Exposition of Amos 4-9, Part 2 · Section 27
VERSE 27.
Therefore I will cause you to go into Captivity beyond Damascus, saith the Lord, whose Name is the God of Hosts.
WEE have all along seen Israels sin, wee are now come to their suffering.
I will cause you to go into Captivity.
The Lord had freely given them the holy Land for their Inheritance, to the end that they might serve him with gladness of heart, in the abundance of all things; but since they had defiled that good Land with their abominations, the Lord resolved to rid the Land of them, and to send them into captivity beyond Damascus, which was fulfilled when Salmaneser took Samaria, and subdued the Kingdome of Israel to himself, 2 King. 17.6, &c.
q. d. Since your Fore-fathers were bad, and you are worse, treading in their Idolatrous steps, and out-going them in sin; therefore I will bring upon you the judgements threatned, driving you out of your own Land, and despersing you in forein Countries.
In the words we have 1. A judgement threatned, and that is banishment and captivity. I will cause you to go into captivity.
2. Here is the extent of this captivity, 'tis beyond Damascus, saith Amos, beyond Babylon, saith Stephen.
3 Here is the meritorious and procuring cause of this suffering, and that is their sin, implied in the Illative particle Therefore, you have been Idolatrous, superstitious, hypocritical, &c. therefore you shall go into captivity.
4. Here is the confirmation of this commination; 'tis not I, but the Lord, whose name is the God of Hosts, that hath said it, and he both can and will do it, unless by timely repentance ye prevent it.
I will cause you to go into Captivity beyond Damascus.
q. d. I will send you packing farther than the people of Damascus, for the Syrians of Damascus were carried captives but to Kir, 2 King. 16.9. but you shall be carried captives far beyond them, even to Persia, and the Region of the Caspians, Ezra 8.17.
2. And more genuinely, whereas they looked on Damascus, (the Metropolis of Syria, a City of praise, i. e. a renowned, goodly, wealthy, strong City, Isa. 7.8. & 8.4. Ier. 49.25.) as an impregnable fortress, and frontier defence for all their Country, and they might think to get shelter there, the King thereof being their confederate; the Prophet tells them that Damascus should not save them, for they should be carried captives beyond Damascus, even into the farthest and remotest parts of Assyria, beyond Babylon.
Quest. But how shall we reconcile Amos and Stephen? Amos saith they shall go beyond Damascus, but Stephen saies they shall go further, even beyond Babylon, Act. 7.43.
Ans. 1. Some conceive it might be some mistake of the Scribe, beyond Babylon, for beyond Damascus, but there is no ground for such a conceit.
2. The Answer is easie, the difference is onelyonly verbal, not material, in words, but not in sense. What the Prophet spake somewhat darkly, Stephen declares more clearly, according to the truth of the history,See more, Sharpius Sym…hoa. Loc. 57. p. 212. Schools-Guard. Rule 20. and the verity of what was done; and 'tis a known Rule, that the Penmen of the New Testament do give the sense, though not the very words of the Prophets which they quote; when they cite places, they do not translate, but explain and expound them rather; Luke writing in Greek, followeth the Greek Version which then was so common amongst them.
3. Peradventure the Prophet might mention Damascus, that he might not add affliction to the afflicted, and utterly dismay them; had he told them they should go beyond Babylon, the very thoughts of their banishment into such a forein Land, so far distant from their native Country would have broken their hearts; and therefore he conceals what St. Stephen utters, Ye shall go beyond Babylon, and so they did, for they were dispersed into Persia, Media, and Assyria. This was fulfilled in part by Salmaneser King of Assyria, V. Ioseph. Antiq lib. 9. c. 14. & lib. …1. c. 5.2 King. 17.6. but fully by Esar-haddon, 2 King. 17.23, 24.
OBSERVATIONS.
1. Idolatry is a Land-destroying sin.
This great sin brings with it great destruction. This cast Israel here out of all, 2 King. 17.22, 23. This is a Covenant-breaking, and a God-provoking sin,See my Com. on Hos 13. V. Index Idolatry. what ever sin hee bears with, hee cannot, hee will not bear with this. As I have elsewhere shewed before.
And did the Lord punish Israel for this sin, and shall England think to escape? No, no, parity of sin, will bring parity in punishment. How are we infatuated, and given up to strong delusions to beleeve lyes? The lyes of Popery, Arminianism, Socinianism, Anabaptism, Quakerism, &c. Yea have wee not Judicial Astrologers, (Satans familiars) who sacrifice to Moloch and Chiun, and all the host of Heaven; that make the stars their Gods and Guides; by them they can calculate mens nativities, help men to their stollen goods, cast figures, yea fore-tell (if you'l beleeve them) famine, sword, pestilence, peace, plenty, and what not? what is this but to draw mens hearts from confiding in God, to trust in lying vanities? and shall not the Lord visit for these things? and doth not his wrath burn against us for that wee have Sorcerers like the Philistims. Isa. 2.6. The good Lord quicken the hearts, and strengthen the hands of our Magistrates against all the workers of iniquity, before Gods wrath break forth upon us, and it be too late.
The end of the Fifth Chapter.