The mountain which is on the east side of the city – <\/B>The Mount of Olives. The rabbis commenting on this passage said the Shechinah retired to this Mount, and there for three years called in vain to the people with human voice that they should repent. On that mountain, Christ stood, when He wept over the fair city so soon to be utterly destroyed. From that mountain he descended, amid loud Hosannas, to enter the city and temple as a Judge.<\/P><\/p>\nFuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Eze 11:23<\/span><\/p>\n The glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/em><\/p>\n Departure of God from His temple<\/strong><\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>The manifestations of His love.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>The influences of His grace.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>The warnings of His Spirit.<\/p>\n 1.<\/strong> <\/strong>They are delivered up into the hands of their spiritual enemies;<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>They live only to increase their guilt and misery. Apply–<\/p>\n (1)<\/strong> How are we to reconcile this doctrine with other parts of Scripture?<\/p>\n (2)<\/strong> How are we to avert this awful calamity? (C. Simeon, M. A.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Stood upon the mountain<\/strong>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Climbing the mountain<\/strong><\/p>\n When the summer sun is hot, and the mountain snow melts; when days are long and skies are clear; when strong men rejoice to climb exceeding high mountains–and they rejoice in climbing higher and higher every year–Snowdon and Skiddaw, Ben Nevis and Ben Lomond, Mont Blanc and the great Matterhorn, and many other high hills, are surveyed, and then scaled by skilful and fearless men. It is well. We need examples of calm courage and indomitable perseverance. We need to see what effort, training, strength, health, and brave endurance can accomplish. But I would speak of the holy mountains and spiritual heights. I would point to lofty peaks in religious life, and glorious ascents into spheres of thought and joy beyond–far beyond–the common level of Christian experience.<\/p>\n Verse 23<\/span>. The glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the<\/B><\/I> <\/B>city<\/B><\/I>] This vision is no mean proof of the long-suffering of God<\/I>. He did not abandon this people all at once<\/I>; he departed by little<\/I> and little<\/I>. FIRST, he left the temple<\/I>. SECONDLY, he stopped a little at the gate of the city. THIRDLY, he departed entirely from the city and went to the Mount of Olives<\/I>, which lay on the east<\/I> side of the city. Having tarried there for some time to see i! they would repent and turn to him – FOURTHLY, he departed to heaven<\/I>. The vision being now concluded, the prophet is taken away by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, and there announces to the captive Israelites what God had showed him in the preceding visions, and the good that he had spoken concerning them; who at first did not seem to profit much by them, which the prophet severely reproves.<\/P><\/p>\n See Eze 3:23<\/span>; 8:4<\/span>; 9:3<\/span>; 10:18<\/span>,19<\/span>. The glory of the Lord removes now out of the city, over which it had stood some space of time waiting for their repentance; but no fruits of this, and God now departed from them. <\/P> Upon the mountain; <\/B>above it. It was Mount Olivet, as the description of it in this place and elsewhere doth clearly show. <\/P> <\/p>\n 23.<\/B> The Shekinah glory now movesfrom the east gate (Eze 10:4<\/span>;Eze 10:19<\/span>) to the Mount ofOlives, altogether abandoning the temple. The mount was chosen asbeing the height whence the missiles of the foe were about to descendon the city. So it was from it that Jesus ascended to heaven whenabout to send His judgments on the Jews; and from it He predicted itsoverthrow before His crucifixion (Mt24:3<\/span>). It is also to be the scene of His return in person todeliver His people (Zec 14:4<\/span>),when He shall come by the same way as He went, “the way of theeast” (Eze 43:2<\/span>).<\/P><\/p>\n And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city<\/strong>,…. Of Jerusalem, whither it was removed from the door of the east gate of the temple, Eze 10:19<\/span>; though no mention is made of such removal; and now, having left the temple, it leaves the city:<\/p>\n and stood upon the mountain, which [is] on the east side of the city<\/strong>; either waiting for the repentance of the inhabitants of it, leaving them with reluctance; or in order to bring down his judgments upon it, and behold its destruction and ruin: this mountain was the mountain of Olives, as the Targum interprets it: and so Jarchi and Kimchi; see<\/p>\n Zec 14:5<\/span>. Christ stood on this mountain and wept over Jerusalem, and from hence he ascended to heaven. This Jarchi calls the third remove of the Shechinah or glory of the God of Israel. The Rabbins say q it removed ten times, and reckon them thus,<\/p>\n “from the mercy seat to the cherub; from the cherub to the cherub; from the cherub to the threshold; from the threshold to the court; from the court to the altar; from the altar to the roof; from the roof to the wall; from the wall to the city; from the city to the mountain; from the mountain to the wilderness; and from the wilderness it ascended and sat in its own place, according to Ho 5:15<\/span>.”