26, 27). 2. A denial of the superiority of the Lord Jehovah 01Jer heathen gods. This aspect of the sin of the Moabites is clearly nnd forcibly presented hy Hengstenber"': "'l'be guilt consists in the denial of the true Deity of the God of Israel; for only ~n this ground could Israel be placed on the same level with all other nations. The pre- tence for this denial they take from the misery of Israel, which they derive, not from their guilt, but from the feebleness of their God, and discern therein a palpable proof n~ainst his true and full Deity. Their God Jehovah, the absolutely pure Being, the primeval Ground of all things, the absolutely certain Helper of his people, is a mere fancy: otherwise must they soar above, and not sink beneath. This full Deity, against whose historically extant evidence they rashly close their eyes, they must now discover by their own destruction. 'fhe transgression is seemingly small; but it is that by which the nations perish even to the present day. As each takes its stand towards God, who is historically revealed in his Church, so is its destiny meaimred out." Thus "Moab magnified himself against the Lord" (Jer. xlviii. 26). II. A PUNJ.'IHMENT CORRESPONDING TO THEIR BIN, 1. The Moabites had re;'oiced in the overthrow and exile of the Jews, and they also should be overthrown and their land possessed by others. "Therefore, behold, I will open the side of Moab from the cities, from his cities which are on his frontiers." He would expose Moab to the assaults of its enemy. Certain cities are mentioned, and are appropriately described as " on his frontiers." They lay to the nort.h of the river Amon, which was the proper boundary of Moab (Numb. xxi. 13). Again, these cities are called "the glory of the country." The tract in which they were situated, "belonging to the district called by the Arabians .Al Belka, bas been at all times highly valued on account of the excellence of its pastures for cattle. Among others, Bochart writes, 'As the pasturage in Belka is far better than in the rest of Southern Syria, there has been a continual struggle among the various Arab tribes as to who should secure it. The Bedouins are accustomed to say, "Thou canst find no land like Belka"' (Hiivernich)" (' Speaker's Commentary'). Moreover, their country was ultimately to pass away from them into the possession of "the children of the east," the wandering Arab tribes. Like Ammon, the land was ravaged by hostile armies, and at last was left unoccupied except by the Bedouins. 2. The Moamtes had denied the superiority of Jehovah over heathen gods, and they should be brought by _painful ea;perience to know his supremacy. " And I will execute jndgments upon Moab; and they shall know that I nm the Lord." Says Hengstenberg, "Through the judgments under which Moab falls, it is forced to acknowledge the true Deity of Jehovah, which it did not willingly accept." (See our notes on eh. vi. 7, 10; vii. 4.) CONCLUSION, 1. Let those who are avowedly followers of Christ take heed that they do not give occasion to sinners to blaspheme the Name or the cause of God. Let them show "all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things;" "Walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called." 2. Let those who are not Christians take hud that they do not bring upon themselves the anger of the Lord by speaking against his cause or his people.-W. J.
Vere. 12-14.-The ;'udgment of Edom; or, the sin and punishment of revenge. "'l'hus saith the Lord God; Because that Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance," etc. The Edomites were the descendants of Esau, who settled in Mount Seir immediately after the death of his father Isaac. The country in which they dwelt was called Edom, or ldumroa. It was situated south of the territory of Moab; and" it only embraced the narrow mountainous tract (about a hundred miles long by twenty broad) extending along the eastern side of the Ara.bah, from the northern end of the gulf of Elath to near the southern end of the Dead Sea," Of their religion little is known; but that they were idolaters appears from 2 Cbron. xxv. 14, 16, 20, and Josephus, 'Ant.,' xv. 7. 9, Consider- !. 'l'HE HEINOUS SIN OF THE EDOMITEB, "Thus saith the Lord God; Because that Edom bath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vcn~eance, and bath greatly offended, and revenged himself upon them." Notice: 1. The sin itself. Revenge is the sin with which the Edomites are here charged. Distinguish between revenge and vengeance, " Revenge is an act of passion; vengeance, of justice ; in juries are revenged, crimes are avenged'' (Johnson). Vengeance is righteous, calm, majestic; revenge is 64 'l'HE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [0J1. xxv. 1-17,