Exposition of Amos 4-9, Part 2 · Section 26
VERSE 26.
But yee have born the Tabernacle of your Moloch, and Chiun, your Images, the star of your god, which yee made to your selves.
THese Hypocrites were ever and anon boasting of their Sacrifices, to them the Prophet in the person of the Lord here further answers, and tels them, it is true, Your fore-fathers made a shew of serving me, carrying my Tabernacle, and all things belonging to it, in the Wilderness; but their hearts were set upon their Idols, and they Worshipped their Moloch, and the other Images of those Planetary gods, and not me.
This But spoyls all.
The better to convince them of their Idolatry, the Prophet here instanceth in three of their chief Idols,
Moloch,
Chiun, and
The Host of Heaven.
1 The Prophet instanceth in these Heathen Idols to shame Israel.
2 Here are the setters up of these Idols, and those are, these wicked men themselves, which yee made to your selves.
3 Here is their love and affection to those Idols, they bare them, and carried their Images about with them.
This is, Locus difficilis & valde perplexus (say Interpreters) it is a difficult, knotty, perplexed Text, I never yet met with its fellow, Quot verba, tot mysteria, it hath more mysteries, and various interpretations than words. I shall endeavour to clear up all.
1 Q. The first Quere is, What is meant by Moloch here?
A. Under this grand Idol are Synecdochically comprehended the rest of their Idols. This Moloch was an old abominable Idol, which the Ammonites, and other Heathens worshiped. Hence it is oft called, the abomination of the Ammonites, 1 King. 11.7. & 2 King. 23.13. in other places it is called Molech, Levit. 18.21. and Milcom, 1 King. 11.5, 33. Zeph. 1.5. and by Amos and St. Stephen it is called Moloch, Acts 7.43. they both upbraid the Iewes for worshipping this abominable Idol, and that in the Wilderness, where the Lord shewed them so many signal Miracles and Mercies; there they began to practise this foul Idolatry. The Ammonites had many gods, but one among the rest was their Patron, and tutelar god, which they called their King, Ier. 49.1, 3. Amos 1.15. (as they did this Moloch) but the Holy Ghost calls it an abomination, for that which is highly esteemed in the sight of men, is an abomination in the sight of God. This Idol not only Ammon, but Israel trusted in as their Guide, and Leader in their travels; which shewes their horrid ingratitude in casting off God, who had been so long their Protector and their King, and now to chuse an Idol, and a Moloch for their God and Guide, and therefore it is emphatically called yours, Your Moloch, which you chose for your God and King. To this Idol the Israelites most inhumanely, and barbarously offered their Sons and Daughters in Sacrifice, Levit. 18.21. & 20.2. 2 King. 23.10.
What this Idol should be, is hard to determine. 1. Some say, it was an hollow Idol shaped like a man.
2. Others make it an hollow Image made of Brass, having the face of a Bullock, and hands spread abroad like a man, that openeth his hands to receive somewhat. There were seven Chappels built for it, before which the Image was set, who so offered a Fowl or Dove, went into the first Chappel; if he brought a Lamb, he went into the second; if a Ram, into the third; if a Calf, into the fourth; if a Bullock, into the fifth; if an Oxe, into the sixt; and if he offered his Son, into the seventh, and he kissed Moloch; as the Sacrificers in Hosea kissed the Calves, Hos. 13.2. The Son was set before Moloch, the Image having fire put under it was made burning hot, then the Priest taking the Child, put him into Molochs burning armes,V. Ialkut in his Heb. Com. on Jer. 7. and to the end that the father might not hear the cry of the Child, they did beat upon Tabers, whence the place was called Tophet, of Toph, which is a Taber.
V. Tertul. Apologer. c. 9.3 Others conceive that it was the star of their god, probably Saturn, the highest of the Planets, to whom the Phaenicians sacrificed their Children, saith Tertullian.
4 Many think it was the same Idol which we call Baal, to whom they sacrificed their Sons and Daughters, Ier. 7.31. & 19.5. & 32.35.