<\/p>\n q T. Bab. Roshhashana, fol. 31. 1.<\/p>\n (23) Stood upon the mountain.<\/strong>This mountain, on the east of the city, is that which was afterwards known as the Mount of Olives. It is considerably higher than the city, and commands a view over its entire extent. Here the Divine glory rested after taking its departure from the Temple and the city in the vision of the prophet. Here, in the vision of a later prophet (Zec. 14:4<\/span>), the Lord is represented as standing in the day of final judgment. Here, not in vision, the incarnate Son of God proclaimed the second destruction of the obdurate city (Matthew 24<\/span>; Luk. 21:20<\/span>); and from the same mountain He made His visible ascension into heaven (Luk. 24:50-51<\/span>; Act. 1:11-12<\/span>). The vision is now closed, and the prophet is transported in spirit back into Chalda, to declare what he had seen to his fellow-captives, and show them the vanity of their trust in the preservation of the guilty city.<\/p>\n 23<\/strong>. <\/strong> Went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain <\/strong> The glory of the Lord, which had been at the eastern gate of the temple (x, 19), now abandoned the temple entirely, passed through the city, and paused on Mount Olivet, as if to take one last sorrowful farewell of the doomed temple. This scene reminds one irresistibly of the fact that it was from this same spot that Jesus near the end of his ministry wept over this same city, crying, “O that thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes” (Luk 19:41-42<\/span>). It was also from this spot that he ascended to take his place as judge at the right hand of the Father (Luk 24:50-51<\/span>).<\/p>\n COMING OUT OF HIS TRANCE, EZEKIEL DESCRIBES HIS VISION TO HIS FELLOW-CAPTIVES, 24, 25.<\/p>\n It would seem that Ezekiel also accompanied the Shekinah to the Mount of Olives, for in the same way as before (Eze 8:3<\/span>) he is conducted “in the Spirit of God” back to Tel-abib. The vision of glory departs, and awakening from his spiritual ecstasy he tells what he has seen.<\/p>\n Eze 11:23<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/strong>And the glory of the Lord went up<\/em><\/strong><\/strong> The Lord did not quit Jerusalem all at once; he left it by little and little. He forsook the temple before he stopped at the threshold of the city; at length he elevated himself upon the mount of Olives, which was to the east, and in view of Jerusalem, as it were to give them time to consider and repent. This was not only a figure of what was to happen at Jerusalem from the Chaldeans, but of the evils which were to attend them after the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. This divine Saviour, after having exhausted his patience in instructing, correcting, and threatening Jerusalem, at length forsook it, and ascended to heaven, from this same mount of Olives in the presence of his apostles and disciples. See Calmet. <\/p>\n DISCOURSE: 1101 Eze 11:23<\/span>. And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city<\/em>.<\/p>\n THE vision with which the Prophet Ezekiel was favoured, and which he records in the first chapter, is of very difficult interpretation. In it there were represented to his view four living creatures, all moved and actuated by the Spirit of God [Note: Eze 1:4-14<\/span>.]; there were also wheels moved by them [Note: Eze 1:15-21<\/span>.], and the glory of God was enthroned above them [Note: Eze 1:26-28<\/span>.]. The general import of this vision we apprehend to be, that the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ, by the ministration of angels and holy men devoted to his service, manages every thing for the good of his Church. But from the eighth chapter God shews, that when his people shall provoke him by their impieties, he will withdraw from them, and give them up to all those judgments which their iniquities have deserved. This is at first but slightly intimated [Note: Eze 8:6<\/span>.]; but in our text it is actually carried into effect. The manner in which his departure took place<\/em>, is deserving of particular attention. It was by several successive steps; the bright cloud, which was the symbol of his presence, and which is here called his glory, left the accustomed place of its residence between the cherubims, and descended to the threshold of the house [Note: Eze 9:3<\/span>.]. From thence it moved to the court of the temple, which was on the north side, whither the cherubims had already moved [Note: Eze 10:3-4<\/span>; Eze 10:18<\/span>. The word went, ver. 4. should rather be, had gone.]