Verse 8
VER. 8.
The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel shall be destroyed: the Thorn and the Thistle shall come up upon their Altars.
I confess from these words to the end of the Eleventh Verse, there appears at the first reading, much obscurity; yet they are like to a Mine, that the out-side of it is barren, but dig within, and you shall find rich Treasure.
Israel, the ten Tribes did confide in two things, and so strengthened themselves against what the Prophet could say against them; the first was in the power of their King, now that's gone, that's as foam, says God, never confide there in the power of the King, and think that will bear you out, for he shall be as foam.
But the second was their Sacrifices that they offered, and their Devotion, their Religion, they were a religious people, and they were very costly in their Devotion, they confided much in that: Well for the second, says the Lord, The high places of Aven, the sin of Israel shall be destroyed, the Thorn and the Thistle shall come up on their Altars. Though they were never so pompous in their eyes, yet they are the high places of Aven; they were called before Beth-aven [the house of Vanity,] now it is called Aven, [vanity itself:] That place was no other than Bethel, whose name signified the house of God, where one of the Calves was set up; Now the name of this place did a great deal of hurt among the people; Oh! to go up to Bethel, the house of God; therefore God would take away that name, and calls it Beth-aven first, and then calls it Aven, that is, instead of calling it the house of God, I will have it called the house of vanity, yes, vanity itself. Aven signifies vanity, yes iniquity itself; from where note, that God stands much upon taking people off from specious and glorious names, that are put upon any things that are made use of in ways of false worship, he stands much upon it. For, whereas before he had changed it from Bethel to Beth-aven, he changes it now from Beth-aven to Aven; God would obliterate the name of Bethel, and would make it to be accounted by the people to be nothing but iniquity and vanity. As for The high places, we have spoken to formerly.