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THE SIN AND DANGER OF DESPISING GOD’S COUNSEL
WHEREVER “the heart is not perfect with God,” a compliance with the divine will may be occasional and partial, but it never can be uniform and unreserved: when circumstances occur that require the sacrifice of a bosom lust, the heart will rise against the commandment, and trample under foot the authority of God himself. Herod would comply in some things with the injunctions of John the Baptist, but, when a separation from Herodias was insisted on, he broke through all the restraints of conscience, and inflicted death on his monitor as the penalty of his fidelity. Not unlike to Herod was King Amaziah; who obeyed the voice of a prophet requiring him to dismiss his hired troops, and to rely on God to compensate his loss, but was filled with indignation against one who expostulated with him on the subject of his idolatry. It should seem, that in proportion as a man is degraded in his own eyes by the conduct reproved, he will, if not truly penitent, swell with resentment against the person that undertakes to reprove him. The hiring of troops to augment his army appeared a prudent and commendable measure: but to take for his gods those worthless idols, over whom he himself had prevailed, was folly in the extreme. Hence, when reproved for it, he burst forth into a rage, and quickly terminated his conference with the inspired messenger.
From hence we shall take occasion to shew
I. What is the conduct of the generality in reference to the counsels of God—
God still, as formerly, sends his servants to testify against prevailing iniquities; and still, as heretofore, are his messages rejected. In Amaziah we see a striking picture of rebellious man—
[Nothing could be more just than the reproof given him. To renounce Jehovah, who had interposed so wonderfully in his behalf, and to substitute in his place those idols which had not been able to protect their own votaries, was an infatuation, of which we should scarcely have conceived him capable. Yet behold how he resented the prophet’s expostulation! He regarded the admonition as an insult, and as an interference with his royal prerogative; as though God himself was not at liberty to counsel him. He moreover menaced the prophet, with an evident reference to Zechariah, whom for a similar offence his father had put to death [Note: 2Ch_24:20-21.]. Thus he authoritatively silenced the messenger of Heaven; and determinately persisted in his impious idolatry.]
No less reasonable than the expostulations made with him, are those which in God’s name we make with you from time to time—
[They principally relate to two points; Your rejection of God as the supreme good; and, your neglect of Christ as the only Mediator between God and man.
And is there not ground, abundant ground, for remonstrances on these points? Though Jehovah is acknowledged in words as the true God, is he loved, and served, and honoured, as God? Do we give him our whole hearts, and “cast all our idols to the moles and to the bats?” Say whether “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life” be not in reality preferred before him, and whether we do not provoke him to jealousy by these, and other “idols which we set up in our hearts?” — — — And though we confess Christ to be the Saviour of the world, say whether we seek him, and rely upon him, and plead his merits at the throne of grace, and renounce with abhorrence all dependence on our own wisdom, strength, or righteousness? Alas! it is manifest, that the regard paid to him amongst us, is by no means what it ought to be, and that all his love to us is repaid, for the most part, with cold indifference and mere formal acknowledgments — — —
We ask then, Whether, as servants of the Most High God, we have not reason to complain, reprove, expostulate? and whether our most earnest representations ought not to be taken in good part?]
Yet is our testimony, like that of the prophet, too often rejected with disdain—
[In public indeed we are permitted to speak with some degree of plainness: yet even there a faithful discharge of our duty is sure to bring upon us no little measure of odium and reproach. If we exhort, reprove, rebuke, with all authority, as we are commanded to do, many, especially of the higher ranks, will consider themselves as insulted; and will either endeavour to silence us, or, if unable to effect that, will withdraw from a minister that is so offensive to them. Their advice to us is like that of the Jews of old; “Prophesy not unto us right things; prophesy unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits; make the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us,” or, at least, do not set him before us in his real character [Note: Isa_30:8-11,]. And, when they cannot prevail, they tell us plainly, if not in words, yet more strongly in deed, “As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee [Note: Jer_44:16.].”
And what if we presume to speak to men in private? What indignation do we then excite! If there we should say to them, “I have a message unto thee from the Lord;” and should then proceed to add, in reference to their contempt of God as their chief good, “Wherefore do ye spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which satisfieth not [Note: Isa_55:2.]?” and then, in reference to their contempt of Christ as their Saviour, “How shall ye escape, if ye neglect so great salvation [Note: Heb_2:3.]?” we should soon find whether the spirit of Amaziah does not prevail at this day, as much as ever. It is worthy of observation, that those very persons who will take the most indecent liberties with us, decrying to our face all our views and conduct as the grossest absurdity, will not suffer us to speak in ever so gentle terms to them against their views and conduct: and, if we presume to bear a faithful testimony against the iniquities that prevail around us, we are instantly silenced by reproaches, and are cast out as the very pests of society [Note: See Jer_29:24-27.].”]
