Bible Commentaries

CONTENTS

The prophet here enters upon the subject of history: and a woeful account it is. Not a word of comfort through the whole.

Here is a sad account of Moab! And in order to enter into a full apprehension of the history, we must consult the scripture account concerning this people. If we look back to the original settlement of Israel, we shall find that this was a nation descended from Lot, Genesis 13:10-11; and the very Moab which, by Balak, called an idolatrous enchanter, even Balaam, to curse the people of God, see Nu 22 and Nu 23. Israel had many times power to destroy them, but did not; yet Moab perpetually harassed Israel. In all ages, the people of God suffer persecution. The Reader will see more of their history, by consulting those scriptures, Isaiah 16:14; Jeremiah 28:1; Ezekiel 25:8. Here the Lord describes the day of Moab's visitation, and the effects of it.

I pause over this verse to remark, and admire, the tender mercies of the Prophet. Though an enemy, yet the Prophet weeps over Moab. Alas! who that is born of a woman, but must feel for the miseries induced by sin in our common nature? Methinks here is a loud appeal to the ministers of Jesus, to have very feeling hearts over the miseries coming upon sinners: How did the bowels of Jesus yearn over the approaching desolations of Jerusalem? Luke 13:34-35.

Everything contained in these verses is like the Prophet's roll, written within, and without, and full of nothing else but lamentation, and mourning, and woe. Alas! what an awful thing must it be, to be full of this world's sorrow, and without the knowledge of, and an interest in Christ to soften it!

REFLECTIONS

READER, in the history of Moab, behold the history of every man by nature, exposed to the just judgment of God, the curse of his broken law, and all the terrors, which will one day fall upon the wicked! their hatred to God and his Christ, is manifested by their hatred to his people; neither can the malignity he taken out or purged by whole burnt sacrifices. From generation to generation, their anger burns with implacable hatred, neither can anything soften it. And as nothing tends to lessen or remove it, so the causes everlastingly must exist, to increase it more and more! Oh! the awful state of the enemies of God and his Christ!

Reader! can we look back to the days of our dwelling with the Moabs of this world? Can we remember our return, like Ruth and Naomi, from the country of Moab to the land of Bethlehem, even the house of bread, in Jesus, who is himself the bread of life. Oh! the blessedness of such a recovery! Precious Lord Jesus! give us grace to praise thee: let nothing but thy power, in the sweet influences of thy Holy Spirit, could persuade Japheth to dwell in the tents of Shem, or constrain our hearts into the love of God, and info the patient waiting for Jesus Christ. Blessed Lord! since thou hast called us by thy grace, and brought our souls to be savingly acquainted with thy love, oh! help us to live to thy glory, and to cease from all the Moabs, who are the enemies of thy cross, and to come out from among them, and to be separated, and touch not the unclean thing; so wilt thou receive us, and be a Father unto us, and we shall be the sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty.