to the Romans that t.he heathen would be subject to it (Rom, i. 18). 'l'hese and other expressions show us that those people who had not light ~nd law would not be judged by the high standard of the more mstructed, but that their own consciences would bo the measure of their guilt. The heathen know sin. Unbelievers cannot deny their own misconduct in daily life, though they may deny the doctrines of Scripture. Ae sinners, just like other men, if not as unbelievers, will they be judged. We cannot escape the consequences of our sins by repudiating religion. III. Gon VISITS NATIONAL SINS WITH NATIONAL JUDGMENTB, 1. Each nation is judged as a whole. There is and there will be separate, individual judgmente. Of this Christ spoke (Matt. xxv. 32). But while the New Testament is individualistic, the Old Testament is national. It more frequently takes a nation as a corporate unit. 'There are national sins, (1) sins which are committed by many in the nation, and so become characteristic of it, as drunkenness among Teutonic nations; and (2) sins committed by the people as a whole through its government. For such sina the nation is punished. England will be punished as a nation far England's sine, 2. Each nation is judged separately. A distinct judgment is pronounced against each of the seven nations. God is discriminating in his judgment of communities as well as in his judgment of individuals. All have not sinned in the same way, therefore all will not be punished on the same scale. The Judge of all the earth will do right, In conclusion, note that God, who rules over all the nations, and will judge them all, has sent his Son to be the Saviour of all The gospel is as broad as the judgment (Rom. v. 20). Vers. 2-7.-'I'M scoffing nation. The first nation selected for denunciation is the Ammonite, situated on the east of the Jordan and to the north of Moab, with its further border towards the Syrian desert. Its scoffing at the sacred things of the Jews, and its cruel mockery of their calamities, are to be followed by a dreadful destruction. Scoffing and mockery are dangerous practices for those who indulge in them, L THE CRUEL SCOFFING. 1. .An insult to religion. "Thou saidst, Aha I against my sanctuary when it was profaned" (ver. 3). No doubt the sanctuary was regarded as a mystical centre of the power of the Jews. When the sacred edifice was overthrown, the talisman was destroyed, the spell was broken. This was a matter of delight to an enemy. Thus scoffing is itself a. testimony to the power of religion, though that power may be apprehended in a. very ignorant and superstitious way. But to rejoice in the downfall of religious influence is to proclaim one's self an enemy of God. It is fair, however, to eee that scoffing a.t religion may be provoked by the misconduct of its champions. Much of the scoffing of unbelievers at Christianity is not inspired by hatred to the gospel, but by disgust at the unworthy conduct of Christiane. The sins of the Jews led to dishonour to their temple. The sins of Christiane invite insults against Christ. 2. .A love of destructioo. The Ammonites scoffed "against the land of Israel when it was desolate." The northern nation had been already destroyed and scattered, but the waste and ruined condition of the deserted land was a delight to the jealous neighbours on the eastern border. There is a fierce joy in the idea. delenda ese Oarthago. But this is heathenish and wicked. Sin that works for death creates a delight in destruction. The Christian idea is the opposite to this-not breaking a bruised reed, but helping on the time when "the wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad; and the desert shall rejoice and blossom a.s the rose" (Isa, xxxv. 1), 3. .A pleasure in cruelty. The Ammonites scoffed at the contemporary calamity of the southern kingdom-" the house of Judah, when they went into captivity." The earlier destruction of Israel is a Bource of wild, fiendish joy. "Thou hast clapped thine hands, and stamped with the feet, and rejoiced in heart with a.II thy despite against the land of Israel" (ver. 6). There is no more Satanic wickedness than joy springing from the contemplation of the misery of others, II. '!'BE NATIONAL DOOM, This is to be very similar to that of Israel and Judah, so that what the Ammonites rejoiced to see in their neighbours shall come on their own heads, but still with certain variations determined by their situation and char11.0ter. 1. 8uojection to others. Ammon had rejoiced over the downfall of her western neighbours. She in turn shall be overrun by people from the east. The destruction was to con+e from Babylon, but "the men of the east," i.e. tbe Arabs, would follow it, ou. xxv. 1-17.J 'l'HE BOOK OF 'i'HE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 63
and like vultures pounce on the prey left by the a<l vancing Chaldean army. Cruelty makes many enemies and no friends. The scoffer must expect to be scoffed at. 2, Reduced civilization, Rabbah, the proud capital, will become a pasture for camels, and the once populoue land of Ammon a sheep run. National punishment lowers a people in the scale of social life. 3. National destruction. The Ammonites are to "perish out of the countries." This old-world nation did cease to exist. Thou<Yh 0 individuals may remain, the corporate life of the nation is destroyed. As the wa. ,es of 0