Ezekiel 34:25-26 And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land… I. ALL TEMPORAL AND SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS, LIKE SHOWERS, DESCEND FROM ABOVE. 1. "Showers" am abundant. The great Creator does not give the rain stingily, but opens the windows of heaven, and pears down His blessings upon the dry and thirsty land. So spiritual blessings come upon the thirsty and longing hearts of men. 2. "Showers" are repeated and continued; for season after season descend the early and the latter rain, and by repeated showers the earth brings forth and buds, and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater. So in the history of the Church, and of every individual believing soul, there has been given grace for grace, that there might be progress from strength to strength in the journey Zionward. 3. "Showers" are gratuitous; they come down freely from the clouds, without money and without price. We could not purchase them, for the silver and the gold belong to God, as well as the cattle upon a thousand hills. So all spiritual blessings are free; indeed, they are priceless, as well as peerless. 4. "Showers" are suitable; as they fall upon the earth they make it soft, and drop fatness into the soil, and become the occasion of beauty and bountifulness. So the blessings that crown our lives are suitable to our needs and adapted to minister to our well-being and joy. Especially is this true of spiritual blessings. 5. "Showers" are gentle. How softly, as a rule, they fall, feeding the roots of the mightiest trees, and yet not wounding the leaves or blossoms of the tiniest flowers. How gently our temporal blessings come to us, how softly the light streams over the earth to gladden our eyes, and how gently the tide of health flows into our system, to make us strong and fit for our ever-recurring toils of life. And the blessings that refresh our spirits and revive our faith, they fall gently upon us while we pray and praise, and nestle upon our hearts while we engage in Christian work and worship. II. TEMPORAL AND SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS, LIKE SHOWERS, REQUIRE THE COOPERATION OF MAN; OR THE DESIGN WITH WHICH THEY DESCEND FROM ABOVE WILL BE FRUSTRATED. We must cooperate with Providence in the temporal blessings sent us, or they will not answer the end designed. The human and the Divine must work hand in hand. This is equally true of the Church and of individual souls. God sends down "showers of blessing," but there must be preparation for them and cooperation with them; then the wilderness and solitary place shall be glad, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. Showers come when the land is thirsty, and when the vapours from the earth have ascended and formed themselves into thick clouds; and "showers of blessing" will come upon us when our hearts are thirsty, and cry out for the living God; when our prayer-like clouds of incense have ascended to Heaven for the downcoming of the Holy Ghost. (F. W. Brown.) Parallel Verses KJV: And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. |
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