Exposition of Ezekiel 6-13, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 7 · Verses 12-13
CHAP. VII.
12. The time is come, the day draweth neere, let not the buyer rejoyce, nor the ſeller mourne: for wrath is upon all the multitude thereof.
13. For the ſeller ſhall not returne to that which is ſold, although they were yet alive: for the viſion is touching the whole multitude thereof, which ſhall not return, neither ſhall any ſtrengthen himſelfe in the iniquity of his life.
IN theſe two verſes our Prophet ſets downe what the condition of their temporall eſtates ſhould be, ſubject to ſpoile and loſſe, If the buyer bought a great peniworth, he ſhould have little cauſe to rejoyce, it ſhould be ſodainly taken from him, houſe, land, cattell, goods. The time was even at hand; and ſo if the ſeller had ſold his eſtate not for halfe the worth, and parced with his inheritance which was deare to him, he ſhould not mourne, had hee not tooke a little for the preſent, within a few dayes he ſhould have had nothing, all ſhould have been taken from him, and he ſeparated from his Inheritance; Judgement is comming, and ſo dreadfull, that there ſhall be no leiſure to looke at what is ſold or bought.
For wrath is upon all the multitude thereof.
The Hebrew word will beare it, upon all the wealth thereof,foreign and ſome Interpreters ſo read it; H…mon, ſignifies plenty of riches, and alſo of other things.
Jeruſalem and Judah were rich wealthy places, Pſalm 66.12. Thou haſt brought us into a wealthy place; and the…e they became great, waxed rich, Jer. 5.27. and gloried in their riches, Jer. 9.23. But Gods wrath was upon their riches, hee would bring the Chaldeans upon them, plunder and ſpoile them of all, and neither buyer or ſeller ſhould have any advantage.
Ʋpon all the multiude thereof;
Upon all, not any one condition ſingled out, but upon all, upon ſellers, upon buyers, upon poor, upon rich; all that are in Jeruſalem, and Judea, of what condition ſoever, wrath is come upon them, they ſhall be ſpoiled and carryed captive.
For the ſeller ſhall not return to that which is ſold.
To underſtand theſe words we muſt have recourſe to the year of Jubile.
1. Levit. 25.10.13. Wherein firſt they were to ſound Trumpets.
2. Secondly, to proclaime and give liberty to all that were reſtrained.
3. Thirdly, to releaſe all lands and tenements, and thoſe had ſold, or morgaged them, were to returne and enjoy them: To this laſt our Prophet ſpeaks, and certifies them, that their condition ſhould be ſuch, that when the joyfull yeare of Jubile ſhould come for releaſing of Lands, and re-inhabiting of what was ſold, the ſeller ſhould have no benefit by that year, they ſhould be carried into a ſtrange Land, and loſe that priviledge; they ſhould dye there, or be detained that they could not come, or if they did get away, they ſhould find their poſſeſſion in their hands, that would not regard the Jubilean law. This was great comfort to poor men, and thoſe were neceſſitated to ſell their eſtates, that at ſuch a time they would come in freely again, but this hope is here taken away.
Although they were yet alive.
Though their life were yet in the living: So is the Hebrew. If ſorrow, exile, miſeries did not conſume them, but they ſhould live to the year of Jubile, it ſhould be no advantage to them.
Queſt.But why did Jeremie purchaſe land after this time. In Jer. 32. you ſhall finde hee bought land, in the tenth yeare of Zedekiah, when Jeruſalem was beſieged, when himſelfe was in priſon, verſ. 2. He bought, Hanameell ſold, ſubſcribed and ſeal'd the evidences, which Baruch put into an earthen veſſell, and hid for many dayes.
Anſw. 1 1. The right of Redemption belonged to him, he being the neareſt kinſman was to doe it, ſee Levit. 25.24. Ruth. 4.4. But there were Wars in the gate, and when Wars are awake,Inter arma ſilent leges. the Laws do ſleep.
2. Hee had ſpeciall warrant for it, verſ. 8. Hee ſaith, then I knew that this was the Word of the Lord, that Hanameel came to him, and bade him buy his field; hee knew that it came from God, and it had been ſin in him not to have done it.
3. He purchaſed this Land by faith, knowing that the Captivity ſhould not exceed 70. years; and that there ſhould be a repoſſeſſion of houſes, fields, & Vineyards after the captivity, ver. 15. and believed that the holy ſeede ſhould return: Ezekiel ſpake of thoſe preſent in Jeruſalem, that ſhould be caried away, periſh, and not return.
For the Viſion is touching the multitude thereof, which ſhall not returne.
