Charles Spurgeon Commentary Isaiah 43:24

"Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices; but thou hast burdened me with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities." — Isaiah 43:24 (ASV)

Neither have you filled me with the fat of your sacrifices: but

Oh, this "but-but"!

You have bought me no sweet cane with money, neither have you filled me with the fat of your sacrifices: but —

Alas! Instead of good, there has been evil.

You have bought me no sweet cane with money, neither have you filled me with the fat of your sacrifices:

"I left you to give or not to give, that your free will might be seen in all your deeds of love, but nothing has come of it. On the contrary."

Neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.

These are the people whom God had loved so long and so well, those upon whom he had set his unchanging affection; yet they acted thus shamefully. What will follow upon such conduct as this?

Their swift destruction? No. Listen to the Lord's gracious message—

Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money,

No calamus or incense that should sweeten the temple of God.

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You have made me to serve with your sins,

What! Made God our servant, when we ought to have served him? Sadly, I fear it is often so even with some of his own people.

You have wearied me with your iniquities.

Oh, sirs, how sad it is when God's people are weary of him and he is weary of them! What will we read after this? Surely the next sentence will be a thunder-clap, and a lightning flash will blaze out of the sacred page! Listen, and be amazed at the mercy of the Lord.

But thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.

This is a solemn charge, which God lays against his people. Now see the next verse and read it with wondering eyes.

You have brought me no sweet cane with money, –

"No calamus has sent forth its perfume from my altar," –

Thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.

Oh, what a terrible verse this is about a people whom God had formed for himself, and who will yet show forth his praise! Alas! this is how they sometimes are still: indifferent, ungrateful, presenting him no tokens of love; but, on the contrary, disobedient, grieving him, and vexing his Holy Spirit. What will he do with them now? "Cut them off, and reject them," says one. Yes, that is how men would do; but that is not what God will do.

Listen.