The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 1 — Section 302

blessings, Two ra.cts seem to us to afford conclusive proof of this. (1) That this new covenant is more fully described by Jeremiah (xx.xi, 31-34); and (2) that this passage from Jeremiah is directly applied to the Christian covenant in the Epistle to the Hebrews (viii, 8-12), The renewed favour of God to his people is seen not so much in temporal as in spiritual blessings. I. 'l'HE IlENEWED FAVOUR OF Goo TOWARDS HIS PEOPLE OBIGmATED WITH HIMSELF. "Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee a.n everlasting covenant." Notwithstanding their breach of the covenant, and their countless and enormous sins, God will return to them in blessing. And he will do so of his own unmerited and unsought grace. When Jesus Christ came into our world he came without any solicitation from man. "He came unto his own possessions, and his own people received him not," " God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." The contrast between God and the Jews in respect to the covenants shows that the existence of the new one was entirely owing to his grace. 1. They forgot him and the covenant into which they entered with him. But he says, "I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth." He does not forget the engagements into which he enters, or the promises which he makes. "If we are faithless, he abideth faithful; for he cannot deny himself." 2. They outrageously broke the covenant. "Thou hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant" (ver. 59), But the Lord says," I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant." Clearly this was not of their merit, but of his mercy. "By grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, that no man should glory." II. THE RENEWED FAVOUR OF Goo TO HIS PEOPLE AWAKENS WITHIN THEM PENITENT RECOLLECTIONS, "Then shalt thou remember thy ways, and be ashamed.n This remembrance is not mere recollection, but recollection and reflection upon the things remembered. Moved by the grace of God, the Jews would recall to mind their sinful ways, and consider them, and ta.ke to themselves shame because of them. Like the psalmist- "I thought on my ways, And turned my feet unto thy testimonies," etc. • (Ps. cxiL 59, 60.) Like the prodigal also: "When he ea.me to himself he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare I" etc. (Luke xv. 17-12). There is no real repentance without this remembrance and consideration of our ways; again, there is no real repentance except when such remembrance and consideration lead to shame and self-reproach. Now, according to our text, it is the grace of God which produces this desirable condition of mind and heart. "Law and terrors do but harden." "The good- ness of God leadeth thee to repentance." Unmerited kindness is like coals of fire melting the hearts of sinners. When the mercy of God is realized by man it leads to loathing of sin, and sincere sorrow, because we have been guilty thereof, and lowly love towards him. III. THE RENEWED FAVOUR OF Gon EXPRESSED m THE BESTOWMXNT OF BICH BLEssmos. The blessings mentioned and referred to in tbe text are those of the new covenant which God would make with man. "I will establish unto thee a.n everlasting covenant. . . . And I will establish my covenant with thee" (vers. 60, 62; and cf. Jer. xxxi. 31---34), 1. These blessings are spiritual. The knowledge of God is one of them. "And thou shalt know that I am the Lord." We have frequently read of their knowing him as a consequence of his judgments. Now we come to their knowing him as a result of his grace. 'l'his knowledge is more true and tender, more intimate and influential, than taat, This is a saviug acquaintance with him. "This is life eternal, that they should know thee the only true God, and him whom thou didst send, even Jesus Christ." The forgiveness of sin is another of the blessings mentioned in the text. "When I am pacified towards thee for all that thou bast done" (ver. 63), should be, as in the Revised Version, " When I have forgiven thee all that thou hast done," "I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more" (Jer. xxxi. 34). Says Schroder," As the covenant springs from pure mercy and faithfulness, so in its inmost essence it con- sists in forgiveness of sins." Wliat a blessing this is! But the chief blessing of the covenant is not expressly mentioned by Ezekiel, God gives himself as the crownin~  302 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [an. xvll. 1-24,