Theſe words muſt be cautiouſly obſerved, the multitudes returning muſt not here be underſtood; but the viſion ſhall not returne. The Hebrew is, the viſion to the multitude thereof ſhall not return, or the viſion ſhall not return to the multitude thereof; there is no which in the Hebrew, which makes the doubt in the Engliſh, and alters the ſenſe. The viſion ſhall not returne; that is, the propheticall threatning I have had touching the beſieging and deſtroying of Jeruſalem, and the whole Land ſhall not be in vaine, the Propheſie denounc'd againſt them ſhall not return void, be without ſucceſſe; it ſhall not be recalled, but ſtand firme, not be reiterated, once ſhall ſuffice, by that time the truth of this propheſie is executed, and weight of it fallen upon you, there will be no thought of poſſeſſions, or place of inheriting lands.
Some read it, the viſion to all the wealth, making the ſenſe to be a threatning of their eſtates to be plundered and ſpoyled, which they truſted ſo much unto; this is ſuppoſed in the other, for the Propheſie taking hold upon them, their eſtates could not be ſafe.
Neither ſhall any ſtrengthen himſelfe in the iniquity of his life.
The Hebrew is, a man in his iniquity of his life ſhall not ſtrengthen: or thus, a man ſhal not ſtrengthen himſelf, whoſe life is in his iniquity; it's ſo in the Margin: Not comfort ſaith the Vulgar; where there is comfort, there is ſome ſtrengthning; men have thoughts to ſtrengthen themſelves in their wicked wayes: but it ſhall not be, not their Councels, not their multitudes, not their riches, not their priviledges, not their confederacies with others, not their Military preparations, not their ſerving of falſe Gods; nothing ſhall ſtrengthen them againſt the Chaldeans, to withſtand them: The iniquity of their lives is ſtronger to ruine them, then all the ſtrength they have beſides can make to defend them; It's not their art, policy, power, that ſhall deliver them from the Judgement decreed and threatned; ſometimes mens iniquities, their malice, violence, blaſphemies, ſtubborneſſe, makes others forbear them, and looſe their right rather then they will meddle with them: But here it ſhall not be ſo, the greater their Iniquities, the rather, the ſooner would God puniſh them. Or thus; you have heard many threats and heavy judgments againſt the City and Land: but you are ſecure, you repent not, you goe on juſtifying your wayes, thinking all well, that we the Prophets are lyars, that there is no danger or feare; but you ſhall know that your wayes are ſinfull, and will not afford comfort or ſtrength to ſtand it out in the evill day, no man ever got ſtrength by, or in Iniquity.
Obſerv. 1 That the things of this life are litle to be valued, we ſhould not be ſolicitous about them; for the time may come that wrath may be upon them, and what are they then, worthleſſe, comfortleſſe, vexing things; it vexed many of them that their eſtates ſhould fall into Chaldeans hands: and the price of deſirable things was abated, the buyer was not to rejoyce, nor the ſeller to mourn, for neither the one or the other had got or loſt much, and what ever they had ſhould come to nothing. If men magnifie temporals, and exalt the price of them, God will vilifie them, and make them at a low rate, all the wealth of Judah and Jeruſalem was now to be a prey to the Adverſary; yea, their Gardens, Orchards, Vineyards, Lands, Houſes, Wives, Children, and what ever was conſiderable amongſt them, ſhould be taken from them: Now there was no Terra firma in that Kingdom, all things were moveable, in fluxe, upon the wing, and little cauſe had they to laugh or weepe for thoſe things; the like is our condition at this preſent, all uncertain, much in the Enemies hand, therefore as the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 7.29. Let them that have wives, be as though they had none; they that weepe, as though they wept not, they that rejoyce, as though they rejoyced not, and thou that buy as though they poſſeſſed not. Now let mens hearts be off from all, ſo looke upon all conditions, all poſſeſſions, as uncertain, as nothing, as taken from you, as departing from them. Let your thoughts be upon the inheritance that is incorruptible, undefiled, and that ſadeth not away, which is reſerved in heaven, 1 Pet. 1.4.
Obſerv. 2 2. Covetous men are glad of good bargains, though wrath be upon them; they look at the gains, not the wrath; neceſſity, danger, made men ſell all, and covetouſneſſe made others buy all, and becauſe they had much for a little, they rejoyced: but little cauſe had they, for the wrath of God was upon all they bought. Covetouſneſſe is watchfull for advantages of gaine, but blind in diſcerning wrath accompanying that gain.Joſh. 7. Achans covetouſneſs cauſed him to take the Garment, the ſheckles of Silver, and wedge of Gold: But it blinded him ſo, that hee ſaw not the curſedneſſe of them, nor the ſtony death that followed them. In Lots dayes there was buying and ſelling, till the fire conſumed what was bought & ſold, together with the buyer and ſeller, Luke 17.28, 29. Covetouſneſſe is greedy of its prey, even when death is in it, it wil buy houſes when fire is kindled in them and land when the curſe of God is upon it; beware therefore of this ſinne ſaith he, Luke 12.15. For a mans life conſiſteth not in the abundance of the things which he poſſeſſeth, his death and his deſtruction may be in them, they cannot adde to his life, or the true comfort of it, but they may take away from it, James 5.3. The ruſt of their gold and ſilver ſhall witneſſe againſt them, and eate their fleſh as fire.
