An Exposition of Hosea 4-7, Biblical commentary 1 · Chapter 5 · Verse 13
VER. 13.
When Ephraim ſaw his ſickneſs, and Judah ſaw his wound; then went Ephraim to the Aſſyrian, and ſent to King Jareb &c.
WHEN Ephraim ſaw his ſickneſs, and Judah his wound.] The word tranſlated Sickneſs, foreign Aegerfuit. foreign aliecuere & comprimere at que colligare.is from a word that ſignifies Doluit Aegrotavit &c. that ſignifies grief and ſickneſs. And the word tranſlated Wound, from a word that ſignifies Colligavit, he hath bound up, either becauſe of the corruption of the body that is gathered together, or becauſe of the binding up of it with cloathes.
Now Judah ſaw his ſickneſs, and Ephraim ſaw his wound: that is, God at length made them to ſee what a crazy condition their State was in, their Civil-State and Church-State too; in what a very crazie condition it was, and how wounded it was, and how like to periſh, ready to die. And eſpecially of this firſt, this ſickneſs of Judah: we have a notable ſtory (for it is referred to theſe times) in Iſa. 7.1. and ſo on; There you may find the ſickneſs of Judah, and how Judah ſaw it: When Rezin King of Syria, and Pekah ſon of Remaliah came againſt Judah, the heart of the King, and the heart of his people were moved, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind; as we uſe to ſay, they did ſhake like an Aſpen leaf, they were ſo troubled. Here Judah ſay his ſickneſs, the dangerous condition wherein he was. And how Ephraim ſaw his wound, that we ſhal ſee further preſently when we ſhal ſee what help they ſought to get againſt it.
Wrath was out againſt Ephraim and Judah ſome time, and had almoſt conſumed them before they would take notice of Obſer. 1 it. Hence obſerve, That by occaſion of the pride and ſtoutneſs of mans heart, he will not eaſily be brought to ſee and acknowledge the hand of God. Iſa. 26.11.Iſa. 26.11 Lord, when thine hand is lifted up, they will not ſee: They wil not own the hand of God againſt them, they think it would be a ſhame to them, they rather would bear the world in hand that all is well with them: So it was for a long time with Ephraim, and Judah, but at length they ſaw their ſickneſs and their wound.
Secondly, God will force men to ſee and to be ſenſible of His hand Obſer. 2 out againſt them: He will make them to ſee their ſickneſs and their wound. Mic. 6.13.Mic. 6.13. I wil make thee ſick in ſmiting thee ſaith God; I will ſmite thee,opened. and I will make thee ſenſible of My ſtroke: ſo in that forenamed place Eſa. 26.11. Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not ſee; But they ſhall ſee and be aſhamed ſaith God; I will make them to know and to be ſenſible of My ſtroke, the ſickneſs ſhall ſo grow upon them, the anguiſh of the wound ſhall be ſo great, that they ſhall be ſenſible.
Thirdly, They ſee their ſickneſſe and their wound, but here is nothing Obſer. 3 of their ſin. This is uſual with carnal hearts in their afflictions, to look at nothing but their wound and their ſickneſs; they regard nothing but to get that heald; ſeldom you ſhall hear them cry out of their ſin. Thus it was with Iſrael and Judah. And this is the way of carnal hearts.
Then went Ephraim to the Aſſyrian, and ſent to King Jareb.
Men uſe not to ſeek for help till they ſee and be made ſenſible of Obſer. 4 ther miſery. And this is true ſpiritually; till the ſoul cometh to be made ſenſible of its ſickneſs, and till God wounds it, it ſeldom, yea never ſends out for help, but when God cometh to wound the conſcience, then it ſendeth out for help. And many times it is with ſoul affliction as it is here in outward affliction, they ſeek out for help, but for help in a falſe way. They went to the Aſſyrian and ſent to King Jareb.
You will ſay, When did they do ſo? Queſt.
