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GOD GIVING UP OBSTINATE TRANSGRESSORS
THE history of the Jews is not a mere record of times and persons far distant from us, but a display of the Divine procedure towards others, as a pledge of a similar procedure towards us. The Jews were intended as examples to the Church of God in all ages: their prosperity whilst serving God, and their adversity when they had departed from him, were designed to shew us what blessings we may expect at God’s hands, if we serve him acceptably; and what judgments, if we rebel against him [Note: See 1Co_10:1-11 and Heb_3:16-19; Heb_4:1.]. In this view it will be profitable to consider the words before us; and,
I. The perverseness complained of—
Nothing could exceed the kindness of God towards his people of old—
[How tender and affectionate is his address to them [Note: ver. 8.]! — — — He entreats them not to look to any strange god, since he alone has an exclusive right to their regard [Note: ver. 9, 10.] — — — He assures them also, that whatsoever they shall ask at his hands, he will do it for them [Note: ver. 10. with Deu_4:7.] — — —
And is it not precisely in the same way that he addresses us? He invites us to look to him [Note: Isa_45:22; Isa_55:1-3.], and to come unto him [Note: Mat_11:28.], and to ask of him whatsoever we will, with an assurance that we shall not be disappointed of our hope [Note: Joh_14:13-14; Joh_15:7.]. There is no limitation or exception, provided only the things we desire be agreeable to his holy will. If we plead with him in earnest, there is no sin that shall not be forgiven [Note: Isa_1:18.], no corruption that shall not be mortified [Note: Mic_7:19.], no want that shall not be supplied [Note: Php_4:19.]. He engages, that, to whatever temptation we may be exposed, his grace shall be sufficient for us [Note: 2Co_12:8-9.].]
But their obstinacy was incorrigible—
[The Jews, with but few exceptions, “would not hearken to his voice.” His precepts, his promises, his threatenings, were alike disregarded by them. “They would none of him;” but said to his messengers whom he sent to reclaim them, “Make the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us” — — —
And is it not thus with us? Is not his authority trampled on by us? and are not both his mercies and judgments almost universally despised? We will have other objects of our affections in preference to him — — — We will not open our mouths in prayer, though we know that nothing is to be obtained without it — — — The language of our hearts and actions is, “We will not have this man to reign over us [Note: Luk_19:14.]” — — — Notwithstanding all that he has done to “redeem” us from death and hell, we will not take upon ourselves his light and easy yoke.]
While we thus imitate the perverseness of the Jews, let us tremble for fear of,
II. The judgments inflicted on account of it—
Consider,
1. What a loss they sustained—
[He would have preserved them in Canaan, and loaded them with all imaginable blessings, even as he had done in former times [Note: Deu_32:29.] — — —
But this was a very faint shadow of what he would do for us. What victory would he have given us over all our spiritual enemies! — — — What a fulness of consolation and joy also would he have bestowed upon us, in the communications of his grace, and the manifestations of his love! Surely his Spirit, as “a Spirit of adoption,” should have “witnessed with our spirits that we were his,” and should have “sealed us unto the day of redemption” — — —]
2. What misery they incurred—
[God gave them up to idolatry, and to their own hearts’ lusts; and left them to “walk in their own counsels [Note: See Rom_1:24; Rom_1:26; Rom_1:28. “So I gave them up.”]” — — —
And this is the curse which he denounces against us also. “His spirit will not always strive with us.” If he see that we are bent upon our evil ways, he will abandon us to our own delusions [Note: 2Th_2:10-12.], and will say, “He is joined to idols, let him alone [Note: Hos_4:17.]” — — — A greater curse than this God cannot inflict, because our remaining days will be occupied only in augmenting our guilt and aggravating our condemnation [Note: Rom_2:5.] — — — Were the judgment only to deliver our bodies to Satan now, that might load to our final salvation: but to give us over to the uncontrolled influence of self, is a certain prelude to our everlasting damnation. It is, in fact, the very beginning of hell, where it will be said to the unhappy souls, “He that is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is unjust, let him be unjust still [Note: Rev_22:11.].”]
Hence it appears,
1. Whose will be the fault, if any be lost—
[None can lay it to the charge of God that he is unwilling to save them. He has sworn with an oath that he willeth not the death of any sinner [Note: Eze_33:11. 1Ti_2:4.]. And in the psalm before us he takes up a lamentation over those who obstinately compel him to give them up [Note: ver. 13.]. Thus did our blessed Lord over the murderous Jerusalem [Note: Luk_19:40-41.]: and thus does he over all impenitent transgressors; “Ye will not come unto me that ye may have life [Note: Joh_5:40.].” “Often would I have gathered you, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings; but ye would not [Note: Mat_23:37.].” And what a bitter source of self-condemnation will this be to us, that God would have saved us, but we would not be saved by him! The language which God now uses over us, we shall then use in reference to ourselves: “O that I had hearkened to his voice! O that I had walked in his ways!” How should I have been at this instant triumphing over my cruel adversary, and feasting on all the richest fruits of paradise, instead of dwelling with everlasting burnings, without one drop of water to cool my tongue! Surely this reflection will bo the bitterest ingredient in that bitter cup, which they who perish will be drinking of to all eternity.]
2. Whose will be the glory, if any be saved—
[We never come to Christ, till the Father, by the mighty working of his power, draws us to him. Such is the pride of the human heart, that no man will submit to be saved by grace alone, till God has made him “willing in the day of his power.” If therefore we have been brought to hearken to his voice, let us remember Who it is that has unstopped our ears.
If it be said, We prayed for these blessings; and therefore we at least may glory that the blessings do not come to us unsolicited; we would ask, Who inclined or enabled us to pray? We should never have been inclined to pray, if God had not given us a spirit of grace and of supplication; “nor should we have known what to pray for as we ought, if He by his Spirit had not helped our infirmities.” If still it be said, “Yet we prayed;” Be it so: but how long were you before you prayed at all? And what have been your prayers since ever you began to pray? Are you not amazed when you review your prayers, and see how cold, and dead, and formal they have been? What if a beggar had asked of you in the way that you have but too often asked of God? Would you have granted his request? or, if you had granted his request, and not only relieved his present necessities, but conferred upon him one half of your fortune, would you not be surprised, if he, instead of admiring your unequalled generosity, were taking credit to himself for asking relief from you? Know then, that if you are partaking of God’s mercy, you are no other than “beggars, who have been taken from the dunghill, and set among the princes.” Know, that ye are altogether debtors to the grace of God, and must ascribe to him “the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever.”]