5 And most genuinely, it is conceived that this Moloch whom they worshipped was the Sun: which is King of Planets, and chief of Stars:V. Euseb. Praep. Evang. l. 1. & l. 4. c. 7. the most operative of them all, and fullest of splendor; which some did worship by the name of Beel-samen, Lord of Heaven; for as the Moon is called Melachah, the Queen of Heaven,V. Strabo Geog. lib. …5. Ier. 7.18. & 44.17, 25. So the Sun is called Melech, the King of Heaven, whom the Persians worshipped as their God.
And Chiun your Images.
Their second Idol was Chiun, and here again Interpreters are divided, and though it be not much material to know what this Idol was (the sin reproved being not in the name, but in the thing, which was an abominable Idol, however called) yet 1. Some say this Chiun was the Idol Hercules, which in the Aegyptian Language was called Chon, but varied into another Language might easily make Chiun. St. Luke calls this supposed Deity, Remphan, Acts 7.43. from Repha, which signifies a Gyant,V. Beza in Act. 7.43. and thereupon some have thought it was Hercules, who was wont to be pourtraied in a Gyant-like form. The Evangelist useth this name rather than Chiun.
1 Because he followed the Translation of the Seventy, who being appointed by Ptolomy King of Aegypt to translate the Bible, they use the Aegyptian name Remphan in their Greek Translation.
2 The name Remphan being better known to the Iewes in those dayes, (who made great use of the Septuagint) than that of Chiun, therefore the Evangelist mentions that rather than the other.
3 Others conceive that it might be Iove, or Mars, or Venus especially, which Planet they worshipped as their Guide and Leader in the Wilderness; it being the Leader of the Morning, and fore-runner of the Sun, and is called Lucifer, which is said to be placed in the fore-head of Moloch, because it goeth before the Sun-rising. This Planet the Sarazens worship at this day.
3 But most genuinely it seems to be the Idol Saturn, which in the Arabick ▪ and Persick Language is called Chiun, and Amos speaking of that time more especially when Israel wandred in the Wilderness of Arabia, where they committed this foul Idolatry, calls the Heathen god after the Arabick Language, Chiun, or Chivan. Besides, the Aegyptians at this day call Saturn in their Language, Rephan, or Remphan, as Luke doth.
You have born the Tabernacle of your Moloch.
Melkekem, regi vestro.Or, you have erected a Tabernacle to him, as to your King. Some read it, you have born the Tabernacle of Siccuth your King, which they conceive to be the name of some Idol; indeed Siccuth may serve to have some affinity with Succoth, a Goddess of the Babylonians, 2 King. 17.30. But the Holy Ghost which is the best interpreter of it self,foreign, Tabernaculum Moloch. Sept. by St. Luke (who following the Septuagint, which read it Succoth, not Siceuth) renders it a Tabernacle, and so justifies our Translation.
And Chiun your Images.
Netsatem, portá…tis, i. e. amáftis, suscepistis, approbâstis. Mercer.Here we see the love and affection of these Idolaters to their Idols, they bear them, and carry them on their shoulders (say some) by way of pomp and honour, as Idolaters are wont to doe, Isa. 46.7. the Prophet speaking there of an Idol, tells us, that he is born on mens shoulders to the place where he must stand, to be seen abroad.
2 Others conceive that the Images of this Idol-god were enshrined in some little portable Tabernacles (as the Image of Diana had its shrines, little houses, or caskets to put it in, Acts▪ 19.24.) which the people as many of them as were given to Idolatry, carried about with them among their stuffe. So Rachel stole her fathers gods, and brought them with her stuffe into Canaan, Gen. 31.34. As good men by Prayer take in God for their companion with them in their journeys, Gen. 35.3. Acts 21.5, 6. so Idolaters carry about with them their Idols, Hosts, Crucifixes, &c. for religion and protection sake, as so many tutelar gods in their voyages and journies.
3 Here is the multitude of their Idols, set forth in the Plural number, and Chiun your Images, which imports the great number of them, and doubles their sin. 1. They make New-gods. 2. They make Images of those New-gods in honour of them, contrary to Gods express Command, Exod. 20.4.
Or Chiun your Images, that is (say some) your notable Image, the plural number for the singular (as oft) especially in names of dignity.
