Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Ezekiel · Chapter 20
CHAP. XX.
THis Chapter is begun like chap. 14. with the coming of the elders of Israel V. 1.to the Prophet to inquire, that is, to hear from him the word of God, pretending, as is most probable, to receive instructions from him, although they had no hearts to follow them, because there were false prophets, who spake contrary to the teaching of him and Jeremiah. Now he by revelation V. 3.from God, knowing their hearts, first tels them, that the Lord would not be inquired of by them, yet he put to his discretion knowing, how averse they were in their hearts from all goodness, whether he would judge them or no, that is, enter into any disceptation with them or no by laying open once againe their wickedness and Gods gracious dealing with them; hereupon, if V. 4.they would not be wrought upon to repent, adjudging them to destruction, yet in fine he sheweth, that the Lord bad him argue the case, and expostulate with and judge them, as followeth, v. 5. 6, &c. to the end of the chapter. Then he beginneth with laying open Gods gracious dealing with their fathers, V. 5. 6.and their sinning against him, even whilst they were yet in Egypt. For he by Moses sent unto them to bring them out of Egypt into the land of Canaan, that is, from hard servitude to desireable liberty, and from poverty to riches, and possessions, where they might live in the most of all plenty, V. 7.only they were required to cast away their idols, the idols of Egypt, of which abomination of theirs we read nothing in Exodus, but here it is plaine, that in Egypt when Moses came first unto them they were idolaters, and obstinate idolaters, as the next words shew v. 8. They would not cast them away. And for V. 8. V. 9.this the Lord was at the point of destroying them there for their ingratitude, all which in Exodus is in silence passed over. Yet it may be gathered by their churlish carriage of themselves towards Moses, who came with signs and wonders to deliver them, because Pharaoh now used them more handly, that they were very disobedient unto him, in so much that they said, he had made their savour to stink before Pharaoh, and prayed God to judge between him V. 9.and them. Yet the Lord for his names sake delivered them, & prosecuting them with his favour in the wilderness at mount Sinai he gave them his statutes of V. 10. 11.the ten commandements and judicial laws and other ordinances about his service, by living according to which they might continue acceptable alwayes unto him, and live and be prosperous.
If it be demanded here, whether men by keeping Gods command. may attaine everlasting life, because it is said, I gave them statutes by which he that doth them shall live?
Some answer, that living and prospering in this world only is meant, because it is our duty to obey Gods precepts, and therefore having done so we merit nothing but are unprofitable servants. But according to this rule we should not in obeying have our lives prolonged here, because that even this is more then we are worthy of. It is not then for that we shall be worthy, if we obey, that life is promised, but out of Gods benignity, who might without this condition require all due obedience at our hands, wherefore out of his grace he makes this covenant with us, Do this and live, meaning both here by being saved from judgements, which if we sin will come upon our land and hasten death, and in the world to come, from which we shall surely be rejected, if we happen to live long here, as a sinner may do according to that saying, If a sinner liveth a hundred yeers and God prolongeth his dayes, &c. Now because no man can perfectly keep the commandements and so attaine to life, unto the law of doing is added the law of beleeving, our imperfections, who repent us of our sins, and to the uttermost of our power turn from them, being passed over, if we believe in Christ, and so perfect justification and salvation is attained. And so it is not in vaine that God bids us do this Rom. 8. 3.and live, which he knoweth we cannot exactly do, for we repenting us of our failings, and doing what we can, the Son of God puts to his helping hand, and both obeyeth perfectly for us, and payeth his blood for a ransom of our failings, whereby we come undoubtedly to live indeed.
Also I gave them my sabbaths, that they might be a signe between me and them, and that I am the Lord, who sanctifie them. Having spoken of the commandements in general, V. 12.now he mentioneth that of the Sabbath in particular, whereby they were distinguished from other nations by being made followers of God, who having made heaven and earth, and all things in six dayes rested the seventh and hallowed, or sanctified it, and in keeping it by resting, as he did, they were sanctified, or separated from other peoples to be a peculiar people to the Lord, wherefore the Sabbath Day was not appointed for any pleasure that the Lord takes in mens bodily resting, as in a point of holiness, as in the worshiping of him aright and reverencing his name required by the three former commandements, but that resting they might keep it holy to him, and by bodily resting learn to cease and rest from sin in deed, word and thought, as Isaiah Esa. 58.teacheth, & learn, that there was another rest to come in heaven, which the Messiah at his coming would procure unto us for ever and ever, and inward Rom. 5.rest of conscience through peace with God by faith, that they might readily imbrace him at his coming, and not harden their hearts through unbeliefe. Heb. 4. 34, &c.Now because God teacheth not by signes and figures any more, it being come, that was pointed at in that Sabbath, Christs resurrection and so perfecting the work of our redemption put an end to the resting upon that day. Only because the Sabbath was to be kept holy by ceasing from work and attending upon Gods worship, there is a day in stead thereof thus kept amongst Christians from week to week, which began at the very time of the resurrection of Christ, which we have as much need to keep by sanctifying it and sanctifying our selves by ceasing from sin, both upon the first day of the week, and all the dayes following, as the Jews had to keep theirs, to the worlds end.
