2 Chronicles 36:15

2Ch 36:15 And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:

Ver. 15. Rising up betimes, and sending.] Manicando et mittendo, instar boni patris familias, saith A Lapide: like a good householder, who is up with the first, giving directions, and ordering the affairs of his family.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ch_36:15-17

And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by is me messengers, rising up betimes.

Presumptuous rebellion

I. We see here continued rebellion, which suggests--

1. That habits are easily commenced. There is little difficulty in forming habits. They are not acquired by one mighty bound, but by a series of almost imperceptible steps.

2. That habits are readily strengthened. Every step that is taken is planted with firmer grip. With every ripple that flows the stream becomes wider and swifter, fed as it were with other streamlets on the way. Every time an action is repeated the easier it becomes, and the more deeply rooted in the soul.

3. That habits are seldom eradicated. Can the Ethiopian change his skin? Yea, easier than a man unassisted by Divine help can break away from evil habits. They become part of the nature of the man himself.

II. We see the presumption of continued rebellion. We are constantly reminded of the fact that God is merciful. But there is a limit to the mercy and forbearance even of God. This is evident--

1. From the fact that it is impossible always to continue His warning and judgments on the impenitent. If the obstinacy of one person cannot be overcome it were unjust on that account to remove the chance of salvation from others.

2. From the inevitable progress of temporal affairs. Death comes on with his rapid step and cuts short the life and with it the opportunities of repentance from the obdurate spirit. Then the door of mercy must be shut for ever.

3. From the very nature of the refusal. Is it likely that He, the Lord of all, will continue offering heavenly treasures to human swine who only trample His gifts in the mire? Oh, it is a sad and an awful truth that man may presume too far even on infinite love!

III. We see the awful end of presumptuous sin. The consequences are at the last utter destruction and irretrievable loss. This stands to reason if we remember--

1. That God must vindicate His character.

2. That an example must be set to the world at large.

3. That the sinful must be removed out of the way. (Homilist.)

Unheeded warning

The island of Ischia was a favourite summer resort of Italians. In 1883 the sinking of water in wells, mutterings and rumblings underground, distinctly foretold a coming earthquake; these signs were noticed and understood, but through fear of frightening visitors, and so losing custom, hotel-keepers and others refrained from making public these warnings. Ruin and death ensued, involving those who knew and heeded not, and those who, through lack of warning, had unwittingly exposed themselves to peril.

Till there was no remedy.

No remedy

These words contain three facts of great importance.

1. That there was, at least at one time, a remedy.

2. That the remedy went on, and might have been used, for a very long period.

3. That there came a time when the remedy ceased.

I. All life is a remedy. The conditions of things require it. Life a great restorative process.

1. Comes that marvellous provision of God in Jesus Christ.

2. All providences have a curative character.

3. Every one carries within himself an antidote to evil. Conscience, till silenced, a sure antidote to evil.

II. Notice the word till. It shows how slow God is to take away the remedy. We may sin ourselves into a state, not in which there is no forgiveness, but no thought or desire to seek forgiveness. No remedy, not on Gods account, but your own; not in Gods want of will to save you, but in your own incapacity to will your own salvation. (J. Vaughan, M.A.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

IV. THE CAPTIVITY AND THE EPILOGUE

CHAPTER 36:15-23

1. The captivity (2Ch 36:15-21)

2. The epilogue (2Ch 36:22-23)

In infinite patience the Lord still waited for the return of His people. Judgment is His strange work, but He delighteth in mercy. He sent them messengers who exhorted them and brought the messages of God, because He had compassion. But they mocked the messengers, despised God’s gracious offers and misused His prophets, till there was no remedy. An awful statement. Apostasy and defiance of God increased to such an extent, till there was no remedy. The threatening clouds of judgment broke at last and the people were carried away into the captivity. “To fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths, for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath to fulfill three-score and ten years.” And this age too is, with its rejection of God’s best, approaching a day when there will be no remedy and the judgment will fall.

The epilogue takes us after the seventy year captivity. Cyrus had been named by Isaiah almost two hundred years before he was born (Isa 44:28). God accomplished His purpose through this Persian king. We shall follow his history in Ezra and his work and what it foreshadows in Isaiah.

Arno C. Gaebelein, The Annotated Bible (1913–1922) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

By this phrase the Scripture meaneth, oftentimes, and diligently, as Jer. 11:7 and 25:3 and 26:5 and 32:33.

Hebrew, by the hand of his.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(15) Rising up betimes and sending.—i.e., constantly and earnestly. Jer_25:3-4 : “The Lord hath sent all his servants, the prophets, rising early and sending them” (comp. also Jer_26:5; Jer_29:19; Jer_35:14-15).

He had compassion on.—He spared, was forbearing with.

Dwelling place.—Mâcôn (2Ch_30:27; Psa_26:8; comp. Jer_25:6).

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15. rising up betimes, and sending] R.V. rising up early and sending; cp. Jer_26:5.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words,.... Which was the treatment Jeremiah and Ezekiel frequently met with:

and misused his prophets; imprisoned them, as Micaiah and Jeremiah were:

until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people; which burned like fire in his breast, and broke out to the consumption of them:

till there was no remedy; or healing of them; there was no reclaiming or recovering of them, no bringing them to repentance, and no pardon for them.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Early. Prot. "betimes, and sending: because," &c. H. --- Like a good master, God (T.) sent his servants to work at day-break, (H.) omitting nothing to induce them to return to him, that he might not be forced to punish them with severity. C.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Rising up betimes, and sending, i.e. sending them early and diligently, as a careful householder who riseth betimes about his business, and pursues it till night come. God sent them many prophets and messages, some at the very beginning of their apostacy, and others afterward, as they proceeded in their impiety, until the very day of their captivity.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

His messengers. The chief of these were presumably Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel. The marginal references (Jer_25:3-7 Jer_35:12-15) are very interesting, both for this verse and the following.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Rising - Sending them early and diligently, as a careful house- holder, who rises betimes about his business. God sent them many prophets and messages, some at the very beginning of their apostacy, and others afterward, 'till the very day of their captivity.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

again and again

"many times"

the place where he lives

This refers to the temple.

the wrath of Yahweh arose against his people

Here the word "arose" refers to beginning an action. Yahweh punishing his people in his anger is spoken of as if his wrath were a person who acted against them. AT: "in his wrath, Yahweh began to punish his people" (See: Metaphor)

there was no help for it

This idiom means that nobody could do anything to prevent what happened. AT: "there was no way to avoid it" (See: Idiom)

translationWords

Yahweh

send

word

messenger

people of God

life

mock

prophet

wrath

raise

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

And the Lord...sent upon them All this is an acknowledgment of divine justice, so that you should not say that He did not forewarn them to repent of their evil ways, as it is written: “grasped forever His anger and kept His fury forever (Amos 1:12).” Therefore, it is stated: “And the Lord God of their forefathers sent upon them through His messengers,” and forewarned them to repent of their evil, and not once a year or a month, but every day, “sending them with every fresh morn.”

for He had pity on His people and did not desire their death.

and on His abode on the abode of the Temple, for even a flesh and blood king has pity on his people and on his abode, not to destroy them.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.