Notes from Zechariah 11

God's prophet, who, in the chapters before, was an ambassador sent to promise peace, is here a herald sent to declare war. The Jewish nation shall recover its prosperity, and shall flourish for some time and become considerable; it shall be very happy, at length, in the coming of the long-expected Messiah, in the preaching of his gospel, and in the setting up of his standard there. But, when thereby the chosen remnant among them are effectually called in and united to Christ, the body of the nation, persisting in unbelief, shall be utterly abandoned and given up to ruin, for rejecting Christ; and it is this that is foretold here in this chapter-the Jews rejecting Christ, which was their measure-filling sin, and the wrath which for that sin came upon them to the uttermost. Here is,

I. A prediction of the destruction itself that should come upon the Jewish nation (v. 1-3).
II. The putting of it into the hands of the Messiah.
1. He is charged with the custody of that flock (v. 4-6).
2. He undertakes it, and bears rule in it (v. 7, 8).
3. Finding it perverse, he gives it up (v. 9), breaks his shepherd's staff (v. 10, 11), resents the indignities done him and the contempt put upon him (v. 12, 13), and then breaks his other staff (v. 14).
4. He turns them over into the hands of foolish shepherds, who, instead of preventing, shall complete their ruin, and both the blind leaders and the blind followers shall fall together into the ditch (v. 15-17).
This is foretold to the poor of the flock before it comes to pass, that, when it does come to pass, they may not be offended.

Notes from Zechariah 10

The scope of this chapter is much the same with that of the foregoing chapter-to encourage the Jews that had returned with hopes that though they had been under divine rebukes for their negligence in rebuilding the temple, and were now surrounded with enemies and dangers, yet God would do them good, and make them prosperous at home and victorious abroad. Now,

I. They are here directed to eye the great God in all events that concerned them, and, both in the evils they suffered and in the comforts they desired, to acknowledge his hand (v. 1-4).
II. They are encouraged to expect strength and success from him in all their struggles with the enemies of their church and state, and to hope that the issue would be glorious at last (v. 5-12).

Notes from Zechariah 9

At this chapter begins another sermon, which is continued to the end of ch. 11. It is called, "The burden of the word of the Lord,' for every word of God has weight in it to those who regard it, and will be a heavy weight upon those who do not, a dead weight. Here is,

I. A prophecy against the Jews' unrighteous neighbours-the Syrians, Tyrians, Philistines, and others (v. 1-6), with an intimation of mercy to some of them, in their conversion (v. 7), and a promise of mercy to God's people, in their protection (v. 8).
II. A prophecy of their righteous King, the Messiah, and his coming, with a description of him (v. 9) and of his kingdom, the nature and extent of it (v. 10).
III. An account of the obligation the Jews lay under to Christ for their deliverance out of their captivity in Babylon (v. 11, 12).
IV. A prophecy of the victories and successes God would grant to the Jews over their enemies, as typical of our great deliverance by Christ (v. 13-15).
V. A promise of great plenty, and joy, and honour, which God had in reserve for his people (v. 16, 17), which was written for their encouragement.

Notes from Zechariah 8

We have done with the visions, but not with the revelations of this book; the prophet sees no more such signs as he had seen, but still "the word of the Lord came to him.' In this chapter we have,

I. A case of conscience proposed to the prophet by the children of the captivity concerning fasting, whether they should continue their solemn fasts which they had religiously observed during the seventy years of their captivity (v. 1-3).
II. The answer to this question, which is given in this and the next chapter; and this answer was given not all at once, but by piece-meal, and, it should seem, at several times, for here are four distinct discourses which have all of them reference to this case, each of them prefaced with "the word of the Lord came,' (v. 4-8 and 8:1, 18). The method of them is very observable. In this chapter,
1. The prophet sharply reproves them for the mismanagements of their fasts (v. 4-7).
2. He exhorts them to reform their lives, which would be the best way of fasting, and to take heed of those sins which brought those judgments upon them which they kept these fasts in memory of (v. 8-14).
And then in the next chapter, having searched the wound, he binds it up, and heals it, with gracious assurances of great mercy God had yet in store for them, by which he would turn their fasts into feasts.

Notes from Zechariah 7

We have done with the visions, but not with the revelations of this book; the prophet sees no more such signs as he had seen, but still "the word of the Lord came to him.' In this chapter we have,

I. A case of conscience proposed to the prophet by the children of the captivity concerning fasting, whether they should continue their solemn fasts which they had religiously observed during the seventy years of their captivity (v. 1-3).
II. The answer to this question, which is given in this and the next chapter; and this answer was given not all at once, but by piece-meal, and, it should seem, at several times, for here are four distinct discourses which have all of them reference to this case, each of them prefaced with "the word of the Lord came,' (v. 4-8 and 8:1, 18). The method of them is very observable. In this chapter,
1. The prophet sharply reproves them for the mismanagements of their fasts (v. 4-7).
2. He exhorts them to reform their lives, which would be the best way of fasting, and to take heed of those sins which brought those judgments upon them which they kept these fasts in memory of (v. 8-14).
And then in the next chapter, having searched the wound, he binds it up, and heals it, with gracious assurances of great mercy God had yet in store for them, by which he would turn their fasts into feasts.

