Exposition of Amos 4-9, Part 3 · Section 13
VERSE. 13.
Yee which rejoyce in a thing of nought, which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?
IN the first Verse of this Chapter, the Prophet upbraids the Israelites with their carnal confidence; and in this Verse he amplifies that exprobration; Yee are they (saith he) which rejoyce in things of nought, and glory in your own strength, to your own confusion, as it follows, vers. 14.
In this verse we have this Peoples sin, They rejoyce in a thing of nought. And in the next verse we have their punishment.
Q. The Question will be, what is meant by a thing of nought, or of no moment, here?
A. By a thing of nought, 1. Some conceive an Idol is meant, which is called a thing of nought, or nothing, an Idol is nothing, 1 Cor▪ 8.4▪ materially it may be wood or stone, but formally it is nothing. Though it may be something in respect of mens vain conceits, yet it is nothing in respect of any Divine power or vertue, for it can neither hurt nor help. These people worshipt the Calves, and worshipt Baal, and other Idols, and so might be said to rejoyce in things of nought. But,
2. Others conceive they rejoyced in Creature-comforts and Priviledges, such as Riches, Honour, Power, Success, the Covenants, Circumcision,Le…o…abar; in non verbo, vercum idem est quod res; in non verbo, i. e. in non re, in nibilo, in re nullius momenti, i. e. in potentia ves…ra. Adoption, &c. all these they boasted and br…gged of, as if they could have sheltred them from Gods Wrath, but since they were rebellious and disobedient, the Prophet tells them they should doe them no good in the day of Gods Wrath, for they were but things of nought; …and meer nothing compared with God; and in no wise to be rested in.
3 And most genuinely, To rejoyce in a thing of nought, is to rejoyce in an arm of flesh, to rejoyce in Armies, Strength, Victories, and Successes;Hassemachim, Latantes, vel qui laetantur, Participia ha… extensa sunt, ideo que actus continuos denotant. for so it follows in the latter part of the verse, which is exegetical, and illustrates the former, Yee rejoyce in a thing of nought. What's that? Why yee say, Have we not taken to us Horns by our owne strength? it was their constant practise to rejoyce in a thing of nought, and to trust in their owne strength.
By Horns here is meant the power,Micah 7.18. Joh. 1.29. V. Schools-guard, Rule 56. dominion, glory, and excellency of a people. It is a Metaphor taken from horned Beasts, whose strength and beauty lyes in their horns. So Deut. 33.17.1. Sam. 2.1.10 Iob 16.15. Psa. 92.10. & 112.9 & 132.17. & 148.14.Scimus cornua Hebraeis accipi pro excellentia, robore, altitudine, & quolibet praesedio. Calvin.
Thus they said, viz. in their hearts, and thoughts at least, for what words are to us, that thoughts are to God, his Word and Spirit search the inward parts of the Soul, Ier. 17.10. 1 Cor. 2.10. they thought they had made themselves strong and impregnable by their own power. The Prophet seems to allude to the power and success which Ieroboam the second, one of the Kings of Israel had, in whose reign Amos Prophesied. This King was very succesful and prosperous, he inlarged the borders of the Kingdom, and took divers Cities from the Syrians, 2 King. 14.25, 27, 28. So Iudah was very succesful under King Uzziah, as appears, 2 Chron. 26.1 to 17. these Victories and Successes made them proud, and lift up their horns, as if by their owne power and policy they had got the victory. Thus they rejoyced in a thing of nought, as if by their owne strength they had inlarged their borders, and could now defend themselves against forreign envasions.
The Interrogation is a strong Affirmation,V. Schools-Guard, rule 30. Have we not taken to our selves horns by our owne strength? See what impious Arrogance, aud Vam-glorious boasting here is, every word gives a crake, Have not we taken, Have not we taken to us, have not we taken to us Horns, yet more, Have not we taken to us Horns by our owne strength? They did all, God did nothing, he is not in any of their thoughts. I have read of Pope Adrian, who having built a stately Colledge at Lovaine, caused this to be written in golden letters over the gate, Utretch planted him, there was he born; Lovaine watred him, there he got Learning; and Caesar gave the increase, for he made him a Cardinal: one wittily comes after and subscribes, Hic Deus nihil fecit, God had nothing to doe here.So these men ascribed all to themselves, and shut out God. Though the Lord by an Almighty hand had brought them out of Aegypt into the Land of Canaan, and drove out the Canaanites before them, and by a strong hand preserved them in that good Land; yet so proud, ungrateful, and dis-ingenious were they grown, that they sacrificed to their owne Net, and assumed all to themselves, saying, Have we not gotten these Victories by our owne strength? The Lord can now no longer bear with this Sacrilegious robbing him, of the honour which was due to his Name: and therefore in the next Verse he tells them, That he will raise up a Nation against them, that shall utterly destroy them.
OBSERVATIONS.
1 The Creatures excellency is all but vanity.
Take the Quintessence of all the Riches, Power, Pomp, Beauty, Morality, and delights of the World, and put them in one scale, and put Vanity in the other, and they will prove lighter than vanity;In my Com. on Psal. 73.20. à Lapide in Amos 6.13. & Mendoza, in 1 Reg. 2. Numb. 36. Annot. 25. p. 555. and therefore they may well be called, things of nought. But of this at large elsewhere.
2 Obs. Such is mans corruption and madness, that he rejoyceth in things of nought.
He dislikes what is truly good, and delights in vanity, Psal. 4.6, 7. Hence Solomon spends the whole Book of Ecclesiastes in disswading men from this folly and madness. St. Chrysostom tells us, that if he had a voyce like Thunder, and a mighty Mountain for his Pulpit, and all the Men and Women in the World for his Auditory, he would chuse that Text to preach on, Psal. 4.2. O yee sons of men, how long will yee love vanity?
3 Gods Word is a critical word.
V. Traps True Treasure, ch. 3. Sect. 3. p. 86. & Glassii Philolog. lib. 1. Tr. 3. S. 3. mihi. p. 201.It discovers the thoughts and intents of mens hearts, and layes their inside open, so great is its power and efficacy. Gods Word resembles God, as he is the only Heart-searching God, so his Word is the only Heart-searching Word. It pierceth to the very Marrow, and discovers to us our most secret thoughts and affections, Heb. 4.12. and can tell us, whether we delight in things of nought.
4. Wicked men ascribe that to their owne power and policy, which is due to Gods Power, and Grace.
If they have success and victory, they presently lift up their Horns and push at God, that they may the better Sacrifice to their own Net, and burn incense to their drag. Hab. 1.15, 16. Thus Senacherib King of Assyria boasted of his power and success, as if he could conquer not only Ierusalem, but its God also, Isa. 36. Thus that Heathen that went forth to Battle, being admonished to call upon the Gods, answered, that it was for cowards to pray, as for himself, he was resolved to try his own strength in Battle, he did so, and was slaine. Let others kiss their own hands, Iob 31.27. and ascribe all to Idols and themselves; but let us, with all the Servants of God, ascribe the glory of all we are, or have, to God alone,See my Com. on 2 Tim. 4.8. p. 410. for what have we that we have not received from him? 1 King. 8.24. Psal. 20.7. & 44.5, 6, 7, 8. & 89.9, 10.17, 18. it is by the grace of God that we are what we are, 1 Cor. 15.10.