But am I the One they are provoking? declares the LORD. Is it not themselves they spite, to their own shame? Sermons
I. THE RESULTS OF SIN ON OTHERS ARE TERRIBLE. 1. What may not be their deadly influence upon those with whom the sinner comes in contact? How hereditary, how contagious, how virulent, the poison of sin! As no man liveth unto himself, so also "no man dieth unto himself." If he die by reason of his sin, he ever drags down others into the same doom. 2. And their results Godward. It is said they "provoke him to anger;" "God is angry with the wicked every day;" "God is slow to anger, and of great mercy." But still sin is "the abominable thing that he hates." He will not tolerate it in his children, and hence, however severe the measures necessary to separate it and them, those measures will be taken. "Our God is a consuming fire." But - II. THE RECOIL OF SIN ON THE SINNER HIMSELF IS TERRIBLE ALSO. It is described in the text. 1. It provokes him to anger. It is not alone the Lord whose anger is aroused, but the sinner's anger also is provoked. As he looks back on the folly, the utter madness, of what he has done, how completely he has been deceived, what rage of remorse fills his soul! How he flogs himself with the lashings of his own self-upbraiding! What epithets of anger and contempt does he heap upon his own head! He is filled with the fruit of his own ways. And another of these bitter fruits is: 2. Confusion of face. He is ashamed, abashed, confounded, because of his sin. He is so (1) before his own conscience, He cannot bear to think of himself. From the companionship of his own thoughts he flees as from a haunting ghost. Like a sheeted specter conscience seems to be pointing at him with its dread finger, its stony eyes ever glaring upon him, so that, turn which way he will, he cannot escape their gaze. He is ashamed of himself, covered with confusion of face before his own conscience. Oh, miserable, miserable wretch that he is! (2) Before God. He cannot pray. He shuns the throne of grace. His iniquities have so "taken hold of him" that he cannot "look up." All joy, all confidence, all hope in God, have fled. He feels himself an outcast from the Divine presence; he would feel the eye of God upon him if he knelt down to pray, and that he cannot bear. (3) Before man. He cannot forever conceal his sin and folly, and even when it is as yet undiscovered, he is conscious of this "confusion of face "in the presence of others. And when at length the sin is discovered, oh, what agony of shame and remorse then! Death is chosen rather than life, and men rush to the suicide's grave as to a positive relief. "Anywhere, anywhere out of the world," which has become aware of their sin! Oh, this awful recoil of sin! "I believe that if the mental sufferings of such backsliders could be written and faithfully published, they would astound you, and be a more horrible story to read than all the torments of the Inquisition. What racks a man is stretched upon who has been unfaithful to his covenant with God! What fires have burned within the souls of those men who have been untrue to Christ and his cause! What dungeons, what grim and dark prisons underground, have saints of God lain in who have gone aside into by-path meadows instead of keeping to the King's highway! He who sins must smart, especially if he be a child of God, for the Lord hath said of his people, 'You only have I known of all the people of the earth, therefore I will punish you for your iniquities.' Whoever may go unchastised, a child of God never shall" (Spurgeon). III. THE ALONE CURE FOR THIS CONFUSION OF FACE IS THE CONTRITE CONFESSION OF THAT WHICH HAS CAUSED IT. God's word is passed that such confession shall avail; but let not him who has gone back from God think that the return will be as easy as the departure. It will not. David was never the same after his sin as he was before. Oh, it is dreadful to think of this recoil of sin, and how it staggers and wounds and weakens the soul for the whole life long. We slide back, gliding easily as over smooth ice. Not so do we return. Still, let the return be ever so difficult, the Lord bids us return, and he will heal all our backslidings. Oh, let us all go straight away to the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, for fear we should be backsliders; for there is the surest standing-ground, there our footsteps never slip! And if we have thus sinned, and sin's recoil is now terribly felt by us, then still go to the same cross; for our only hope of healing is there, and there alone. "Come, let us to the Lord our God 1. Righteousness. Teaches us to do justice. 2. Peace — to love and pursue it. 3. Joy. God makes all happy who come into His kingdom. II. GOD EXPECTS US ALL TO WORK TO SET UP THIS KINGDOM. Christ came to set it up; ministers preach and labour for it; missionaries go to heathen; all God's people aid. III. CHILDREN CAN DO SOMETHING TO SET UP THIS KINGDOM. 1. You can pray; that God would make you willing subjects of this kingdom. 2. You can talk; speak to others about Jesus, pardon, God, heaven. 