not occasional, but habitual. They "dealt bf, revenge," as if it had 'been their trnde or occupation. "A perpetually enduring war,' says Schroder, "is the standing feature of the relation, while fixed hostility was the root of it." 6. This hatred was destructive in it.s design. "Have taken vengeance with despite of soul to destroy it with perpetual enmity,'' The aim of the hostile Phili~tinP.s was to brin" tho Jewish nation to an utter end. ·This was their steadfast purpose. Ono aspect of' hatred is very conspicuous in this brief delineation, and it is as admonitory as it is conspicuous, viz. its tendency to coutinuance aud growth. If animosity bo not resisted, if it be not combated by the presentation of prayer t.-0 God and by the cultivation and expression of kindness towards men, especially towards the object of our aversion, it will increase in depth and intensity. Hence it is of the utmost importance to check the beginnings of hatred. "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and railing be put away from you, with all ma.lice; and be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, e'°en as God also in Christ forgave you." l!. A STARTLING AlINOUNCEJdE1'~ OF SEVERE PUNISHMENT FOR PROTRACTED A.ND HEITOt"S SINS. "Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will stretch out mine hand :,pcm the Philistines," etc. (vers. 16, 17). We see here: 1. Punishment of great severity. "I m.ll execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes." Who can cor.ceive the dread severity of the great vengeance of the Almighty with furious rebukes? They who had dealt by revenge and taken vengeance on Israel should suffer the great Tengeance of the God of Israel. After the destruction of Jerusalem, when Nebuchadnezzar turned his mighty forces against Egypt, "the result Wl\f! specially disastrous to the Philistines : Gaza was taken by the Egyptians, and the population of the whole plain was reduced to a mere 'remnant' by the invading armies.'/ 2. Punishment ending in destruction. "I will cut off the Cherethites, and destroy the remnant of the sea coast." The name "Cherethites" is given "to the whole of the Philistines, for the sake of the paronomasia." The name sigaifie_s ." cut off," or "extir- pated," and it was to find its fulfilment in their doom: "The desti'uction . of tAe remnant points to this," says Hengstenberg, "that they shall be destroyed to the ~t man. as in fact the Philistines have utterly disappeared. It is the great. privilege ,of the people of God, that how heavy soever the judgments of God may be upon ,thein, never will it be said of them, 'I will destroy the remnant.'" • They who he.d made it their object to destroy the Jewish nation should themselves be destroyed .by the Almighty. "With what measure ye mete, it shall· be measured unto you." .3. Punishment from the hand of God. "Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will stretch out mine hand upon the Philistines," etc. The Chaldeans and others were but as weapollB in the hands of the supreme Sovereign and righteous Judge of all, "The Lord sitteth as King _for ever: He bath prepared his throne for judgment. And he shall judge the world in righteousnees, He shall minister judgment to the peoples in uprightness," . And if men will not be brought to know him by the sweet influences of hit1 grace, then by the stern severities of his vengeance they shall know that he is the Lord.-W. J,
EXPOSITION. oenoe and its commerce. It is ushered in CHAPTER XXVI. with speoial solemnity as "a word of J&- The prophetic messages against Ammon, hovah." Moab, .Ed.ow, and the Philistines were com• Ver. 1.-In the eleventh year, ete. The paratively short. That against Tyre spreads last date given (oh. xxiv. I) was the tenth over three chapters (xxvi. 1-xxix. 18). The day of the tenth month of the ninth year ;ipecial prominence thus given to the latter (so. B.o. 590). We have' now come to the eleventh year, on whioh, on the ninth day ~ty was proba.bly due to its political impor- of -the· fourth month, Jerusalem was taken, tance in Ezekiel's time, possibly also to the while its destruction followed in the seventh personal knowledge which may be inferred day of the fifth month (Jer. Iii. 6, 12). Here from his minute description of it. magnifi- the number of the mouth is uot given in the un. xxvr.1-21.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 61