My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge
This is not to be understood of those who are the Lord's people
by special grace; for they cannot he destroyed, at least with
everlasting destruction; God's love to them, his choice of them,
covenant with them, the redemption of them by Christ, and the
grace of God in them, secure them from such destruction: nor can
they perish through want of knowledge; for though they are by
nature as ignorant as others, yet it is the determinate will of
God to bring them to the knowledge of the truth, in order to
salvation; and that same decree which fixes salvation as the end,
secures the belief of the truth as the means; and the covenant of
grace provides for their knowledge of spiritual things, as well
as other spiritual blessings; in consequence of which their minds
are enlightened by the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, and
they have the knowledge of God and Christ given them, which is
life eternal. But this is to he understood of the people of the
ten tribes of Israel, who were nationally and nominally the
people of God, were so by profession; they called themselves the
people of God; and though they were idolaters, yet they professed
to worship God in their idols; and as yet God's "loammi" had not
taken place upon them; he still sent his prophets among them, to
reprove and reform them, and they were not as yet finally
rejected by him, and cast out of their land. These may be said to
be "destroyed", because they were threatened with destruction,
and it was near at hand, they were just upon the brink of it; and
because of the certainty of it, and this "through the lack of
knowledge": either in the people, who were ignorant of God, his
mind, and will, and worship, and without fear and reverence of
him, which was the cause of all the abominations they ran into,
for which they were threatened with ruin; or in the priests,
whose business it was to teach and instruct the people; but
instead of teaching them true doctrine, and the true, manner of
worship, taught them false doctrine, and led them into
superstition and idolatry; and so they perished through the
default of the priests in performing their office; which sense is
confirmed by what follows: because thou hast rejected
knowledge, I will also reject thee, that
thou shall be no priest to me;
the priests that Jeroboam made were of the lowest of the people,
ignorant and illiterate men, ( 1 Kings
12:31 ) ( 13:33 ) and
they chose to continue such; they rejected with contempt and
abhorrence, as the word signifies, the knowledge of God, and of
all divine things; of the law of God, concerning what was to be
done, or not to be done, by the people; and of all statutes and
ordinances relating to divine worship, and the performance of the
priestly office: and though there might be some of Aaron's line
that continued in the land of Israel, and in their office; yet
these affected the same ignorance, and therefore the Lord
threatens them with a rejection from the priesthood; or, however,
that they should be no priests to him, or in his account, but
should be had in the utmost abhorrence and contempt, The word
here used has a letter in it more than usual F19, which
may signify the utter rejection of them, and the great contempt
they were had in by the Lord; this was to take place, and did, at
the captivity by Shalmaneser. Seeing thou hast forgotten
the law of thy God:
which he had given them, who was their God by profession; and
which they had forgot as if they never had read or learnt it; and
so as not to observe and keep it themselves, nor teach and
instruct others in it: I will also forget thy
children;
have no regard to them, take no notice and care of them, as if
they were never known by him; meaning either the people in
general, their disciples and spiritual children; or else their
natural children, who should be cut off, and not succeed them in
the priesthood. The words are very emphatic, "I will forget them,
even I" F20; which expresses the certainty of
it more fully, as well as more clearly points at the justness of
the retaliation.
F19 (Kaoamaw) ; the last (a) is superfluous; the reason of the word being so written. Ben Melech confesses his ignorance of.
F20 (yna Mg) "etiam ego", Pagninus, Montanus, Zanchius, Cocceius, Rivet, Schmidt.
