But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?
But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? (Exodus 23:13.)
Seeing thou hatest instruction - (Isaiah 1:15.) Hypocrites make mention of God's covenant only to display their religious knowledge, as if they were able to teach others, and to judge their neighbours (Romans 2:18-24). The law was given not to be spoken about, but to be done (Romans 2:13). This is the rank soil out of which Antichrist, the last breaker of the "covenant," shall spring (Daniel 9:27; Daniel 11:30-32). 'Such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries' (see 1Ma 1:30). So Paul describes the features of professors in the last days, when they are ripe for Antichrist's manifestation (2 Timothy 3:1-5).
Verse 17. Seeing thou hatest instruction - whereas "instruction in righteousness" is the very object of God's "statutes" and "covenant," which thou 'takest in thy mouth,' and professest to "declare" (Psalms 50:16; Psalms 19:7-9; 2 Timothy 3:16). To "hate reproof," is, according to the wise man, "brutish."