Ait Movetws.
VER. 15-19.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 171
for therein “they were evangelized, even as we,” Heb. iv. 2. And also, their hearing is spoken of as that which was past (“ When they had heard”) before their provoking, which yet signally happened in the second year after their coming out of Egypt. This, then, was the voice of God which they heard.
The sin which is appropriated unto some of them who thus “came out of Egypt,’ and “heard,” is that ruperixpavay, they ““provoked,”—that is, God, whose voice, or word, or law they heard. The meaning of this word, and the nature of the sin expressed by it, have been spoken to before. I shall add one place that explains it: Hos xii. 15, OWA OMS DYII, “ Ephraim hath provoked bitternesses;” that is, very bitterly. Great provocations have a “ bitterness” in them, as the word here denotes, which caus- eth God to loathe the provokers.
By these considerations doth the apostle enforce his exhortation before insisted on, and show the necessity of it. This is, that they would diligently attend unto the word of the gospel, and steadfastly continue in the profession thereof. ‘For, saith he, ‘ when the people of old heard the voice of God in that dispensation of his law and grace which was suited unto their condition, some of them provoked him; whereas they may do so also who hear his voice in the dispen- sation of the gospel, therefore doth it highly concern them to take care that this be not the event of their mercy therein.’
Lastly, The apostle adds expressly a limitation, with respect to the persons who heard and provoked: “ Howbeit not all.” In his pre- ceding discourse he had expressed the sin and punishment of the people indefinitely, so as at first view to include the whole genera- tion in the wilderness, without exception of any. Here, out of the story, he puts in an exception of some even of them who came up out of Egypt under the conduct of Moses. And there are three sorts of persons who lay claim to an interest in the privilege:—1. Those who, being under twenty years of age, were not numbered in the wilderness of Sinai, in the second year after their coming up out of Egypt, Num. i. 1-3; for of those that were then numbered there ‘was not a man left, save Caleb and Joshua, when the people was numbered again in the plains of Moab by Moses and Eleazar, chap. xxvi. 63, 64. These are they who died because of their provoca- tion; those who before were under twenty years old being now the body of the people that was numbered. 2. The tribe of Levi: for the threatening and oath of God were against all of them that were numbered in the wilderness of Sinai, Num. xiv. 29, and the account is accordingly given in of the death of the numbered ones only, chap. xxvi. 63, 64; but in the taking of that first mus- ter-roll Moses was expressly commanded not to take the number of the Levites, chap. i. 47-49. However, I much fear, by the course
Uapsrixpavay.
172 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. III.
of the story, that the generality of this tribe fell also. 3. Caleb and Joshwa; and it is certain that these are principally, if not solely intended. Now, the reason why the apostle expresseth this limitation of his former general assertion is, that he might enforce his exhortation with the example of them who believed and obeyed the voice of God, and who thereon both enjoyed the promises and entered into the rest of God; so that he takes his argument not only from the severity of God,—which at first view seems only to be re- presented in his instance and example,—but also from his faithfulness and grace, which are included therein. And we may now a little fur- ther consider what is contained in these words for our instruction; as,—
Obs. I. Many hear the word or voice of God to no advantage, but only to aggravate their sin.
Their hearing renders their sin provoking unto God, and destruc- tive to their own souls. “Some, when they heard, provoked.” Daily experience is a sufficient confirmation of this assertion. The word of God is preached unto us, the voice of God sounds amongst us. As our apostle speaks, Heb. iv. 2, “ Unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them ;” and that with many advantages on our part. They heard the gospel indeed, but obscurely, and in law language, hard to be understood; we have it plainly, openly, and without parables, declared unto us. They heard the voice of him that spake on earth; we, his who speaks from heaven. But what is the issue of God’s thus dealing with us? Plainly, some neglect the word, some corrupt it, some despise it,—few mix it with faith, or yield obedience unto it. The dispensers of it may for the most part take up the complaint of the prophet, “ Who hath believed our report ? and to whom is the arm of the Lorp revealed?” Isa, liti. 1. And unto many, after their most serious and sedulous dealing with them in the name of God, they may take up the apostle’s close with the unbelieving Jews, Acts xiii. 41, “ Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish.” Most of them unto whom our Saviour preached pe- rished. They got nothing by hearing his doctrine, through their unbelief, but an aggravation of their sin and the hastening of their ruin. So he told Capernaum and the rest of the towns wherein he had wrought his miracles, and to whom he preached the gospel. His presence and preaching for a while brought them into a condition above that of Jerusalem,—they were “lifted up unto heaven;” but their unbelief under it brought them into a condition worse than that of Sodom,—they were “ brought down to hell,” Matt. xi, 21-24, It is, I confess, a great privilege, for men to have the word preached unto them and to hear it, Ps. cxlvii. 19, 20; but privileges are as men use them. In themselves they are of worth and to be prized; but unto us they are as they are used. Hence the gospel becomes