Hence we may observe against the Papists,Tsalmech…m, from Tselem, Imagines vel figuras vestras. that the Scripture condemns not only Idols (which themselves confess unlawful) but also Images for religious Worship; God will not be Worshipped by any visible Picture, and therefore the Prophet condemnes both Moloch and Chiun with their Images,See more, Dr. Reynolds de lib. Apocryph. Lect. 219. & de Idolol, Rom. Eccles. l. 2. c. 3. Sect. 40. p. 422. & Rivet in Hos. 8.4. and above all, Mr. Durham in his elaborate Com. on Revel. 9. p. 454. yea the Evangelist condemnes the very Figures of those Idols which they make to themselves, Acts 7.43.
The star of your god.
Or,Cocab elohechem, stellam vestrorum Deorum. the star which is your god, or rather the Images which you worship are like a Star, either like the Sun, or Saturn; for their gods were nothing but Planets, or Stars which they worshipped, in, or by Images representing them, Acts 7.41, 43. Figures which yee made to worship them (saith St. Stephen) even the Host of Heaven, as the Stars are oft called, Deut. 17.3. Psal. 33.6. Isa. 34.4. & 45.12. Ier. 33.22. Dan. 4.35.
The Heathen Idolaters were great worshippers of the Host of Heaven, and this peece of Idolatry the Iewes had learnt from them, Ier. 8.2. and with this St. Stephen chargeth them, Acts 7.42. that they worshipped the Host of Heaven, i. e. Sun, Moon, and Stars, as it is written in the Book of the Prophets, viz. of the lesser Prophets, (of which Amos is one, out of which this text is quoted) all the twelve being bound together in one Book, lest they should be scattered, or lost, by reason of their smallness.
Many of the Iews conceited that all the Stars were Gods, and that there was some Deity in them, and therefore they worshipped them, as appears 2 King. 23.11. Ier. 7.18. & 8.2. & 19.13. & 44.17, 19, 25. Zeph. 1.5.
With the like Sin the Prophet here chargeth them, viz. with Idolizing the star of their god, or the star your gods. Hee speaks it sarcastically and tauntingly, q. d. see what goodly gods yee have gotten,These Israelites had many other deasters, and false gods, if we may beleeve Iosephus Antiq. l. 4. c. 6. these are thy gods O Israel; Stars and Planets, Idols and Images; you have forsaken the living God for dead ones, and so have changed your glory into shame; and have left the God that protected you, for Idols that cannot protect themselves.
Which yee have made to your selves.
All these feigned Deities with their Images are your owne inventions, and figments of your owne brain, I never commanded any such kind of worship from you. Hence Idols are called the work of mens owne hands, Psal. 115.4. and the Lord threatens such as worshipped the work of their own hands, because they provoked him to anger thereby, Ier. 2.16. & 25.6. & 44.8. Acts 7.41. to shew the vanity and nothingness that is in Idols, and the folly of Idolaters in worshipping such things as themselves had made, they are oft called, The work of mens owne hands, and their owne inventions; with which they please themselves, though they displease God.
Q. But whom doth the Prophet charge here with all this gross Idolatry, whether the Ancestors, or the Posterity?
A. Both. 1. Hee begins with their fore-fathers in the Wilderness, and the better to humble them who so much boasted of their fore-fathers,foreign Portastis tabernaculum Moloch, pertinet ad 40. annos in Deserto, cum sacrificarunt non Deo, sed Moloch & Idolis, Act. 7.43. he labours to convince them of their gross Idolatry, and shewes how early they began to practise this Sin, when they worshipped the Golden Calf, and Moloch, as appears by the prohibitions against the worshipping of it, Levit. 18.21. & 20.2.
2 He chargeth the Posterity, and brings down this Idolatry along to their times, shewing how they had justified their ancestors in their Idolatry, by worshipping the Calves at Dan and Bethel, and following Baal, yea and worshipping the Host of Heaven, 1 King. 11.5. & 2 King. 23.5.11. Ezek. 8.16. Zeph. 1.5.