. After that, it went to the door of the last gate, attended both by the cherubims and the wheels [Note: Eze 10:19<\/span>.]. Then, lastly, with the cherubims and the wheels, it deserted the city altogether, and went to the mountain on the east side of the city [Note: Eze 11:22-23<\/span>.]. What was the design of God in all these gradual removes, but to manifest the reluctance with which he yields to the necessity imposed upon him, of leaving his people to the ruin they have merited?<\/p>\n Hence then we take occasion to shew,<\/p>\n I.<\/p>\n How averse God is to forsake his people<\/p>\n Look we to his declarations? Look we to examples? II.<\/p>\n What are the different steps by which his approaching departure may be discovered.<\/p>\n God has pleasure in the prosperity of his people: but, when constrained to leave them, he manifests his anger gradually, in order to awaken them to repentance, and to prevent the execution of his severer judgments. He withholds,<\/p>\n 1.<\/p>\n The manifestations of his love<\/p>\n [Whilst his people conduct themselves in a becoming manner, he delights in every possible exercise of mercy towards them. He draws nigh to them, and lifts up the light of his countenance upon them, and sheds abroad his love in their hearts, and testifies to them of their adoption, and witnesses with their spirits that they are his. But when they draw back from him, he withholds from them these gracious communications. They now pray indeed, but find not a present and prayer-answering God: they read also, but feel not that power and sweetness in the word which they once did: they attend ordinances, but find them not, as once, to be the gate of heaven. The sun is hid behind a cloud; and they are no longer animated with his cheering rays: I hid me, says God, and was wroth, because they went on frowardly in the way of their hearts. 2.<\/p>\n The influences of his grace<\/p>\n [God is pleased to strengthen his people with might by his Spirit in their inward man, so that they are enabled to overcome the world, to mortify the flesh, and to with stand all the principalities and powers of hell. He endues them with grace sufficient for them: but, if they are unfaithful to the grace received, he will withdraw it, and leave them to the unassisted efforts of their own arm. Then, like Samson with his locks shorn, they will become weak as other men: the world will regain its ascendant over them: their natural propensities will return with renewed force: and Satan will be able so to practise his former wiles, as to gain the most fatal advantage over them. They are like Israel before Ai, because of the Achan in their camp [Note: Jos 7:11-12<\/span>.].<\/p>\n Here then is another subject of inquiry for us. Do we find that we are less able than formerly to resist our besetting sins? that we have less power to repress the workings of evil tempers, and of corrupt affections? Do we find that duty is more difficult than in former times, and sin more easy and pleasant? Then we may know that God has gone, not to the threshold only, but even to the court. O fearful state! What cries, and tears, and labours, become the person that is reduced to it! He has not a moment to spare: if he would not lose God speedily and for ever, he must humble himself before God in dust and ashes; he must repent and turn himself from all his transgressions, else his iniquity will become his ruin.]<\/p>\n 3.<\/p>\n The warnings of his Spirit<\/p>\n [The conscience of one that lives nigh to God is made tender, as the apple of his eye: and if by any means he be betrayed into sin, he mourns, and weeps, and never finds a moments rest, till he has washed it away in the fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness. But this sensibility is soon lost: it is Gods presence only that preserves it: and if Gods Holy Spirit be quenched by us, he will give us over to a hardness of heart, so that the things which once would have occasioned the deepest humiliation, shall now scarcely produce a sigh. III.<\/p>\n The dreadful state of those who are forsaken by him<\/p>\n Woe unto them, says God, when I depart from them [Note: Hos 9:12<\/span>.]! yes, woe unto them indeed; for,<\/p>\n 1.<\/p>\n They are delivered up into the hands of their spiritual enemies<\/p>\n [As, when Jesus had departed from Mount Olivet (the very mountain on which the glory of God abode, when it had forsaken the temple and city)<\/em> that began to be fulfilled, Your house is left unto you desolate: and when, by grieving and vexing the Holy Spirit we have provoked him to become our enemy, our case is become altogether desperate: he says concerning us, They are joined to idols; let them alone. Then the evil spirit that had been driven out, taketh to him seven other spirits to occupy our hearts; and our last state becomes worse than the first. Not that such a person must necessarily be given over to gross and open vice: he may be left under the power of pride and infidelity, or of terror and despondency, or of hardness and obduracy: but, to whatever he is left a prey, God swears in his wrath, that he shall never enter into his rest.