Holly Bible - KJV with Concise Commentaries by Z Selam - HTML preview
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1. That not only the earth is the Lord's, but the fullness thereof, and he is the rightful owner and sovereign disposer, not only of it, but of all its furniture. The earth was emptiness (Ge 1:2), but now, by a word's speaking, it has become full of God's riches, and his they are still--his corn and his wine, his wool and his flax, Ho 2:9. Though the use of them is allowed to us, the property still remains in him, and to his service and honour they must be used.
2. That common providence is a continued creation, and in it our Father worketh hitherto. The earth still remains under the efficacy of this command, to bring forth grass, and herbs, and its annual products; and though, being according to the common course of nature, these are not standing miracles, yet they are standing instances of the unwearied power and unexhausted goodness of the world's great Maker and Master.
3. That though God, ordinarily, makes use of the agency of second causes, according to their nature, yet he neither needs them nor is tied to them; for, though the precious fruits of the earth are usually brought forth by the influences of the sun and moon (De 33:14), yet here we find the earth bearing a great abundance of fruit, probable ripe fruit, before the sun and moon were made.
4. That it is good to provide things necessary before we have occasion to use them: before the beasts and man were made, here were grass and herbs prepared for them. God thus dealt wisely and graciously with man; let not man then be foolish and unwise for himself.
5. That God must have the glory of all the benefit we receive from the products of the earth, either for food or physic. It is he that hears the heavens when they hear the earth, Hos 2:21,22. And if we have, through grace, an interest in him who is the fountain, when the streams are dried up and the fig-tree doth not blossom we may rejoice in him.