dead, and to the day of judgment. Michael, the prince, is generally understood to be the Son of God himself, who, under the Old Testament, often appeared as captain of the Lord's hosts, and of his people's salvation. 66 The first verse brings us to the eve of the general resurrection and final judgment; when the books are opened, and all found written in the book of life (or mercy) shall be delivered. But hark! the trumpet sounds, and the graves are opened! And the many, the multitudes of them who sleep in the dust of the earth, are awakened, some to everlasting life, and some to everlasting contempt and shame." But the discovery is premature; the scene is instantly closed the words are shut up, and the book is sealed. One important fact, however, is left revealed; "Many shall run to and fro," hither and thither, like couriers in the time of war," and knowledge shall be increased:" knowledge of the most important kind, the knowledge of God's salvation. Then, those who are wise themselves, shall endeavour to enlighten others; to "turn them from darkness to light," and from sin to righteousness; and those who are thus active, whether to instruct infants at home, or Pagans abroad, shall shine with the splendour of the firmament, and as the stars for ever. Here is certainly the best encouragement to ministerial and missionary exertions, for whatever may be the labours and trials of such on earth, "great is their reward in hea<ven." These things" the angels desire to look into" (1 Peter i. 12), and therefore, while they were walking on either side the river, [to the end. one asked the recording angel, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? The answer is still clothed in mystical language: "For a time, times, and half a time," at the end of which, all these things shall be fulfilled. On the numbers here given in the 11th and 12th verses, Dr. Boothroyd thus remarks: "Here is a fixed point at which to begin our calculation; but it is still difficult to determine when this period commenced. The taking away the daily sacrifice, and setting up the abomination of desolation, may be applied to various similar events. The profanation of the temple by Epiphanes is said to be this setting up, (1 Mac. i. 54), and our Lord applies it to the destruction of the temple by the Romans. (Matt. xxiv. 15.) Some date it from the rise of Antichrist, and suppose the 30 years more respected the period when the Jews will be converted, and the latter 45, the time when the fulness of the Gentiles shall be brought in." But if Daniel heard and understood not, we surely need not blush to own our ignorance. Two things, however, are perfectly clear: 1. That the end of all the changes and revolutions in the world, is the purification of the church from error and from sin; and, 2. That at the final close of all these transactions, every good man will have an honourable lot assigned to him among those that are redeemed and purified. In the mean time, it is our duty to be diligent in studying the Scriptures, and active in promoting the great ends of providence, as there revealed, but not too curious to pry between the sacred leaves which God has "closed and sealed." NOTES. of the Millennium, which is generally expected to commence with the 7000th year of the world, as we shall have farther occasion to remark. As to the 2300 days in chap. viii. 14, we have remarked above (see Note there), they may probably be literally intended: but since men so great as ADDENDA TO CHAP. IX., Ver. 24-27. We have given the above as the most generally received interpretation, and probably the true one, though attended with considerable difficulties. Some of these seem to be avoided (though others may he created) by commencing the calculation in the 20th of Artaxerxes, when orders were given for rebuilding the city as well as the temple. The great difficulty, however, regards the last week of years, when the Romans destroyed the temple, and which, instead of following the death of Messiah within seven years, was almost 40 years after that event. In order to avoid this difficulty, Dr. Slonard divides the prophecy into two parts, and reckons the first week as completed in the building of the temple; but this week, he considers as previous to, and forming no part of the 70 weeks, which he commences from the completion, and not the foundation, of the temple; and terminates with its destruction in A. D. 70. In this view, he applies the whole of ver. 26 to the Messiah, the middle clause of which he thus renders: "And he (Messiah) shall destroy the city and the sanctuary with the leader which cometh (Titus): and his end shall be with an inundation, &c. (p. 42.) We mention this hypothesis merely to recommend it to examination, for which we have here no room. THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET HOSEA. INTRODUCTION. HOSEA, the first in order of the twelve MINOR Prophets, (whose writings sometimes made a separate volume) exercised his office in the kingdom of Israel much about the same time that Isaiah exercised his in the kingdom of Judah, and probably longer. "His prophecies are chiefly (but by no means exclusively) directed to the ten tribes, before their captivity, reproving them for their sins, exhorting them to repentance, and threatening them with destruction, in case of impenitence; but comforting the pious with the promise of the Messiah, and of the happy state of the church in the latter days. His style is so abrupt, sententious, and concise, that it borders sometimes on obscurity. And how should it not, when the subjects of 60 years' prophecy are condensed into a few pages? But it is, in many places, moving and pathetic, and, not seldom, beautiful and sublime. Hosea is a bold reprover, not only of the vices of the people, but also of their kings, princes, and priests. Like most other of the Hebrew prophets, however, he tempers his denunciations of vengeance with promises of mercy; and the transitions froin the one to the other, are often sudden and unexpected. He is generally supposed to have prophecied from the year 785 to 725, before the Christian Era." Dr. Jn. Smith, Through all the minor Prophets, we shall pay