The summe of all is this. It is true, O yee children of Israel, that your Progenitors made a great shew of serving and honouring me, carrying my Tabernacle about with them, in the Wilderness, pretending that it was their glory to have me present amongst them; when indeed their hearts were set upon their Idols, and false Deities, as Moloch, and Chiun, the Sun, the Moon, the Starres, and all the Host of Heaven, as appears by the multitude of those Images, and representations of their Idol-gods which they carried about with them to Worship them; and you their Posterity have trod in the sinful steps of your fore-fathers, and have out-gone them in Idolatry; therefore I will now banish you to the remotest parts of Assyria, even beyond Babylon.
OBSERVATIONS.
1 Naturally we are exceeding prone to Idolatry.
This is clear from the example of these Israelites, to whom the Lord so oft appeared, Exod. 19. & 33, &c. both in ways of Judgement, and of Mercy. To them the Law was given, and to them were committed the Oracles of God, Psal. 147.19, 20. Rom. 3.2. & 9.4, 5. and yet how frequently and fearfully did they and their Fathers fall into this sin;See more in M. Caryl on Job 31.26. Obs. 1. and this was not only the temper of these Iewes, but of us Gentiles also, we are easily seduced, and lead away with dumb Idols, 1 Cor. 12.2.
2 When men know God, yet walk not up to their light, See more in my Com. on 2 Tim. 4.4. Obs. 5.but wilfully sin against it, then God gives them up to a reprobate sense, so that they worship Stocks and Stones, Starres, and Images, as these did here, Acts 7.42.
Thus it was with the Gentiles, Rom. 1.24, 25, 26, &c. Those that will not beleeve and obey the Truth, God will give them up to strong delusions to beleeve lyes, 2 Thes. 2.10, 11. false Prophets shall arise and cry down Ordinances, and you shall beleeve them; they shall cry up Superstition, Idolatry, Libertinism, &c. and you shall follow them. This is a sad Judgement, yet usually God thus punisheth Sin with Sin, as blindness with blindness, ignorance with greater ignorance, and idolatry with grosser idolatry; when men begin to fall from God,Error minimus in prin… pio, fit maximus in fine. See Manton on Jude 12. p. 421. and my Com. on 2 Tim. 3.13. p. 230, &c. Greenhil on Ezek 8.16. they fall to worship Calves, Starres, Stocks, and Images. They never rest till they come to destruction.
As all Sin, so especially this of Idolatry is very prolifical. The Cloud that at first is like a mans hand, will suddenly overspread the whole Heavens. The little Wheel sets the great one a going. A little Defeat at first may become a total Rout at last, Per scelera ad scelus, one sin usually makes way for another. Sin and error is endless, wicked men (when the Devil drives) know not where, nor when they shall stop or stay, Prov. 23. ult. Hos. 10.1. & 13.2. Ier. 9.3, 5. Sin hath no foundation,Fertilis est Idololatria ut ex uno Deo fictitio centum mox gignantur; ex superstitione unâ s…aturiant mille. Calvin. but runs on and multiplies in infinitum. Ahaz that at first burnt Incense to Idols, at last burnt his children to them, 2 Chron. 28.3. as these Jews did theirs to Moloch. It concerns us then to keep close to the Rule, for if wee swarve never so little from that, we shall suddenly run our selves into a Labyrinth of Superstition, sin and error.
3. Fore-fathers must not be followed in sin.
See my Com. on Hos. 13.16. p. 146.These Israelites forsook the Rule to follow their Fore-fathers in their Idolatry, and now they perish with them. But of this before.
4. Idolaters are deeply in love with their Idols;
They hug them, they carry them, they kiss them, Hos. 13.2. In Ier. 8.2. we have five expressions to set forth the strong affections which Idolaters bear to their Idols. They love, serve, seek, worship, and walk after them, as if they could never do enough for them. They had as lieve part with their lives, as part with them, Iudg. 18.24. Yee have taken away my gods (saith Micah) and what have I more? q. d. you have even taken all, since you have taken away mine Idols, which are so near and dear to mee. They are married to them, no wonder then if they love them, Hos. 4.17. Besides, they are gods of their own making, Exod. 32.1. and 'tis natural to every one to love its own workmanship.
