An Exposition of Hosea 4-7, Biblical commentary 2 · Chapter 7 · Verse 12
VER. 12.
When they ſhall go, I will ſpread my net upon them, I will bring them down as the fouls of the heaven: I will chaſtiſe them as their Congregation hath heard.
IN the former verſes, the Lord by the Prophet charges Iſrael for their ſillineſs as the Doves but as ſilly as they were they thought to provide for themſelves well enough, by their going to Egypt; but it being out of Gods way, it proved but ſillineſs, for God was reſolved to meet with them: when they go, I'le ſpread my net over them, my providence ſhall ſo begirt and ſtraighten them, that although they may ſeem to eſcape, yet they ſhall be enſnared. This place hath reference unto that ſtory in 2 Kings, 17.4. the Aſſyrian was G…ds net to take them in, the emphaſis of the word lies here.
My net; in the pronoun my. Men by their cunning and policy may bring men into great trouble and ſtraights, but when God ſets himſelf by his Attributes of wiſdom, power, and juſtice to bring a people down to ruin, they ſhall be taken, they ſhall not eſcape. The Notes are:
Obſ. 1 Thoſe which go out of Gods way, it is juſt with God they ſhould be enſnared. Job, 18.7. The ſteps of his ſtrength ſhall be ſtraightened, and his own counſel ſhall bring him down. Job, 22.10. Therefore ſnares are round about thee, and ſudden fear troubleth thee. How many men from experience can ſpeak the truth of this? who going out of Gods waies have met with ſnares? and it is Gods curſe upon the wicked, that their table ſhall become a ſnare to them, and God threatens it in Iſa. 8.14. that he would be for a ſtone of ſtumbling, and for a rock of offence to both the houſes of Iſrael, for a gin and for a ſnare to the inhabitants of Jeruſalem. And therefore when we are in ſtraights, it is good to think thus, Where am I? what am I a doing? am I in my way or no? have I not followed my own counſel and left Gods? If we have, mark what God ſaith, I'le bring you down as the fouls of Heaven: you think to eſcape by flying, no ſtay a while, when you think you are the moſt ſecure, then I will meet with you.
God may for a time let wicked men proſper in their waies, inſomuch Obſ. 2 that they may think all danger is paſt with them; but when they are ſo high, then is Gods time to pul them down, when they are at the higheſt God can reach them; yea even then it is Gods delight to pul them down; a famous text we have for this purpoſe in 2 Sam. 22.28. But thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayeſt bring them down. Thine eyes are upon them: That is, as a fowler ſets his eyes upon a bird, which he would take in his ſnare or net, that ſits on high; the proud and haughty ſpirits fly on high and think themſelves very ſecure, and bleſs themſelves in their way, but Gods eyes are upon them, waiting for a fit time to pull them down. It was the anſwer of a Phyloſopher being asked what Jupiter did in the higheſt heaven; ſaith he, he pulls down the haughty, and exalts the humble. Obadia the 3, 4. verſes, The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwelleſt in the clefts of the rock, whoſe habitation is high, that ſaith in his heart, Who ſhall bring me down to the ground? Though thou exalt thy ſelf as the Eagle, and though thou ſet thy neſt among the ſtars, thence will I bring thee down ſaith the Lord. This is alſo true in that proud King of Babylon in Iſa. 24.21. And it ſhall come to paſs in that day, that the Lord ſhall puniſh the hoſt of the high ones, which art on high, and the Kings of the earth upon the earth. This cannot be underſtood of the Devil, but of the King of Babylon, whom God threatens to pull down. It follows.
I will chaſtiſe them.
The word tranſlated, I will chaſtiſe, ſignifies both, to bind, to chaſtiſe, and inſtruct.
Firſt, I will bind them: ſinners ſhall be bound with the cords of their luſts.
Secondly, I'le chaſtiſe and inſtruct them; noting that chaſtiſements ſhould be with inſtructions: I will chaſtiſe them.
As they have heard] Moſes and the Prophets have inſtructed them, but they diſregarded them, but I'le make it good what they ſaid of them.
Obſ. 3 Sinners had need to regard what they hear out of the Word of God in the Congregation, for it will take hold on them ſome way or other, Zecharia, 1.6. But my Words, and my Statutes, which I commanded my ſervants the Prophets, Did they not take hold of your fathers, Uſe or overtake them? Oh thou impenitent ſinner! take heed how thou goeſt on in thy wicked waies, for know, that all the power in God is engaged to make good his Word againſt thee. Therefore when Chriſt ſends forth his Diſciples to preach the Goſpel, he engageth all his power to make good what they in his Name and according to his mind deliver, Mat. 28.18, 19, 20.Matt. 28.18, 19, 20 opened All power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth: Go ye therefore and teach all Nations; and lo I am with you alwaies to the end of the world. Oh how ſhould we from this conſideration, be ſtirred up to hear the word with trembling!
Obſ. 4 When judgments come upon impenitent ſinners, it is a humbling conſideration unto them, to conſider, that that word which they heard in the Congregation was true? How do multitudes on their ſick beds prove this to be true? Now God makes them beleeve the truth of that word which before they had ſlight thoughts of; it is wonderful to conſider how God brings Sermons into the minds of ſuch upon their ſick beds which they had forgotten before, it is the office of the Spirit of God to bring the Word into the minds of the Saints though by them it be forgotten, John 14.26. But the Comforter, which is the holy Ghoſt, whom the Father will ſend, he ſhall teach you all things, and bring all things into your remembrance, whatſoever I have taught you: But it is another manner of courſe that God uſeth to bring the word into wicked mens minds, even by his ſtrokes, and that not for their comfort, but for their horror and diſtruction. It follows.