Notes from Zechariah 6

The two kingdoms of providence and grace are what we are all very nearly interested in, and therefore are concerned to acquaint ourselves with, all our temporal affairs being in a necessary subjection to divine Providence, and all our spiritual and eternal concerns in a necessary dependence upon divine grace; and these two are represented to us in this chapter-the former by a vision, the latter by a type. Here is,

I. God, as King of nations, ruling the world by the ministry of angels, in the vision of the four chariots (v. 1-8).
II. God, as King of saints, ruling the church by the mediation of Christ, in the figure of Joshua the high priest crowned, the ceremony performed, and then explained concerning Christ (v. 9-15).

Notes from Zechariah 5

Hitherto we have seen visions of peace only, and all the words we have heard have been good words and comfortable words. But the pillar of cloud and fire has a black and dark side towards the Egyptians, as well as a bright and pleasant side towards Israel; so have Zechariah's visions; for God's prophets are not only his ambassadors, to treat of peace with the sons of peace, but heralds, to proclaim war against those that delight in war, and persist in their rebellion. In this chapter we have two visions, by which "the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.' God will do great and kind things for his people, which the faithful sons of Zion shall rejoice in; but "let the sinners in Zion be afraid;' for,

I. God will reckon severely with those particular persons among them that are wicked and profane, and that hated to be reformed in these times of reformation; while God is showing kindness to the body of the nation, and loading that with his blessings, they and their families shall, notwithstanding that, lie under the curse, which the prophet sees in a flying roll (v. 1-4).
II. If the body of the nation hereafter degenerate, and wickedness prevail among them, it shall be carried off and hurried away with a swift destruction, under the pressing weight of divine wrath, represented by a talent of lead upon the mouth of an ephah, carried upon the wing I know not where (v. 5-11)

Notes from Zechariah 4

In this chapter we have another comfortable vision, which, as it was explained to the prophet, had much in it for the encouragement of the people of God in their present straits, which were so great that they thought their case helpless, that their temple could never be rebuilt nor their city replenished; and therefore the scope of the vision is to show that God would, by his own power, perfect the work, though the assistance given to it by its friends were ever so weak, and the resistance given to it by its enemies were ever so strong. Here is,

I. The awakening of the prophet to observe the vision (v. 1).
II. The vision itself, of a candlestick with seven lamps, which were supplied with oil, and kept burning, immediately from two olive-trees that grew by it, one on either side (v. 2, 3).
III. The general encouragement hereby intended to be given to the builders of the temple to go on in that good work, assuring them that it should be brought to perfection at last (v. 4-10).
IV. The particular explication of the vision, for the illustration of these assurances (v. 11-14).

Notes from Zechariah 3

In this chapter we have,

I. Another vision which the prophet saw, not for his own entertainment, but for his satisfaction and the edification of those to whom he was sent (v. 1, 2).
II. A sermon upon it, in the rest of the chapter,
1. By way of explication of the vision, showing it to be a prediction of the replenishing of Jerusalem and of its safety and honour (v. 3-5).
2. By way of application. Here is,
(1.) A use of exhortation to the Jews that were yet in Babylon, pressing them to hasten their return to their own land, (v. 6-9).
(2.) A use of consolation tot hose that were returned, in reference to the many difficulties they had to struggle with (v. 10-12).
(3.) A use of caution to all not to prescribe to God, or limit him, but patiently to wait for him (v. 13).

Notes from Zechraiah 2

In this chapter we have,

I. Another vision which the prophet saw, not for his own entertainment, but for his satisfaction and the edification of those to whom he was sent (v. 1, 2).
II. A sermon upon it, in the rest of the chapter,
1. By way of explication of the vision, showing it to be a prediction of the replenishing of Jerusalem and of its safety and honour (v. 3-5).
2. By way of application. Here is,
(1.) A use of exhortation to the Jews that were yet in Babylon, pressing them to hasten their return to their own land, (v. 6-9).
(2.) A use of consolation tot hose that were returned, in reference to the many difficulties they had to struggle with (v. 10-12).
(3.) A use of caution to all not to prescribe to God, or limit him, but patiently to wait for him (v. 13).

