The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 1 — Section 375

his own unmerited favowr. Though not expressed, this is clearly implied here (cf. Deut. vii. 6-8; ix. 4-6). God's kindness to us has been great and undeserved. Who ce.n count the multitude of his mercies, or estimate their preciousness? "The Lord he.th dealt bountifully with us." II. GnEAT KINDNESS DASELY REQmTED, 1. By worshipping in prohib'ited pl,ar,es. "Then they eaw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their ee.crifices," etc. (ver. 28). 'fhe margin of the Revised Version presents a more striking signification e.nd a darker guilt, "They looked out for every high hill," etc. Their conduct in this respect we.a e. perversion of a Divine law. " When the Israelites first entered Canaan, they were to eet up the tabernacle on a hir1h place, and upon this and upon no other they were to worship Jehovah. This was the high place (1 Sam. ix. 12, etc.; 1 Kings iii. 4). But the Israelites followed the custom of the country, and set up idol-worship on every high hill, and the word' high-place' (bamah), or in the plural •high-places' (bamoth), became a byword ( comp. bamoth Baal, Josh. xiii.17)" (' Speaker's Commentary'). This was distinctly forbidden to the Israelites (Deat. xii. 1-14). 2. By worshipping prohibited objects, They offered sacrifices to idols. This fact is not explicitly stated in our text ; but it is implied in the charge of blasphemy preferred against them, and in the expression, " the provocation of their offering." (1) As to their blasphemy. The attempt "to combine God and idols in one's religion is blas- phemy." It involves a fearful disparagement, if not the despi8ing, of the Lord Jehovah. (2) The expression, "the provocation of their offering," indicates the offerings made to idols whereby they provoked God to anger (cf. Deut. xxxii. 16, 17; 1 Kings xiv. 22). "It was an aggravation of their guilt that they not only were idolaters, but defiled with their idolatry the land which was given them for their glory." It was perverting the gracious gift of God to his deep dishonour (cf. Jer. ii. 7). How often have the good gifts of God been thus perverted! Genius and power, rank and riches, have frequently been used for selfish and sinful purposes. And in this e.nd other ways the kindness of God to man is often basely requited still, III. A SINFUL PEOPLE DIVINELY INTERROGATED. "Then I said unto them, What is the high place wherennto ye go?" Revised Version, "What meaneth the high place? " etc. 'l'his inquiry seems to be designed : 1. To awaken their serious reflec- tum, It was fitted for this. Perhaps it would lead the idolatrous people to ask them- selves, "What meaneth the high place whereunto we go? " Earnest inte1Togation might lead to profitable consideration. 2. To lead to their recognitiO'll of their folly. Serious reflection could hardly fail to reveal to them the foolishness of idolatry. What benefit could they derive from it? What could their idols do for them? How unreasonable that reasonable beings should pay homage to things of wood and stone ! 3. To lead to their recognition of their sin. Their idolatry involved the breach of the most sacred and solemn obligations. It was a transgression of an oft-repeated command of Goel. Great was both the folly and the sin of the Israelites iu this (cf. Jor. ii. 11-13). This inquiry might lead them to perceive e.nd to feel these things. The Most High frequently interrogates sinful men in order to lead them to reflection and reformation (cf. eh. xviii. 31; Jer. ii. 5; iv. 14). "Not wishing that any should perisli, but that all should come to repentance." JV, A SINFUL PEOPLE PERSISTING IN SIN NOTWITHSTANDING DIVINE INTERROGATION. "And the name thereof is called Bamah unto this day." The name was continued, and the people persisted in the practice of idolatry despite the remonstrances of the Lord. Even under the most faithful and godly kings the high places were not taken away until Josiah entered upon his great reformation (2 Chron. xxxiv. 3). It is difficult to eradicate sins in the case of individuals, when the sins have had time to strike their roots deeply in the heart and life. "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil." It is even more difficult to eradicate the widespread, long-continued, deep-rooted sins of a communit:i, or a nation, "Farilis descensus Averni, Seel revoc11re graclum, super11squo wadire 11d auras Hie lubor, hoe opus est." (Virgil.) W.J.  3i8 THE BOOK OF 'l'HE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [cu. xx. 1-4.!J,