He openeth also their ear to discipline
Or "to correction" F15; to the rod of correction; to hear
the voice of it and him that has appointed it; its reproving
voice for sin, its directing voice to duty, and its commanding
voice to return from iniquity, as in the next clause. Or "to
instruction" F16; God's corrections of his people
being instructions to them, whereby they learn more of their
duty, and of the rich experiences of grace; their faith, hope,
love, and patience, are tried and increased hereby; and more of
the love of God, of his care and faithfulness, of his covenant,
of his gracious presence, and communion with God, what it is; and
even of the doctrines of the everlasting Gospel: sometimes more
is learned by an affliction than by a sermon. Now in order to
hearken hereunto, to the voice of God in an affliction, the ear
must be opened; which is first done in conversion by the mighty
power of God: but sometimes good men fall asleep, and are
inattentive to divine things; and this is one way God takes to
awaken them, to arouse their attention; he speaks to them out of
a whirlwind; he sends some terrible startling affliction, which
fetches them out of their slumber, and so their ears are opened
to hear what he says in it: at the noise of his waterspouts, and
his billows one after another rolling over them, they are
awakened to a sense of their sin and duty, ( Psalms 42:7 ) ;
and commandeth that they return from iniquity;
repent of their sin, turn from it and forsake it: such a strong
voice has an affliction in it, when sanctified and attended with
the spirit and power of God; then it effectually teaches men to
deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, as the word of God, the
Gospel of the grace of God does, when accompanied with the same;
as there is a commanding voice in the one, so there is in the
other; and happy it is when such ends as these are answered by
afflictions.