For the ſhewing the meaning of this we muſt refer to the ſtory of the Kings, Anſw. for though you have this Propheſie of Hoſea in your books placed in a great diſtance from the book of the Kings, yet this Prophet and ſo others did propheſie in the time of the Kings, and therefore the hiſtory of the Kings will much help to underſtand the meaning of the Propheſie. Firſt then for Ephraims beginning to ſend to the Aſſyrian and to King Jareb, you have it in the 2 King. 15.19.When they ſent to king Jareb. There you ſhall reade that Menahem who was King of the ten Tribes, gave Pul that was King of Aſſyria a thouſand talents of ſilver, that his hand might be with him, to confirme the Kingdom in his hand. Mark, that his hand might be with him to confirm the Kingdom; It ſeems this King that was the King of Iſrael, he ſaw his Kingdom to be in a crazy condition, he ſaw his ſickneſs and his wound, therefore he ſends to the King of Aſſyria whoſe name was Pul, and gave him a thouſand talents of ſilver that he might confirm the Kingdom in his hand; and in the 20. verſe, you ſhall find that the Subject was fain to pay for it, he exacted the money (ſaith the text) of all the mighty men of wealth in Iſrael.Subjects ſuffer for Princes luſts. Oh what things do Subjects ſuffer many times for the ſatisfying the humors of thoſe that are above them: And in 2 King. 17.4. you ſhall find that Hoſhea another King of Iſrael, he ſent meſſengers to So King of Egypt to help him. And for that which is named here, Jareb, JarebI find moſt to underſtand it to be but the very ſame. Some ſay that Jareb was a principal City in Aſſyria; And others ſay that it was a ſpecial name of the Kings of Aſſyria: But others (and that very likely to be true) they take the word appellatively, according to the ſignification of the word and do not make it the proper name of any man, but a word of appellation, according to the ſignification of it; For Jareb ſignifies Deſenſorem, the defender, or avenger: Therefore when as Gideons father ſpake to the people concerning his ſons caſting down the Altar of Baal and cutting down the Grove that was by it, ſaith he, Will you plead for Baal, will you ſave him? if he be a god let him plead for himſelf: and thereupon they called Gideons name Jerub-baal, the ſame word that is here. So that Jareb, ſignifies a defender or an avenger. So that they ſent to the King of Aſſyria as to one that ſhould be a defender or an avenger of them: They do not ſeek unto God, but they ſent to King Jareb ſaith he, to their defender; as many times in ſcorn we call men by the name of that they would undertake to be; ſo becauſe they truſted in the King of Aſſyria as their defender or avenger, therefore God in a kind of contempt calls him Jareb, they ſent to their defender, but they little thought of me. That for Ephraim.
And then for Judah, though he be not particularly named, becauſe Ephraim was the moſt forward and the firſt that ſent for help, yet no queſtion Judah Judah.he reproved it as well as Ephraim; for in the 2 King. 16.7. Ahaz that was then King of Judah ſent to Tiglath-Pileſer King of Aſſyria to come up and ſave him out of the hand of Rezin and Pekah, Kings of Syria and Iſrael that did riſe up againſt him. And in 2 Chron. 28.16. you ſhall find Judah again ſending for external helps, unto the Kings of Aſſyria. The words being thus opened, the Notes are theſe.
Firſt,Obſer. It is the way of carnal hearts to ſhift out to the creature for help in time of ſtraites.
They ſaw their ſickneſs, they ſaw their wound, what did they then? They went to the Aſſyrian, and ſent to King Jareb. They look to no higher cauſes of their trouble than ſecond cauſes, therefore they ſeek to no higher means for their help but ſecond cauſes. Reaſ. They look upon their troubles as ſuch as befals other men as well as them, and ſo look not up unto God. They are led by ſence, and the ſecond cauſes are before them and neer to them, and God is above them and beyond them, and his waies are often contrary to ſence; they know little of God, and have leſs intereſt in God; therefore it is that they little mind God in their ſtraights, but ſend out for help unto the creature.
