Isaiah 49:15-16 Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yes, they may forget… Our subject is the superiority of an "utter" over an almost" impossibility. I. ALMOST AN IMPOSSIBILITY. If it is not an impossibility for a woman to forget her sucking child, it is certainly next door to one, and the Lord could not have obtained any higher earthly illustration of His tenderness and love. In order to show it you will see the Lord has pressed into His service a variety of words, all serving to increase the beauty of the simile. 1. "Woman." God who made the heart of woman as well as man, knows that there is a tenderness in her disposition exceeding that of man's, and therefore He chooses the highest type to illustrate His sympathy. 2. It is not merely the tenderness of the woman, but the tenderness of the woman who is a "mother." God not only employs the highest type, but the highest specimen of that type. Mother! What associations of loving tenderness are in the very name. The word touches a secret spring in the heart, and conjures back scenes of the past. It brings to view in the dim distance a sweet face that used to bend over our little cot at eventide, and impress a kiss upon our brow. It reminds of one who used to smile when we were happy, and weep when obliged to correct us. It calls to remembrance one who always seemed interested in our little tales of adventure, and never laughed at our little sorrows that seemed to us so large. It was her face we gazed last upon when we went away to school, and it was into her arms we first rushed when the holidays brought us home. It was thought of her that kept us in the house of business, and held us back from sin with unseen silken cords; and when those dark locks of hers became silvered with advancing age, we only thought an extra charm had crowned her brow. You forget not the love that was strong as death, and escaped from her dying lips in words you treasure to this day. Her name has still a magic power. There is one feature in a mother's love that must be mentioned, as it constitutes the chiefest beauty of the type. Her love is not love drawn forth by prosperity or dispelled by adversity. She loves her son not because of what he has, but because of what he is. 3. There is yet one other delicate touch in the picture which gives to it the perfection of beauty. The tenderness described is not only that of a woman, or even that of a mother, but of a mother towards her "sucking child." This crowns the description, and should drive away the last remnant of unbelief. I can imagine a mother sometimes forgetting her grownup son, who has long since attained the age of manhood, and is himself the head of a family. I can believe that the daughter, married into some other family and well provided for, is not always in the thoughts of her mother, but it is almost impossible to conceive the sucking child for a moment forgotten Its very life is dependent on the mother's thoughtfulness, and its utter helplessness becomes its security. Yea, she could not forget it even if she desired; nature itself would become a sharp reminder, and her own pain would plead her infant's cause. Behold, how God has strengthened His illustration by every possible means. Then comes the question, "Can she forget?" There is s moment's pause, and the answer is heard, "She may." Mothers may forget their sucking children, either literally, or by acting as if they did. II. AN UTTER IMPOSSIBILITY. The true magnitude of an object can only be understood by comparison, and it is by contrast the mind grasps the reality. "God only knows the love of God." Its height and depth, its length and breadth defy all measurement. "They may forget." "Yet," and it is this word that shoots aloft beyond all human sight, "will I not forget thee." 1. His nature forbids it. "God is love." Not "loving," poor mortal can be that, but love itself. 2. His promises forbid it. 3. The travail of the Redeemer's soul is alone sufficient argument, that they for whom it was endured shall be remembered. 4. His honour renders it an utter impossibility. (A. G. Brown.) Parallel Verses KJV: Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. |
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