Notes from Zechariah 1

In this chapter, after the introduction (v. 1), we have,

I. An awakening call to a sinful people to repent of their sins and return to God (v. 2-6).
II. Great encouragement given to hope for mercy.
1. By the vision of the horses (v. 7-11).
2. By the prayer of the angel for Jerusalem, and the answer to that prayer (v. 12-17).
3. By the vision of the four carpenters that were employed to cut off the four horns with which Judah and Jerusalem were scattered (v. 18-21).
Zec 1:1-6

Notes from Haggai 2

In this chapter we have three sermons preached by the prophet Haggai for the encouragement of those that are forward to build the temple. In the first he assures the builders that the glory of the house they were now building should, in spiritual respects, though not in outward, exceed that of Solomon's temple, in which he has an eye to the coming of Christ (v. 1-9). In the second he assures them that though their sin, in delaying to build the temple, had retarded the prosperous progress of all their other affairs, yet now that they had set about it in good earnest he would bless them, and give them success (v. 10-19). In the third he assures Zerubbabel that, as a reward of his pious zeal and activity herein, he should be a favourite of Heaven, and one of the ancestors of Messiah the Prince, whose kingdom should be set up on the ruins of all opposing powers (v. 20-23).

Notes from Haggai 1

In this chapter, after the preamble of the prophecy, we have,

I. A reproof of the people of the Jews for their dilatoriness and slothfulness in building the temple, which had provoked God to contend with them by the judgment of famine and scarcity, with an exhortation to them to resume that good work and to prosecute it in good earnest (v. 1-11).
II. The good success of this sermon, appearing in the people's return and close application to that work, wherein the prophet, in God's name, animated and encouraged them, assuring them that God was with them (v. 12-15).

Notes from Zephaniah 3

We now return to Jerusalem, and must again hear what God has to say to her,

I. By way of reproof and threatening, for the abundance of wickedness that was found in her, of which divers instances are given, with the aggravations of them (v. 1-7).
II. By way of promise of mercy and grace, which God had yet in reserve for them. Two general heads of promises here are:-
1. That God would bring in a glorious work of reformation among them, cleanse them from their sins, and bring them home to himself; many promises of this kind here are (v. 8-13).
2. That he would bring about a glorious work of salvation for them, when he had thus prepared them for it (v. 14-20).
Thus the "Redeemer shall come to Zion,' and to clear his own way, shall "turn away ungodliness from Jacob.' These promises were to have their full accomplishment in gospel-times and gospel-graces.

Notes from Zephaniah 2

In this chapter we have,

I. An earnest exhortation to the nation of the Jews to repent and make their peace with God, and so to prevent the judgments threatened before it was too late (v. 1-3), and this inferred from the revelation of God's wrath against them in the foregoing chapter.
II. A denunciation of the judgments of God against several of the neighbouring nations that had assisted, or rejoiced in, the calamity of Israel.
1. The Philistines (v. 4-7).
2. The Moabites and Ammonites (v. 8-11).
3. The Ethiopians and Assyrians (v. 12-15).
All these shall drink of the same cup of trembling that is put into the hands of God's people, as was also foretold by other prophets before and after.

Notes from Zephaniah 1

After the title of the book (v. 1) here is,

I. A threatening of the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem, an utter destruction, by the Chaldeans (v. 2-4).
II. A charge against them for their gross sin, which provoked God to bring that destruction upon them (v. 5, 6); and so he goes on in the rest of the chapter, setting both the judgments before them, that they might prevent them or prepare for them, and the sins that destroy them, that they might judge themselves, and justify God in what was brought upon them.
1. They must hold their peace because they had greatly sinned (v. 7-9). But,
2. They shall howl because the trouble will be great. The day of the Lord is near, and it will be a terrible day (v. 10-18).
Such fair and timely warning as this did God give to the Jews of the approaching captivity; but they hardened their neck, which made their destruction remediless.

Notes from Habakkuk 3

Still the correspondence is kept up between God and his prophet. In the first chapter he spoke to God, then God to him, and then he to God again; in the second chapter God spoke wholly to him by the Spirit of prophecy; now, in this chapter, he speaks wholly to God by the Spirit of prayer, for he would not let the intercourse drop on his side, like a genuine son of Abraham, who "returned not to his place until God had left communing with him.' Gen. 18:33. The prophet's prayer, in this chapter, is in imitation of David's psalms, for it is directed "to the chief musician,' and is set to musical instruments. The prayer is left upon record for the use of the church, and particularly of the Jews in their captivity, while they were waiting for their deliverance, promised by the vision in the foregoing chapter.

I. He earnestly begs of God to relieve and succour his people in affliction, to hasten their deliverance, and to comfort them in the mean time (v. 2).
II. He calls to mind the experiences which the church formerly had of God's glorious and gracious appearances on her behalf, when he brought Israel out of Egypt through the wilderness to Canaan, and there many a time wrought wonderful deliverances for them (v. 3-15).
III. He affects himself with a holy concern for the present troubles of the church, but encourages himself and others to hope that the issue will be comfortable and glorious at last, though all visible means fail (v. 16-19).

