Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/6_500.lzh/6_563.TXT

Text File | 1994-11-10 | 6KB | 119 lines

same root, and is of a similar sound with Phorez here,
from his breaking forth before his brother, unawares,
and contrary to expectation, Gen. xxxviii. 29. this
agrees with Christ, with respect to his death, when he
broke through and vanquished all enemies, sin, Satan,
the world, and death; broke th rough all the troops of hell,
and spoiled principalities and powers; and through all
ditficulties tha.t. lay in the way of the salvation of his
people; he broke down the middle wall of partition,
the ceremonial law which was between Jew and Gen-
tile; and broke off the yoke of sin, Satan, nnd the law,
under which they were, and set them at liberty; and
at his resurrection he broke asunder the cords of death,
as Samson did his withs as a thread of tow; and at
his ascension he broke his way through the regions of
the air, and legions of devils there, leading captivity
captive, and entered into heaven; and was pandens
iter, as the Vulgate Latin version here renders it, open-
ing the way for his people into it; by the ministry of
the word, he broke his way into the Gentile world,
conquering and to conquer, which was mighty, through
God, for the pulling down of strong holds, and re-
ducing multitudes to his obedience; at the conversion
of every sinner he breaks open the everlastingdoors of
their hearts, and .enters in; he breaks their rocky
hearts in pieces, and then binds up what he has broken;
and in the latter day he'll break in pieces all his ene-
mies as a potter's vessel; yea, he'll break in pieces and
consume all the kingdoms of the earth, which will be-
come like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors:
and now he is ascended, or gone up to heaven to his
father there, and before them his sheep, his people, said
to be assembled, gathered and put together; he is
ascended as the forerunner of them, to receive gifts for
them, and bestow them on them, and to prepare hen-
venfor them, and to make intercession on their behalf;
and, as sure as he' is gone up, so sure shall they also
follow: they have broken up, and have passed through
the gate, and are gone out by it; not either the Assy-
rians or Cha!deans; nor the people that fled with Ze-
dekiah; but the sheep of Christ following him their
Shepherd; who, in the strength of Christ, and the
power of his grace, break out of their prison-houses;
and break off the yokes and fetters in which they have
been detained, and all allegiance to former lords ; and
break through their enemies, and become more than'
conquerors through him that has loved them; and pass
through him the gate; the strait gate, and narrow way,
that leads to the Father, and to the enjoyment of all
the blessings of grace; and into the sheep-fold, the
church, and the privileges 0f it; and even into heaven
itself, eternal life and happiness: and by which also
they go out, for he is a door of escape unto them out of
the hands of all their enemies, and from wrath to
come; and he is a door of hope of all good things unto
them, and which leads to green pastures, and by which
they go in and out, and find pasture: and their King shall
pass before them, and the Lord on the head of them; not
the king of Assyria or Babylon, before their respective
armies, the Lord God himself being in a providential
way at the head of them, and succeeding them; nor
Hoshea or Zedekiah, going before their people into
captivity, the Lord having forsaken them; but the
King Messiah, who is King of Zion, King of saints,
that goes before his people as a king before his sub-
jects, and as a shepherd before his flock; and who is the
true Jehovah, the Lord our righteousness, who is at
the head, and is the Head, of his church; the Captain
of their salvation, that is at the head of his armies, his
chosen and faithful ones, they following and marching
after him, Rev. xvii. 14. and xix, 14.

In this chapter the prophet reprovel and threatens
both princes and prophets, first separately, and then
conjunctly; first the heads and princes of the people,
civil .magistrates, for their ignorance of justice, and
hatred of good, and love of evil, and for their oppres-
sion and cruelty; and they are threatened with dis-
tress when they should cry unto the Lord, and should
not be heard by hint, vet. 1, 2, 3, 4. next the prophets
are taken to task, for their voracioushess, avarice, and
false prophesying; and are threatened with darkness,
with want of vision, and of an answer from the Lord,
and with shame and confusion, yet. 5, 6,7. and the
prophet being full of the spirit and power of God, to
declare the sins and transgressions of Jacob and Israel,
yet. 8, very freely declaims against princes, priests,
and prophets, all together; who, though guilty of very
notorious crimes, yet. were in great security, and pro-
raised themselves impunity, ver..9, 10, !1. wherefore
the city and temple of Jerusalem are threatened with
an utter desolation, ver. 12.
Vet. 1..4nd I said, hear, I pray you, 0 heads of Ja-
cob, and ye princes of the house of Israel, &c.3 This
seems to be a new sermon or discourse, deliver. ed .at
another time and to another people than the preceding
for, as that chiefly concerns the ten tribes, this the
two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and was spoken to
them in the times of Hezekiah, as appears from Jet,
xxvi. 18. for though Jacob and Israel generally design
the ten tribes, yet here the other two, as is manifest
from the above-cited place, and also from ver. 9,
12. and not only heads of families, but such as were
the highest posts under the government, the sanhedrim
of the nation, judges, rulers, and nobles, are here .~
dre, sed; and who had a great share in national guilt,
being ringleaders in sin, who ought to have set good
examples to others; and these are n.0i to be spared be-
cause of their grandeur and dignity, but to faith-
ftdly reproved for their vices, and Which they should
diligently attend unto; though they are to be addressed
in a respectful and honourable manner, and be
treated to hearken to the word of the Lord by his
phet; al1 which was carefully observed by Micah;
it was with pleasure he could reflect upon his plain.
faithful, and affectionate reproof of those great men :
it not for you to know judgment ? what is just and right
to be done. by men, and what sentence is to be passed