or, just as their
national existence had ceased, because they had ceased to be the
covenant-people, so they could again obtain a national existence as the
covenant-people only.

Ver. 37. "_Thus saith the Lord: If the heavens above be measured, and
the foundations of the earth beneath be searched out, I will also cast
off all the seed of Israel, for all that they have done, saith the
Lord._"

It is not without meaning that the Prophet so frequently repeats: Thus
saith the Lord. This formed the [Greek: A] and [Greek: O]; His word was
the _sole_ ground of hope for Israel. Apart from it, despair was as
reasonable, as now it was unreasonable. The measuring of heaven, and
the searching out of the innermost parts of the earth, come here into
consideration as things impossible. The words: "All the seed of
Israel," take from the hypocrites that consolation which they might be
disposed to draw from these promises. It is as much in opposition to
the nature of God that He should permit all the seed of Israel, the
faithful with the unbelievers, to perish, as that He should save all
the seed of Israel, unbelievers as well as believers. The promise, as
well as the threatening, always leaves a remnant. All that the covenant
grants is, that the whole cannot [Pg 448] perish (the discourse is
here, of course, of definite rejection); but it gives no security to
the individual sinner. The words: "For all that they have done," are
added intentionally, because the greatness of the sins of the people
was the _punctum saliens_ in the believers'despair of the mercy of
God. _Calvin_ says: "The Prophet here intentionally brings forward the
sins of the people, in order that we may know that the grace of God is
greater still, and that the multitude of so many wicked men would not
be an obstacle to God's granting pardon."

Ver. 38. "_Behold, days, saith the Lord, and the city is built to the
Lord from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner._ Ver. 39.
_And the measuring line goeth yet farther over against it, over the
hill Gareb_ (the leper), _and turneth towards Goah_ (place of
execution). Ver. 40. _And the whole valley of the carcasses and of the
ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, and from thence
unto the horsegate, towards the East,_ (all this is) _holiness unto the
Lord. No more shall it be destroyed, nor shall it be laid waste for
ever._"

This prophecy embraces two features: _first_, the restoration of the
Kingd