Notes from Habakkuk 2

In this chapter,

I. The prophet complains to God of the violence done by the abuse of the sword of justice among his own people and the hardships thereby put upon many good people (v. 1-4).
II. God by him foretels the punishment of that abuse of power by the sword of war, and the desolations which the army of the Chaldeans should make upon them (v. 5-11).
III. Then the prophet complains of that too, and is grieved that the Chaldeans prevail so far (v. 12-17), so that he scarcely knows which is more to be lamented, the sin or the punishment of it, for in both many harmless good people are very great sufferers.
It is well that there is a day of judgment, and a future state, before us, in which it shall be eternally well with all the righteous, and with them only, and ill with all the wicked, and them only; so the present seeming disorders of Providence shall be set to rights, and there will remain no matter of complaint whatsoever

Notes from Habakkuk 1

In this chapter,

I. The prophet complains to God of the violence done by the abuse of the sword of justice among his own people and the hardships thereby put upon many good people (v. 1-4).
II. God by him foretels the punishment of that abuse of power by the sword of war, and the desolations which the army of the Chaldeans should make upon them (v. 5-11).
III. Then the prophet complains of that too, and is grieved that the Chaldeans prevail so far (v. 12-17), so that he scarcely knows which is more to be lamented, the sin or the punishment of it, for in both many harmless good people are very great sufferers.
It is well that there is a day of judgment, and a future state, before us, in which it shall be eternally well with all the righteous, and with them only, and ill with all the wicked, and them only; so the present seeming disorders of Providence shall be set to rights, and there will remain no matter of complaint whatsoever

Notes from Nahum 3

This chapter goes on with the burden of Nineveh, and concludes it.

I. The sins of that great city are charged upon it, murder (v. 1), whoredom and witchcraft (v. 4), and a general extent of wickedness (v. 19).
II. Judgments are here threatened against it, blood for blood (v. 2, 3), and shame for shameful sins (v. 5-7).
III. Instances are given of the like desolations brought upon other places for the like sins (v. 8-11).
IV. The overthrow of all those things which they depended upon, and put confidence in, is foretold (v. 12-19).

Notes from Nahum 2

We now come closer to Nineveh, that great city; she took, not warning by the destruction of her armies and the fall of her king, and therefore may expect, since she persists in her enmity to God, that he will proceed in his controversy with her. Here is foretold,

I. The approach of the enemy that should destroy Nineveh, and the terror of his military preparations (v. 1-5).
II. The taking of the city (v. 6).
III. The captivity of the queen, the flight of the inhabitants, the seizing of all its wealth, and the great consternation it should be in (v. 7-10).
IV. All this is traced up to its true causes-their sinning against God and God's appearing against them (v. 11-13).
All this was fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar, in the first year of his reign, in conjunction with Cyaxares, or Ahasuerus, king of the Medes, conquered Nineveh, and made himself master of the Assyrian monarchy.

Notes from Nahum 1

In this chapter we have,

I. The inscription of the book, (v. 1).
II. A magnificent display of the glory of God, in a mixture of wrath and justice against the wicked, and mercy and grace towards his people, and the discovery of his majesty and power in both (v. 2-8).
III. A particular application of this (as most interpreters think) to the destruction of Sennacherib and the Assyrian army, when they besieged Jerusalem, which was a very memorable and illustrious instance of the power both of God's justice and of his mercy, and spoke abundance of terror to his enemies and encouragement to his faithful servants (v. 9-16).

Notes from Micah 7

In this chapter,

I. The prophet, in the name of the church, sadly laments the woeful decay of religion in the age wherein he lived, and the deluge of impiety and immorality which overwhelmed the nation, which levelled the differences, and bore down the fences, of all that is just and sacred (v. 1-6).
II. The prophet, for the sake of the church, prescribes comforts, which may be of use at such a time, and gives counsel what to do.
1. They must have an eye to God (v. 7).
2. They must courageously bear up against the insolences of the enemy (v. 8-10).
3. They must patiently lie down under the rebukes of their God (v. 9).
4. They must expect no other than that the trouble would continue long, and must endeavour to make the best of it (v. 11-13).
5. They must encourage themselves with God's promises, in answer to the prophet's prayers (v. 14, 15).
6. They must foresee the fall of their enemies, that now triumphed over them (v. 16, 17).
7. They must themselves triumph in the mercy and grace of God, and his faithfulness to his covenant (v. 18-20), and with that comfortable word the prophecy concludes.

Notes from Micah 6

After the precious promises in the two foregoing chapters, relating to the Messiah's kingdom, the prophet is here directed to set the sins of Israel in order before them, for their conviction and humiliation, as necessary to make way for the comfort of gospel-grace. Christ's forerunner was a reprover, and preached repentance, and so prepared his way. Here,

I. God enters an action against his people for their base ingratitude, and the bad returns they had made him for his favours (v. 1-5).
II. He shows the wrong course they should have taken (v. 6-8).
III. He calls upon them to hear the voice of his judgments, and sets the sins in order before them for which he still proceeded in his controversy with them (v. 9), their injustice (v. 10-15), and their idolatry (v. 16), for both which ruin was coming upon them.

