_For behold the Lord. .. doth take away. .. the mighty man._ - NATIONAL LEADERS REMOVED The Jewish nation, at this time, may be considered as represented by an old building, ready to fall into ruin, to prevent which many props had been added. These supports, on which it leaned, that were derived... [ Continue Reading ]
_I will give children to be their princes_ PUERILE GOVERNMENT Probably an abstract term used for a concrete--puerilities or childishnesses for childish persons_._ (_J. A. Alexander._) JUVENILE GOVERNMENT A CURSE If it is in itself generally a misfortune when the king of a country is a lad (Eccl... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the people shall be oppressed_ TYRANNY The dissolution of good order and political confusion. Oppression and pride everywhere prevail. (_R. Macculloch._) STATE CHAOS There is a natural relation of classes. Whilst all that is purely mechanical and arbitrary is to be viewed with suspicion, ye... [ Continue Reading ]
_A man shall take hold of his brother_ SEEKING TO TRANSFER RULERSHIP Here we have the law of primogeniture. By the law of the State it was right that the eldest son should take a certain definite and ruling position. But he was naked; he had not one rag with which to cover his nudity; and seeing... [ Continue Reading ]
_For Jerusalem is ruined_ “JERUSALEM IS RUINED!”--FORFEITED PRIVILEGE What a verse is the eighth! We cannot even now read it without quailing under the awful representation--“For Jerusalem is ruined. ” We thought Jerusalem never could be ruined: the mountains were round about her, and to the old... [ Continue Reading ]
_The shew of their countenance doth witness against them_ CHARACTER REVEALED IN THE COUNTENANCE What is meant is the insolent look which their sinfulness is stamping upon their faces, without the self-condemnation which in others takes the form of dread to commit sin. (_F. Delitzsch._) “WOE UNTO... [ Continue Reading ]
_Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him_ RETRIBUTION OF THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED In this passage the Sovereign of the universe proclaims to all the subjects of His moral government the great sanctions of His law. Two powerful principles of action in our nature are addressed,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Woe unto the wicked!--_ ALL THINGS CONSPIRE FOR EVIL TO THE SINNER As all events are to be made public under God’s moral government, it is for His own interest, as well as for the interest of His creatures, that He should apprise them fully of His character and of the principles of His government... [ Continue Reading ]
_As for My people_ A PROTEST A protest against the influence of women and children, concubines and minions (what we should call the harem influence) in the king’s counsels. (_E. H.Plumptre, D. D._) THE RULE OF CORRUPT WOMEN The celebrated Aspasia, first the mistress and afterward the wife of Per... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Lord standeth up to plead_ GOD’S CONTROVERSY The management of this controversy. I. GOD HIMSELF IS THE PROSECUTOR. II. THE INDICTMENT IS PROVED BY THE NOTORIOUS EVIDENCE OF THE FACT (Isaiah 3:15). III. THE CONTROVERSY IS ALREADY BEGUN IN THE CHANGE OF THE MINISTRY. To punish those that had... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Lord will enter into judgment_ GOD, THE FRIEND OF THE POOR Whoever abandons the sanctuary, the poor should never go away; whoever closes the Bible, the poor man should keep it lying widely open; he should always have a Bible that opens easily, not stiffly, because it is well handled, and is t... [ Continue Reading ]
_The daughters of Zion are haughty_ WANTON EYES (“twinkling with the eyes”):--Compare the Talmudic witticism, “God did not create the woman out of Adam’s ear, lest she might become an eavesdropper; nor out of Adam’s eye, lest she might become a winker. ” (_F. Delitzsch._) THE “WANTON” EYES The... [ Continue Reading ]