constant attention to Abp. Newcome; and upon this prophet in particular to Bp. Horsley, who is one of its latest and ablest critics and commentators. The book is poetically rendered by all the modern transiators, and the poetry is of the most ancient cast: "pointed, energetic, and concise," says Bp. Lowth. Before we enter upon our Exposition, we may here briefly consider a question which will necessarily meet us in the very entrance of the book. "Was Hosea directed to, and did he really, marry a wife of whoredom? or is this only to be considered as a vision, as some think, or a parable, as others?" Abp. Newcome seems to consider it as a fact, and Bp. Horsley is most decidedly of that opinion. We confess that we are not fond of resolving all the prophetic actions into mere visionary transactions, nor do we see any necessity for so doing in the present instance. The Prophet is not ordered to commit either adultery or fornication, but to marry; nor does it appear that the woman persevered in her criminality. The fact seems to us, that she had been previously married, during which connexion she had been criminal with another man; and actually had, at this time, children living with her, who had been born in adultery. This woman, who had been an adulteress, and these children of adultery, he is commanded to receive into his family; but there is no intimation of her being false to him; and a change of character may, we think, fairly be presumed. It may be said to have been an unseemly connexion ; but the divine command justifies it; and all who knew of the Prophet's conduct would, of course, know the reason of it, and the authority on which he acted. Bp. Horsley is, indeed, of opinion, that she was also unfaithful to the Prophet afterwards, which made her the more correct type of the Jewish Church. Of this, however, we see no necessity, since the object was to teach them, not to practice, but to abbar idolatry. THE word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah; and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. 2 The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD. 3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son. 4 And the LORD said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel. 5 And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel. 6 And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto CHAP. I. [marries Gomer. him, Call her name Lo-ruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away. 7 But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God; and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen. 8 Now when she had weaned Loruhama, she conceived, and bare a son. 9 Then said God, Call his name Lo-ammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God. 10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God. 11 Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land for great shall be the day of Jezreel. (A) EXPOSITION. (A) The Prophet commanded to marry an adulteress, that he might have children by her, affording figurative instruction.-Under the figure of a wife proving false to her marriage vows, and bearing children likely o follow her example, the Prophet represents the shameful idolatry of Israel, which provoked God to cast them off. The whole passage contains information by ac ion, instead of words. The Lord had been à husband unto Israel, and they owed him he fidelity of a wife to a tender husband; instead of this, however, they had long addicted themselves to spiritual fornication, or idolatry. The names here given to the Prophet's children, are all emblematical. The first is intended to put Israel in mind of their unrepented guilt, and the acts of cruelty committed in their palace of Jezreel. (1 Kings xxi. 1.) The second and third, signifying "Not finding mercy," and "Not my people," denote that, in consequence of their guilt, they were to be rejected and disowned by God. He promises, however, to repair the loss to his church, NOTES. CHAP. I. Ver. 2. Great whoredom-that is, idoltry. See Deut. xxxi. 16. Ver. 4. And the Lord said.. Call his name Jezreel. -This name is differently interpreted; either, "the eed of God" (which is adopted by Bp. Horsley), or, God will sow," which is preferred by Dr. Boothoyd, as meaning that God would scatter Israel over the earth, as a sower scatters seed. See ch. ii. 23. Ibid. I will avenge the blood of Jezreel - Not he death of Jezebel in Jezreel, for he was commandd to destroy the house of Ahab (2 Kings ix.7-10); ut his cruelty in other instances, while residing at is palace at Jezreel. (1 Kings xxi.) Newcome. ndeed blood seemed to be the delight of Jehu; and id he not go beyond his commission 2 Kings x. 11-14? And will cause to cease. See 2 Kings xv. 8-12, 29. Ver. 5. Break the bow that is, the military strength. It is supposed, either that King Zecha rial died in this valley (Jezreel), or that some signal defeat was here sustained. Ver. 6. Lo-ruhamah — that is, according to our margin, "Not having obtained mercy." -For I will no more have mercy-Heb. "I will not add any more to," &c. But I will utterly-Newcome, "surely" Heb. "Taking, I will take them away.' Ver. 7. Not save them by bow, &c. See 2 Kings xix. 35. Ver. 9. Lo-ammi-Marg. "Not my people." See 1 Pet. ii. 10. Ver. 10. Yet the number, &c.-See Rom. ix. 27, 28. The ways of Israel] CHAP. II. HOSEA. [Omit in Family Reading to Ver. 6.] SAY ye unto your brethren, Ammi; and to your sister, Ru-hamah. 2 Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts; 3 Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst. 4 And I will not have mercy upon her children; for they be the children of whoredoms. 5 For their mother bath played the harlot : she that conceived them hath done shamefully for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink. 6 Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths. 7 And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now. 8 For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and mul [hedged up. tiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal. 9 Therefore will I return, and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my wool and my fax given to cover her nakedness. 