Observations Upon the Old Testament, Commentary · Joel – Obadiah
Joel.
JOEL; Preacheth to Iudah. And by the Matter and Argument of his Book, as well as by the Ranck wherein we finde him placed, He seemes to Prophesie when Hosea did, in the dayes of King Uzziah. Yet some assigne to him a later time, upon those passages, chap. III. 1,—9.
He declareth a dreadful judgement of Famine, brought upon them by a Drought, and Vermine: Exhorts to true Mourning, Fasting, and Repenting; with Promises thereupon of abundant Blessings, Temporal, and Spiritual, upon themselves: and of Gods dreadful judgements and revenge upon their enemies.
The Armie, and Camp described, chap. II. is not of the Assyrians, or Babylonians; But of those Vermine, Gods Hoast, named, chap. I. 4.
The Valley of Jehoshaphat, is not the place for the General judgement in the end of the world, at Christs second coming; But serves only to note out thus much, That Gods judgements upon the enemies of his Church, shall be visibly in her sight, and before her eyes; as the Valley of Jehoshaphat was nigh the walls, and in the sight of Jerusalem.
weepe betweene the Porch and the Altar] The Porch of the Temple, chapter II verse 17 and the Altar of Burnt-offering in the Priests Court, or inner Court; where they stood to minister and officiate. See, Ezra X. 1. and 1 Macc. VII. 38.
Visions] By them God of old did speak to man, verse 28 and reveale his will unto him, Job XXXIII. 15. Particularly to his Prophets, Num. XII. 6. Hos. XII. 10. Ezek. VII. 26. So to Abraham, to Jacob, to Samuel, 1 Sam. III. 1, 15. to Esay; Ezekiel, and others; whence Judea is called the Valley of Vision, Esay XXII. 1. And so to Daniel, to Peter, Acts X. 19. and to Paul, Acts XVI. 9. and XVIII. 9. 2 Cor. XII. 1. Yea, to Balaam, Num. XXIV. 4. And to Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. II. 28. See my Annotations on Ezek. I. 1. This whole Text, And so on to the end of this Chapter, is cited by Saint Peter, Acts II. 16,—21. and applied to his present time, the Beginning of the Gospel, the time immediately preceding the destruction of the Jewish Politie, their Citie and Temple; as being fulfilled and compleated then and there: He shewes that both this effusion of the Spirit; And likewise those wonders shewed in heaven, and in earth, so particularly mentioned, had their accomplishment before that terrible day of their destruction by Vespasian and Titus, about fourty years after their crucifying of our Saviour, which said great and terrible day our Saviour likewise foretels, and gives the dreadful signes the forerunners of it very largely in the twenty fourth Chapter of Saint Matthew, as may be gathered more specialy out of ver. 33, 34. Vainly therefore is this pouring out of the Spirit applied to our times so farre advanced toward the end of the world; to patronize our New Lights, and pretended Divine illuminations, our extraordinary Gifts and Inspirations poured now by the Spirit on all sorts of Christians, young and old, sonnes and daughters, even to the sleighting and superseding of all external offices, and Officers, Orders, and Ordinances, in the Church: Whereas this was a Peculiar Priviledge and character of those First times, and had a Propriety to them. And unadvisedly are those dreadful times and signes, Matth. XXIV. or any of them appropriated to the end of the world, and last coming of our Saviour to judgement; having received their true accomplishment before Jerusalems final fall aforesaid; as Jewish and Heathen Histories make manifest; unlesse we take them out of their Literal meaning, and make them to serve as Symbolical Representations of what likely may ensue at the last day.
Amos.
AMOS; Of an Herd-man was made a Prophet; ch. VII. 14. He useth sometimes Countrey-similitudes, ch. II. 13. & III. 12. & IV. 1, 3. And sometimes he hath high and Astronomical expressions, as, ch. V. 8. & ch IX. 6. As Job had formerly: And God himself, unto Job. And Esay, chap. XIII. 10. Yet we may not understand them of such Constellations or Configurations, as our Astronomers, do now retaine from the Greeks and Latines, which have their figures and denominations assigned them from the feigned stories of the old fabulous Greeks: we should rather retaine the Hebrew termes and names; adding our best exposition of them.
