Ungrateful men interrogated.
In almost every clause of this paragraph there is some specific allusion, for the elucidation of which the reader will refer to the Exposition. The commentary of Dr. Jameson thereon is very valuable. Our aim is strictly homiletic. The central words around which the preacher's expository thoughts may gather are these—"Do ye thus requite the Lord?" Three main lines of illustration are suggested.
I. HERE IS A REHEARSAL OF THE DIVINE LOVING-KINDNESS AND TENDER MERCIES.
1. There is the mercy of redemption. "Is not he thy Father that hath bought thee?"
2. There is the mercy of Divine choice of Israel as a people. "Hath he not made thee, and established thee?" (see also Deuteronomy 32:7, Deuteronomy 32:8).
3. There is Divine leadership. "He led him about," etc.
4. There is Divine guardianship. "He kept him as the apple of his eye."
5. There is Divine help and training of the most tender kind. A wonderful description is given thereof in Deuteronomy 32:11.
6. There is abundant Divine provision for the wants of the ransomed ones (Deuteronomy 32:13, Deuteronomy 32:14). Each one of these six points may be enlarged upon, as applicable to present gospel blessings and providential mercies.
II. HERE IS A STRANGE RESPONSE TO SUCH ABOUNDINGS OF MERCY, The burden of Moses here is not unlike that of a far later prophet, even Isaiah (see Isaiah 1:2-4). The moan of many of God's prophets has been the same ever since; it is so now. The contrast between God's bounty and man's perversity causes a grief almost too heavy to be borne. Here are at least five complaints.
1. They are corrupt.
2. They are perverse, or false.
3. They are crooked, twisted.
4. They are foolish, not acting as reasonable men.
5. Instead of being like his children, they are a spot upon them—a stain (see Hebrew).
The question may fairly be asked, Who are they of whom similar complaints may be made now?
We reply:
1. Those who profess to be the people of God, and who show no signs whatever that their profession is real.
2. Those of God's children who are but half-hearted in their love and zeal.
3. Those who are ready with lip-service, but are grievously defective in Christian morality.
4. Those who have neither yielded themselves to God nor yet made any profession thereof. Of all such, similar complaints may be made to those here laid against Israel of old.
III. HERE IS A REASONABLE QUESTION. It is, indeed, a reproachful one. And if ever the servants of God now take it up and apply it to the heart and conscience of their hearers, it should be done with the utmost tenderness, even unto tears; remembering, on the one hand, how infinitely greater the mercies of God are now, compared with aught that Moses knew; and also considering themselves, how often they have been as ungrateful Israel of old, and that, if it had not been for almighty grace, would have been ungrateful still. The solemn and sorrowful interrogative—"Do ye thus requite the Lord?"—may be pressed home in a series of cumulative inquiries. It may be asked:
1. Is this the natural return for mercies so great?
2. Do not such love and care demand a holy and grateful life?
3. Can any reason whatever justify so poor a response as God has yet received?
4. Have men no remorse in the review of the contrast between God's mercies and their sin?
5. Should not remorse lead on to repentance?
6. And shall not this penitent life begin now? It is quite certain that, though God is long-suffering, "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance," he will not always allow his mercies to be thus trifled with (see Amos 4:1-13.). But why, why should men compel us to present thus "the terrors of the Lord?" He would rather win by love. Judgment is "his strange work."
God provoked to jealousy by an unfaithful people.
(On the whole subject of "anthropomorphism," which is alleged against the Old Testament representations of the Divine Being, see the Homily on Deuteronomy 32:1-4 of this chapter, and also Homily on Deuteronomy 4:21-24). This paragraph is a continuation of the same theme as that touched on in preceding verses. It not only sets forth the waywardness of the people retrospectively, but also prospectively. In fact, it is more of a prophetic forecast than otherwise. Moses sees the people in the enjoyment of all the blessings of God's providence; he looks onward, and, with the seer's eye, he beholds them in the Promised Land, their wanderings over, and their marches hither and thither exchanged for a settled life in a land of plenty and of delight. There they are prospering abundantly; and if they only used their prosperity aright they would be doubly blessed, even with that blessing which "maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow therewith." But, alas! how different is the picture here drawn! And how precisely did the after-reality answer thereto! There is in these verses a logical order of thought, in the sketch given, first, of Israel's downward course; and then, of the effect of that on the relations between them and their God.
I. HERE IS A GRIEVOUS PICTURE OF SPIRITUAL DEGENERATION IN THE MIDST OF WORLDLY PROSPERITY. There are four steps in the descent.
1. Prosperity generates willfulness, and a resistance to the Divine claims. If men can have their own way entirely, for a while, and secure precisely their own ends, such success, if not sanctified, will but create a self-will and self-assertion stronger than ever. "Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked." The restraints of duty, conscience, God, will be irksome, and will provoke to resistance. Men will "kick against the pricks."
2. Another stage will surely follow on. The irritation which was at first felt will subside, and insensibility will steal over the soul. "Thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick." Stubborn obstinacy without the former stings of conscience. "Past feeling." The terrible symptom of a moral and spiritual paralysis!
3. To this there will follow a third stage. "He forsook God … and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation." Here there sets in a thinking lightly of God altogether, and a forsaking of him. How true is the picture here given to the actual progress of sin in the soul everywhere!
4. To this succeeds not only neglect of God, but the substitution of other gods (Deuteronomy 32:16, Deuteronomy 32:17)! This actually came about (see Jeremiah 2:1-37; specially Jeremiah 2:13). The heart of man must have a supreme object of love; and if God be not enthroned in the heart, some rival will be seated there.
Note—How very little all possible worldly good can do for a man unless there is a process of spiritual renewal and culture going on, which will enable him to sanctify all to the highest purposes! Yea, more. If worldly prosperity is not sanctified to God and by him, it will be as a dead weight upon the spirit. It will engender, first resistance, then deadness, then estrangement, then idolatry! This is the sure and certain effect of an accumulation of worldly good, when its possessor is not led by Divine grace to use it wisely and piously. It is an evil much to be lamented that so many glory in the accumulation of things, while neglecting the culture and education of their souls. Why, even in common life, there are no more awkward, ungainly, and impracticable beings than those who have grown rich while neglecting to educate themselves. They have acquired a prodigious strength of self-will, without the knowledge of self-government. And of all men in the world, they are of the least use to their generation.
II. HERE IS A STRANGE EFFECT OF SUCH DEGENERACY ON THE DIVINE BEING. "They provoked him to jealousy" (see remark in "anthropomorphism," ut supra, and also Homily on Deuteronomy 4:24). Of all the attributes or epithets applied to God, there is no one which endears him to us more than this: "jealousy!" What does it mean?
1. That God has a heart of love.
2. That his love yearns to be reciprocated.
3. That the reciprocation of love for which he yearns is the whole undivided love of our hearts.
4. That if such devoted love is not accorded to him, he feels wronged.
5. That if supreme love is bestowed on any other than God, his holy love is outraged; his pure indignation is "jealousy." And consider how great the wrong is which is thus committed against a gracious God. What would an earthly father think if his children, who lived on his bounty, thought only of eating and drinking, and cared not for him? What if the children thought more of their toys than of their father? Ought he not to be jealous? Would he—could he be a good father, and not be jealous? Surely not. It is easy to apply this in such a case. Christ teaches us to learn of the heavenly Father by means of earthly ones. Consider, moreover,
III. TWO INQUIRIES CANNOT BUT SUGGEST THEMSELVES.
1. How may such evil be guarded against? This question supposes that the evil has not yet been fallen into. "Prevention is better than cure."
2. If we have fallen into such evil, how may we be recovered therefrom?