Then you are to answer them: 'It is because your fathers have forsaken Me, declares the LORD, and followed other gods, and served and worshiped them. They abandoned Me and did not keep My instruction. Sermons
I. AS IT IS IN ITSELF. It is a fearful prospect which is here held out to the unbelieving Jews. They are to experience a complete change of condition. The land of promise, national independence and honor, family purity and happiness, and the institution and ordinances of true religion are to be forfeited. The land to which they are to be exiled is unfamiliar to them - full of strange scenes and customs; a scene of bondage and tyranny. This is but an illustration of the eternal destiny of sinners. Much must necessarily be vague in their conceptions of it, but it will be a greater change from their present circumstances and experiences than can be imagined. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus teaches that there will be a complete reversal of relations and conditions. How impossible for the lost to reconcile themselves to circumstances so different from those to which they have been accustomed! Their nature will be wholly enslaved, and the best service they can render will be exacted for objects unworthy of it and known to be so. Hell, so far as Scripture allusion to it can be understood, is represented as abnormal, unnatural, a state in which the soul shall be filled with fruitless reset, and sink into lower and still lower deeps of degradation and misery. It is depicted as a strange and sunless land, irradiated by no celestial smile and no sunrise of hope. II. AS THE SINNER REGARDS IT. The picture drawn by Jeremiah is vague and yet terribly suggestive. It is so foreign to the experience and expectation of his hearers that they look upon it with incredulity and astonishment. Instead of evoking from them expressions of repentance and fear concerning the way in which they are walking, it provokes questions that exhibit the callous indifference and self-deception of hardened hearts. They cannot conceive of such a fate awaiting them. What have they done? Is it just that their conduct should be so dealt with? If any offence had been committed, surely it was out of all proportion to such a judgment, and so on. Is not this the attitude of the sinner today? The more awful the future predicted for him the more secure he feels in himself now. He fails to trace the definite line of connection between the germ and the fruit of his sin. It is a part of his infatuation to misapprehend the law of the Divine reward and punishment, and even the real outlines and proportions of the Divine character. 1. A destiny in his view so disproportionate to his offence becomes incredible. And just as the Jew could not conceive of the features and characteristics of the life upon which he was to enter when this prophecy should be fulfilled, the transgressor now fails to realize the position he must occupy when circumstance will depend only upon character. Passing consequences may be seen and partly estimated, but the final outcome of it all is, because of its very nature and extent, unreal to him. 2. The future of the sinner is strange and unreal to him, and therefore fails to impress him as it ought. III. AS EXPLAINED BY GOD. This is one of the main purposes of revelation, viz. to connect the present with the future and to interpret their relations. Whilst it is true that every sinner already contains within himself the elements of his future punishment, it is also true that of himself he could not forecast the actual extent or nature of the destiny he is working out. It is necessary, therefore, both for emphasis and enlightenment, to supplement experience with revelation. 1. Their punishment was but the natural development of their sin. The latter was of old date. Their fathers forsook Jehovah, did not keep his Law, and went after other gods. The tendency was inherited by themselves, and in aggravated degree: "Ye have done worse than your fathers." They now paid more attention and honor to idols than to Jehovah, and when this is the case it cannot last long. The veil of decency will be cast aside; the real character will betray itself, and shame will cease. They became more and more "sold under sin." The vices of a false religion weakened their character and made them a ready prey to the ambition and rapacity of their neighbors. The same law is apparent in spiritual destiny. Let the sinner be warned. He may be sure his sin will find him out. 2. It was but right that they should be so punished, as they had added to their ancestral offence an intolerable personal aggravation. The terms of the covenant were flagrantly violated, and they had forfeited the land by their moral unfitness to occupy it. If an earthly country could be so hallowed as not to admit of being occupied by unclean idolaters, how much less possible must it be for confirmed sinners to stand in the presence of God amidst the multitudes of redeemed! Heaven would be bell to such persons. 3. The spiritual condition that was so dealt with presented no ground for consideration. God said, "I will show you no favor." It was a deliberate sin, and there were no signs of repentance. The day of grace, however, was with them whilst the prophet spoke. So is it represented to be with the preaching of the gospel. Whilst God calls to us his mercy still continues. "Now is the accepted time;... now is the day of salvation." But in that day present obstinacy will be the worst condemnation. "I called, and ye refused," etc. - M.