Notes from Micah 5

In this chapter we have,

I. A prediction of the troubles and distresses of the Jewish nation (v. 1).
II. A promise of the Messiah, and of his kingdom, to support the people of God in the day of these troubles.
1. Of the birth of the Messiah (v. 2, 3).
2. Of his advancement (v. 4).
3. Of his protection of his people, and his victory over his and their enemies (v. 5, 6).
4. Of the great world by it (v. 7).
5. Of the destruction of the enemies of the church, both those without, that attack it, and those within, that expose it (v. 8-15).

Notes from Micah 4

Comparing this chapter with the close of the foregoing chapter, the comfortable promises here with the terrible threatenings there, we may, with the apostle, "behold the goodness and severity of God,' (Rom. 11:22), towards the Jewish church which fell, severity when Zion was ploughed as a field, but towards the Christian church, which was built upon the ruins of it, goodness, great goodness; for it is here promised,

I. That it shall be advanced and enlarged by the accession of the nations to it (v. 1, 2).
II. That it shall be protected in tranquility and peace (v. 3, 4).
III. That it shall be kept close, and constant, and faithful to God (v. 5).
IV. That under Christ's government, all its grievances shall be redressed (v. 6, 7).
V. That it shall have an ample and flourishing dominion (v. 8).
VI. That its troubles shall be brought to a happy issue at length (v. 9, 10).
VII. That its enemies shall be disquieted, nay, that they shall be destroyed in and by their attempts against it (v. 11-13).

Notes from Micah 3

What the apostle says of another of the prophets is true of this, who was also his contemporary-"Esaias is very bold,' Rom. 10:20. So, in this chapter, Micah is very bold in reproving and threatening the great men that were the ringleaders in sin; and he gives the reason (v. 8) why he was so bold, because he had commission and instruction from God to say what he said, and was carried out in it by a higher spirit and power than his own. Magistracy and ministry are two great ordinances of God, for good to his church, but these were both corrupted and the intentions of them perverted; and upon those that abused them, and so abused the church with them, the prophet is very severe, and justly so.

I. He gives them their lesson severally, reproving and threatening princes (v. 1-4) and false flattering prophets (v. 5-7).
II. He gives them their lesson jointly, putting them together, as acting in conjunction for the ruin of the kingdom, which they should see the ruins of (v. 9-12).

Notes from Micah 2

In this chapter we have,

I. The sins with which the people of Israel are charged-covetousness and oppression, fraudulent and violent practices (v. 1, 2), dealing barbarously, even with women and children, and other harmless people (v. 8, 9). Opposition of God's prophets and silencing them (v. 6, 7), and delighting in false prophets (v. 11).
II. The judgments with which they are threatened for those sins, that they should be humbled, and impoverished (v. 3-5), and banished (v. 10).
III. Gracious promises of comfort, reserved for the good people among them, in the Messiah (v. 12, 13).
And this is the sum and scope of most of the chapters of this and other prophecies.

Notes from Micah 1

In this chapter we have,

I. The title of the book (v. 1) and a preface demanding attention (v. 2).
II. Warning given of desolating judgments hastening upon the kingdoms of Israel and Judah (v. 3, 4), and all for sin (v. 5).
III. The particulars of the destruction specified (v. 6, 7).
IV. The greatness of the destruction illustrated,
1. By the prophet's sorrow for it (v. 8, 9).
2. By the general sorrow that should be for it, in the several places that must expect to share in it (v. 10-16).
These prophecies of Micah might well be called his lamentations.

Notes from Jonah 4

We read, with a great deal of pleasure, in the close of the foregoing chapter, concerning the repentance of Nineveh; but in this chapter we read, with a great deal of uneasiness, concerning the sin of Jonah; and, as there is joy in heaven and earth for the conversion of sinners, so there is grief for the follies and infirmities of saints. In all the book of God we scarcely find a "servant of the Lord' (and such a one we are sure Jonah was, for the scripture calls him so) so very much out of temper as he is here, so very peevish and provoking to God himself. In the first chapter we had him fleeing from the face of God; but here we have him, in effect, flying in the face of God; and, which is more grieving to us, there we had an account of his repentance and return to God; but here, though no doubt he did repent, yet, as in Solomon's case, no account is left us of his recovering himself; but, while we read with wonder of his perverseness, we read with no less wonder of God's tenderness towards him, by which it appeared that he had not cast him off. Here is,

I. Jonah's repining at God's mercy to Nineveh, and the fret he was in about it (v. 1-3).
II. The gentle reproof God gave him for it (v. 4).
III. Jonah's discontent at the withering of the gourd, and his justifying himself in that discontent (v. 5-9).
IV. God's improving it for his conviction, that he ought not to be angry at the sparing of Nineveh (v. 10-11).
Man's badness and God's goodness serve here for a foil to each other, that the former may appear the more exceedingly sinful and the latter the more exceedingly gracious.

