The Harvest of Sin
S. Conway Jeremiah 7:29-8:3 Cut off your hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high places… I. WE READ IN OTHER SCRIPTURES OF "THE JOY OF HARVEST." Such shall be the joy of God's redeemed people when his purposes of grace are fulfilled in and for them. It will be a joy unspeakably glorious. II. BUT HERE WE HAVE PORTRAYED ANOTHER HARVEST - that of sin. Here there is no joy, but bitter lamentation and weeping and woe (Ver. 29). We are shown: 1. The seed from which this harvest springs (Ver. 30) - the doing evil in the sight of the Lord; setting their abominations in his house (Ver. 30). 2. We see its growth - in open and unblushing idolatry; in the debasement of their nature. They had come to sacrifice their own children to their idol-god, to such horrible cruelty had they sunk down. 3. We see its hurry, (1) in death, widespread and terrible (Vers. 32, 33); (2) in the flight of all joy and gladness (Ver. 34); (3) in public and deep degradation (Jeremiah 8:1, 2); (4) in utter despair (Jeremiah 8:3). III. AND THOUGH DIFFERING IN OUTWARD CIRCUMSTANCE, YET IN SUBSTANCE AND REALITY THE SAME HARVEST WILL EVER SPRING FROM THE SAME SEED. 1. All evil-doing is such seed. And sheltering this under the cloak of religion, - this is the same seed. 2. And its growth will be in like manner. Progressive daring in sin; the debasement of our nature. 3. And its harvest will be seen, (1) in widespread spiritual death, and often in terrible death-beds; (2) in the loss of all joy and gladness; (3) in degradation before men; (4) in awful despair. CONCLUSION. Remember, "God is not mocked: whatsoever a man soweth," etc. - C. Parallel Verses KJV: Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the LORD hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath. WEB: Cut off your hair, [Jerusalem], and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on the bare heights; for Yahweh has rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.