And this may now well be taken for a signe when it is so kept betwixt God and the Christian, as that then was, he being no good Christian, that keepeth not this day holy, as was said of such, as kept not that in the time thereof, though misapplyed, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the Joh. 9.Sabbath day, although not by so strict bodily resting, as spiritually then and alwayes. Lyra noteth here, that Sabbaths are named in the plural numb. because there were more then one, viz. of the three great feasts, and of the humiliation day.
And I said, I will poure out my wrath in the wilderness to consume them: Hitherto the V. 13.statutes given them, now he sheweth how they transgressed against them, many of them worshipping the golden calf, thus committing most gross idolatry, and sometimes murmuring and detracting from God, as in the want of bread, in the want of water, and of flesh, and before that when the Egyptians pursued Exod. 14. Exod. 32.them into the wilderness, in so much as that he was at the point of destroying them, but that Moses opposed himself and stood in the gap.
Yet I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the V. 15.land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands; Wherein he goeth on according to the History which sheweth, that they murmured at the return of the searchers, being at the point of making them a captaine to return to Egypt Numb. 14.againe, whereupon the Lord threatned that all of them from twenty yeers old and upward should dye in the wilderness, and so they did. And by lifting up his hand is meant his swearing, as Psal. 95. it is said, he sware in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest. For his calling the land of Canaan the glory of all lands, this was spoken for the fruitfulness thereof, although now it be very barren and inferior to many other countryes since the desolation thereof for their most horrible sin in crucifying Christ, as Sodon that was before as the garden of God, but being destroyed, a perpetual spectacle of barrenness, and this is added in praising that land so highly, to shew their ingratitude the more, that murmured against him that was about to do them so great a favour.
He goeth on in the history telling; how the Lord also charged their children V. 21.after they were dead, as is shewed Numb. 26. that they should not do like their fathers, v. 15. but they not regarding any charge given them transgressed as well as their fathers, which most probably is spoken of the foule sins by them committed with the daughters of Midian and their idols, in which many Numb. 25.thousands of them perished, for it was in the last yeer of their travelling in the wilderness, whilst they lived idly in the plaines of Moab, and therefore it is most likely, their few fathers, who were alive still to that time, if there were any, sinned not then in that kind, but their children, of whom it is here spoken, for after this immediately followeth their numbring, and it is said, none of them remained alive save Caleb and Joshua. Therefore God was also then so provoked by them, that he was at the point of destroying them againe.
Therefore I gave them statutes, that were not good, That is, by delivering them over to be led after false gods, and to their rites, in observing which when V. 25.they thought to procure great grace and favour to themselves, and to pro…per the better and live the longer, they were utterly deceived, their lives being the sooner cut off, as they were for their sinning with Baal-peor, and afterwards being planted in Canaan, after the death of Joshua, they smarted much more for following the like rites. Some, saith Calvin, expound this place of the Judg. 7. Calvin.statutes of the decalogue, but notoriously amiss, for both those statutes are said to be such, that a man by doing them shall live, and elswhere it is said, that the commandements are good and righteous and holy. But that by statutes here are meant idolatrous statutes, may be gathered from another prophet, who chargeth them to have followed the statutes of Omri, and of the house of Ahab. Rom. 7.And for Gods giving them these statutes, it was only by delivering them up Mich. 6. 16.to a reprobate sense, thus to be blindly led on in a toylsome way of superstition to the prejudice of their lives both here and hereafter in stead of living Rom. 1.by so doing. Whereby we may see under what a judgement superstitious Note. persons lye, and what will be the end of all their toyle and cost this way, namely death and destruction for evermore.