<\/p>\n 2.<\/p>\n They live only to increase their guilt and misery<\/p>\n [Every day they live, they only augment the measure of their iniquities: and, strange as it may seem, immediate death, though attended with immediate damnation, would be to them a mercy. In one view indeed, the shortest respite from death may appear a blessing: and so it would be, if they were not sealed up under condemnation: but, being given over to a reprobate mind, they live only to heap up misery against the last days, and to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath. Unhappy soul, whoever thou art, when thus forsaken by thy God! Good were it for that man if he had never been born.]<\/p>\n We will conclude this subject with answering two questions How are we to reconcile this doctrine with other parts of Scripture?<\/p>\n [It is certain that the Scriptures speak much respecting the determination of God never to forsake his people [Note: 1Sa 12:22<\/span>. <\/span>Isa 54:9-10<\/span>. Jer 32:40<\/span>. Heb 13:5<\/span>.] And we believe that God will fulfil his promises, and that not one of them shall ever fail. But there are passages equally strong on the other side [Note: 2Ch 15:2<\/span><\/u>. 1Co 9:27<\/span>. 2Pe 2:20-22<\/span>.]; and they in their place need equally to be enforced. The former are necessary to encourage hope: the latter, to excite our fear. The truth is, we apprehend, that no person is warranted in believing himself a child of God, any farther than<\/em> he has an evidence of it in the conformity of his soul to the will of his heavenly Father. With the progress of sanctification his confidence may well increase; but with a declension in sanctity there ought to be a proportionable relaxation of his confidence. When therefore he is in a truly spiritual state, he may fitly he carried forward on the wings of hope, and love, and peace, and joy: but when he declines from that state, he needs the quickening influence of jealousy and fear: and, if any turn back unto perdition, they then prove to the world, that their former confidence was delusive; and we must say of them, as St. John does, They went out from us; but they were not of us: for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us [Note: 1Jn 2:19<\/span>.].<\/p>\n If men would receive the whole<\/em> word of God, without contending for human systems, they would find no such contradictions as they are apt to imagine: or, if they found some expressions which they knew not how to reconcile with others, they would at least learn to exercise candour towards those who differed from them, and to leave the full explanation of these hidden mysteries till the day when God himself shall cast the true light upon them. Our concern is, not so much to reconcile the difficulties of Scripture, as to learn from every part its appropriate instruction, and its legitimate use.]<\/p>\n 2.<\/p>\n How are we to avert this awful calamity?<\/p>\n [We should mark with extreme care the very first motions of the Deity that indicate his displeasure. The occasional hidings of his face should lead us to inquire, what there has been amiss within us, what neglects or miscarriages that have grieved his Holy Spirit. We should instantly betake ourselves to fasting and prayer, entreating him to shew us, wherefore he contendeth with us? Like Jacob, we should wrestle with him all the night, and say, I will not let thee go until thou bless me: and, having regained his presence, we should labour constantly to keep a conscience void of offence towards both God and man. Were we thus to exert ourselves in the first instance, we should walk continually, as it were, in the light of his countenance: but if we disregard the first intimations of his displeasure, and suffer him to depart, from his throne to the threshold, from the threshold to the court, from the court to the gate, we shall find it no easy matter to recover the testimonies of his love, and the influences of his grace. Be instructed then, (says the Lord,) lest my soul depart from thee [Note: Jer 6:8<\/span>.]. Be instructed in the necessity of unintermitted watchfulness and prayer. Be instructed to guard against the very appearance of evil, on your own part, and against the smallest withdrawment on the part of God. Thus will your whole life be a continual feast; and God will be greatly glorified in the whole of your conversation.]<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Eze 11:23 And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which [is] on the east side of the city.<\/p>\n Ver. 23. From the midst of the city.<\/strong> ] From the east gate. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n And stood upon the mountain.<\/strong> ] Mount Olivet. There he made his last stand, to see if they would meet him with entreaties of peace, that he might stop or step back. Here it was that Christ wept over the city, and hence he went up to heaven; after which came the Romans and destroyed it.