i. 9. _Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt
more and more._
That sin should not go unpunished is a law of our own hearts, and it
is a law of God. Punishment is intended to be remedial;[1] but
remedies that are intended to cure sometimes irritate, and God's
remedies may act in two ways--they may make a man better, or they may
make him worse.[2] There are those who "kick against the pricks," and
as the result of afflictions which their own sins have brought upon
them, become desperate. Chastisement is then of no further use, and
like a father weary of correcting the child who has proved
irreformable, God may say, "Why should," &c. (Hos. iv. 17). Terrible
meaning, then, may lurk in these words: they may speak of that state
in the sinner's career when his moral malady has become incurable,
when the Good Physician feels that His severest and most searching
remedies are of no avail, when God withholds His hand, and says, "He
that is filthy, let him be filthy still."[3] So some here understood
these words.
But a more gracious meaning may be contained in them; they may be the
first note of that tender Divine invitation which is fully expressed
in ver. 18. For mark, God begins here to reason with men,--bids them
look at themselves, their situation, the fatal folly of sinning when
sin brings its own sure punishment. What need of these disasters?
Note: the first aim of the Gospel is to make the sinner understand
that sin and its torments are alike of his own seeking; repentance
cannot come until he feels this.
These words may then be regarded as implying--+I. That there is no
inherent necessity that sinners should continue to be stricken.+
1. There is no reason _in the nature of God_ (Ezek. xviii. 23). God
is love. Love may ordain laws for the general security and safety,
the breaking of which may be attended with terrible consequences; but
yet God has no delight when these consequences overwhelm the
transgressor. He pities even while He punishes, and is on the outlook
for the very first beginnings of penitence, that He may stay His
hand.[4] 2. There is no reason _in the nature of man._ As man is not
impelled by any inherent necessity to sin, but in every sin acts by
deliberate choice, so neither is he compelled to repeat his
transgressions. Even when he has done wrong, his consciousness
testifies that he might have done right, and it is precisely on this
account that his conscience condemns him! +II. That a way of avoiding
the merited punishment is open.+ We know what that way is. The
prophet saw it afar off, and rejoiced (ver. 18; ch. liii. 5, 6). "Why
should ye be stricken any more," when Christ has been stricken for
you? The way of reconciliation is open: avail yourselves of it with
patience, with thankful joy!--But if men despise the offered grace,
let them know that when the doom from which they _would not_ be
delivered comes crashing down upon them, they will neither have nor
merit any pity. Even the Angel of Mercy will answer them, "Ye have
destroyed yourselves!"--_W. Baxendale._