10 And now will I discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of mine hand. 11 I will also cause all her mirth to cease; her feast days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts. 12 And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath said, These are my rewards that my lovers have given me and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them. 13 And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked her self with her ear-rings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the LORD. 14 Therefore, behold, I will allore her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. 15 And I will give her her vine EXPOSITION-Chap. I. Continued. by calling in the Gentiles, and by uniting Israel and Judah under one head, the Messiah, in the latter days, when they shall again become " God's people," and again "find mercy." (chap. ii. 1.) Bp. Horsley finds, in the names of the Prophet's three children, the different characters in Israel; but we conceive the meaning to be, that though God scattered his people over all the earth, and for a time rejected them from his visible church, it should in the end appear that they wer not" as water spilt on the earth, which cannot be gathered up again," (2 Sam xix. 14); but as seed scattered over a field. which, though long concealed, sha!! length spring forth again:"-" for great sba be the day of Jezreel:" that is, abundant shall be the harvest of their return. (Compare ver. 10 with Rom. ix. 27, 28.) Ver. 8. And multiplied, &c.—that is, when G gave them gold and silver, they made, or dressed, their idols with it. NOTES. CHAP. II. Ver. 1. Say ye, &c. Though we have omitted a few verses here, as elsewhere, it is not from an idea of their being really indelicate in themselves, though unhappily translated; but because we consider them (as they stand) improper in a mixed circle. Ammi-Marg. "My people."Ruhamah "Having obtained mercy." Ver. 2. She is not my wife - that is," Israel has forfeited all claims to my protection;" yet her children are directed to plead and to remonstrate with her, in the hope of pardon, notwithstanding she had attributed to her idcls all the blessings of Jehovah's providence. Ver.3. Lest I strip her.-See Notes on Isa. iii. 17; Jer. xiii. 26. Ver. 13. The days of Baalim-that is, when they worshipped Baal. Ver. 14. Speak comfortably-Heb. “ Speak to her heart." Ver. 15. The valley of Achor, &c. - This a common proverbial expression. The Achor, though a scene of trouble and distress, 3 door of hope to the Israelites under Joshua from this time Joshua drove on his conquests uninterrupted success." Bp. Horsley. Ver 16. Ishi-that is, "My husband" "My lord," or master: they should regard Her idolatries reproved,] CHAP. III. yards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. 16 And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shall call me no more Baali. 17 For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name. 18 And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely. 19 And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. CHAP. II. [but pardon promised. 20 I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD. 21 And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the LORD, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; 22 And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel. 23 And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God. (B) CHAP. III. THEN said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine. EXPOSITION. (B) Israel's idolatries reproved, and pardon promised. The Prophet having contemplated the reconciliation which was to take place in the future age, exhorts his people to speak and to act as became those who obtained mercy of God, and to remonstrate strongly against the conduct of their mother (Samaria), whose captivity is threatened on account of her forsaking the Lord, and ascribing her prosperity to idols. As an amplification of this threatening, the Prophet enumerates a series of afflictions which were to befall her, till she should be brought to a sense of her duty to God, and of her folly in seeking after idols, and falsely ascribing to them the blessings of providence. After these corrections, however, God promises to conduct his people safely to their own land; leading them as through the desert of old, till they should enter the valley of Achor, which was (as it were) the door of hope to the land of promise. (See Note.) He further engages to deal with them as a tender husband, and not as a severe master, as were the idols which they worshipped. The rest of the chapter promises them security from every evil, with the possession of every blessing under a new covenant of mercy; and that in terms full of beauty and consolation. Heaven and earth, and whatever they contain; all nature is represented, in obedience to the God of Nature, as combining to make the people of God happy; so that if they only breathe a wish, one part of nature echoes it to another, and all join in harmony to transmit their wish to the ear of God. NOTES. friend, and not a tyrant, as they had been used to speak of him. "The very name, though capable of a good sense, should be avoided by them, because it was also the name of false gods." Newcome. Ver. 17. Baalim signifies "Lords," or masters, in the pinral. Ver. 18. A covenant with the beasts.-See Job v. B-Break the bow.-Isa. ii. 4. Ver. 21. I will hear (or answer) the heavens"Asking (as it were) to pour down rain on the earth; and they shall hear the earth when it supplicated for rain: this and the next verse implies that they liad had unfruitful seasons." Boothroyd. Ver. 22. Shall hear the corn, &c.-"These two verses beautifully represent inanimate objects as speaking, and a chain of second causes as depending on the first, the Lord of all-Shall hear Jezreelthe people whom God will sow again in his land. See ch. i. 11, and verse following." Horsley. Ver. 23. I will say unto them, &c.-Dr. Boothroyd makes this passage clearer by preserving the original names: "I will have mercy on Lo-ruhamah; and I will say to Lo-ammi (Not my_people), Thou art my people, and they shall say, Thou art our God," |