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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
THE REMEDY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR SEASONS OF GRACE
I. His affectionate lamentation—
The people had hoped to receive succour from Egypt, but the time for murching armies was past away, and they wore left without succour. But I rather think the sense to be, God had given them time for repentance, and had warned them by his prophets, but all in vain. Now therefore they were left to the fury of their invading foes. On account of their impending calamities the prophet was greatly distressed. And is there not similar occasion for lamentation over you? How many warnings from the Lord have you received! How many opportunities for your souls, as favourable as the summer for harvest! Yet in what a state are your souls! as far from salvation as if you had never heard of a Saviour, or had salvation offered to you in his name! If the prophet then wept over the temporal calamities of his people, how much greater reason have I to weep over you! (chap. 9:1.) Were your impending calamities temporal only, they were not worthy of a thought, in comparison of those which are shortly coming upon you — — — If your souls be not sated, no language can express, or imagination conceive, the misery that awaits them.
II. His tender expostulation—
Gilead was famous for balm, which physicians were wont to use for their patients. Under that image the prophet tells them how effectually they might have been recovered, if they had sought help from God. Their destruction therefore was wholly of themselves. And may I not make the same appeal to you? Has not Christ been set before you as the heavenly Physician? Has not the efficacy of his blood to cleanse from sin been pointed out to you? Would not the Lord Jesus have healed your souls, if you had applied to him? — — — Yes, verily it is your own fault that you are not recovered. “Ye will not come to Christ that ye may have life.”
Address—
1. Those who are insensible of their danger—
Your danger is indeed both great and imminent; and I entreat you to delay no longer, what in a short space of time there will be no possibility of effecting— — —
2. Those who after hopeful symptoms of recovery have relapsed—
It were better never to have sought the Lord at all, than to have turned back again to your sins. O bless your God that the summer is not yet quite ended; and cease not to apply to the great Physician, till perfect health is restored to your souls.
3. Those who are in a course of recovery—
Fear not, but that the balm of Gilead will prove sufficient. Live nigh to God in the daily application of that balm to your souls, and you may set all your enemies at defiance. Your sins shall all be healed; and Satan himself, as a vanquished foe, he bruised under your feet.]?
EVERY one acknowledges that it is his duty to trust in God; but we are prone to creature-confidence. Hence we are often left to faint under difficulties from which we might easily have been extricated. Thus the Jews increased their distress by relying on the Egyptians for succour, when, if they would have trusted in God, they might have been delivered. The prophet therefore’s takes up this affectionate lamentation over them:
I. Who are they of whom it may be said “their harvest is past, their summer is ended, and they are not saved?”
In its primary sense this passage is applicable only to the Jews, when they were attacked by the Babylonians; but it may be applied to those who have lost seasons of spiritual relief; The “summer and harvest” may be considered as seasons afforded us by God for providing for the necessities of our souls. Many of these we have suffered to pass unimproved and unnoticed. They therefore may be said to have lost their summer, &c. who have neglected to improve the seasons afforded,
1. By nature—
[Youth is well fitted by nature for the work of conversion. The mind is then more flexible, the passions more governable, and the conscience more tender. But many have lost that favourable season.]
2. By Providence—
[Mercies are sent by God to invite, judgments to alarm. But many who should have been drawn by them to seek after God, have remained impenitent. The sabbath also was instituted by God for the promoting of man’s spiritual welfare. On that day more especially God calls and converts sinners to himself. But many have let those seasons pass, without obtaining the knowledge of salvation.]
3. By grace—
[There are times when all experience the strivings of God’s Spirit. If they improved those seasons, God would “give them more grace.” But many stifle their convictions, and “resist the Holy Ghost.”]
They who are in this predicament would do well to reflect on,
II. The misery of their state—
The distress of the prophet’s mind on account of the calamities that were coming on the Jews is most pathetically expressed. But a view of the miseries impending over those who have lost their seasons of grace might well excite yet more painful apprehensions.
Their seasons lost are irrecoverable—
[Present time is often wasted, as though it were of no value. But many would be glad on a death-bed to recall the seasons in which they had heard the tidings of salvation, or felt the motions of God’s Spirit, Such wishes, however, are all in vain.]
Their seasons lost may never be renewed—
[We are apt to promise ourselves days and years to come [Note: Act_24:25.]. But how often does death disappoint our expectations!]
Every lost season has greatly aggravated their guilt—
[The means of grace are most important and valuable “talents.” The neglecting to improve them will be severely punished [Note: Mat_25:26; Mat_25:30.].]
Every season they have lost has hardened their hearts—
[The word that does not quicken and save will stupify and condemn [Note: Mat_13:14-15. 2Co_2:16.].]
Every lost season has grieved the Holy Spirit more and more—
[God will not alway strive with those who resist his motions [Note: Gen_6:3.]. If he cease to strive with us, our destruction is inevitable [Note: Hos_9:12.].]
How should we compassionate those who are in such a state! How should every one adopt the words following my text [Note: Jer_9:1.]! But their condition is not desperate:
III. The remedy that yet remains for them—
We might be ready to suppose that such persons were incurable; but the animated interrogatories in the text shew the contrary—
[Christ is a “physician” able and willing to save those who come unto him — — — His blood is a “balm” that heals the most deadly wounds [Note: Isa_1:18. 1Jn_1:7.] — — — The true reason that so many die in their sins is, that they will not come to Christ for salvation [Note: Joh_5:40.] — — — Let every one then acknowledge that it is his own fault if he be not saved.]