Notes from Jonah 3

In this chapter we have,

I. Jonah's mission renewed, and the command a second time given him to go preach at Nineveh (v. 1, 2).
II. Jonah's message to Nineveh faithfully delivered, by which its speedy overthrow was threatened (v. 3, 4).
III. The repentance, humiliation, and reformation of the Ninevites hereupon (v. 5-9).
IV. God's gracious revocation of the sentence passed upon them, and the preventing of the ruin threatened (v. 10).

Notes from Jonah 2

In this chapter we have,

I. A command given to Jonah to preach at Nineveh (v. 1, 2).
II. Jonah's disobedience to that command (v. 3).
III. The pursuit and arrest of him for that disobedience by a storm, in which he was asleep (v. 4-6).
IV. The discovery of him, and his disobedience, to be the cause of the storm (v. 7-10).
V. The casting of him into the sea, for the stilling of the storm (v. 11-16).
VI. The miraculous preservation of his life there in the belly of a fish (v. 17), which was his reservation for further services.

Notes from Jonah 1

In this chapter we have,

I. A command given to Jonah to preach at Nineveh (v. 1, 2).
II. Jonah's disobedience to that command (v. 3).
III. The pursuit and arrest of him for that disobedience by a storm, in which he was asleep (v. 4-6).
IV. The discovery of him, and his disobedience, to be the cause of the storm (v. 7-10).
V. The casting of him into the sea, for the stilling of the storm (v. 11-16).
VI. The miraculous preservation of his life there in the belly of a fish (v. 17), which was his reservation for further services.

Notes from Obadiah 1

This book is wholly concerning Edom, a nation nearly allied and near adjoining to Israel, and yet an enemy to the seed of Jacob, inheriting the enmity of their father Esau to Jacob. Now here we have, after the preface (v. 1).

I. Threatenings against Edom,
1. That their pride should be humbled (v. 2-4).
2. That their wealth should be plundered (v. 5-7).
3. That their wisdom should be infatuated (v. 8, 9).
4. That their spiteful behaviour towards God's Israel should be avenged (v. 10-16).
II. Gracious promises to Israel; that they shall be restored and reformed, and shall be victorious over the Edomites, and become masters of their land and the lands of others of their neighbours (v. 17-20), and that the kingdom of the Messiah shall be set up by the bringing in of the great salvation (v. 21).

Notes fromAmos 9

In this chapter we have,

I. Judgment threatened, which the sinners shall not escape (v. 1-4), which an almighty power shall inflict (v. 5, 6), which the people of Israel have deserved as a sinful people (v. 7, 8); and yet it shall not be the utter ruin of their nation (v. 8), for a remnant of good people shall escape (v. 9). But the wicked ones shall perish (v. 10).
II. Mercy promised, which was to be bestowed in the latter days (v. 11-15), as appears by the application of it to the days of the Messiah, Acts 15:16. And with those comfortable promises, after all the foregoing rebukes and threatenings, the book concludes.

Notes from Amos 8

Sinful times are here attended with sorrowful times, so necessary is the connexion between them; it is threatened here again and again that the laughter shall be turned into mourning.

I. By the vision of "basket of summer-fruit' is signified the hastening on of the ruin threatened (v. 1-3) and that shall change their note.
II. Oppressors are here called to an account for their abusing the poor; and their destruction is foretold, which will set them a mourning (v. 4-10).
III. A famine of the word of God is here made the punishment of a people that go a whoring after other gods (v. 11-14); yet for this, which is the most mournful judgment of all, they are not here brought in mourning.

Notes from Amos 7

In this chapter we have,

I. God contending with Israel, by the judgments brought on their land.

1. They are threatened with less judgments, but are reprieved, and the judgments turned away at the prayer of Amos (v. 1-6).

2. God's patience is at length worn out by their obstinacy, and they are rejected, and sentenced to utter ruin (v. 7-9).

II. Israel contending with God, by the opposition given to his prophet.

1. Amaziah informs against Amos (v. 10, 11) and does what he can to rid the country of him as a public nuisance (v. 12, 13).

2. Amos justifies himself in what he did as a prophet (v. 14, 15) and denounces the judgments of God against Amaziah his prosecutor (v. 16, 17); for, when the contest is between God and man, it is easy to foresee, it is very easy to foretel, who will come off with the worst of it.

Notes from Amos 6

In this chapter we have,

I. A sinful people studying to put a slight upon God's threatenings and to make them appear trivial, confiding in their privileges and pre-eminences above other nations (v. 2, 3), and their power (v. 13), and wholly addicted to their pleasures (v. 4-6).
II. A serious prophet studying to put a weight upon God's threatenings and to make them appear terrible, by setting forth the severity of those judgments that were coming upon these sensualists (v. 7), God's abhorring them, and abandoning them and theirs to death (v. 8-11), and bringing utter desolation upon them, since they would not be wrought upon by the methods he had taken for their conviction (v. 12-14).

