Exposition of Amos 4-9, Part 3 · Section 2
VERSE 2.
Pass yee on to Calneh, and see, and from thence go to Hemath the great; then go down to Gath of the Philistims, bee they better than these Kingdomes? or their borders greater than your borders?
THE Prophet goes on to awaken Israel and Iudah out of their security, and to drive them from their carnal confidence in their Mountains, Ammunition, and fortified Cities; to this end hee sets before them Gods Judgements on the Assyrians, Caldeans, and Philistims, those Idolatrous and Heathenish Nations, whose bounds were larger, and their Cities stronger than theirs.
Hee instanceth in three,
Calneh,
Hamath, and
Gath.
Fuit urbs munitissima, & obtinuit summum imperium, deinde vicina regio amaena fuit & fertilis. Calvin. V. Plin. lib. 6. c. 26.1. Calneh, this was an ancient, wealthy, great City; built by Nimrod after the Flood, in the Territories of Babylon, Gen. 10.10. It was afterwards inlarged by the Parthians, and called Ctesiphon, and was made the Metropolis of the Kingdome.
2. Hamath, called here the great and mighty City to distinguish it from a City of that name in the Land of Israel, Iosh. 19.32, 35.Hebraice dicta est Chamat, i. e. sol, quòd quasi sol inter urbes orientis …ffulgerit, à Lapide. It lay on the North side of Israel, and was a boundary of the promised Land, Numb. 13.21. & 34.8. Zach. 9.2. 'Twas built by Antiochus, and thereupon called Antiochia, and was the Metropolis of Syria. 'Twas destroyed by the Assyrian for all its power and greatness, Isa. 10.9.
3. Gath, a strong City of the Philistims, well known to Israel for its enmity against them, 2 Sam. 1.20. 'Twas at last taken, its walls were broken down, and it made tributary to others, 2 Chron. 26.6.
These bordering famous Cities were well known to them, and therefore the Lord instanceth in them, though under them synecdochically other flourishing Cities which were made a desolation, may also bee included. Hee bids them See, 'Tis not Nabat, vidit, but Reu, from Raah, observavit, curi… se inspexit.and diligently consider the downfall of those places, that their falls might make them fear, and flye from security, oppression, and carnal-confidence, lest they bee ruined as these were, and they bee made an example unto others since they will not bee warned by others.
Bee they better than these Kingdomes, or the borders of their Land greater than your borders?
These words admit of some difficulty. Some make the Interrogation a Negation, q. d. Are these Nations better than yours? in no wise, for do but compare your Kingdome of Iudah and Israel with those Kingdomes, your Cities with their Cities, and your borders with theirs; and it will easily appear, that none of those Nations are better than your Nation, for either they are Tributary to others, or ruined: God hath done more for you, than for them in many respects, the greater is your sin, and the sorer will your punishment bee, if you abuse so pleasant a Land, and such rich mercies to the dishonour of him that gave them. Thus they bring in the Lord upbraiding them for their ingratitude, that they had not rendred according to the mercies hee had shewed them.
This sense is good, and many learned men go this way, and though it must bee acknowleded, that if wee look on Canaan, Israels Land with all its priviledges, it was the glory of all Lands, Ezek. 20.15. yet other Nations might surpass it for strength, and greatness of Cities, for largeness of borders, and for amenity and fruitfulness of soil, as Babylon did.
But with submission to better judgements, I conceive the Interrogation to bee here an Assertion,V. Schools-Guard, Rule 3▪ and the genuine sense of the place to bee this, That it was in vain for them to trust in their Mountains, Riches, and strong Cities, since other Nations with their Metropolies which were greater and stronger than theirs, were now decayed and ruined. That Almighty hand which brought them down, notwithstanding all their Ammunition and Fortifications, will also bring Israel down notwithstanding all their riches and strength. Behold therefore as in a glass, whither Luxury, Oppression, Security, and abuse of Mercies hath brought those Cities, and do you fear by their Examples.
The summe of all is this, O yee Inhabitants of Jerusalem and Samaria, that glory in Mount Sion, and trust in the Mountain of Samaria; Go and see what I have done to Calneh, Hemath and Gath, three potent, populous, famous Cities, seated in three different Kingdomes, viz. Babylon, Syria and Palestina; consider how I have made them a desolation for their sins, and have brought their borders into a narrower compass, though they were larger and pleasanter than theirs, and were fortified both by Art and Nature: Bee warned therefore by their example, and go not on in your Idolatry, Luxury, Security, and Obstinacy, lest you also become a desolation like to them.
OBSERVATIONS.
1. Wee should diligently observe, and carefully consider the Iudgements of God on others.
We should not let a judgement passe that we see at home, or hear of abroad, without learning something of God from it. As wee should consider his mercies to make us love him, so we should consider his judgements to make us fear him. Hence 'tis that God bids his people here, Go, Go, Go; Go to Calneh, Go to Hemath, Go to Gath, and consider what I have done to them for their sins. Go not with your feet, but with your affections; go not in body to view the ruines of those places, (for that you may do and be never the better) but in your Meditations go thither, and observe Gods hand upon them to awaken you. As a man may go to Heaven even whilst his body is on earth, yet by Meditation hee may ascend thither; so by Meditation we may go to Germany, Savoy, Ireland, Poland, and see Gods Judgements there. Do not barely think of Gods Judgements, but ponder every circumstance, and rest not till you have suckt some benefit out of them, and got your heart affected with them.
Wicked men never once think of God or his judgements, they forget him daies without number, and he is not in any of their thoughts, and as for his judgements they are far above out of his sight; or if he sleightly think of them, that is all: But you must know that there are three Acts of the Soul, 1. Cogitation. 2. Meditation. 3. Consideration. Cogitation is a thought and away. Meditation is a dwelling longer upon an Object. But Consideration looks round about, and weighs all Circumstances of Judgements and Mercies, that they may take a deeper impression upon our hearts; and this is that which the Lord so oft calls for; Hee would have us consider our waies, to humble us, Hag. 1.5, 7. His Iudgements to fear us, Iob 23.15. His Mercies to allure us, 1 Sam. 12.24. His Word, that wee may attain the practical knowledge of it, 2 Tim. 2.7.See more in my Com. on 2 Tim. 3.4. p. 118. This consideration fortifies the soul against sin, it layes before us the losse and hurt which attends upon sin, so that wee cannot rush into it with that boldnesse, as the wicked and inconsiderate do. Ier. 8.6.
2. Gods Iudgements on others must awaken us.
Their destruction must be our instruction. As Gods people here must go to Calneh, Hemath, and Gath, so he bids them go to Shiloh, and consider what hee did to that priviledged place,See more in my Com. on Psal. 73. ult. Obs. 1. and be warned by their woes, Ier. 7.12. 'Tis a great favour when the Lord teacheth us our lessons on other mens books, and backs, making them examples unto us, when hee might have made us examples unto them.
3. Sin brings famous Cities to ruine.
Wee see here three famous Cities with all their Territories made a desolation for their sins.See more in my Com. on Hos. 13.16. p. 71. Let men make walls as high as heaven, and ditches as deep as hell, yet if sin reign within, it will ruine all, Deut. 18.9, 12. This brought the Kingdome of Israel into the hands of the Assyrians, 2 King. 17.7. to 19. and Iudah into the hands of the Chaldeans. Sins, especially crying sins, do emasculate mens spirits, and weaken the hearts and hands of a people, so that they become an easie prey to a cruel adversary.