<\/p>\n the glory: Eze 8:4, Eze 9:3, Eze 10:4, Eze 10:18, Eze 43:4, Zec 14:4, Mat 23:37-39, Mat 24:1, Mat 24:2 <\/p>\n which: Eze 43:2 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Lam 1:6 – all Eze 3:12 – glory Eze 10:19 – the cherubims Eze 43:3 – according to the appearance Eze 44:4 – the glory Hos 5:15 – return Mar 13:1 – out Act 7:55 – and saw<\/p>\n Eze 11:23. The story included in the vision was about finished, so the spirit of the Lord’s glory departed and occupied an exalted place near the city.<\/p>\n Eze 11:23. And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city The symbol of Gods presence, which had before departed from the temple, (Eze 10:18,) now quite left the city, to signify that he would acknowledge no longer his relation to either, but deliver them up to be profaned by the heathen. It deserves to be observed here, that God did not quit the temple and city all at once, but by little and little. The cloud of his presence was first withdrawn from the mercy-seat in the holy of holies, the usual place of its residence, and removed to the threshold of the house, (Eze 9:1,) where it remained some time waiting for their repentance. Its second remove was from this threshold, leaving the house altogether, to settle upon the cherubim, which were hovering over the court, and upon the wing to depart, Eze 10:18. It then, with these angelic ministers of the divine will, and the accompanying wheels of providence, withdrew to the east gate of the inner court, Eze 10:19. And now at last it quits Jerusalem altogether, and fixes itself upon the mountain on the east side of the city. By withdrawing himself from his people by slow degrees, God gave them time for consideration and repentance, to which each remove of the Shechinah was a fresh and solemn call, and he thus also manifested with what reluctance he entirely abandoned the seed of Abraham his friend. And even his causing the symbol of his presence, before his final departure, to take its station on the mount of Olives, where it was, as it were, within call, and ready to return, if now at length in this their day they would have understood the things that made for their peace, was a further manifestation of grace as well as of justice; for while the cloud of glory lingered there, it gave fresh encouragement to them to repent, and a final warning so to do, at the same time that it was emblematical of the judgment which, if their repentance did not prevent, should begin to be executed upon them from that mount, from whence the city would be annoyed by the darts of the Chaldeans. Nor was this only a figure of the calamities which were to be brought on the Jews by Nebuchadnezzar, but it was also an emblem of the evils which were to befall them in consequence of their rejecting and crucifying their own Messiah, the Lord of glory. This Divine Saviour, after exhausting his patience in instructing, correcting, and threatening Jerusalem, at length forsook it, and ascended to heaven from this same mount of Olives, in the presence of his apostles and disciples, that he might exercise his kingly office, and inflict a just and exemplary vengeance on this obstinately wicked and irreclaimable people.<\/p>\n And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which [is] on the east side of the city. The mountain which is on the east side of the city – The Mount of Olives. 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I. <\/strong>How averse God is to forsake His people. Look we to His declarations; look we to examples.<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>What are the different steps by which His departure may be discovered? He withholds–<\/p>\n
III. <\/strong>The dreadful state of those who are forsaken by Him.<\/p>\n
I. <\/strong>The mountain of Scripture. More study of the Bible, and more meditation on God mean more lofty views of His providence and grace–a mental life of crystalline clearness and purer air; of richer joys than are common to men. Climb, then, for the glory of the Lord is upon the mountain, not down in the valley, and blessed is the man who climbs until he sees it, and is encircled with its beauty and its light. Oh that we may see the glory of God, this day, in the face of Jesus Christ!<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>The mountain of prayer. We are satisfied, for a time, with the lispings of a babe, but we expect it to learn a fuller and more comprehensive tongue. So we must not be always as babes in Christ in our prayers. There should be new prayers; there should be holier prayers; there should be prevailing prayers. A few more struggles, a few more upward flights, and your soul shall be in the centre of the bright cloud where God dwells, and you shall sun yourselves in His great glory. Climb, then, the mountain of prayer, and you shall be crowned with grace, mercy, and truth.<\/p>\n
