I. ITS GRIEVOUSNESS. (Vers. 18, 21, Jeremiah 9:1.) Ver. 18, "When I would comfort myself," etc. All hope dies down, is crushed beneath the overwhelming evidence of the hopelessness of his people's condition. Ver. 21: he is as if wounded, his heart is clad in the garb of deepest woe, the black raiment of the mourner. Ch. 9:1: he has exhausted his power of telling forth his deep grief, his eyes refuse to weep more, though his heart be sore pierced, and the troubles of his people are unrelieved. Therefore he desires that he might weep continually. II. ITS GROUNDS. 1. They were still trusting in lying words (ver, 19), reckoning that, because the temple of Jehovah and the throne of David belonged, to them, therefore they should have been secure. Though in distant lands, in actual captivity - for there the prophet contemplates them - they were still imagining that the possession of the temple and David's throne should have been their sure safeguard. It is terrible to see God's judgments coming upon guilty men, but when these judgments themselves seem to fail in teaching the needed lesson, that is a greater sorrow still. 2. The time of redemption was over. (Ver. 20.) The long harvest days, the bright summer weather - symbols of all days of opportunity - these were gone, The days when they might have turned to God and found deliverance, "the wrath of God had arisen against them, and there was no remedy." But what a retrospect is his who has to say as did Post Israel, "The harvest is past," etc.! For: (1) Such seasons remind us of our privileges and obligations. (a) It is a time of fruitfulness, of great privilege, grace, and goodness. God makes man's cup to overflow. Youth and days of gospel privilege. Sundays, sacred services, etc. (b) It should be a time of great activity. The natural harvest and summer-time is so. For: (c) It is a season of such limited duration. (2) But men often let these times pass away unimproved. (a) The world hinders them. (b) Perversion of Scripture truths. (c) Belief that they are well enough as they are. (d) Procrastination. (3) But once gone, the fruits of that summer and that harvest can never be saved. Such facts as these open the floodgates of grief in hearts like that of Jeremiah. 3. He could see no means of restoration or recovery whatsoever (Ver. 22), no balm and no physician anywhere. III. ITS WORD TO ALL WHO SHOULD KNOW OR ARE THE CAUSES OF SUCH GRIEF NOW. 1. Christ's servants should be in sympathy with the prophet's lament. It is because we are so indifferent the world is so. "Si vis me flere flendum est," it is ever saying, but in vain, to the professing Church. Oh for the compassion of Jeremiah and yet more of Christ! If we sowed in tears we should reap in joy. If so we went forth "bearing precious seed, we shall doubtless come again rejoicing, bringing," etc. 2. But you who cause such grief, think you not that if such be the result of anticipating God's judgments upon sin, the enduring of them must be far worse? And that is your part in them. Christ himself assured the weeping women who followed him to Calvary that the woes of them who crucified him would be worse than his own. "If they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" CONCLUSION. Then, instead of causing sorrow to the faithful servants of God by resisting their appeals, yield to them, and so gladden these servants, and the angels of God, and the heart of God, and the Son of God. So you yourself shall "enter into the joy of your Lord." - C.
I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you. There are countries that are desolated by animals; there have been harvests eaten by locusts; there have been vineyards stripped by insects; there is, therefore, no violence in the figure, and there is nothing of the nature of exaggeration. The animals have one keeper. God can make them live where tie likes. The sight of that cockatrice might make a man almost pray. It would turn many a blustering, blatant sinner in the city into a coward if he could but once catch sight of it on the counting house floor; then any prophet would be welcome who could charm the evil thing. But this cockatrice will not be charmed. It will look with proud disdain upon your traps and snares and all your offered flatteries, and all your bribes to its cruel dignity; it has come to do God's judgment work and it will not accept the compromise the sinner proposes. These words are full of sadness, full of horribleness: but we must be horrible before we can be gracious; we must know what the law is before we can know what the Gospel is; we must preach — oh, sad confession, and hurtful to a dainty and irrational sentimentality! — we must preach hell, if haply men may, by the terror of the Lord, be brought to know the meaning of His grace.(J. Parker, D. D.) People Dan, JeremiahPlaces Dan, Gilead, Jerusalem, ZionTopics Beyond, Comfort, Comforter, Faint, Feeble, Grief, Healing, Heart, Myself, Oh, Refreshing, Sadness, Sick, Sorrow, Though, WithinOutline 1. The calamity of the Jews, both dead and alive.4. He upbraids their foolish and shameless impenitency. 13. He shows their grievous judgment; 18. and bewails their desperate estate. Dictionary of Bible Themes Jeremiah 8:18 1205 God, titles of 5017 heart, renewal Library December 8. "Is There no Balm in Gilead; is There no Physician There?" (Jer. viii. 22). "Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there?" (Jer. viii. 22). Divine healing is just divine life. It is the headship of Christ over the body. It is the life of Christ in the frame. It is the union of our members with the very body of Christ and the inflowing life of Christ in our living members. It is as real as His risen and glorified body. It is as reasonable as the fact that He was raised from the dead and is a living man with a true body and a rational soul to-day, at God's right … Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth What have I Done? Who Shall Deliver? "For they that are after the Flesh do Mind," Letter ii (A. D. 1126) to the Monk Adam Backsliding. A Book for Boys and Girls Or, Temporal Things Spritualized. "But Whereunto Shall I Liken this Generation?" The Intercession of Christ Jeremiah Links Jeremiah 8:18 NIVJeremiah 8:18 NLT Jeremiah 8:18 ESV Jeremiah 8:18 NASB Jeremiah 8:18 KJV Jeremiah 8:18 Bible Apps Jeremiah 8:18 Parallel Jeremiah 8:18 Biblia Paralela Jeremiah 8:18 Chinese Bible Jeremiah 8:18 French Bible Jeremiah 8:18 German Bible Jeremiah 8:18 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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