_According to the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel._ LOVE IN CHASTISEMENT The substance of this chapter is, that it was God’s purpose to keep in firm hope the minds of the faithful during the Exile, lest being overwhelmed with despair they should wholly faint. The prophet had before s... [ Continue Reading ]
_And for an homer of barley._ BARLEY A MEAN FOOD Why an “homer of barley”? Because it was a mean food, and in those times rather the food of beasts than of men. God promised to feed His people with the finest of the wheat. Feeding with barley signifies the mean condition in which the Ten Tribes, a... [ Continue Reading ]
_For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king._ PRESENT CONDITION OF THE JEWS Into the state here described the Ten Tribes were brought upon their captivity, and (those only excepted who joined the Two Tribes, or have been converted to the Gospel) they have ever since remained in... [ Continue Reading ]
_And shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days._ GOODNESS PRODUCING FEAR There are three points here peculiarly worthy of our notice. The designation which is given to the Gospel dispensation--the “goodness of the Lord.” The first stage of its development--“in the latter days.” The pe... [ Continue Reading ]