III. <\/strong>The mountain of usefulness. Are all the hungry fed, all the children taught, all the drunkards reformed, all the sinners converted? No, no! Our mission is not fulfilled, nor is our work done. Christian usefulness; this is the highest form and sweetest flower of life. Leave the monotony of your work far behind you, and do some new thing for the Lord. Behold His glory is upon the mountain summit, and He is waiting for your fruits and sheaves and noble deeds. Rise; gird up your loins; work for the Lord, as Nelson fought for victory, and as Paul sought to save some, and God, even our God, will bless you with fruitfulness of life.<\/p>\n
IV. <\/strong>The mountain of salvation. A sinner–what a name is that! An unsaved sinner–that is worse. An unsaved, unhappy sinner–that is worst of all. Is that your name? Come and climb the mountain of salvation, and get for yourself a new name. Lo! here on a shining throne is Jesus Himself, and as we enter His presence He benignly says, I will give you rest. And here, in the mountain of salvation, He does give us rest. He gives full pardon, perfect peace, joyful hope, holy strength, loving confidence, glorious righteousness, and everlasting life. Come, then, far up into the secure heights of this mountain; come, now, to where Jesus and the glory of God are waiting for you.<\/p>\n
V. <\/strong>The mountain of heavenly vision. Faith, prayer, zeal, work, and love are so many steps leading us to the lofty peaks of the mountain of Celestial vision, whence, even on stormy days, we may see afar the Promised Land. With heaven in sight, toil and tears will <\/em>be easier to bear, and death be welcome whenever and wherever it may come. Fear not death, nor Jordans rolling waves. Let the mountain of salvation lead to the mountain of vision, and it will be then only one step into heaven itself. (G. W. M<\/em>Cree.<\/em>)<\/p>\nFuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
DEPARTURE OF GOD FROM HIS TEMPLE<\/strong><\/p>\n
[What can be more express than his assertion, yea, his oath, that he has no pleasure in the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn from his wickedness and live [Note: Eze 33:11<\/span>.]? How pathetically does he lament the obstinacy of those who withstand all the influences, and defeat all the purposes of his grace: How long shall it be ere ye attain to innocency? Wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be [Note: Jer 13:27<\/span>.]? The idea of abandoning his people seems almost to overwhelm him: How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? How shall I deliver thee up, Israel? How shall I make thee as Admah? How shall I set thee as Zeboim [Note: Hos 11:8<\/span>. See also Psa 81:13-16<\/span>.]? But of all the passages in Holy Writ in which the Divine compassion towards obstinate offenders shines forth, there is none that exceeds the lamentation of our blessed Lord over Jerusalem; O that thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things belonging to thy peace! O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered thee, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!]<\/p>\n
[What more astonishing than the forbearance of God towards the antediluvian world during the space of one hundred and twenty years? Mark his patience also towards his people in the wilderness, where for forty years their conduct was one continued scene of murmuring and rebellion. Even towards the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who had imbrued their hands in the blood of their Messiah, he commanded his messages of mercy to be delivered in the first place: that city which had exceeded all others in iniquity was to be the most favoured of any in the whole universe, by the united labours of all the Apostles. But we need no further proof of Gods backwardness to cast off his people, than what we may all find in our own bosoms. We all are living monuments of his patience, and long-suffering, and forbearance. If his compassions bad not been infinite, not one of us would have been here this day, to speak or hear of them.]
True it is, that his Spirit will not always strive with men: but yet he does not abandon them at once; as will appear, whilst we shew,<\/p>\n
Inquire, then, beloved, whether any such calamity as this is come upon you? If it be, know that this is Gods first step towards a final departure; and if you do not arrest his progress by penitence and a renewal of your first works [Note: Rev 2:5<\/span>; Rev 3:3<\/span>.], he will go yet farther from you, and be brought back again to you with ten-fold difficulty. If you have lost the cheering presence of your God, know that he has already gone to the threshold of the house.]<\/p>\n
And can it be, that any one is so far left, as to have his eyes blinded as to the malignity of sin, and his conscience seared as to the commission of it? Yes: there are many who are thus beguiled by Satan from the simplicity that is in Christ; and they have reason to fear that God will speedily take his flight, and execute that threat, If any man defile the temple of God, him will God destroy. Verily, there is but a step between them and death.]
This leads us to set before you,<\/p>\n
1.<\/p>\n
<\/strong><\/p>\nFuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"