeful experience, your punishment shall advertise you; the curse appendant to the commandment shall teach you, as Gideon taught the men of Succoth, sc. with thorns and briers of the wilderness, Judges 8:16; and as David taught the children of Ammon better behaviour by making them pass through the brickkiln, 2 Samuel 12:31; and as the Phrygians wax not wise unless they be beaten to it. When God's "judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world shall learn righteousness," Isaiah 26:9. Smart makes wit, and vexation giveth understanding. Ehud's dagger was a message from God, Judges 3:20,21; who, as he is said to hold his peace when he punisheth not, Psa 50:21 Isaiah 42:14, so to preach and teach when he doth, Isaiah 28:19; his scourges are men's school masters, διδασκαλοι αμισθοι, one calls them, God's free school masters, cursed and crabbed enough, but such as whereby he "openeth men's ears to discipline, and commandeth them to return from iniquity. Then he showed them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded," Job 36:8,10; that they have slighted the commandment which he had sent them, and that now he would plead with them another way, sc. with patience and with blood, Ezekiel 38:22, and so would cause them to pass under the rod, that thereby he might bring them into the bond of the covenant, purging out the rebels, and them that transgress, Ezekiel 20:37,38. God should have no tribute from men, as those malignants suggested against the returned captives, Ezra 4:13, if he did not make them know his breach of promise, Numbers 14:34, if he did not break covenant with them that first play false with him, and keep no condition on their part required. See 2 Chronicles 15:2. And when thou art making a covenant with sin, say to thy soul, as Boaz said to his kinsman, Ruth 4:5 "At what time thou buyest it, thou must have Ruth with it." If thou wilt have the pleasure of sin, the wages of wickedness, thou must also have the curse, &c.; and let thy soul answer, as he there doth, No, I may not do it, I shall mar and spoil a better inheritance. Polanus and others dislike the reading of this text in the future tense, "Ye shall know that I have sent this commandment," and tell us that the scope of the prophecy requires that it be read in the present tense, thus, Nam scitis, For ye do know that I have sent, &c. You know your dignity and duty as priests, Vos probe cognitum habetis (Polan.); and yet ye wilfully cross your own knowledge and conscience. Knowledge is a divine gift; it is the great talent of all other; there is a (much) set upon it, Luke 12:48, there is a special depositum in it, as the word παρεθεντο, there used, importeth. To know heavenly things is to ascend into heaven, saith Agur, Proverbs 30:4. But as the devil, that knowing creature (ο δαιμων quasi δαημων), that hath his name in Greek from the largeness of his objective knowledge, was once an angel of light till he fell from his dignity, Judges 1:6, so those that corrupt themselves in that they know, Judges 1:10; that imprison the light they have (as a prophet from God) in unrighteousness; that know the commandment sent from God, as here, and yet after that they have known the way of righteousness, do turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them; the latter end will be worse with those men than the beginning, 2 Peter 2:20,21; they have but aspired to a higher pitch, that their fall might be the more desperate. Neronis illud, Quantus artifex pereo quadrabit in te peritum et periturum, saith one. Thou dost but carry Uriah's letters about thee to thine own utter destruction. Thou mayest go to hell with much knowledge in thy head; as a bull with a coronet and garland goes to the slaughter. Thou mayest also, for this one fault, meet with a hell beforehand in thine own conscience, as Spira did; crying out to those about him, to learn from him to take heed of severing knowledge and practice. What else was it that brought such roaring and troubles both inward and outward on those, Isaiah 59:11,12, and that when salvation was looked for? Our iniquities, say they, testify to our faces, and we know them. All sins offend conscience; but sins against knowledge waste and destroy it. A dangerous degree, drawing near that sin to which sacrifice is denied. For sins against the law, though against knowledge, there was an atonement, Leviticus 6:1,8, and he instanceth in perjury. But to persecute the known truth with malice, for this there is no sacrifice, Hebrews 10:26 .
That my covenant might be with Levi] Levi did not thrust himself into the priesthood; but was taken by God into special covenant. See Numbers 8:13,14 1Sa 2:28 Hebrews 5:4 "No man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron." Or if he do he shall smoke and smart for it, as Saul, Uzziah, and others. No man might come uncalled to the King of Persia, upon pain of death: much less to the King of heaven, as Korah and his complices, whom God hath hanged up in gibbets, as it were, for an example to all bold intruders upon that tremendous function of the ministry. Men out of office are not sent of God, therefore they may not preach, though gifted men, Rom 10:15 cf. Isaiah 52:8. All that are in office to preach are apostles, evangelists, prophets, pastors, or teachers, Ephesians 4:11. Elders only may preach, Titus 1:5. And the contrary would prevent, the apostle willeth that in the Church all things be done "decently and in order," 1 Corinthians 14:4, which could not be if all were teachers; for then there would be no distinction of ministers and people. But "Are all teachers?" saith the apostle, 1 Corinthians 12:29, and he answers himself, No, but only those whom God did set, 1 Corinthians 12:13, like as he set apart the tribe of Levi to execute the priest's office; which, while Korah, Dathan, and Abiram sought to impugn and level, they went quick into the pit, Numbers 16:30. Meddle not, therefore, without a calling; that in the day of God's displeasure you may appeal unto him, with Jeremiah, and say, "As for me, I have not hastened or thrust in myself for a pastor after thee: neither have I desired the woeful day, thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was right before thee," Jeremiah 17:16. And being able safely to say this thou mayest bind upon it, that God, who is in covenant with all his Levis, his faithful ministers, will be their shield and their exceeding great reward, however the world deal with them.