We ſee the way of carnal hearts at this very day.Applic. What helps do they ſend for but creature helps? Therefore (my brethren) let us not fear them much; Let us not fear our adverſaries much, for their ſtrength is in the arm of fleſh: & we know they take no other courſe but to ſtrengthen themſelves in the creature; they know no other help; they little mind God in all their waies; Let them have what they will, yet pray they cannot, they have little heart to go unto God; they curſe and ſwear, yea and tell us, that it was never worſe with them than when they prayed moſt: Therefore all their help is on this ſide Heaven, therefore not much to be feared: They have that carnallity of heart in them as was here in Ephraim and Judah, when they were a people to be deſtroyed, then they were given over by God to ſeek out for help only in the creature, to goe to the Aſſyrian and to ſend to King Jareb.
Uſe. 3. Admonition to thoſe in ſpiritual diſtreſſe.As it is in outward, ſo it is ſometimes in ſpiritual ſtraights. When God ſtrikes the ſouls of men with ſickneſſes, & wounds their conſciences, what courſe do they take? They ſeek not to the Lord that ſmote them, but they ſeek out to the creature for help, they go to their companions, to their trading, to their ſhops, to their pleaſures &c. and ſeek to have caſe to their ſouls that way. This is the way of carnal hearts, both for ſoul and body to ſeek out unto the creature for help when they are ſmitten.
Obſer.But ſecondly, There is much guilt contracted by reſting upon creature helps. It is that which encreaſeth mens ſins and provokes Gods wrath very much, when they neglect him and ſeek to ſhift for themſelves in the creature. Thus it was with Iſrael and Judah; they contracted much guilt unto themſelves that way. And we find that God is much provoked with ſuch as do ſo.2 Chron. 25.27. a notable example for our times. In 2 Chron. 25.7, 8. when Amaziah King of Judah in a time of danger, hired an hundred thouſand men out of Iſrael, which were Idolaters; the Lord would not have Amaziah to make uſe of them, but bids him ſend them away; Let not the Army of Iſrael go with thee (ſaith God) for the Lord is not with Iſrael: Yea but what ſhall we do (ſaith the King) for the hundred talents which I have given to the Army of Iſrael? Be content ſaith the Prophet, rather to loſe the hundred talents than to make uſe of ſuch wicked men as they that have forſaken the true worſhip of God.Queſtion whether we are to make uſe of wicked mens help. Pet. Mar.
It is a great queſtion that many make, whether it be lawful in any caſes to make uſe of wicked men, eſpecially in publick affairs of Kingdoms? to ſend for their help in time of publick danger, to think to ſtrengthen our ſelves by ungodly men? Peter Martyr, in his Comment upon the book of Judges, Chap. 4. ver. 17. handleth this queſtion, how far leagues may be made with Idolaters and wicked men? And there he gives two reaſons why Idolaters ſhould never be ſent for to help us in any of our ſtraights.1. They wil infect The firſt is, for then ſaith he, there will be by this means danger of mixture of Idolatry, for they joyning with you, they will come ſecretly to cauſe their Idolatrous waies to have an influence into you. But ſecondly, he gives eſpecially this reaſon, if you ſend for their help ſaith he, how can you joyn together in prayer to God to bleſs you?2 they cannot pray not give thanks. and when you have gotten victory how can you joyn together in praiſing God? And indeed this is as great an argument not to make uſe of the help of wicked men in publick affairs of a Kingdom as poſſibly can be, for how can they joyn together in prayer? And truly they are unfit to joyn together in fighting that cannot joyn together in prayer and in praiſing of God. And yet this is very natural to moſt men, yea good men are ſometimes guilty of this, to ſeek out too much unto wicked men for help in times of ſtraits. That was the blame that was laid upon Aſa, though otherwiſe a godly King, in the 1 King. 15.19. that he ſent to Benhadad the King of Syria to help him; And in 2. Chron. 