Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Deuteronomy
Book: Deuteronomy
Chapter: 29
Overview:
Moses calls
Israel's mercies to remembrance.
(1-9) The Divine
wrath
On those who flatter themselves in their wickedness.
(10-21) The ruin of the Jewish nation.
(22-28) Secret things
belong unto
God.
(29)
1-9 Both former mercies, and fresh mercies, should be thought
On By us as motives to obedience. The hearing
Ear, and seeing
Eye, and the understanding
Heart, are the
Gift of
God. All that
have them, have them from him.
God gives not only
Food and
raiment, but wealth and large possessions, to many to whom he
does not give
Grace. Many enjoy the
Gifts, who have not hearts
to perceive the Giver, nor the true design and use of the
Gifts.
We are bound, in gratitude and interest, as
Well as in duty and
faithfulness, to keep the words of the
Covenant.
10-21 The national
Covenant made with
Israel, not only typified
the
Covenant of
Grace made with true believers, but also
represented the outward
Dispensation of the
Gospel. Those who
have been enabled to consent to the
Lord's new
Covenant of
Mercy
and
Grace in
Jesus Christ, and to give up themselves to be his
people, should embrace every opportunity of renewing their open
profession of relation to him, and their obligation to him, as
the
God of
Salvation, walking according thereto. The sinner is
described as one whose
Heart turns away from his
God; there the
mischief begins, in the evil
Heart of unbelief, which inclines
men to depart from the living
God to dead idols. Even to this
Sin men are now tempted, when drawn aside
By their own lusts and
fancies. Such men are roots that
Bear Gall and
Wormwood. They
are weeds which, if let alone, overspread the whole
Field.
Satan
may for a time disguise this
Bitter morsel,
So that thou shalt
not have the natural taste of it, but at the last
Day, if not
before, the true taste shall be discerned. Notice the sinner's
security in
Sin. Though he hears the words of the
Curse, yet
even then he thinks himself safe from the wrath of
God. There is
scarcely a threatening in all the
Book of
God more dreadful than
this. Oh that presumptuous sinners would read it, and tremble!
for it is a real declaration of the wrath of
God, against
ungodliness and unrighteousness of
Man.
22-28 Idolatry would be the ruin of their nation. It is
No new
thing for
God to bring desolating judgments
On a people near to
him in profession. He never does this without good reason. It
concerns us to seek for the reason, that we may give
Glory to
God, and take warning to ourselves. Thus the
Law of
Moses leaves
sinners under the
Curse, and rooted out of the
Lord's land; but
the
Grace of
Christ toward penitent, believing sinners, plants
them again in their land; and they shall
No more be pulled up,
being kept
By the power of
God.
29 Moses ends his
Prophecy of the Jews' rejection, just as St.
Paul ends his discourse
On the same subject, when it began to be
fulfilled, Ro 11:33. We are forbidden curiously to inquire
into the secret counsels of
God, and to determine concerning
them. But we are directed and encouraged, diligently to seek
into that which
God has made known. He has kept back nothing
that is profitable for us, but only that of which it is good for
us to be ignorant. The
End of all Divine
Revelation is, not to
furnish curious subjects of speculation and discourse, but that
we may do all the words of this
Law, and be blessed in our deed.
This, the
Bible plainly reveals; further than this,
Man cannot
profitably go.
By this
Light he may live and die comfortably,
and be happy for ever.