Hosea 13:9 O Israel, you have destroyed yourself; but in me is your help. One thing of which the Lord casts the entire blame upon His creatures, and another thing of which He takes the entire glory to Himself. I. MAN HATH TO THANK HIMSELF FOR HIS OWN DESTRUCTION. That man is, by nature, in a destroyed and ruined state is too clear to be denied. Men do indeed try hard to soften down the fact. They strive to put the fairest face they can upon their situation and their prospects. Whatever other charges man is open to, self-hatred surely is not one of them. Yet man is said to be a self-destroyer. Both these things are true — man is a self-lover, and man is a self-destroyer. In proof see this. We have turned our backs on our best friend. We have rushed into the arms of our worst enemy. We have done, with our eyes open, things of which we have been perfectly well aware, that they work the death of the poor soul. And he is of all self-murderers the most determined who, having inflicted the wound, will not let it be bound up. II. SINNERS HAVE TO THANK GOD FOR THE WORK OF THE SALVATION. In this work man has no part or lot. What a humbling truth! Why cannot we help and save ourselves? Because we have reduced ourselves so low. The words of the text mean: I am qualified to help you. There is in Me all the sufficiency your case requires." Nor is it a help up only which the Saviour offers, but a help forward. (A. Roberts, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.WEB: You are destroyed, Israel, because you are against me, against your help. |
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