Notes from Amos 5

The scope of this chapter is to prosecute the exhortation given to Israel in the close of the foregoing chapter to prepare to meet their God; the prophet here tells them,

I. What preparation they must make; they must "seek the Lord,' and not seek any more to idols (v. 4-8); they must seek good, and love it (v. 14, 15).
II. Why they must make this preparation to meet their God,
1. Because of the present deplorable condition they were in (v. 1-3).
2. Because it was by sin that they were brought into such a condition (v. 7, 10-12).
3. Because it would be their happiness to seek God, and he was ready to be found of them (v. 8, 9, 14).
4. Because he would proceed, in his wrath, to their utter ruin, if they did not seek him (v. 5, 6, 13, 16, 17).
5. Because all their confidences would fail them if they did not seek unto God, and make him their friend.
(1.) Their profane contempt of God's judgments, and setting them at defiance, would not secure them (v. 18-20).
(2.) Their external services in religion, and the shows of devotion, would not avail to turn away the wrath of God (v. 21-24).
(3.) Their having been long in possession of church-privileges, and in a course of holy duties, would not be their protection, while all along they had kept up their idolatrous customs (v. 25-27).
They have therefore no way left them to save themselves, but by repentance and reformation.

Notes from Amos 4

In this chapter,

I. The oppressors in Israel are threatened for their oppression of the poor (v. 1-3).
II. The idolaters in Israel, being joined to idols, are given up to their own heart's lusts (v. 4, 5).
III. All the sins of Israel are aggravated from their incorrigibleness in them, and their refusal to return and reform, notwithstanding the various rebukes of Providence which they had been under (v. 6-11).
IV. They are invited yet at length to humble themselves before God, since it is impossible for them to make their part good against him (v. 12, 13).

Notes from Amos 3

A stupid, senseless, heedless people, are, in this chapter, called upon to take notice,

I. Of the judgments of God denounced against them and the warnings he gave them of those judgments, and to be hereby awakened out of their security (v. 1-8).
II. Of the sins that were found among them, by which God was provoked thus to threaten, thus to punish, that they might justify God in his controversy with them, and, unless they repented and reformed, might expect no other than that God should proceed in his controversy (v. 9-15).

Notes from Amos 2

In this chapter,

I. God, by the prophet, proceeds in a like controversy with Moab as before with other nations (v. 1-3).
II. He shows what quarrel he had with Judah (v. 4, 5).
III. He at length begins his charge against Israel, to which all that goes before is but an introduction. Observe,
1. The sins they are charged with-injustice, oppression, whoredom (v. 6-8).
2. The aggravations of those sins-the temporal and spiritual mercies God had bestowed upon them, for which they had made him such ungrateful returns (v. 9-12).
3. God's complaint of them for their sins (v. 13) and his threatenings of their ruin, and their utter inability to prevent it (v. 14-16).

Notes from Amos 1

In this chapter we have,

I. The general title of this prophecy (v. 1), with the general scope of it (v. 2).
II. God's particular controversy with Syria (v. 3-5), with Palestine (v. 6-8), with Tyre (v. 9, 10), with Edom (v. 11, 12), and with Ammon (v. 13-15), for their cruelty to his people and the many injuries they had done them. This explains God's pleading with the nations, Joel 3:2.

Notes from Joel 3

In the close of the foregoing chapter we had a gracious promise of deliverance in Mount Zion and Jerusalem; now this whole chapter is a comment upon that promise, showing what that deliverance shall be, how it shall be wrought by the destruction of the church's enemies, and how it shall be perfected in the everlasting rest and joy of the church. This was in part accomplished in the deliverance of Jerusalem from the attempt that Sennacherib made upon it in Hezekiah's time, and afterwards in the return of the Jews out of their captivity in Babylon, and other deliverances wrought for the Jewish church between that and Christ's coming. But it has a further reference, to the great redemption wrought out for us by Jesus Christ, and the destruction of our spiritual enemies and all their agents, and will have its full accomplishment in the judgment of the great day. Here is a prediction,

I. Of God's reckoning with the enemies of his people for all the injuries and indignities that they had done them, and returning them upon their own head (v. 1-8).
II. Of God's judging all nations when the measure of their iniquity is full, and appearing publicly, to the everlasting confusion of all impenitent sinners and the everlasting comfort of all his faithful servants (v. 9-17).
III. Of the provision God has made for the refreshment of his people, for their safety and purity, when their enemies shall be made desolate (v. 18-21).
These promises were not of private interpretation only, but were written for our learning, "that we, through patience and comfort of this scripture, might have hope.'

Notes from Joel 2

In this chapter we have,

I. A further description of that terrible desolation which should be made in the land of Judah by the locusts and caterpillars (v. 1-11).
II. A serious call to the people, when they are under this sore judgment, to return and repent, to fast and pray, and to seek unto God for mercy, with directions how to do this aright (v. 12-17).
III. A promise that, upon their repentance, God would remove the judgment, would repair the breaches made upon them by it, and restore unto them plenty of all good things (v. 18-27).
IV. A prediction of the setting up of the kingdom of the Messiah in the world, by the pouring out of the Spirit in the latter days (v. 28-32).
Thus the beginning of this chapter is made terrible with the tokens of God's wrath, but the latter end of it made comfortable with the assurances of his favour, and it is in the way of repentance that this blessed change is made; so that, though it is only the last paragraph of the chapter that points directly at gospel-times, yet the whole may be improved as a type and figure, representing the curses of the law invading men for their sins, and the comforts of the gospel flowing in to them upon their repentance.