And I pollnted them in their gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all that V. 26.openeth the womb, Hebr. in causing to pass through the fire, and this best ag…eeth with that which went before v. 25. the Lord takes it upon himself, as being the author of this grievous spiritual judgement, whereby they were made to run headlong into such gross abominations, and because he did it for sin, it was Note. just with him, although abominable in them. But yet it is to be understood that he did not this effective, but only permissive, leaving them to blindness of minde and hardness of heart to do thus. In saying that he thus polluted their gifts, he intimateth, that they offered also gifts to the Lord, as well as Note. their first born children to Molock▪ but because they halted between two opinions, they served God and idols also, their offerings to God were made abominable as well as those to false gods, for the Lord will not part stakes with them, but he served alone and only by rites of his own instituting, or else he accepts no more of the service offered, then of a most unclean thing.
The prophet proceeds in reproving them for their groves and high places, V. 27. 28, &cwherein they would, notwithstanding his serious prohibitions worship him and not at Jerusalem only, as he appointed, Intimating hereby, that as for the matter, so for their circumstances about his worship he cannot indure any but such he hath prescribed, and not man invented, although it may seem to carnally wise men to be too great a nakedness in divine worship to keep now under the N. T. to the simple way, by him appointed without vestments, geniculations or crouchings to the high altar, or crossings, or adorations, elevations or circumgestations of the hoast, going in pilgrimage to Jerus. to pray there, or to Saints shrives, or to say prayes by numbers, and often to repeate the same, adding also prayers to Saints departed and for the dead, with many more devised and used amongst the Papists, divers from Gods ordaining, and many of them most contrary.
What is the high place, to which yee goe, and the name of it is called Bamah to this day, that is, the high place: hereby he intimateth their stiffe perseverance in that V. 29.sin not only of their fathers, but of them also, concluding that here was cause enough, why he would not by them be inquired of, as he spake at the first.
That which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, whereas yee say we will be as the V. 32.Heathen, &c. Now the prophet cometh to discover their hypocrisie, when in coming to him to inquire they pretended piety towards God, but had such wicked thoughts in their minds, that if they could not have a good answer of present comfort, they would make an utter defection to the heathen doing as they did, serving wood and stone, supposing that hereby they should get the more favour amongst them, whereas they were now maligned by all nations round about for their serving one God differing from all others and in a divers way, but by revolting to them they should be incorporated amongst them, as one people. And thus some carnal professors of the true Religion Note. at this day, when they see the worldly felicity of others, and the poor and afflicted estate, in which they themselves are, they begin to think of falling to them.
But what saith the Lord to such, v. 33. As I live, saith the Lord, with a mighty hand and a stretched out arme and fury powred out, I will rule over you, That is, yee V. 33.shall not, neither will I suffer you to do as yee thinke, but as a man doth by his fugitive servant, I will bring you back from putting in execution the thing projected by you, but it shall be to your smart. Whereby we may see, how Note hateful a thing it is to God for any of his people for any fear or favour to fall away and to turn heathenishly superstitious, they shall be sure if they have but such a thought in their minds to be severely dealt withal therefore, and so they shall neither have their will in that respect, nor yet shall they have any comfort of being the people of the Lord. Wherefore let us take heed of any thoughts of apostasie and resolve to persevere in the truth imbraced with what miseries so ever we are at any time beset.
And I will bring you out from this people, and gather you from the countryes where yee V. 34.are scattered with a mighty hand and fury powred out. The gathering of them here spoken of is to be understood of the wicked reprobates of the Jewes, to whom he speaks nothing but terror. Yet they, he saith, should be gathered from the Nations, but in saying, in fury, he sheweth plainly, that their bringing back out of captivity should not be in mercy, so that they might have joy of it, but that notwithstanding this seeming temporal favour done then, they should after it miserably perish in the wilderness, as v. 35. wherein he alludeth to those wicked children of Israel who were brought out of Egypt indeed, but they all perished in the wilderness, v. 36.
And I will make you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the band of the covenant, V. 37.Vulg. I will subject you to my scepter, for the word foreign signifieth either rod or scepter, but because it is said, I will make you to pass, it is better rendered under the rod, it being hereby shewed, that his bringing them into the wilderness before spoken of should be but in the way of castigation, whereby they being corrected, but not destroyed should from thenceforth come into the band of the covenant made with them of old, not to serve any more other Lyra.Gods, which they had desperatly resolved before to do. And this was indeed fulfilled, when returning out of captivity they sinned not by idolatry any more, except some few in the dayes of Antiochus Epiphanes, yet then also more for fear, then grod will to such abominations. And although in their return from Babylon to Judea they passed through the wilderness, as their fathers had done before out of Egypt, v. 35, 36. yet by wilderness here that was not meant, but the very land of Judea, which when they came into it lay desolate as a wilderness, wherein they did a long time after suffer much, as we may gather both Hag. 1. where they are stirred up to fall to building the temple, which yet lay ruinous, and are told of the great scarcity of all things, as in a wilderness through the spoiling of their corn and vineyards by mildew, catterpillers, canker-worms, and grashoppers, and also long after this Nehem. 1. where one coming from Jerus. telleth him of the lying waste of the place of the sepulchers of their fathers, which made him very sad and heavy. Calvin, Calvin.who illustrates that of the rod here spoken of by a shepheards crook, who hereby numbers his sheep, not suffering any of his number to stray away and be lost, and of a kings mustering his souldiers, that none of them may be suffered to go away, although they would, using severe discipline to reduce them, that are running away to the enemy, he I say, coming to speak of the band of the covenant saith, that it is not meant, that they should hereby be held yet in mercy, but by a divine power secretly working and keeping them from the apostasie before spoken of, nothing being said of mercy till v. 40.
