And I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord GOD.
Because they have committed a trespass - rather, 'they have perversely fallen into perverse rebellion.' The Jews were not merely sinners as the other nations, but revolters and apostates. It is one thing to neglect what we know not, but quite another thing to despise what we profess to worship (Jerome), as the Jews did toward God and the law. х maa`al (H4603) is to transgress through contempt and obstinacy: transgression of an inferior against a superior, willfully and presumptuously, and in disregard of one's conscience and profession. So the Reubenites (Joshua 22:16) appeared to be guilty of ma`al (H4604), a shuffling violation of duty, in wishing to appear to worship Yahweh, while they were acting in rebellion toward Him in erecting the altar by the Jordan. Also Saul (1 Chronicles 10:13) in not observing God's commands, while wishing to appear to have done so. So here the Jews.]
Remarks:
(1) God's people are like the vine, one of the most valuable of all trees if fruitful, the most useless if barren and fruitless. The distinctive excellence of believers is, that they show forth the praises of Him who has called them out of darkness into his marvelous light. It is not that they are superior to others in intellect, learning, accomplishments, success in the fine arts, military prowess, and political sagacity. In these many of the worldly are far their superiors. But as the Jews, though inferior in all these respects to the great nations of antiquity-Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, Greece, and Rome-yet stood raised immeasurably above them in this one grand pre-eminence-they were called to be the "peculiar treasure" of the Lord, the depository of His revelation of Himself, "a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation" (Exodus 19:5) - so believe are now called to the high prerogative above all others, however superior, the latter may be in worldly respects, to be "kings and priests unto God" through Christ (Revelation 1:6).
(2) When they fulfill this their sublime function O how truly great excellent and elevated they are! Already (2) When they fulfill this their sublime function, O how truly great, excellent, and elevated they are! Already in spirit seated with Christ in heavenly places, and taking rank with the highest of the heavenly peerage and reckoned as of the blood royal of the King of kings; while here on earth they are witnesses for God in the ungodly world, even as the Jews were His witnesses among the pagan kingdoms: they are the salt of the earth, seasoning its tainted mass, which would otherwise utterly putrefy in its own corruption: they are the light of the world, which but for them would be in utter darkness: they are the vine of the Lord, yielding the fruit and wine which alone can fill with joy and peace the aching hearts of sinful men.
(3) But if they fail in this the grand and sole end of their calling, they are worse than worthless; because they not only do not do good to the world, but they do it the greatest harm, by presenting before it the show of a religion which is not religion. Thus the sacred cause of God and His holy name are brought into the most grievous dishonour before the unbelieving and ungodly.
(4) God must therefore vindicate His own honour by casting all such hypocritical and carnal professors into the fire, as good for nothing-nay more, injurious cumberers of the ground. Lord keep us faithful to our high calling, useful in our day and generation, abiding in Christ, and thereby bringing forth much fruit to His glory, and to the good of the Church and of the world!