V. 1. THE RIGHTEOUS PERISHETH, namely, while the false teachers are forsaking their duties, AND NO MAN LAYETH IT TO HEART, no one is aware of the fact that the hand of God interferes in graciously taking the believing Israelite out of this world before the great Judgment descends upon it; AND MERCIF... [ Continue Reading ]
He shall enter into peace, namely, the one to whom Jehovah thus shows His mercy; THEY SHALL REST IN THEIR BEDS, slumbering safely in the chambers of their graves, EACH ONE WALKING IN HIS UPRIGHTNESS. This fact, rightly considered, is a source of comfort in every form of bereavement among the faithfu... [ Continue Reading ]
But draw near hither, so the Lord now calls to the apostates, YE SONS OF THE SORCERESS, men addicted to sorcery, to superstitious practices which were connected with the worship of false gods, THE SEED OF THE ADULTERER AND THE WHORE, in whose case idolatry is inherent, their second nature, the expre... [ Continue Reading ]
JEHOVAH REJECTS ALL IDOLATERS... [ Continue Reading ]
Against whom do ye sport yourselves? in malignant joy, in insulting sneers. AGAINST WHOM MAKE YE A WIDE MOUTH AND DRAW OUT THE TONGUE? in malicious mockery. These gestures of derision on the part of the unbelievers were directed not only against the pious members of the nation in general, but in par... [ Continue Reading ]
enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, burning with lust toward their idolatrous images in the terebinth groves, SLAYING THE CHILDREN IN THE VALLEYS UNDER THE CLIFTS OF THE ROCKS? as a sacrifice to Molech, the abomination of the Moabites. This shows that some of the people, even aft... [ Continue Reading ]
Among the smooth stones of the stream, the stone formations hollowed out and polished in grotesque images by the action of the water, IS THY PORTION, there the idolaters in Israel brought their sacrifices; THEY, THEY ARE THY LOT, upon these dead rocks the idolaters relied; EVEN TO THEM HAST THOU POU... [ Continue Reading ]
Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed, in spiritual adultery; EVEN THITHER WENTEST THOU UP TO OFFER SACRIFICE, in the heathen worship of Baal and Ashtaroth, for this required altars, pillars, and Asherah-idols on all prominent hills.... [ Continue Reading ]
Behind the doors also and the posts, within the house devoted to idolatry, HAST THOU SET UP THY REMEMBRANCE, the memorial tablet reminding the apostates of their idols; FOR THOU HAST DISCOVERED (uncovered) THYSELF TO ANOTHER THAN ME AND ART GONE UP, namely, to the couch of sin; THOU HAST ENLARGED TH... [ Continue Reading ]
And thou wentest to the king with ointment and didst increase thy perfumes, playing the coquette with the world-power because she doubts the ability of the Lord to help her, AND DIDST SEND THY MESSENGERS FAR OFF, in a special embassy to gain the good will of the powerful emperor, AND DIDST DEBASE TH... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way, by the many trips made in the interest of her lust; YET SAIDST THOU NOT, THERE IS NO HOPE, in a proper realization of the fruitlessness of her quest; thou hast found the life of thine hand, still being able to sustain life by a steady application of ener... [ Continue Reading ]
And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared that thou hast lied and hast not remembered Me, nor laid it to thy heart? In spite of her faithlessness she is utterly callous and indifferent; she is apparently lost to every good influence. HAVE NOT I HELD MY PEACE EVEN OF OLD, being patient in spite of... [ Continue Reading ]
I will declare thy righteousness, such as it is, AND THY WORKS, in breaking the covenant; FOR THEY SHALL NOT PROFIT THEE, all the idolatrous acts being duly exposed.... [ Continue Reading ]
When thou criest, in vexation over disappointed hopes, LET THY COMPANIES, all the agencies upon which she had relied, DELIVER THEE; BUT THE WIND SHALL CARRY THEM ALL AWAY, a single breath of the Lord being sufficient to overthrow all her allies, VANITY SHALL TAKE THEM. BUT HE THAT PUTTETH HIS TRUST... [ Continue Reading ]
And shall say, that is, a voice is heard to say, CAST YE UP, CAST YE UP, in leveling, the path; PREPARE THE WAY, TAKE UP THE STUMBLING-BLOCK OUT OF THE WAY OF MY PEOPLE, so they have free access to the deliverance of Jehovah.... [ Continue Reading ]
Jehovah Grants Salvation and Peace to the Repentant. What the Lord had indicated at the end of the fast paragraph He now elaborates upon.... [ Continue Reading ]
For thus saith the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, He who occupies the throne of His majesty forever, WHOSE NAME IS HOLY, He who dwells in the inaccessible light of perfect sanctity; I DWELL IN THE HIGH AND HOLY PLACE, in absolute exaltation and holiness, WITH HIM ALSO THAT IS OF A CONT... [ Continue Reading ]
For I will not contend forever, in rebuking and punishing, NEITHER WILL I BE ALWAYS WROTH, being filled with anger which may overflow at any moment; FOR THE SPIRIT SHOULD FAIL BEFORE ME, He wants to dismiss His anger, AND THE SOULS WHICH I HAVE MADE, showing mercy to those that are of a contrite hea... [ Continue Reading ]
For the iniquity of his covetousness, on account of the guilt of Israel, WAS I WROTH AND SMOTE HIM, for the sin of avarice, the love of money, is properly called a root of all evil. I HID ME AND WAS WROTH, AND HE WENT ON FROWARDLY IN THE WAY OF HIS HEART, hardening himself against every influence fo... [ Continue Reading ]
I have seen his ways, the many paths of misfortune which Israel chose to go, AND WILL HEAL HIM, taking the proper care of the wounds which are the consequence of sin; I WILL LEAD HIM ALSO, namely, on the paths of righteousness, Psalms 23:3, AND RESTORE COMFORTS UNTO HIM AND TO HIS MOURNERS, so that,... [ Continue Reading ]
I create the fruit of the lips, Peace, peace! to him that is far off and to him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal him, that is, by sending out the Gospel-message into all the world the Lord offers the redemption gained by the Messiah, the healing of the Sun of Righteousness, to all men.... [ Continue Reading ]
But the wicked are like the troubled sea, their rejection of the Lord's salvation causing them to become like a storm-tossed ocean, WHEN IT CANNOT REST, WHOSE WATERS, churning up the very floor of the sea, CAST UP MIRE AND DIRT, IN ENDLESS SINNING.... [ Continue Reading ]
There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked, a hidden fear of the wrath of the Lord driving them about from one expedient to another, but only increasing their wickedness and heaping upon them new guilt. The ungodly may seem happy enough on the outside, as Asaph writes in Psalms 73, but their hea... [ Continue Reading ]