But from the verse next following it is plaine, that he distinguisheth betwixt these brought into the band of the covenant and wicked reprobates, against V. 38.whom he threatneth to be in so great fury. For he saith of these, I will purge from amongst you the rebels and them that transgress, and I will bring them out of the countrey where they sojourne, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel. Whereby must needs be meant, that although they returned with the rest into the place, yet it was not againe come to be as the old land of Israel flowing with milk and honey, but as a wilderness still and a desolation till they were worn away, because we read nothing in the history of their return from Babylon, of the death of any by the way. Note hence, that afflictions work not alike upon Note. all to make them cleave faster to God, but many there are that suffer, and beginning to be delivered never attaine full deliverance, but when all danger seemeth to be past, their greatest judgement of quite cutting off cometh, and such are all hypocrites and prophane contemners of godliness; others who are wrought upon by afflictions to fear God being by them brought into the bands of the covenant, from which they gat loose before.
As for you (O house of Israel) go yee and serve every one his idols, &c. According to the distinction before spoken of here the prophet divideth his speach in this V. 39.verse speaking to the wicked, v. 40. to the Elect. To the wicked, go serve yee every one his idols, where a question ariseth, because v. 32. he said, that they should not be permitted to serve wood and stone, for if so, how are they here bidden to do it?
Sol. They are not hereby permitted, but in saying thus the Lord declared, that whilst they did thus, their offerings could not be acceptable to him, as the next words shew, pollute you my holy name no more with your gifts and with your idols, for when gifts are offered to God and idols served together, those offerings are polluted, and God is more provoked, then pacified. In bidding them therefore serve their idols he speaketh but to the same effect that Elijah did, if Baal be God follow after him, and halt not betwixt two opinions, and Revel. 3. Forasmuch as yee are neither hot nor cold, I would yee were neither hot or cold, to be cold or to follow Baal being preferred before lukewarmness, or mingling the service of Note. God and superstition together. A thing to be noted against them, that reforme the service of God according to his word in part, but in part are tainted still with superstitious inventions of men, a papist is more tolerable then such a one.
Having given the wicked their portion in the former words, now he cometh to the Elect, shewing what they should now do, and how acceptable V. 40, 41, &ctheir offerings should be to the Lord, they now loathing much their former evil wayes, whereby we may see, that even the Elect are sometimes in an evil way, but by afflictions they come to be better taught and then they loath that which before they loved and are ashamed of that, wherein they gloryed. And Note. till a man be brought to this his service and offerings made to God are not accepted, Rom. 6.whereas it is said, That all the house of Israel, and in the height of Israel, shall serve me, it is to be understood, that they only are called Israel, that be the Elect, a few yet called all, for all are not Israel that be of Israel, and the place is said to be the mountaine of the height of Israel, as Esai. 2. in speaking of the Gospel times, whereby it appeareth that this also is a prophesie Rom. 6. 9.chiefly of the Church, which should be in those dayes.
Set thy face towards the South, and drop thy word towards the South, and prophesie against the forrest of the South field. By the South here the Kingdom of Judah and specially Jerus. is to be understood, which stood towards the South in the land V. 46.of Canaan, and by the forrest the Temple there, so called, because built of Cedars taken out of the forrest of Lebanon, and the thing prophesied is of a fire, that should burn it down, as it did, when Nebuzcaradan after the taking of Jerusalem by Nebucbadnezzar came and burnt it, For this the V. 47. 48.prophet sheweth how much he was affected with sorrow, but the wicked Jews made a mock of that which he said, saying, he speaketh parables, that is, like a mad man, things which he understandeth not himself, neither can any other man, and therefore he is ridiculous, and his sayings are not to be V. 49.regarded.