5. Idolatry besots men.
It makes men worship Posts and Pictures, Stars and Planets,Quis nescit qualia demens Aegyptus portenta colat? Iuven. Sat. 15. V. Godwin. Jewish Antiq. l. 4. c. 7. p. 164. & M. Iohn Smith, his select discourse. p. 25. and my Com. on Hos. 13. p. 119. Dogs and Cats, Onyons and Leeks, any thing save God. As those that are given up to corporal uncleanness, care not with whom they commit it: So 'tis in spiritual Whoredome. Affection blindes the judgement, and besots men. Idolatry is a bewitching, flesh-pleasing-sin, which steals away the heart,Humanarum mentium ludibrium superstitio. Curtius. and therefore is compared to fornication, Ezek. 23.2. to 18. which infatuates and steals away mens hearts. The Whore of Babylon hath all alluring Ceremonies, Altars, Images, Gorgeous Vestments, Musick, &c. with many other inchantments to seduce men, Rev. 17. 1, 2, 4. Hence we read of the delectable things of Idolaters, Isa. 44.9. The sight of the Sun, Moon, Stars, and all the host of Heaven, should have convinced them of the Majesty and Glory of their Creator, and have induced them to worship him, but they being besotted and blinded by sin and Satan, worshipped the creature instead of God, and serve those which were made for their service.
Besides, what man that is well in his wits will trust in such gods for safety, as cannot save themselves from fire and spoil? All their Idols, the Calves and all, Hos. 10.5, 6. were carried away by the Conquering Assyrian, according to the custome of Conquerers, which was to carry away the gods of the Conquered Nations, Ier. 43.12.
6. God hath many Hosts and Armies at command.
Hee hath the Host of Heaven, 1. Angels, 1 King. 22.19. Luk. 2.13. 2. Hee hath Sun, Moon and Stars, even the Stars in their kinde shall fight against Sisera, Judg. 5.20. These Stephen calls the Host of Heaven. 3. All creatures are his Hosts and Armies, ready to execute what ever he commands, Iob 25.3. Amos 9.6.Amos 4 ult. Fear therefore to offend this Lord of Hosts. But of this before.
7. To worship the Host of Heaven is a great sin.
Hence the Lord upbraids these Israelites both fathers and children with this sin, and threatens to send them into captivity for it. This the Lord oft forbade them, Deut. 4.19. and blames them for it, 2 King. 17.16. 2 Chron. 33.3, 5. Ier. 8.2, 3. & 19.13. & 44.17. Ezek. 8.16. and commands that he should dye that did it, Deut. 17.3, 4, 5. Iob calls this kinde of Idolatry a denying of God, and a sin to be punisht by the Judges,See Caryl on Job 31.26. Obs. 4. Iob 31.26, 27, 28. How much greater is their sin which worship gods of their own making, gods of Wood and Stone, Crosses, Crucifixes, Images, &c. Idols which their own heads invented, and their own hands have made, yea that with five words of consecration can create their Creator, and then worship the works of their own hands.Talis esset Idololatria, qualis in orbe terrarum nunquam vel visus, vel auditus fuit. Coster. Encherid. c. 12. How great this Idolatry is, Costerus the Jesuite shall tell you, if (saith hee) Christ be not really and corporally present in the Eucharist, then are the Catholicks the grossest Idolaters in the world.
8. Will-worship is displeasing unto God.
When men make Gods to themselves, they make Rods for themselves. God will rid his hands of such, and send them beyond Damascus, yea beyond Babylon, there they shall live in misery and slavery, serving sin and Satan in the want of all things, who would not serve God with joy and gladness of heart in the abundance of all things.See more Caryl on Job 31.26. Obs. 3. and my Com. on Hos. 13. p. 89, 120. The Israelites of old made a golden Calf, and worshipped the works of their own hands, but it cost many of them their lives, Exod. 32.27. 'Tis a good Rule, De Deo, nil sine Deo, In Gods worship we must do nothing without the warrant of his Word, Deut. 12. ult. Mat. 28.20. all must be done according to the Pattern, even to a Pin, Exod. 27.19. hence 'tis said nine times in one chapter, That all was done as the Lord commanded Moses, Exod. 39.1, 5, 7, 21, 26, 29, 32, 42, 43.