16.7. Hanani the Seer told him that he ought not to have done it, and that he had done fooliſhly in doing it, for ſaith he, why will you do it, you need not ſend for ſuch help, for the eyes of the Lord run to and fro thoroughout the whol earth to ſhew himſelf ſtrong in the behalf of thoſe whoſe heart is perfect towards Him. So that it was an argument that in this thing Aſa's heart was not perfect with God, becauſe he ſought for help from wicked men ſo much as he did, and did not relye upon the Lord. And it is very obſervable of this King, though a good man, and it ſeems, a Souldier, yet he was very angry with the Seer, the text ſaith, verſe 10. that Aſa was wrath with the Seer and put him in a priſon houſe, for he was in a rage with him becauſe of this thing: what! ſhall a Prophet contradict him in his warlike affairs? I muſt have Souldiers, old Souldiers about me; let men talk what they will of good men and that God will be with thoſe that can pray, I muſt ha…e thoſe that can fight, thoſe that are Soldiers. I would it were not ſo at this day,Applica tha… if a man did but ſpeak againſt evil Officers in an Army and wicked men that are about them, that their hearts did not riſe in a kind of indignation, and let be ſaid what will be yet ſuch and ſuch they will have about them. Iſa. 30.1, 2. Wo to the rebellious children ſaith the Lord,Eſa. 30.1, 2. opened. that take counſel, but not of Me, and that cover with a covering, but not of My Spirit: Wherefore do they this? That they may ad ſin to ſin. This i… a ſtrange charge, wo to the rebellious children that take counſel, they go on in their own waies and take counſel, but not of Me, and they cover things over with vain pretences, but not by My Spirit, there is none of My Spirit in it; yea and all is, that they may ad ſin to ſin: And what is all this? It followeth preſently, They walk to go down into Egypt to ſtrengthen themſelves in the ſtrength of Pharaoh, and have not asked of My mouth ſaith God. They think to ſtrengthen themſelves by Pharaoh and never ask counſel of Me. This is rebellion, this is to follow their own counſels, this is to cover over things but not by Gods Spirit, this is to ad ſin unto ſin, to ſeek for help from wicked and ungodly men.
Revetus on the queſt.Revetus upon this text hath a large tract about this very caſe or queſtion, of being in league with Idolaters and wicked men; And thus far at leaſt he confirmeth it and ſaith, That for whol Kingdoms to call in the help of ungodly men againſt thoſe that are of the ſame Riligion, upon any pretence whatſoever, he concludes that to be unlawful and ſinful, though poſſibly in ſome caſes he thinks it may be allowed: but it will ask a great deal of time to handle fully every caſe in this and to give all the Cautions that poſſibly may be given in it: But certainly this is an argument, that men and their cauſe have little to do with God when they ſeek for ſuch helps as they do and truſt ſo much in them as they do, when they ſend for Papiſts, King's party.for Iriſh Rebels, for Atheiſts, if there be any in the Country, what care they who they have ſo be it they may drive on their own deſigns and deliver themſelves from the hand of God that is out againſt them. They cannot but ſee and take notice that the hand of God is againſt them, and riggle and keep a ſtir they do, and ſend for all the help, that poſſibly they can get.Parliam. And on the other ſide, this is an argument of the faithfulneſs of others, who are a party low and ready to be trodden down, yet have been ſo far from ſeeking help from, or protection of wicked men, that though they have been ſent unto and have had fair offers of enjoying what they deſire, yet they have reſolved to venture the loſs of all in a good Cauſe, whether they get any thing by it or no, whether they have what they would have, Liberties, or not Liberties, yet they are content to venture their eſtates, their lives, and all in that Cauſe, and not to provide for themſelves by the help of ſuch as they ſee to be evil, and whoſe waies and deſigns they ſee are not with God.
And if to ſeek unto wicked men for help and protection be ſo ſinful;Uſe, Admonition to thoſe that ſeek to Satan. See Peter Martyr on 1 Sam. 22.23. what is it then for men in times of ſtraights to ſeek to the Devil for help? Surely that muſt be much more ſinful; to uſe thoſe waies that are in themſelves directly evil, as lying, ſwearing, cheating, and cozening &c. In times of ſtraights for you to think to help your ſelf by thoſe waies, it is as much as if you ſhould ſay, I ſee God doth not help me, I will try what the Devil will do. Certainly by iniquity ſhall no man be eſtabliſhed, Prov. 12.3. Art thou in a ſtraight under any affliction? never think of ſeeking out to unlawful means to help thy ſelf, for thou canſt get no good that way; And that will appear more in the words that follow.
Yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.
