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Hos_8:3 Israel hath cast off [the thing that is] good: the enemy shall pursue him.
Ver. 3. Israel hath cast off the thing that is good] Heb. the good: as, first, the good God, who is good, original, universal, all-sufficient, and satisfactory, proportionable and fitting to our soul. He both is good and doeth good, Psa_119:68, and that both naturally, abundantly, freely, and constantly. "Good thou art, O Lord, and ready to forgive," saith David, Psa_86:5. And, the good Lord be merciful, saith Hezekiah in his prayer for the people, 2Ch_30:9; 2Ch_30:18. To speak properly, there is none good but God, saith our Saviour, Mat_19:17, but Israel cast him, or rather kicked him, off ( procul a se reiecit), as the word signifieth. So do all gross hypocrites; they are rank atheists, practical atheists, though professional Christians. Secondly, they reject Christ as a sovereign, thongh they could be content to have him as a Saviour; they send messages after him, saying, We will not have this man to rule ever us; they will not submit to the laws of his kingdom, nor receive him in all his offices and efficacies; they are Christless creatures, as without God, so without Christ in the world. Thirdly, hypocrites reject the good Spirit of God (as David calleth him, Psa_143:10), the fruit whereof is in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth, Eph_5:9. When God striveth with them by his good Spirit, {as Neh_9:20} they, by yielding to Satan’s suggestions, grieve that Holy Spirit, and by grieving resist him, and by resisting quench him, and by quenching maliciously oppose him, and offer despite unto him; and so cast themselves into the punishing hands of the living God, Heb_10:29; Heb_10:31. Lastly, they cast off the good word and true worship of God; those "right judgments, true laws, good statutes and commandments," Neh_9:13; they put the promises from them, and judge themselves unworthy of everlasting life, Act_13:46; they hate instruction, and cast God’s words behind them, Psa_50:17. In a word, "he hath left off to be wise, and to do good: he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil," Psa_36:3-4. The words may be read thus, The good (God) hath rejected Israel; the enemy, shall pursue him according to that in the Psalm, "God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him," Psa_71:11. Sure it is that the Lord is with us while we are with him; and if we seek him he will be found of us. But if we forsake him he will forsake us. And if he forsake us woe be to us, Hos_9:12, we are in danger to be caught up by every paltry enemy, as young lapwings are to be snatched up by every buzzard. If Israel cast away the thing that is good, 2Ch_15:2, what marvel if evil hunt him to overthrow him, Psa_140:11, and if he find himself in all evil in the midst of the congregation and the assembly, Pro_5:14. Hence Cain’s fear, when cast out by God; and Saul’s complaint, that the Philistines were upon him, and God had forsaken him.