That we may be the better able to appreciate such conduct, we now proceed to shew,
II. In what light it is to be viewed—
The world themselves uphold one another in this conduct, as innocent at least, if not also highly laudable: but, wheresoever it is found, it must be regarded,
1. As a symptom of obduracy—
[The prophet needed no other evidence than this to convince him, that Amaziah was a hardened sinner before God. We do not say that every neglect of divine warnings argues the same degree of obduracy; but, in proportion as such neglect is wilful, deliberate, and persevering, it betrays a spirit of rebellion, and a determined hostility against the God of heaven. And here let us ask ourselves, whether we have not throughout the course of our whole lives set God at defiance, neglecting daily what we knew to be right, and practising habitually what we Knew to be contrary to the divine commands? Let each of us enter into the secret recesses of his own heart, and say, Whether his own will, rather than God’s, have not been the determining principle of all his actions, and whether self have not been the rule, the measure, and the end even of those things wherein he has professed to serve his God? — — — Verily, if to “tremble at God’s word” be that which characterizes the first beginnings of grace in the soul, the state of those who can live so carelessly in a wilful opposition to it must be awful indeed.]
2. As a ground of dereliction—
[God’s secret “determination” to withdraw from Amaziah all further communications of his grace, was justly inferred from the measure of obduracy now visible in his conduct. And though we cannot certainly dive into the secrets of the Almighty, we may often form a very probable judgment respecting them from what we see with our eyes. We know how God has acted in former times, and how he has told us that he will act: “My people would not hearken to my voice, and Israel would none of me,” says he; “so I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust [Note: Psa_81:11-12.].” Repeatedly is the same awful truth declared respecting the heathen world, notwithstanding their sins were far less aggravated than those committed by persons enjoying the light of revelation [Note: Rom_1:24; Rom_1:26; Rom_1:28.]. What then must we expect, who dwell under the meridian light of his Gospel? Have not we reason to fear that he will say, “Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone [Note: Hos_4:17.]?” Yes, indeed: “His Spirit will not always strive with man [Note: Gen_6:3.]:” and if we continue to “rebel and vex his Holy Spirit, he will turn to be our enemy, and fight against us [Note: Isa_63:10.].” If once we prevail to quench the motions of his Spirit, our state will be awful beyond all expression: “Woe to them,” says God, “when I depart from them [Note: Hos_9:12.]!”]
3. As a prelude to destruction—
[Trace the conduct of Amaziah from this moment, and behold his end! He would not listen to the counsels of God, and he is instantly given over to other counsellors [Note: ver. 17.]. He sends a challenge to the king of Israel, who dissuades him from entering into an unnecessary and destructive war. The parable used on this occasion intimated to him his insufficiency to cope with Israel, and the certain issue of so unequal a contest [Note: ver. 18, 19.]: but “he would not hear; for it came of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought after the gods of Edom [Note: ver. 20.].” To battle he went, and was defeated, and taken; and his capital became an easy prey to the conqueror, who plundered it of all its wealth, and broke down a portion of the wall which had been erected for its defence [Note: ver. 21–24.]. From that time he lost all the affection and confidence of his subjects, who at last conspired against him; and, when he “had fled to Lachish for safety, sent after him and slew him there.” The whole of this is traced to God as its author, on account of his impious rejection of the divine counsels [Note: ver. 27.].
And what may not be expected by us also, if we “reject the counsel of God against ourselves?” Surely we shall be left to follow the infatuated devices of others, or of our own hearts, till we bring upon ourselves the destruction we have merited. Hear, how awfully this is declared by God himself: “If we receive not the love of the truth that we may be saved, God will send us a strong delusion, that we may believe a lie, and finally be damned, because we believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness [Note: 2Th_2:10-12.].” And by us is this sentence more especially to be expected, because of the many and faithful warnings which we have despised; for “he that, being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy [Note: Pro_29:1.].” The gathering of clouds does not more certainly portend rain, than a contempt of God’s messages gives reason to expect his everlasting displeasure.]
Learn then,
1. In what manner we should attend the ordinances of religion—
[We should “be doers of the word, and not hearers only, if we would not deceive our own souls [Note: Jam_1:21-24.]” — — —]
2. What obligations we owe to God for his long-suffering towards us—
[Long has “he stood at the door of our hearts, knocking [Note: Rev_3:20.],” and has been refused admission [Note: Son_5:2-3.] — — — O let us bless his name, that he has not yet given us over to judicial blindness, and final impenitence [Note: Act_28:25-27.]. Still has our Great Advocate, the Lord Jesus Christ, interceded for us [Note: Luk_13:6-9.]; and still does our “God wait to be gracious unto us.” O that “to-day, while it is called to-day, we might hear the voice” that yet soundeth in our ears, and that “the long-suffering of our God might lead us to repentance [Note: Rom_2:4.]!”]