Ver. 37. "_Thus saith the Lord: If the heavens above be measured, and the foundations of the earth beneath be searched out, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel, for all that they have done, saith the Lord._"
It is not without meaning that the Prophet so frequently repeats: Thus saith the Lord. This formed the Α and Ω; His word was the _sole_ ground of hope for Israel. Apart from it, despair was as reasonable, as now it was unreasonable. The measuring of heaven, and the searching out of the innermost parts of the earth, come here into consideration as things impossible. The words: "All the seed of Israel," take from the hypocrites that consolation which they might be disposed to draw from these promises. It is as much in opposition to the nature of God that He should permit all the seed of Israel, the faithful with the unbelievers, to perish, as that He should save all the seed of Israel, unbelievers as well as believers. The promise, as well as the threatening, always leaves a remnant. All that the covenant grants is, that the whole cannot [Pg 448] perish (the discourse is here, of course, of definite rejection); but it gives no security to the individual sinner. The words: "For all that they have done," are added intentionally, because the greatness of the sins of the people was the _punctum saliens_ in the believers' despair of the mercy of God. _Calvin_ says: "The Prophet here intentionally brings forward the sins of the people, in order that we may know that the grace of God is greater still, and that the multitude of so many wicked men would not be an obstacle to God's granting pardon."
Ver. 38. "_Behold, days, saith the Lord, and the city is built to the Lord from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner._ Ver. 39. _And the measuring line goeth yet farther over against it, over the hill Gareb_ (the leper), _and turneth towards Goah_ (place of execution). Ver. 40. _And the whole valley of the carcasses and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, and from thence unto the horsegate, towards the East,_ (all this is) _holiness unto the Lord. No more shall it be destroyed, nor shall it be laid waste for ever._"