The judgment of God is either directive, corrective, or destructive. This last is meant here. It is spoken of the judgment of utter ruin and desolation upon whom the former judgment has not taken due effect. In the count of the Holy Ghost in Scripture, a man knows no more than he believes, and is affected with, and makes use of: they knew not, they considered not, believed not, were not affected with, neither did they make use of it, either the judgment itself, nor the time of the judgment, either to fear it, or to fly from it: so that they were more unwise for themselves, and for their temporal and eternal safety, than the unreasonable creatures; they knew not the judgment of the Lord.
I. There is unto a sinful nation a set and appointed time of judgment.
1. There is a time of sinning, a set and an appointed time.
(1) A fulness of sin, appointed by God that it shall have its period (Gen_15:16; Zec_5:6).
(2) A measure of wrath, which every vessel of wrath shall treasure up (Rom_2:4-5).
2. There is a time of patience, when the Lord holds His peace and reproves not (Psa_50:21; Psa_50:23). There is a time of repentance, when God defers the judgment after sinning, on purpose that man may return and come in (Rev_2:21).
3. The times of patience and repentance have their periods; indeed these times are not of the same length to all: to some God shows but a little patience, and to others a great deal, riches of patience and forbearance. But the longest day hath its evening.
4. When the time of patience is expired, there is then a time for judgment, a day of recompense, a year of vengeance, a time for the expending of those treasures of wrath that have been so long laying in; because there was by sinning a time of treasuring: and so there shall also come a time of spending (Rom_2:4-5); a time for the wall that is swelled out to hang, but there will come a time also when it will fall (Isa_30:13).
5. When this time doth come, the Lord will forbear a people no longer: this determinating of judgment in the time of it is exceedingly set before us in the Word, and that under divers expressions.
(1) The Lord doth express it by a full and a peremptory resolution that He will do it (Eze_21:27).
(2) It is called a decree, or the bringing forth the decree (Zep_2:2). Decrees are acts of authority. They are established and firm.
(3) It is called swearing in His wrath (Psa_9:11).
(4) Those means that usually prevail with God, and turn away threatened judgment, prevail nothing in the time of judgment. Repentance, prayer, fasting, intercession of the godly. When once the set time for judgment is come, the Lord will forbear a people no longer.
II. This time of judgment may and most be known. Otherwise they could not be blamed. What, then, are the signs preceding judgment?
1. A fulness of sin (Joe_3:16; Jer_1:11-12). An almond tree hath the first ripe fruit of any tree, and it notes the hastening of them to ripen their sins; and the Lord saith, as they did hasten their sins to a ripeness, so He would hasten to ripen His judgments, so that this is a certain sign foregoing judgment. But when is sin full? When is it ripe in a nation?
(1) When a people seeks to make void the law.
(2) Corrupting the worship of God by human inventions.
(3) Confederacy with idolaters.
(4) Abusing the messengers of God.
(5) Not laying to heart the afflictions of our brethren.
2. The beginnings of judgment are an evident token that the time of judgment draws near (Luk_2:30-31). By a lesser judgment God makes way for His anger, for a perfect and an utter ruin (Psa_78:50).
(1) All nations about them were against them (Jer_12:9).
(2) The general corruption and decay of truth and wisdom of men in places of greatest trust (Isa_1:22).
(3) The subversion of fundamental laws (Psa_82:5).
(4) Private and intestine divisions.
Use--
1. Not to know the time is misery enough; therefore men are taken suddenly and unawares (Ecc_9:12).
2. That you may know the time to improve this promise (Ecc_8:5).
3. A wise man foresees the evil, and hides himself, but fools pass on and are punished (Pro_22:3).
(1) By a work of humiliation (Hab_3:16).
(2) A work of reformation (Zep_2:3).
(3) Improve all the promises.
(4) Be much in prayer.
(5) Betake thyself to the mediation of Christ. (W. Strong.)
Seek safety before the storm comes
Merchants take care to insure their goods before the ship clears the dock. It would be useless, when the news of a terrible sea storm came, to run to the office, and then expect to make all safe and right. O living but dying man, at once, today, prepare for the coming storm. (E. Foster.)
