he coming of Christ. (1-6) The Jews reproved for their
corruptions. (7-12) God's care of his people; The distinction
between the righteous and the wicked. (13-18)
Verses 1-6: The first words of this chapter seem an answer to the
scoffers of those days. Here is a prophecy of the appearing of
John the Baptist. He is Christ's harbinger. He shall prepare the
way before him, by calling men to repentance. The Messiah had
been long called, "He that should come," and now shortly he will
come. He is the Messenger of the covenant. Those who seek Jesus,
shall find pleasure in him, often when not looked for. The Lord
Jesus, prepares the sinner's heart to be his temple, by the
ministry of his word and the convictions of his Spirit, and he
enters it as the Messenger of peace and consolation. No
hypocrite or formalist can endure his doctrine, or stand before
his tribunal. Christ came to distinguish men, to separate
between the precious and the vile. He shall sit as a Refiner.
Christ, by his gospel, shall purify and reform his church, and
by his Spirit working with it, shall regenerate and cleanse
souls. He will take away the dross found in them. He will
separate their corruptions, which render their faculties
worthless and useless. The believer needs not fear the fiery
trial of afflictions and temptations, by which the Saviour
refines his gold. He will take care it is not more intense or
longer than is needful for his good; and this trial will end far
otherwise than that of the wicked. Christ will, by interceding
for them, make them accepted. Where no fear of God is, no good
is to be expected. Evil pursues sinners. God is unchangeable.
And though the sentence against evil works be not executed
speedily, yet it will be executed; the Lord is as much an enemy
to sin as ever. We may all apply this to ourselves. Because we
have to do with a God that changes not, therefore it is that we
are not consumed; because his compassions fail not.
Verses 7-12: The men of that generation turned away from God, they had
not kept his ordinances. God gives them a gracious call. But
they said, Wherein shall we return? God notices what returns our
hearts make to the calls of his word. It shows great
perverseness in sin, when men make afflictions excuses for sin,
which are sent to part between them and their sins. Here is an
earnest exhortation to reform. God must be served in the first
place; and the interest of our souls ought to be preferred
before that of our bodies. Let them trust God to provide for
their comfort. God has blessings ready for us, but through the
weakness of our faith and the narrowness of our desires, we have
not room to receive them. He who makes trial will find nothing
is lost by honouring the Lord with his substance.
Verses 13-18: Among the Jews at this time, some plainly discovered
themselves to be children of the wicked one. The yoke of Christ
is easy. But those who work wickedness, tempt God by
presumptuous sins. Judge of things as they will appear when the
doom of these proud sinners comes to be executed. Those that
feared the Lord, spake kindly, for preserving and promoting
mutual love, when sin thus abounded. They spake one to another,
in the language of those that fear the Lord, and think on his
name. As evil communications corrupt good minds and manners, so
good communications confirm them. A book of remembrance was
written before God. He will take care that his children perish
not with those that believe not. They shall be vessels of mercy
and honour, when the rest are made vessels of wrath and
dishonour. The saints are God's jewels; they are dear to him. He
will preserve them as his jewels, when the earth is burned up
like dross. Those who now own God for theirs, he will then own
for his. It is our duty to serve God with the disposition of
children; and he will not have his children trained up in
idleness; they must do him service from a principle of love.
Even God's children stand in need of sparing mercy. All are
righteous or wicked, such as serve God, or such as serve him
not: all are going to heaven or to hell. We are often deceived
in our opinions concerning both the one and the other; but at
the bar of Christ, every man's character will be known. As to
ourselves, we have need to think among which we shall have our
lot; and, as to others, we must judge nothing before the time.
But in the end all the world will confess that those alone were
wise and happy, who served the Lord and trusted in Him.
he coming of Christ. (1-6) The Jews reproved for their
corruptions. (7-12) God's care of his people; The distinction
between the righteous and the wicked. (13-18)