Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc24/v26200

Text File | 1994-03-02 | 6KB | 105 lines

26202
 #27-33 God curbs and restrains from doing mischief. With a word
 he guides his people into the right way, but with a bridle he
 turns his enemies upon their own ruin. Here, in threatening the
 ruin of Sennacherib's army, the prophet points at the final and
 everlasting destruction of all impenitent sinners. Tophet was a
 valley near Jerusalem, where fires were continually burning to
 destroy things that were hurtful and offensive, and there the
 idolatrous Jews caused their children to pass through the fire
 to Moloch. This denotes the certainty of the destruction, as an
 awful emblem of the place of torment in the other world. No
 oppressor shall escape the Divine wrath. Let sinners then flee
 to Christ, seeking to be reconciled to Him, that they may be
 safe and happy, when destruction from the Almighty shall sweep
 away all the workers of iniquity.
26209
 * The sin and folly of seeking help from Egypt. (1-5) God's care
 for Jerusalem. (6-9)

 #1-5 God will oppose the help sought from workers of iniquity.
 Sinners may be convicted of folly by plain and self-evident
 truths, which they cannot deny, but will not believe. There is
 no escaping the judgments of God; and evil pursues sinners. The
 Lord of hosts will come down to fight for Mount Zion. The Lion
 of the tribe of Judah will appear for the defence of his church.
 And as birds hovering over their young ones to protect them,
 with such compassion and affection will the Lord of hosts defend
 Jerusalem. He will so defend it, as to secure its safety.

26214
 #6-9 They have been backsliding children, yet children; let them
 return, and their backslidings shall be healed, though they have
 sunk deep into misery, and cannot easily recover. Many make an
 idol of their silver and gold, and by the love of that are drawn
 from God; but those who turn to God, will be ready to part with
 it. Then, when they have cast away their idols, shall the
 Assyrian fall by the sword of an angel, who strikes more
 strongly than a mighty man, yet more secretly than a mean man.
 God can make the stoutest heart to tremble. But if we keep up
 the fire of holy love and devotion in our hearts and houses, we
 may depend upon God to protect us and them.
26218
 * Times of peace and happiness. (1-8) An interval of trouble,
 yet comfort and blessings in the end. (9-20)

 #1-8 Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are
 evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his
 Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the
 overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the
 weary traveller in the desert, so his power, truth, and love,
 yield the believer the only real protection and refreshment in
 the weary land through which he journeys to heaven. Christ bore
 the storm himself, to keep it off from us. To him let the
 trembling sinner flee for refuge; for he alone can protect and
 refresh us in every trial. See what pains sinners take in sin;
 they labour at it, their hearts are intent upon it, and with art
 they work iniquity; but this is our comfort, that they can do no
 more mischief than God permits. Let us seek to have our hearts
 more freed from selfishness. The liberal soul devises liberal
 things concerning God, and desires that He will grant wisdom and
 prudence, the comforts of his presence, the influence of his
 Spirit, and in due time the enjoyment of his glory.

26226
 #9-20 When there was so much provocation given to the holy God,
 bad times might be expected. Alas! how many careless ones there
 are, who support self-indulgence by shameful niggardliness! We
 deserve to be deprived of the supports of life, when we make
 them the food of lusts. Let such tremble and be troubled.
 Blessed times shall be brought in by the pouring out of the
 Spirit from on high; then, and not till then, there will be good
 times. The present state of the Jews shall continue until a more
 abundant pouring out of the Spirit from on high. Peace and
 quietness shall be found in the way and work of righteousness.
 True satisfaction is to be had only in true religion. And real
 holiness is real happiness now, and shall be perfect happiness,
 that is, perfect holiness for ever. The good seed of the word
 shall be sown in all places, and be watered by Divine grace; and
 laborious, patient labourers shall be sent forth into God's
 husbandry.
26238
 * God's judgments against the enemies of his church. (1-14) The
 happiness of his people. (15-24)

 #1-14 Here we have the proud and false destroyer justly reckoned
 with for all his fraud and violence. The righteous God often
 pays sinners in their own coin. Those who by faith humbly wait
 for God, shall find him gracious to them; as the day, so let the
 strength be. If God leaves us to ourselves any morning, we are
 undone; we must every morning commit ourselves to him, and go
 forth in his strength to do the work of the day. When God
 arises, his enemies are scattered. True wisdom and knowledge
 lead to strength of salvation, which renders us stedfast in the
 ways of God; and true piety is the only treasure which can never
 be plundered or spent. The distress Jerusalem was brought into,
 is described. God's time to appear for his people, is, when all
 other helpers fail. Let all who hear what God has done,
 acknowledge that he can do every thing. Sinners in Zion will
 have much to answer for, above other sinners. And those that
 rebel against the commands of the word, cannot take its comforts
 in time of need. His wrath will burn those everlastingly who
 make themselves fuel for it. It is a fire that shall never be
 quenched, nor ever go out of itself; it is the wrath of an
 ever-living God preying on the conscience of a never-dying soul.