od's regard for Israel; their ingratitude. (1-7) The Divine
mercy yet in store. (8-12)
Verses 1-7: When Israel were weak and helpless as children, foolish and
froward as children, then God loved them; he bore them as the
nurse does the sucking child, nourished them, and suffered their
manners. All who are grown up, ought often to reflect upon the
goodness of God to them in their childhood. He took care of
them, took pains with them, not only as a father, or a tutor,
but as a mother, or nurse. When they were in the wilderness, God
showed them the way in which they should go, and bore them up,
taking them by the arms. He taught them the way of his
commandments by the ceremonial law given by Moses. He took them
by the arms, to guide them, that they might not stray, and to
hold them up, that they might not stumble and fall. God's
spiritual Israel are all thus supported. It is God's work to
draw poor souls to himself; and none can come to him except he
draw them. With bands of love; this word signifies stronger
cords than the former. He eased them of the burdens they had
long groaned under. Israel is very ungrateful to God. God's
counsels would have saved them, but their own counsels ruined
them. They backslide; there is no hold of them, no stedfastness
in them. They backslide from me, from God, the chief good. They
are bent to backslide; they are ready to sin; they are forward
to close with every temptation. Their hearts are fully set in
them to do evil. Those only are truly happy, whom the Lord
teaches by his Spirit, upholds by his power, and causes to walk
in his ways. By his grace he takes away the love and dominion of
sin, and creates a desire for the blessed feast of the gospel,
that they may feed thereon, and live for ever.
Verses 8-12: God is slow to anger, and is loth to abandon a people to
utter ruin, who have been called by his name. When God was to
give a sacrifice for sin, and a Saviour for sinners, he spared
not his own Son, that he might spare us. This is the language of
the day of his patience; but when men sin that away, then the
great day of his wrath comes. Man's compassions are nothing in
comparison with the tender mercies of our God, whose thoughts
and ways, in receiving returning sinners, are as much above ours
as heaven is above the earth. God knows how to pardon poor
sinners. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and
therein declares his righteousness, now Christ has purchased the
pardon, and he has promised it. Holy trembling at the word of
Christ will draw us to him, not drive us from him, the children
tremble, and flee to him. And all that come at the gospel call,
shall have a place and a name in the gospel church. The
religious service of Israel were mere hypocrisy, but in Judah
regard was had to God's laws, and the people followed their
pious forefathers. Let us be faithful: those who thus honour
God, he will honour, but such us despise Him shall be lightly
esteemed.
od's regard for Israel; their ingratitude. (1-7) The Divine
mercy yet in store. (8-12)