Holly Bible - KJV with Concise Commentaries by Z Selam - HTML preview
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(g) Jehovah-shammah, "the Lord is present" Ezekiel 48:35. This name signifies Jehovah's abiding presence with His people ; Exodus 33:14,15; 1 Chronicles 16:27,33; Psalms 16:11; 97:5; Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5
5 and every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb
of the field before it grew: for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.
Further notice taken of the production of plants and herbs, because they were made and appointed to be food for man, Ge 2:5, 6. Here observe,
1 The earth did not bring forth its fruits of itself, by any innate virtue of its own but purely by the almighty power of God, which formed every plant and every herb before it grew in the earth. Thus grace in the soul, that plant of renown, grows not of itself in nature's soil, but is the work of God's own hands.
2. Rain also is the gift of God; it came not till the Lord God caused it to rain. If rain be wanted, it is God that withholds it; if rain come plentifully in its season, it is God that sends it; if it come in a distinguishing way, and it is God that causeth it to rain upon one city and not upon another, Am 4:7.
3. Though God, ordinarily, works by means, yet he is not tied to them, but when he pleases he can do his own work without them. As the plants were produced before the sun was made, so they were before there was either rain to water the earth or man to till it. Therefore though we must not tempt God in the neglect of means, yet we must trust God in the want of means.
4. Some way or other God will take care to water the plants that are of his own planting. Though as yet there was no rain, God made a mist equivalent to a shower, and with it watered the whole face of the ground. Thus he chose to fulfil his purpose by the weakest means that the excellency of the power might be of God. Divine grace descends like a mist, or silent dew, and waters the church without noise, De 32:2.