i. 2-6. _Hear, O heavens, &c._
God sometimes speaks to man abruptly; when this is done, the truth
expressed demands the most profound attention. In our text the
heavens and the earth are suddenly called to attend to what is about
to be said; God is charging the human race with fearful wrongs; the
matter at issue is between the creature and Creator, child and
Parent. Our attention is called to--
+I. The Fatherhood of God.+ "I have nourished," &c. Divine paternity
is a truth which runs through the whole Bible, here and there shining
out with resplendent lustre, as in our text. The fatherhood of God
was manifested towards Israel--1. In _supply._ As it affected the
Jewish nation this declaration (I have nourished, &c.) pressed with
tremendous force. Their supplies were marked by miracle, at least all
the time they were in the wilderness; and the utterance has weight
to-day. All nature is made to minister to man's necessities. 2. In
_guardianship._ "Brought up children." This should have been
sufficient to strike the ear as a thunderclap, seeing how far they
had strayed from Him. Out of a mean, despised, and enslaved people He
had developed a wealthy, mighty nation; and His guardianship reaches
to all to-day. 3. In _defence._ The early history of these people was
one unbroken chain of Divine interpositions. From the first day Moses
stood before the king, until they were fully established in
Palestine, God's arm was stretched out to defend them. The blood on
the door-post, their sea-path, and the sea-grave of the Egyptians,
together with the hovering cloud in the wilderness, all speak of
strong defence; and still there are evidences of defence in the life
of every man.
+II. The wickedness of man.+ Men are universally the same; as the
father so is the son, as the Jew so is the Gentile; and hence in this
chapter we have a true picture of the whole human family. Let us mark
some of the many features of guilt: 1. _Degeneracy._ God bears with
weaknesses and infirmities, but wilful backsliding He abhors. The
Jews were evil-doers; they went astray from God and all that was
good. It is the wilful sinning of men that now grieves Him.
2. _Insensibility._ Wrong-doing is sure to produce wrong feeling, or,
what is worse, no feeling at all. A sinful life results in a dark
heart. Here is a people more insensible of good bestowed than the
stupid ox or more stupid ass; and there are still persons to be found
less acquainted with the source of their supplies than the dumb,
unconscious brute.[1] 3. _Defiance._ They rebelled against God. Fear
ceased to check them, and hatred led them to bold, defiant deeds. The
day was to them as the night, and oppression and murder were but
small sins to be indulged in. So it is with many to-day; they have no
shame, remorse, or compunction for sin, openly defying the living God.
+III. The purpose of Divine chastisement.+ No true parent finds any
pleasure in chastising his children, and any pain inflicted without
pure motives would be an evil. God corrects--1. _To restrain from
Sin._ This explains much that happened to the Israelites, and also
much that transpires in the history of all men. God sees the danger,
the leaning to wrong, and with Him prevention is better than cure.[2]
2. _To show the consequences of sin._ Men profess to be practical,
and wish to be practically dealt with; hence they say: "Words are not
enough; there must be blows." The transgressor must feel as well as
hear, or he will run mad. God has always taught men that His laws are
more than mere word-rules; there is force in them, and he that breaks
them must suffer. 3. _To bring to Himself._[3] Hence we often hear
Him say, "Why will ye be stricken any more?" Remonstrance always
precedes the lash to show His love and tenderness.--_Charles Jupe._