Amos hath great conformity with Hoseah, living in the same time, chap. I. 1. and sent to the same people, of Israels principaly.
Amos foretelleth strange shakings and destructions of six Heathen Neighbouring Nations, the Churches enemies; for their three transgressions, and for four severaly.
As likewise he doth the same of Judah: And so of Israel, chap. I. and II. He pursueth in five chapters following Israel manifold transgressions, and mighty sinnes: Intermixing both Threatnings and Exhortations. Threatenings of Judgements generaly, upon all Israel, That they shall finaly be drowned in a flood of miseries, and be captivated: Particularly, upon Jeroboams house; and upon Amaziah Priest of Bethel. And inserting Exhortations to Israel for repentance; as, chap. IV. 3. with Promises of MercieMercy thereupon; as, chap. V. 4, 14. 15. And after, upon their Obstinacie, and Incorrigiblenesse; He shewes in the two last chapters, under two Types, of a Basket of Summer fruit; and of smiting the doore of the Temple; their ripening, approaching subversion, and Gods abdicating his house, and people. Yet concluding all, with Evangelical Promises to his Church, of a Reduction, and restauration by, and under Christ.
Among other places, chap. V. 10, 13. and chap. VI. 10. do shew the evil of his times.
Carmel] Carmel signifieth plenty, chapter I verse 2 fruitfulnesse, and fruitful field. This mountaine was situate in the Confines of Asher, and Issachar, near the Midland-Sea; and not farre from Mount Tabor, Josh. XII. and XV. chapters. See more of it in my Annotations on this Text.
revealeth] Yet Gods true Prophets are not alwayes in all things, chapter III verse 7 guided by divine revelations; As, 1 Chron. XVIII. 2. 2 Kings IV. 27. 1 Sam. XVI. 6. The meaning here is, That God usualy reveals to his Prophets his great judgements which he intends to bring upon his own people, for their sins.
A kinde of Ironie, chapter IV verse 4, 5. as, Gen. III. 22. 1 Kings XVIII. 27. and XXII. 15. 2. Chron. XVIII. 14. and XXV. 8. Eccles. XI. 9. Job XII. 2. Lam. IV. 21. Mark VII. 9. Of Hyperbolies, see on Josh. XI. 4. Gen. XI. 4.
mighty sinnes] Ezek. chapter V verse 12 XVI. 23, 27, 28, 33, 34, 47, 48, 51, 52, 56. and chap. XVII. 15, 16, 18. See my Annotations on Ezek. II. 4, 5. God is said to fret at sinne, Ezek. XVI. 43. And to ease and quiet himself upon vengeance taken for it, Esay I. 24. Ezek. XVI. 42.
Obadiah.
OBADIAHS Time is uncertaine. His Prophecie is against Edom. And the like to this, in Matter, and in Words, is likewise against Edom, in Jer. XLIX. 7,— 22. And in Ezekiel, chap. XXV. 12, 13, 14. The Summe is; Gods Revenge upon Esau, notwithstanding all his Pride; Self-Wisdome; and Confidence: And that for his Violence against his brother Jacob; and insulting over him in the day of his Calamity. Which God reproves; and foretels that Saviours shall come up on Mount Zion, for Deliverance; and to judge, devoure, and possesse the Mount of Esau: and the King dome shall be the Lords.
Gilead] A large Mountaine, or mountainous Countrey; verse 19 so named, Gen. XXXI. 47. A place of a rich soile for wealth, and abounding with Balme, and Spicerie, Gen. XXXVII. 25. Num. XXXII. 1. Halfe of Gilead given to Reuben, and Gad; and the other halfe to halfe Manasseh, Deut. III. 12, 13. Josh. XIII. 11, 25, 31. and XXII. 9, 13. Of Gilead, see more in my Annotations upon this Text.