Judges:2

---

Seeker Overlay ON

* Verse 1-5 - It was the great Angel of the covenant , the Word , the Son of God , who spake with Divine authority as Jehovah , and now called them to account for their disobedience . God sets forth what he had done for Israel , and what he had promised . Those who throw off communion with God , and have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness , know not what they do now , and will have nothing to say for themselves in the day of account shortly . They must expect to suffer for this their folly . Those deceive themselves who expect advantages from friendship with God 's enemies . God often makes men 's sin their punishment ; and thorns and snares are in the way of the froward , who will walk contrary to God . The people wept , crying out against their own folly and ingratitude . They trembled at the word , and not without cause . It is a wonder sinners can ever read the Bible with dry eyes . Had they kept close to God and their duty , no voice but that of singing had been heard in their congregation ; but by their sin and folly they made other work for themselves , and nothing is to be heard but the voice of weeping . The worship of God , in its own nature , is joy , praise , and thanksgiving ; our sins alone render weeping needful . It is pleasing to see men weep for their sins ; but our tears , prayers , and even amendment , cannot atone for sin . * Verse 6-23 - We have a general idea of the course of things in Israel , during the time of the Judges . The nation made themselves as mean and miserable by forsaking God , as they would have been great and happy if they had continued faithful to him . Their punishment answered to the evil they had done . They served the gods of the nations round about them , even the meanest , and God made them serve the princes of the nations round about them , even the meanest . Those who have found God true to his promises , may be sure that he will be as true to his threatenings . He might in justice have abandoned them , but he could not for pity do it . The Lord was with the judges when he raised them up , and so they became saviours . In the days of the greatest distress of the church , there shall be some whom God will find or make fit to help it . The Israelites were not thoroughly reformed ; so mad were they upon their idols , and so obstinately bent to backslide . Thus those who have forsaken the good ways of God , which they have once known and professed , commonly grow most daring and desperate in sin , and have their hearts hardened . Their punishment was , that the Canaanites were spared , and so they were beaten with their own rod . Men cherish and indulge their corrupt appetites and passions ; therefore God justly leaves them to themselves , under the power of their sins , which will be their ruin . God has told us how deceitful and desperately wicked our hearts are , but we are not willing to believe it , until by making bold with temptation we find it true by sad experience . We need to examine how matters stand with ourselves , and to pray without ceasing , that we may be rooted and grounded in love , and that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith . Let us declare war against every sin , and follow after holiness all our days . **** Matthew Henry 's Commentary ****

---