lden
calf. It is self-evident, and is confirmed by 2 Kings xiii. 6, xvii. 16
(in the latter of which passages the worship of Baal appears as a
continuous sin in the kingdom of the ten tribes), that the destruction
of the heathenish worship by Jehu was not absolute. But so much is
certain, that by the mention of Baal, the sin is here designated only
with reference to its highest point, and that, in substance, the
service of the calves is here included. In 1 Kings xiv. 9, it is shown
that the sin of worshipping Jehovah under the image of calves is on a
par with real idolatry; and in 2 Chron. xi. 15, the calves are put on a
footing with the goat-deities of Egypt.

Ver. 11. "_Therefore I return, and take My corn in its time, and My
must in its season, and take away My wool and My flax to cover her
nakedness._"

[Hebrew: lkN] stands here with great emphasis. It points to the eternal
law of God's government of the world, according to which He is
sanctified _upon_ them, _in_ whom He has not been sanctified; and this
so much the more, the closer was His relation to them, and the greater
were His gifts. From him who is not thereby moved, they will be taken
away; and nothing but his natural poverty and nakedness is left to him
who was formerly so richly endowed. And well is it with him if they be
taken from him at a time when he is able still to recognise the giver
in Him who taketh away, and may yet deeply repent of his
unthankfulness, and return to Him, as is said of Israel in iii. 5. If
such be done, it is seen that the ungrateful one has not yet become an
object of divine justice alone, but that divine mercy is still in store
for him. The longer God allows His [Pg 244] gifts to remain with the
ungrateful, the darker are their prospects for the future. That which
He gave in mercy, He, in such a case, allows to remain only in anger.
The words [Hebrew: awvb vlqHti] are commonly explained by expositors,
"I shall take again," inasmuch as two verbs are frequently found
together which, in their connection, are independent of each other--the
one indicating only an accessory idea of the action. But this mode of
expression occurs in general far more rarely than is commonly assumed;
and here the explanation, "I will return and take," is to be preferred
without any hesitation. Scripture says, that God appears even when He
manifests Himself only in the effects of His omnipotence, justice, and
love,--a mode of expression which is explain