John Wesley

As I watched, the cherubim lifted their wings and rose up from the ground, with the wheels beside them as they went.

“And every one - The glory, the cherubim, the wheels, all stood, respiting execution, and giving opportunity of preventing the approaching misery. The east gate - The last court, the court of the people.”

You have multiplied those you killed in this city and filled its streets with the dead.

“Ye - Many murders have you committed yourselves, and you are accountable to God for all those whom the Chaldeans have slain, seeing you persuaded them, thus obstinately to stand out.”

The city will not be a pot for you, nor will you be the meat within it. I will judge you even to the borders of Israel.

“Judge you - I will do more against you at Riblah, where the captive king had his children, and others with them, first murdered before his eyes, and then his own eyes put out; Riblah is called the border of Israel: for Syria was adjoining…”

Therefore declare that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while…

“Scattered - Dispersed them in many countries which are under the king of Babylon: yet they are dear to me. A little sanctuary - A little one in opposition to that great temple at Jerusalem.”

You are to say, ‘I am a sign to you.’ Just as it happened here, so will it be done to them; they will go into exile as captives.

“I am your sign - My person is the emblem of yours, and my actions of that you shall do. And the like shall be done to you, O inhabitants of Jerusalem. We cannot say concerning our dwelling place, that it is our resting place.”

And at dusk the prince among them will lift his bags to his shoulder and go out. They will dig through the wall to bring him out.

“Shall bear - Disguised, as a servant, in hope to conceal himself, chuses the twilight as the time that would best favour his design. They shall dig - This was fulfilled when they broke down the wall to fly, Jer. xxxix, 4.”

Then tell the people of the land that this is what the Lord GOD says about those living in Jerusalem and in the land of Israel: ‘They will eat their…

“The people - Thy fellow captives. And of the land - Those that dwell in the countries round about Jerusalem. Her land - Jerusalem's land, so called because it was the head city thereof.”

Because they have led My people astray, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and whitewashing any flimsy wall that is built,

“Peace - They told sinners, no harm would happen to them. And those are the most dangerous seducers, who suggest to sinners that which tends to lessen their dread of sin, or their fear of God.”

and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: Woe to the women who sew magic charms on their wrists and make veils for the heads of people…

“Stature - That is, of every age, whether younger or elder, which usually is seen by their stature. To hunt - All this is really spreading a net, as hunters do, to catch the prey.”

so that I may take hold of the hearts of the people of Israel. For because of their idols, they are all estranged from Me.’

“According - According to his desert, I will give answer, but in just judgment. Take - That I may lay open what is in their heart, and discover their hypocrisy, and impiety.”

They will bring you consolation when you see their conduct and actions, and you will know that it was not without cause that I have done all these things within…

“Comfort you - That is, you will be comforted, when you compare their case with your own: when they tell you how righteous God was, in bringing these judgments upon them.”

“Son of man, how does the wood of the vine surpass any other branch among the trees in the forest?

“The vine-tree - Israel is here compared to a vine, which, when fruitless, is utterly unprofitable. This the prophet minds them of to humble them, and awaken them to fruitfulness.”

and tell her that this is what the Lord GOD says to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth were in the land of the Canaanites.

“Jerusalem - The whole race of the Jews. Thy birth - Thy root whence thou didst spring. Thy father - Abraham, before God called him, (as his father and kindred) worshipped strange gods beyond the river, Josh. xxiv, 14.”

Then I passed by and saw you wallowing in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, ‘Live!’ There I said to you, ‘Live!’

“When I passed by - God here speaks after the manner of men. Live - This is such a command as sends forth a power to effect what is commanded; he gave that life: he spake, and it was done.”

Then I bathed you with water, rinsed off your blood, and anointed you with oil.

“Washed - It was a very ancient custom among the eastern people, to purify virgins who were to be espoused. And I anointed - They were anointed that were to be married, as Ruth iii, 3.”

You even took the sons and daughters you bore to Me and sacrificed them as food to idols. Was your prostitution not enough?

“Sacrificed - Not only consecrating them to be priests to dumb idols; but even burning them in sacrifice to Molech. Devoured - Consumed to ashes. Is this - Were thy whoredoms a small matter, that thou hast proceeded to this unnatural cruelty?”

At the head of every street you built your lofty shrines and degraded your beauty. With increasing promiscuity, you spread your legs to all who passed by.

“At every head of the way - Not content with what was done in the city, she built her idol temples in the country, wherever it was likely passengers would come.”

And I will sentence you to the punishment of women who commit adultery and those who shed blood; so I will bring upon you the wrath of your bloodshed and…

“Blood - Thou gavest the blood of thy children to idols in sacrifice; I will give thee thine own blood to drink.”

So I will lay to rest My wrath against you, and My jealousy will turn away from you. Then I will be calm and no longer angry.

“My jealousy - The jealousy whereto you have provoked me, will never cease, 'till these judgments have utterly destroyed you, as the anger of an abused husband ceases in the publick punishment of the adulteress.”

Behold, all who speak in proverbs will quote this proverb about you: ‘Like mother, like daughter.’

“The mother - Old Jerusalem, when the seat of the Jebusites, or the land of Canaan, when full of the idolatrous, bloody, barbarous nations.”

Furthermore, Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have multiplied your abominations beyond theirs, and all the abominations you have committed have made your sisters appear righteous.

“Hast justified - Not made them righteous, but declared them less unrighteous, than thou; of the two they are less faulty.”

But I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.

“Nevertheless - The Lord having denounced a perpetual punishment to the impenitent body of the Jewish nation, doth now promise to the remnant, that they shall be remembered, and obtain covenanted mercy.”

Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your older and younger sisters.

“But not - Not by that old covenant which was violated; nor by external ceremonies, which were a great part of the first covenant, but by that covenant which writes the law in the heart, and puts the fear of God into the inward parts.”

so that when I make atonement for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your disgrace, declares the Lord…

“Because of thy shame - Such a confusion for thy sin will cover thee. Indeed the more we feel of God's love, the more ashamed we are that ever we offended him.”

This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will take a shoot from the lofty top of the cedar, and I will set it out.

“The highest branch - Of the royal seed; of the highest branch that is heir to the throne; namely, the Messiah. An high mountain - Upon Mount Zion. Eminent - Not for outward splendour, but for spiritual advantages.”