Her sun is gone down while it is yet day. I. HER LIFE WAS LIKE THE SUN IN ITS SHINING.1. Gloriously bright with faith and joy. 2. Blessedly useful in diffusing light. 3. Constantly comforting, by its warmth of love and hope. 4. Christianly generous, always giving. 5. A centre of attraction, in the house, in the class, in the social circle, and in the Church. II. HER DEATH WAS LIKE THE SUN IN ITS SETTING. 1. Gradual 2. Beautiful. 3. Peaceful. 4. To rise again. III. HER SUNSET WAS EARLY IN THE DAY OF LIFE. 1. In the prime and beauty of being. 2. In the midst of work. 3. It seems unnatural, and suggests questions. 4. It is an interposition of God in His providence, doubtless wise and loving. 5. It leads us from the creature to the. Creator. 6. It suggests that we be all ready, always ready. (W. Whale.) 1. Would be unnatural. 2. Would be injurious to all life. 3. Would make us less confident as to the unerring regularity of nature's law. II. IN HISTORY. Many cases in which nations have fallen, not with decrepitude of age, but through early and self-wrought ruin. III. IN INDIVIDUAL LIFE. The young, the immoral, the unprincipled in character generally. Obedience to God gives a long day and beautiful sunset. (W. Whale.) II. THE CHRISTIAN IS SUNNIFIED BY HIS SUN. He is a retainer, as well as a receiver, of its beneficent outflow. All the colours, and all the shades of colours, and every form of animal and vegetable life, are owing to the retention and appropriation of solar rays. The wealth, and beauty, and blessed activity of earth arise in this way. In like manner, the rays of the world's spiritual Sun — the divinely inspired record of the history of incarnate Deity — must be kept and fittingly used if His fruits are to be enjoyed. III. THE CHRISTIAN SUNNIFIES OTHERS. He is a reflector and spreader of the brightness and goodness of his sun. "Ye are the light of the world." The globes which emit light and heat as well as have them, the animals which add usefulness to life, and the flowers which are fragrant besides being beautiful, are highest in the scale of existence and of greatest worth. To those Christians who are active besides being pious, who spread the Gospel in addition to living it, who enrich and bless others as well as seek to be enriched and blessed themselves, are the most like Jesus, the most dear to the Father, the most useful to men, the most honoured in the Church. Their death is a calamity to others, but auspicious to themselves. Apply the subject — 1. To sinners. Get spiritual light and life while you can. 2. To saints. Prize and make good use of your privileges. Diffuse your light. 3. To Christian workers.Be not weary in works of faith and labours of love. The more light you spread, and the more men you illumine, the greater your joy now, the greater your blessedness hereafter. (W. J. Stuart.) Homilist. I. The sun, in setting, DISAPPEARS FROM VIEW. As the great central orb is lost to our part of the world as he sinks beneath the horizon, so man is lost to the view of earth as he descends to the grave. The "places that knew him know him no more."II. The sun in setting OBEYS ITS LAW. "The sun knoweth his going down." Death is a law of nature. It is as natural for the body to die as for the sun to go down. III. The sun in setting is OFTEN GORGEOUS. Often have we seen the monarch of the day ride down in a chariot of glittering gold. Many a man has died under a halo of moral splendour. Like Stephen, they have seen the heavens open, and reflected the celestial rays as they came down. IV. The SETTING SUN WILL RISE AGAIN. So with man in death. He does not go out of existence: he only sinks from view, and sinks to rise again in new splendour. Conclusion — Let us fulfil our mission as the sun does his, move in our little circle in harmony with Divine law, enlightening, vivifying, and beautifying all, and then death need have no terror for us. Our path will be as a "shining light," etc. (Homilist.) Homiletic Monthly. These words are illustrative of death in life's meridian. They remind us of —I. PREMATURE DARKNESS. Sunsetting is the harbinger of night. 1. In nature. We do not expect sunset until eventide. 2. In morals. The departure of moral integrity. This sun should never set. 3. In physical life. Death is sunset to the aged, at night; to the young, at noon. 4. Unexpected darkness is unanticipated sorrow to community, family, individual. II. UNCOMPLETED WORK. "Man goeth forth unto his work." Ordinarily, man has work enough to last all day; when called away prematurely, he leaves part untouched. So in life's aggregation. In life's morning his work is largely preparatory for mightier accomplishments of his post meridian. III. FRUSTRATED DESIGN. Man lives in the future — (1) (2) (3) IV. A SPEEDIER ENJOYMENT OF REST. Darkness suggests night; night suggests repose. As in the physical, so in the soul's life. "Blessed are the dead," etc. "There remaineth therefore," etc. (Homiletic Monthly.) 1. With his greatness and elevation. This greatness and elevation fitly represents the true character of the Christian, contrasted with what he was, with what others are around him. Knowledge makes a man great. Grace of God elevates and lifts up to heaven. "I will set him on high," etc. 2. Natural glory and magnificence. The most glorious of all the heavenly bodies. "The king's daughter," etc. (Psalm 45:13). See this strikingly set forth (2 Corinthians 3:18). 3. As the great diffuser of light and beauty. The Christian is first the recipient of light, and then he is called to shine. "Arise, shine," etc. "So let your light shine," etc. 4. As the chief source of fertility and fruitfulness. Where Christians live there is knowledge, benevolence, happiness, and life. Look at all our institutions of temporal and moral goodness. II. THE SETTING OF THE SUN AS A STRIKING REPRESENTATION OF THE MORALITY OF THE CHRISTIAN. 1. The going down of the sun is a usual and therefore expected event. So sure as he arises we know he will go down. Man is born to die, etc. "I know that Thou wilt bring me to death," etc. "The living know," etc. 2. The period of the going down of the sun is very diversified. Look at the short winter's day and the long summer's day. So in life, — every age is alike mortal, etc. But the text speaks of the sun going down while it is yet day — prematurely. How often is this the case. 3. The going down of the sun is often peculiarly splendid and beautiful. How characteristic of the good man's death! 4. The sun goes down to arise and shine on another horizon. (J. Burn, D. D.) The Jews Make all Ready for the War; and Simon, the Son of Gioras, Falls to Plundering. Degrees of Sin Healing the Centurion's Servant. Jeremiah |
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