The Scattering of Counsel and the Pouring Out of Dishonor

The phrase 'I gave them a kingdom in my wrath' is used. Because things apart from God's judgment are hollow, He himself says, lamenting, 'They reigned and not through me; they began and did not make known to me' (Ps 2:2), through which, in wrath, such people are again released, the opportunity for reconciliation being provided again for a time.

For a throne is often taken to mean a kingdom, even if it is used instead of a teaching office, as is clear from 'The Lord King is established forever' (Ps 145:13), and again: 'Your throne, O God, is unto the ages of ages' (Ps 45:6), and even more: 'A throne of authority is prepared with righteousness' (Ps 89:14). But it is also said to the disciples: 'You also shall sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel' (Matt 19:28). When it is said, 'The scribes sat upon the seat of Moses' (Luke 13:31), this seat is one of teaching. And he girded their loins with a belt. Unless he himself lives, the one being girded has no strength; therefore, it is God who is He and who governs all these things by His own providence. And the matter of the belt signifies as 'And rulers shall hold the earth through me.'

He sends them as captives. If he speaks of those not using the matter correctly, it shows that He spares not even them when the time calls. But if he means those using it according to what is necessary, God also sends even these many times, like those concerning Daniel and Jesus the son of Josadak, into captivity for the sake of the usefulness of another multitude; for how great was the thing they were doing, they were not worthy to undergo captivity. Consider, however, the greatness of them, that even having become captives and being in Babylon, they remained unshaken.

And if, then, we see the saints being sent into this life, let us reckon that it was not for their own sake, but they underwent this for the benefit of others. The apostle, alluding to this, writes: 'This attitude was among you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider being equal to God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave' (Phil 2:6-7). He destroyed the powerful ones of the earth. For it is by the judgment of this God that these also undergo destruction, just as Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar. And God destroyed the arch-evil devil; for it is said: 'But the angels who do not obey...'

He scatters the lips of the faithful. Some think that certain words are faithful and unanswerable, and God scatters these. Without fail, it is said concerning Ahithophel, the counselor of King Israel, who was previously a counselor to David and later to Absalom; for it was said of him that the counsel of Ahithophel was like the counsel of God, and this was being circulated about him as being unsearchable in his counsels. Without fail, David, to whom the unmanifest and the hidden things of wisdom were revealed, praying to God said, 'Scatter the counsel of Ahithophel' (2 Sam 15:31), and so it happened. He recognized the understanding of the elders.

And he recognized the understanding of the elders who have instead of many opinions prudence and the unceasing life instead of old age; for it was worthy of his knowledge. It is appropriate to hear 'recognized' in the sense of understanding; for he also recognizes the foolish and their counsels. But it is clear how he, recognizing those things—speaking of the elders according to Abraham—accepts them. Pouring out dishonor upon rulers, but humbling the lowly. For of him who 'appoints and removes' (1 Sam 2:7), it means to grant honors in the appointing, and to pour out dishonor in the removing; and to 'pour out' signifies doing this abundantly; for many times we have observed this, as in 'the love of God is poured out in our hearts' (Rom 5:5), instead of 'has been greatly given' according to what is said; 'a myrrh emptied out is your name,' which became 'a wonder in all the earth' (Ps 72:15) according to the Psalmist, before this sending out the fragrance only to Judah, and later reaching all, as it is said, 'You have magnified your holy name over all.' But it also serves as a demonstration of the grace being abundantly given, 'I will pour out from my spirit upon all flesh' (Joel 2:28). Therefore he says that there will be a pouring out of dishonor upon rulers according to justice, of those being humbled by God; for he himself makes the honored dishonorable, the poor rich, and the weak strong, according to him who 'raises the poor from the earth and lifts the needy from the ash heap' (1 Sam 2:8). But if you take the lowly according to opinion and choice, he humbled them by 'making them into highness.'