The Aſſyrian could not help, Jareb could do no good; yea indeed they were ſo far from helping of Iſrael and Judah, that they made the wound greater; for Iſrael was afterward carried away captive by the Aſſyrian to whom he ſent for help: and for Judah we reade in 2 Chron. 28.20. that when Ahaz ſent for help to Tilgath Pileſer King of Aſſyria, he came unto him indeed, but he diſtreſſed him and ſtrengthened him not. From whence we may obſerve.
Firſt, That creature comforts avail little in the day of Gods wrath. Obſ. 1 Gods wrath was out againſt Ephraim and Judah, and they would fain ſeek to help themſelves in ſome creature way, but it would do them no good. Creatures are little helpful in the day of Gods wrath, they are all as a broken reed that rather runneth into a mans hand th…n any way releeveth him. So the Scripture ſaith of riches, that they avail not in the day of wrath. All the creatures will then ſay to you, if God help you not how can we help you? They are but as a tree in the time of a ſtorm; you may run under the tree, and perhaps a few droppings may be kept from you for a while, but if the ſtorm be great and continue, what good can the leaves of a tree do you to keep you from it? The creature may refreſh you a little, but if Gods wrath continue what good can the creature do?
But the word which the Seventy tranſlate [he could not heal you] foreign. Non ſedabit dolorem veſtrum, he ſhall not ſo much as eaſe or mittigate your grief, or give you a little refreſhment. It's true, ſometimes by ſeeking to creature comforts a man may think he hath ſome refreſhing, but the truth is, it endeth in trouble and ſorrow. A man in this caſe that ſeeks for help to the creature when God hath ſtruck him,ſimile is as a Deer that is ſhot with an Arrow, the Deer runs up and down from one buſh to another to ſeek for caſe, but the blood falls all along, and perhaps by and by his bowels run out; what eaſe can buſhes do to a poor Deer when the arrow ſticks in his body? God many times ſtrikes his arrows into the ſides of people, and they run up and down to the creature, to this buſh and to the other buſh for help, but little or none can they have form any.
I confeſs ſomtimes for a little while (as I ſay) there is a little caſe. I find it ſo in the caſe of Ahaz, when he was in ſtraits, his heart did melt (as you heard before:) Now that ſtory in Iſa. 7. hath reference to the 2 Kings, 16. aforenamed: When Rezin and Pekah came againſt him, you ſhall find that Ahaz had a little help for the preſent by Tiglath-Pileſer King of Aſſyria that he ſent for, but afterwards (as we ſhall ſhew you when we come to another point) it did him little good, for Gods hand was out againſt Judah ſo much the more dreadfully.
Obſ. 2 And as the creature hath but little help in it in the time of ſtraits; So of all things that men reſt on for help, wicked men are moſt like to prove helpleſs. They leave you in your ſtraits as the Scribes and Phariſees did Judas: When Judas was brought into ſtraits by his ſin, and in the anguiſh of his ſpirit came and ſaid, I have ſinned, in betraying innocent blood. What is that to us ſay they, look thou to it. There was all the comfort he could have from them. They were forward to draw him into the ſin, but when he had done it, then Look you to it. Uſe. Such comfort you are like to have from your wicked companions in times of ſtraits: They will draw you into that which is evil, and afterward when God ſhall ſtrike you and they come to viſit you, and you lie crying out of thoſe waies they have drawn you into; Oh! miſerable comforters will they be. You can have noe helpe from wicked men in times of ſtraits.
Yea, We are not to reſt upon the beſt men of all in time of ſtraits. The beſt not to be depended on.God hath given us experience at this day, that every man is vanity; ſo the Scripture ſaith, Verely every man is vanity: Ceaſe from Man for wherein is he to be eſteemed? Had we no other reſt but upon man what ſhould become of us? Therefore neither unto the Aſſyrian, no nor unto any living are we to ſend for help, ſo as to look higher upon them than as on an arm of fleſh. God pronounceth a curſe upon him that truſteth in man and maketh fleſh his arm, and ſaith, he ſhall be like the heath in the deſert and ſhall not ſee when good commeth, but ſhall inhabit the parched places in the wilderneſs, Jer. 17.5, 6.
But why is it that the Aſſyrian can do Iſrael no good? It follows: