wickedness (e.g. Luke x. 14). There is no security in such companionship. We gain nothing by following a multitude to do evil (Exod. xxiii. 2). When a large province rebels, there is more hope of immunity than when a few citizens behave seditiously, because the central government may not be strong enough to cope with the more serious disturbance. But in dealing with the Almighty such considerations do not apply. God can as easily destroy two cities as one. '!'he number of sinners does not dilute the guilt of the separate individuals; it cannot mitigate their doom. II. UNPROSPEROUB SINNERS WILL BE PUNISHED AB WELL AS PROSPEROUS ONES. Tyre was prosperous; Zidon was unprosperous. At least, the history of Zidon is that of a decline in influence compared with the growing importance of Tyre, The oldest and most prominent settlement of the Canaanites (Gen, x. 15), and the representative of the whole Canaanitish trade (Gen. xlix. 13), Zidon had gradually declined until it had become virtually, if not nominally, a dependence of Tyre. But though she reaped Jess earthly good from her wickedness, she did not therefore escape punish- ment. There is a superstitious notion that those people who suffer adversity on earth will be spared further punishment after death. But this notion is utterly without warrant, unless it can be proved that the last farthing is paid, and we can scarcely be bold enough to assert that anything of the kind bas happened to the most unfortu- nate. Further, it is sometimes thought that failure exonerates. The evil deed is not carried out to perfection because the doer of it is hampered by external circumstances. This fact is no mitigation of his guilt. He would have consummated hie wickedness had he been able to do so. Then he is guilty of the full completion of it, for the sin lies in the intention. Lastly, it is perhaps secretly thought that obscurity will hide from judgment. It was not so with Zidon. God sees all. III. Goo 18 CONCERNED WITH WHAT WE REGARD AS SECONDARY IN lllPORTANOE. He even gets glory through his just treatment of such a second-rate place as Zidon. God is too great to need to confine his attention to what is only of primary importance. As this is true of judgrnent, so it is also true of redemption. God does not only get glory through "pestilence and blood." His highest glory is seen in the redemption of the world. This redemption is not only for the great and notable. Second-rate characters are not be11eath the attention of Christ. His salvation is for ell-for the obscure, the neglected, the unfortunate. Ver. 26.-2'Vle home-gathering. It is a relief to tum from repeated threatenings of approaching doom to the voice of gracious promises. We have here a gleam of sun- shine breaking for a moment through the clouds of judgment. As there was light in the land of Goshen while a plague of darkness fell on the rest of Egypt (Exod. x. 23), so now the Jews arc to be blessed when every neighbouring nation lies in ruins. 'l'he home-gathering of the Jews is their great expected blessing, which stands out in strong contrast with the hopeless desolation of the heathen. A wider Christian vision will desire to see in this a type of that great spiritual restoration which is for all the people of God, and for all who are willing to become his people, even though they now belong to lost heathen races. A Jewish prophet predicted this wider and more glorious future (Isa. xix. 25). J. THE FRUIT OF DIVINE REDEMPTION IS A GREAT HOME-GATHERING. Jt was 80 1ihysically with Israel; it is so spiritually with Christians. 1. Sin scatters. It drives men from God, banishes them from their old privileges, breaks up the brotherhood of fellow-men, and destroys the true family spirit. All evil is a solvent of society. 2. Ohrist restores. (1) To God. The first departure was from God. Where the parent is, there is the home. We leave our home in leaving God; in restoration we first come hack to God. The first great result of it is a return of the soul to communion with God. (2) To the home. Israel is restored to Palestine, the land flowing with milk and honey. 'l'he redeemed are now restored to what is better than Caanan even in its palmy days-to the kingdom of heaven brought down to the earth. Here the Christian may eat of the tree of life and drink of the river of water of life. Hore no pricking briare may grow. (3) To Christian fellowship. The home is the abode of the family. By redemption Christ heals enmity, destroys selfishness, inspires sym- pathy, draws and binds souls together. Thie is the earthly blessedness of the Divine recovery. 108 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [011. x:xvm. 1-26,
II. Tms GnEAT HOME-GATHERING IS FOB THE GLOBY OF GoD. God was to be glorified in the punishment of the wicked (ver. 22), But he gains a fresh glory from redemption. When Israel is restored God. "shall be sanctified in them in thu eight of the heathen." The holiness of God will then be made apparent to the world. The restoration of Israel reveals the power and goodness of God, and shows how he cares for and saves the l?eople who acknow~edge_ him .. In a much higher way the redemption of the wo~ld sanct1~es God by revealing his holm_ess. 1. It shows his power over sin. He restrams the wicked, that those who obey his Word may have freedom to do so. 2. It shows his recovering grace, The Jews had sinned and had been banished as a punishment for their wickedness, in which they resembled the heathen. But they :were peni~nt, and, _being _par~oned, they were also rl:8tored. There is. greater glory m redempt10n than m retnbut10n. If God conquers srn, not by destroymg the sinner, but by converting him, God's holiness is most fully glorified. There is nothing on e.1:rth that so sanctifies God, by revealing hiIJ?, in separate, supreme goodness, aa the tnumphs of the gospel. Nebuchadnezzar glorified God, but Cyrus more so. God was glorified in the destruction of J erusa.lem; he was more glorified in the preaching of St. Paul.