So I will cast you out of this land into a land that neither you nor your fathers have known. There you will serve other gods day and night, for I will show you no favor.' Sermons
I. THAT WHICH WAS AT FIRST A FREE CHOICE WILL IN TIME BECOME A COMPULSORY SERVICE. The waywardness and capricious eclecticism of the idolatrous Jews was to be sternly visited upon them. They had toyed and compromised with idols; soon it would be discovered that that dalliance could not be prolonged. 1. Jehovah will not continue to accept a half-hearted service. It was only his forbearance that had suffered it so long. Whilst it might appear possible that Judah would repent, the imperfection of its service was overlooked; but when that imperfection seemed likely to be stereotyped, or when it was increasing with the growth of idolatrous practices, it was no longer to be endured. A mixed worship is dishonoring to God. He refuses to accept half a heart. It is impossible to serve him aright with divided attention and interest. Permission to worship and know him even in part is a privilege which may be withdrawn. The "idolater" would not always be able to walk on the heights of critical spiritual eclecticism. The time would come when what he thought so irksome would be taken away. God would send upon him "strong delusion to believe a lie." And this is rather to be looked upon as a repudiation of Judah by God than as a departure from Jehovah permitted by him to his own hurt. Spiritual power and hallowed circumstance would alike be forfeited, and God would cast off the idolaters. For: 2. Sinful tendency, when let alone, confirms and strengthens itself. Daily contact with the obligations and influence of the Law and the temple was a real benefit to the Israelites. It kept them from settling down utterly into idolatrous habits. That religious observance which is so wearisome to the sinner is his safeguard; it keeps him from complete abandonment to the inner depravity of his nature. He is alarmed, warned, disturbed, whenever he is inclined to more than ordinary license; and even his ordinary lax and sinful life is constantly judged and corrected by the truth which he hears. The Spirit of God continues to plead and wrestle with him, and although he does not wholly yield himself to its influence, he is prevented from wandering quite beyond recall. But let this restraining influence of grace once be withdrawn, the natural impulse to evil, all unchecked, will begin to develop and gradually overmaster the entire nature. This is the explanation of many a life that seems to linger long upon the debatable line between duty and sinful inclination - it is the Spirit of God that has not ceased to strive with it, and not the mere power of the man over his own desires and habits. 3. The circumstances and opportunities of Divine worship, if persistently neglected and abused, will be withdrawn. Palestine under the theocracy was a breathing-space for the spiritual aspirations of man. It was a school of purest affection and the most exalted righteousness. Divine power outside of, and also working within, Israel had defended it against the most tremendous invading forces. Let that power be withdrawn, the possibility of every man worshipping God under his own vine and fig tree would be taken away. The Jews would be overpowered by the laws and customs of the idolatrous nations amongst whom they would be dispersed. How much do we owe to the political, social, and personal influences that make for righteousness around us! How slowly and at what infinite cost have they been acquired! And they depend upon unceasing effort for their support and advancement. Civilization is the product of long, manifold, and harmonious effort and growth. It is a gossamer fabric which a day might destroy. Yet is it but an outwork and coarse expression of religion. The latter is the breath and inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Let that breath be withdrawn, and it ceases to live; and its most characteristic and essential institutions gradually become obsolete and sink into a mockery and a snare. We shall probably never know how much we owe to the mere circumstance of religion that surrounds us. Freedom to worship God, encouragement to obey him, and sustaining power to give effect to our spiritual desires, all result from the favorable position in which we are placed. Let us, therefore, seek to foster the institutions and increase the social and political influence of Christianity in the world. Without its presence amongst men, and the hallowed institutions, customs, and observances that embody its spirit, we should find it infinitely more difficult to serve God with conscientious and honest service. II. THIS SERVICE WILL AFFORD NO REAL SATISFACTION OR PEACE. The exhaustive and absorbing devotion which idolatry entails is not the sign of spontaneous enthusiasm. It arises from the nature of the idols, as senseless, helpless blocks. They, indeed, must cry loudly who would be heard by such gods. In proportion as ritual is more laborious than righteousness, so is idolatry more exacting than true religion. But "the idol is nothing," only the representative of the lusts and ignorance of its worshippers. It is in reality the latter that receive and demand the service. All sin is idolatry in some form or other, and will prove as exacting of the attention and labor of the sinner. Who is not willing to admit that sin is a hard taskmaster? And yet, what are its rewards? The poor soul, hurried and driven by its own overmastering lusts and passions, has no rest, and no solid residuum of comfort is secured; nay, rather a sense of deepening gloom, indefinite, unquenchable craving, and a foreboding of the final wrath of him whom it has insulted and disobeyed. To the victims of wicked habit, etc., as to the devotees of a false religion, the words of Christ are addressed, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden," 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 |
    |