Notes from Joel 1

This chapter is the description of a lamentable devastation made of the country of Judah by locusts and caterpillars. Some think that the prophet speaks of it as a thing to come and gives warning of it beforehand, as usually the prophets did of judgments coming. Others think that it was now present, and that his business was to affect the people with it and awaken them by it to repentance.

I. It is spoken of as a judgment which there was no precedent of in former ages (v. 1-7).
II. All sorts of people sharing in the calamity are called upon to lament it (v. 8-13).
III. They are directed to look up to God in their lamentations, and to humble themselves before him (v. 14-20).

Notes from Hosea 14

The strain of this chapter differs from that of the foregoing chapters. Those were generally made up of reproofs for sin and threatenings of wrath; but this is made up of exhortations to repentance and promises of mercy, and with these the prophet closes; for all the foregoing convictions and terrors he had spoken were designed to prepare and make way for these. He wounds that he may heal. The Spirit convinces that he may comfort. This chapter is a lesson for penitents; and some such there were in Israel at this day, bad as things were. We have here,

I. Directions in repenting, what to do and what to say (v. 1-3).
II. Encouragements to repent taken from God's readiness to receive returning sinners (v. 4, 8) and the comforts he has treasured up for them (v. 5-7).
III. A solemn recommendation of these things to our serious thoughts (v. 9).

Notes from Hosea 13

The same strings, though generally unpleasing ones, are harped upon in this chapter that were in those before. People care not to be told either of their sin or of their danger by sin; and yet it is necessary, and for their good, that they should be told of both, nor can they better hear of either than from the word of God and from their faithful ministers, while the sin may be repented of and the danger prevented. Here,

I. The people of Israel are reproved and threatened for their idolatry (v. 1-4).
II. They are reproved and threatened for their wantonness, pride, and luxury, and other abuses of their wealth and prosperity (v. 5-8).
III. The ruin that is coming upon them for these and all their other sins is foretold as very terrible (v. 12, 13, 15, 16).
IV. Those among them that yet retain a respect for their God are here encouraged to hope that he will yet appear for their relief, though their kings and princes, and all their other supports and succours, fail them (v. 9-11, 14).

Notes from Hosea 12

In this chapter we have,

I. A high charge drawn up against both Israel and Judah for their sins, which were the ground of God's controversy with them (v. 1, 2). Particularly the sin of fraud and injustice, which Ephraim is charged with (v. 7), and justifies himself in (v. 8). And the sin of idolatry (v. 11), by which God is provoked to contend with them (v. 14).
II. The aggravations of the sins they are charged with, taken from the honour God put upon their father Jacob (v. 3-5), the advancement of them into a people from low and mean beginnings (v. 12, 13), and the provision he had made them of helps for their souls by the prophets he sent them (v. 10).
III. A call to the unconverted to turn to God (v. 6).
IV. An intimation of mercy that God had in store for them (v. 9).

Notes from Hosea 11

In this chapter we have,

I. The great goodness of God towards his people Israel, and the great things he had done for them (v. 1, 3, 4).
II. Their ungrateful conduct towards him, notwithstanding his favours towards them (v. 2-4, 7, 12).
III. Threatenings of wrath against them for their ingratitude and treachery (v. 5, 6).
IV. Mercy remembered in the midst of wrath (v. 8, 9).
V. Promises of what God would yet do for them (v. 10, 11).
VI. An honourable character given of Judah (v. 12).

Notes from Hosea 10

In this chapter,

• I. The people of Israel are charged with gross corruptions in the worship of God and are threatened with the destruction of their images and altars (v. 1, 2, 5, 6, 8).
• II. They are charged with corruptions in the administration of the civil government and are threatened with the ruin of that (v. 3, 4, 7).
• III. They are charged with imitating the sins of their fathers, and with security in their own sins, and are threatened with smarting humbling judgments (v. 9-11).
• IV. They are earnestly invited to repent and reform, and are threatened with ruin if they did not (v. 12-15).

Notes from Hosea 9

In this chapter,

I. God threatens to deprive this degenerate seed of Israel of all their worldly enjoyments, because by sin they had forfeited their title to them; so that they should have no comfort either in receiving them themselves or in offering them to God (v. 1-5).

II. He dooms them to utter ruin, for their own sins and the sins of their prophets (v. 6-8).

III. He upbraids them with the wickedness of their fathers before them, whose steps they trod in (v. 9, 10).

IV. He threatens them with the destruction of their children and the rooting out of their posterity (v. 11-17).