Verse 31

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God.

The Apostle in these words winds up his whole argument against the wilful despisers of the Gospel, taken from the nature and aggravations of that sin, with the severity of the punishment that would certainly befall them that are guilty thereof. And these words are, as an inference from them that go immediately before, so they are a recapitulation of all that he had spoken to this purpose. Let men look to it, look to themselves, consider what they do, for it is a fearful thing, &c.

There are three things in the words. (1.) The description given of God with respect to the present case, he is the living God. (2.) The event of their sin with respect to him, it is a falling into his hands. (3.) The nature hereof in general, it is a fearful thing.

1. In what sense God is called the Living God, and with respect to what ends, has been declared on chap. 3:12, chap. 9:14. In brief, this title is ascribed to God principally on two accounts. (1.) By way of opposition to all dead and dumb idols, those whom the Heathen worshipped; and which are graphically described by the Psalmist (Psalms 115:4, 5, 6, 7, 8), as also by the Prophet (Isaiah 44:9, 10, 11, &c.). And this is to impress upon our minds a due sense of his glory, and eternal power, according as we are called to trust in him or to fear him. Life is the foundation of power. He who has life in himself, who is the cause of all life in all other things that are partakers of it, must be the only spring of infinite power. But God is here called the Living God with respect to his eternal power, whereby he is able to avenge the sins of men. Indeed it calls to mind all the other holy properties of his nature, which are suited to impress dread or terror on the minds of presumptuous sinners, whose punishment is from there demonstrated to be unavoidable. He sees, and knows all the evil and malice that is in their sin and the circumstances of it. He is the God that lives and sees (Genesis 16:14). And as he sees, so he judges, because he is the Living God, which also is the ground of holy trust in him (1 Timothy 4:10).

This name of the Living God is full of terror or comfort to the souls of men.

2. The event of the sin spoken against as to its demerit, with respect to God, is called falling into his hands. The assertion is general, but particularly applied to this case by the Apostle. To fall into the hands, is a common expression with reference to any one falling into, and under the power of his enemies.

None can be said to fall into the hands of God, as though they were not before in his power. But to fall into the hands of God absolutely, as it is here intended, is to be obnoxious to the power and judgment of God, when and where there is nothing in God himself, nothing in his Word, promises, laws, institutions that should oblige him to mercy or a mitigation of punishment. So when a man falls into the hands of his enemies, between whom and him there is no law, no love, he can expect nothing but death.

Such is this falling into the hands of the Living God; there is nothing in the Law, nothing in the Gospel, that can be pleaded for the least abatement of punishment. There is no property of God that can be implored; it is the destruction of the sinner alone whereby they will all be glorified.

There is a falling into the hands of God that respects temporal things only, and that's spoken of comparatively. When David knew that an affliction or temporal punishment was unavoidable, he chose rather to fall into the hands of God as to the immediate infliction of it, than to have the wrath of men used as the instruments thereof (2 Samuel 24:17). But this appertains not to our present purpose.

3. Hereof the Apostle affirms in general, that it is [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], a fearful, dreadful thing, that which no heart can conceive, nor tongue express. Men are apt to put off thoughts of it, to have slight thoughts about it; but it is and will be dreadful, terrible, and eternally destructive of every thing that is good, and inflictive of every thing that is evil, or that our nature is capable of.

I. There is an apprehension of the terror of the Lord in the final judgment, which is of great use to the souls of men (2 Corinthians 5:11). It is so to them who are not yet irrecoverably engaged into the effects of it.

II. When there is nothing left of judgment, nothing remains but the expectation of it, its foreapprehension will be filled with dread and terror.

III. The dread of the final judgment where there shall be no mixture of ease, is altogether inexpressible.

IV. That man is lost for ever who has nothing in God that he can appeal to; nothing in the Law or Gospel which he can plead for himself; which is the state of all wilful apostates.

V. Those properties of God which are the principal delight of believers, the chief object of their faith, hope, and trust, are an eternal spring of dread and terror to all impenitent sinners; the Living God.

VI. The glory and honor of the future state of blessedness and misery, are inconceivable either to believers or sinners.

VII. The fear and dread of God in the description of his wrath, ought continually to be on the hearts of all who profess the Gospel.

Herein by this general assertion, the Apostle sums up, and closes his blessed discourse concerning the greatest sin that men can make themselves guilty of, and the greatest punishment that the righteousness of God will inflict on any sinners. Nor is there any reaching of either part of this divine discourse to the utmost. When he treats of this sin and its aggravations, no mind is able to search into, no heart is able truly to apprehend the evil and guilt which he charges it withal. No one can express or declare the least part of the evil which is comprised in every aggravation which he gives us of this sin. And in like manner concerning the punishment of it he plainly intimates, it shall be accompanied with an incomprehensible severity, dread, and terror. This therefore is a passage of holy Writ which is much to be considered, especially in these days wherein we live, wherein men are apt to grow cold and careless in their profession, and to decline gradually from what they had attained to. To be useful in such a season it was first written; and belongs to us no less than to them to whom it was first originally sent. And we live in days wherein the security and contempt of God, the despite of the Lord Christ and his Spirit, are come to the full, so as to justify the truth that we have insisted on.