Obſerv. 3 3. Gods wrath ſometimes is ſo hot, that it takes not onelyonly away the preſent comfort, but even the future hope of temporall things, they ſhould have no benefit of the year of Jubile when it came, they ſhould not return again, although they ſhould ſuffer much, & long, be alive at a time when mens hopes were wont to be fully anſwered for their lands and houſes, yet they ſhould be without hope: they dealt hypocritically with God, they were an hypocriticall nation, Iſa. 10.6. And the hope of hypocrites ſhall periſh, be cut off, be a ſpiders webbe, Iob 8.13, 14. They grow great and greene, but God hath judgements to cut them down, they are faſtned to the wals of the houſe as the Spiders web: but God hath a beeſome of deſtruction to ſweepe them away; what ever wicked mens hopes are of greatneſſe here, and happineſſe hereafter, yet God in his wrath can, and oft doth blaſt them altogether, Iob 14.9. Thou waſheſt away the things which grow out of the duſt of the earth, and thou deſtroyeſt the hope of man.
Obſerv. 4 4. The judgements decreed, and given forth by the Miniſters of God, ſhall certainly take place. The viſion ſhall not returne, without its accompliſhment, efficacy, and fruit; God foreknows all emergents, oppoſitions, events, & nothing can withſtand, or finally impede the execution of his decrees and threats, hee is wiſe in appointing them, faithfull to perform them, and mighty in the execution of them, Iſa. 43.13. I will worke, and who ſhall lett it. When God hath not promiſed, or threatned, none can let his working, much leſſe when the word is gone forth of his mouth, and himſelfe is engaged to make it good, ſee Iſa. 55.11. My word ſhall not return unto me void, but it ſhall accompliſh that which I pleaſe. God will ſee to it conſtantly, that it be ſo; and ſeeing its ſo, and God now working in his judgments. Let all the earth fear the Lord, let all the inhabitants of the world ſtand in awe of him, for he ſpake, and it was done, Pſal. 33.8, 9:
Obſerv. 5 Mens ſins doe not ſtrengthen them, but weaken them. No man ſhall ſtrengthen himſelf in the iniquity of his life; there is no ſtrength comes in by ſin, it deprives us of our ſtrength, it blinds the mind, prejudices the ſtrength of reaſon, it wounds the ſpirit, guiltieth the conſcience, which accuſing cauſeth deſpondency, and makes aſham'd, it adds weight to all afflictions, fils with feares, and ſo produceth diſcouragements; it keeps out the comfort, benefit of the Ordinances, makes God out with us, all creatures againſt us, brings a curſe upon our undertakings, ſubjects us to the curſe of the Law, and ſentence of Condemnation; any of theſe will weaken the heart of a ſinner, much more all. In Ezek. 16.8. Jeruſalems ſinnes are reckoned up: and verſ. 30. How weake is thine heart, ſeeing thou doſt all theſe things. They do not ſtrengthen, but ſink thee; Innocency, Righteouſneſſe, ſtrengthens, Prov. 28.1.
Obſerv. 6 6. Sin is the life of a wicked man, as blood is the life of all fleſh, Levit. 17.14. It maintaines and ſtrengthens the life: ſo iniquity is the life of all ſinful fleſh, wicked men live upon wicked ways, It's paſtime to a foole to doe wickedly, Prov. 10.23. There is a life of ſinne in the ſoule, and things of Iniquity maintaine that life: Chriſt lives in, and by the Father, John 6.57. A godly man lives in Chriſt, 2 Tim. 3.12. And a wicked lives in ſin, delights in it, feeds upon it, 1 Tim. 5.6. She that liveth in pleaſure is dead.
Obſerv. 7 7. When God comes in judgment, there is nothing can ſtrengthen or ſecure a ſinful people againſt the puniſhment of their Iniquity, no power, no policy, no priviledge, no wealth: Jeruſalem had as much to plead as any place in the World, and thoſe people had the choiſeſt priviledges of all others, Amos 3.2. You only have I known of all the families of the Earth, therefore will I puniſh you for al your Iniquities. They were known above others, none had ſo many miracles, ſpeciall providences, bleſſings, truths, Prophets, ordinances; none were ſeated better, oftner delivered, honour'd with ſuch Titles as they were, and no people ſin'd as they ſin'd, their ſins exceeded the Heathens, Ezek. 5.6. And now neither their priviledges nor their ſins could exempt them from, or relieve them under their ſufferings. Their iniquities haſtned the Enemies, ſharpned their ſwords, and arm'd them with ſeverity to their utter deſtruction; there is nothing in creatures in the ways of wickedneſſe to help in the day of wrath, Amos 2.13, 14, 15, 16.