Mirth is not happiness. It is but tile mimicry of real joy. There is but little happiness in the world, but there is much mirth.
I. The conjunction of sin and mirth is common. The voices of jollity and fun are heard everywhere through society.
II. It is incongruous. Gaiety and laughter in a sinner are most revolting when rightly regarded.
III. It is temporary.
1. The separation is certain. An old writer says, “If you will not take away sin from your mirth, God will take away your mirth from your sin.”
2. The separation will be solemn. Do not then confound mirth with happiness. Happiness will follow holiness for ever; mirth will only, like the ignis fatuus, flare about sin for a short time at most, and then go out. (Homilist.)
Mingled promise and threatening
The prophet seems in this verse to contradict himself, for he promised reconciliation, and now he speaks of a new repudiation. But the passage is very consistent, and there is in the words no contrariety. He has indeed promised that at a future time God would be propitious to the Israelites: but as they had not yet repented, it was needful to deal again more severely with them, that they might return to their God really and thoroughly subdued. So we see that, in Scripture, promises and threatenings are mingled together, and rightly too. It is necessary for men to be reproved not only once and again, but very often. (John Calvin.)
