Vers. 18-32.-The impartiality of Divine Justice. Very picturesque and memorable is this portion of Ezekiel's prophecies. The prophet in his vision beholds the King of Babylon on his way to execute the purposes of God upon the rebellious and treacherous prince of Judah, and qpon his partakers in sin. He sees him at some point of this expedition, standing on the north-east of Palestine, uncertain whether in the first instance to direct his arms against Rabbath, the capital of the Ammonites, or Jerusalem, the metropolis of Judah. He is at" the parting of the way," and calls to his aid, to help him to a decision, not only the counsel of the politician and the commander, but that also of the diviner. The bright arrows, on which the names of the two cities are inscribed, are drawn as in a lottery, the images are consulted, the liver is inspected by the augur. The prophet sees the resolve taken to proceed against Jerusalem; yet at the same time, he predicts that the children of Ammon shall not escape the edge of the glittering sword of retribution and vengeance. I. DIVINE JUSTICE MAKES UBE OF HUMAN AGENCIES OF RETRIBUTION, OFTEN THEM· SELVES UNCONSCIOUS OF THE PURPOSES FOR WffiCH THEY ARE EMPLOYED. The King of Babylon was appointed as the minister of righteous avenging upon both Judah and Ammon. Uuawares to himself, he, in bis military operations, was carrying out the predictions of God's prophets, and the decree of God himself. Infinite wisdom is never at a loss for meo.ns by which to bring to pass its own counsels and resolves. II. DIVINE JUSTICE PUNISHES THE PRIVILEGED WHO ARE UNFAITHFUL TO THEIR PRIVILEGES AS WELL AS THOSE WHOSE PRIVILEGES HAVE NOT BEEN EXCEPTION.c\L. Although the descen<lants of Abraham were selected from among the nations for a special purpose connected with God's plans for the moral government of the world, they were not thereby released from their righteous obligations, or from liability to punishment in case those obligations were repudiated. Israel's election did not secure exemption from the consequences of defection and rebellion. Rather was the guilt of the nation deemed to be aggravated by their neglect to use aright the many advantages with which they were favoured. On the other hand, the Ammonites were not secured aaainst righteous retribution merely because they were less highly privileged than I~rael. They had a measure of light, and they were responsible for walking in the light they enjoyed; and if they loveu darkness rather than light, they secured their own condemnation. lIL DIVINE JUSTICE DECIDES WHICH GUILTY NATION SHALL BE CORRECTED, AND 3!14 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIET,. [cu. xxr. 1-32.
wmCH SRALL BE DESTROYED. Into the secret counsels of God it is not given us to enter. Facts are before us; and we see that, according to this prophecy, Ammon wrui commit.t.od as fuel to the fire, and was no more remembered; that the very name of tho Ammonites vanished out of human history; and we see that the Jewish peoplo survived, and were brought forth from the furnace into which they were cast. Wo can only apply to these fa.cts our faith in the Divine righteousness, and hold fast by oar conviction that in this, as in all his dea.lings with men, the Eternal Ruler has acted upon principles of unquestionable equity. IV. DIVINE JUSTICE SUMMONS SINFUL NATIONS TO REPENTANCE AND NEWNESS OD' LIFE. These predictions and their fulfilment in history have been recorded for our instruction. ·what we read in Scripture is fitted to deepen within our nature the conviction that this world is under the righteous government of God. And we shall be foolish indeed if we do not infer from this fact the necessity of repentance and of • renewal; if we are not led to welcome the assurance that for the penitent there is mercy, and for the lowly, life.-T. Vers. 26, 27.-The Divine reversal. The judgments of God are not in vain. The sword is not sheathed until the purposes of infinite righteousuess are achieved. War leads to such an end, to such II place, as eternal wisdom approves. No good end would be answered by Divine interposition,.did all things go on as before. A Divine reversal crowns the work. I. Tm: HISTORICAL FACT. The primary reference of the prophet is doubtless to the downfall of the usurping, rebellious, treacherous, plotting prince of Judah, i.e. Zedekiah. His true policy lay in subjection to Nebuchadnezzar; instead of adopting and holding fast by this policy, he was ever endeavouring to free himself from the yoke, in the vain hope of independence. It was foreseen and predicted by Ezekiel that this should lend to his destruction. II. THE MORAL, GOVEID.'ME..'ITAL PRINCIPLE SUGGESTED BY THIS FACT. We learn ths.t the Omnipotent Ruler is not indifferent to what happens among the nations, that he works in and through the ordinary laws of human action, and may sometimes work by extraordinary and exceptional means. Certain it is that bis ways are not as men's ways. The great are often overthrown, and the feeble exalted, by the operation of his wise and merciful providence. God confounds all human policy and defeats all human e:i.:pecta.tions, exalts the low, and at the same time abases the high. The mitre and the crown are taken from the forehead of the powerful, and artl placed upon the lowliest brows. " lll. THE TYPICAL Am) SPIRITUAL .APPLICATIONS OF THIS PRINCIPLE. There is a grandeur in this langnage which seems almost to compel its reference to greater events than those which happeue.d in Jerusalem during the Eastern captivity. '£he kingdom of sin is mighty, and men have often felt how utterly vain it is to expect that kingdom to yield to any human attack. Ignorance and error, vice and crime, superstition and infidelity, have through millenniums of human history acquired over humanity a power which seems irresistible and invincible. But there is One "whose right it is" to reign, and he, the Son of God, has come in the flesh, and has come in the dispensation ?f the Holy Spirit. In his favour, and in order to secure his universal conquest, .his everlastmg dominion, the Most High iB overturning, ever overturning. He is the High Priest, the rightful King, of the humanity whose nature _he assumed, ~nd for whose salvation he died. The n::itre and the crown are his of right, and to him they shall be given. Every usurper shall be defeated and disgraced; and Christ, whose right it is to reign, shall receive the kingdom, and his dominion shall have no end.-T.