3. You can work; give to missionary society, etc. IV. CHILDREN ARE ALWAYS HAPPY WHEN TRYING TO SET UP THIS KINGDOM. Why? Because make others happy. Angels are happy, because employed making others happy. God is happy, for He blesses every one. And, when we act like God, we ourselves are happy. V. GOD WILL NEVER FORGET THE LABOURS OF LITTLE CHILDREN FOR HIM. When children wanted to come to Jesus, He noticed their disposition, and said, "Never prevent a child from coming to Me"; then took in arms and blessed. When they sang in temple He noticed their song, and said, "Hearest thou what these say?" God loves,everything done by children, because it is a proof of their obedience and love. (J. Sherman) Lay Preacher. "Queen of Heaven," i.e., Ashtaroth, or the Moon. The Israelites fell into this idolatry in the time of the Judges. Solomon was carried away by it. Josiah suppressed it. We may learn a useful lesson from these young idolaters.I. THEY WISHED TO BE USEFUL IN RELIGION. II. THEY DID WHAT THEY COULD. III. WHAT THEY DID WAS OF SERVICE. What can you do? For example, in — 1. Money. 2. Word. 3. Effort. 4. Prayer. IV. GOD DOES NOT DESPISE CHILDREN'S WORK. This fact is one which should be seriously pondered by children, parents, teachers. (Lay Preacher.) Eccentric Preachers. It is said that Matthew Wilks, one of the founders of the London Missionary Society, chose this text when he preached the anniversary sermon; and in those days when trite and commonplace remarks from the pulpit were considered orthodox, and anything that was a little fresh and novel was looked upon with suspicion, every eye in the large assembly expressed astonishment at the preacher's selection. He had not proceeded far, however, when the feeling of astonishment gave way to pure delight, when all seemed convinced that the text, though uncommon, was by no means inappropriate. I have not seen the sermon; I only know that he dealt with it in the following manner. He said, I will contrast your objects with those of the worshippers of the queen of heaven. I will compare your ardour with theirs. I will muster your agents. And it was this part of the subject, in which he referred to the agents, namely, men, women, and children, which gave rise to the system of auxiliary institutions which now pervade the whole country, and combine in its support young and old, rich and poor.(Eccentric Preachers.) To make cakes to the queen of heaven. (A talk with Children): — The people who lived in Jerusalem at this time, alas! worshipped the sun, and called it Baal, also the moon, and called it Ashtoreth, — just as our ancestors did at one time in this country, calling the day upon which they worshipped the sun Sunday, and the day upon which they worshipped the moon Monday. In Jerusalem, at the time referred to in our text, the people used to offer cakes to the moon. These cakes were always made round to resemble the moon. This offering was considered to be a very important one, and all wanted to have a share in making the cakes and presenting them. Now the first thing that had to be done was to get plenty of firewood. You cannot make a cake without fire, and you cannot get fire without fuel. Thus I think I can hear a Jewish mother say, "Now, my children, I want you to get some good firewood for tomorrow — wood that will burn brightly; I am going to make some cakes for the queen of heaven, and — who knows? — perhaps there may be a few tit-bits left!" Off the children go. That's just the work they like; they can stoop easily, or jump over the hedge or fence, and tear their clothes without having much scolding, as they are gathering wood for their mother. Little Hannah gathers her apron full, and Dan or Benjamin as much as he can carry in his arms, and they return home full of glee. They have done their part. But the following morning the fire had to be kindled. It required strong arms to kindle a fire by rubbing two pieces of wood vigorously together. The fathers could do that best; for they had muscular arms, and they gladly did their part. Then there was need of clean and gentle hands to knead the dough, and there were none who could do that as well as the mothers, aunts, and the elder sisters. It was their turn now, and the children would look earnestly on and wonder whether the dough would go far enough to make the necessary number of cakes for the "queen of heaven," or the moon, and one or two over. They little knew that the mother or sister had put in an extra handful of meal for that purpose. Then there was the baking and the consumption of the odd cake or two by the little wood gatherers. But beyond all this, there was a great pleasure reserved for them all — the privilege of presenting to the moon the cakes in the making of which they had all had a part, and which were as round and as perfect as a woman's hand could make them. Children have their part to do still. Often, as in this case, the work begins with children. They cannot do much; they cannot kindle a fire, or make a cake or a loaf; but they can gather wood, supply the fuel, and others will kindle the fire and provide an offering fit for the altar of God. You cannot as yet, at least, go forth to distant lands as missionaries and Zenana workers, and take the bread of life — not as a gift to God, but as a gift from God — to the heathen; but you can enable others who are older than you to do all this. You can contribute your pence to the missionary society, etc.(D. Davies.) People Ben, JeremiahPlaces Egypt, Jerusalem, Shiloh, Topheth, Valley of Hinnom, Valley of Slaughter, ZionTopics Affirmation, Anger, Confusion, Declares, Face, Faces, Harming, Moving, Provoke, Provoking, Rather, Says, Shame, Spite, Themselves, WrathOutline 1. Jeremiah is sent to call to true repentance, to prevent the Jews' captivity.8. He rejects their vain confidence, 12. by the example of Shiloh. 17. He threatens them for their idolatry. 21. He rejects the sacrifices of the disobedient. 29. He exhorts to mourn for their abominations in Tophet; 32. and the judgments for the same. Dictionary of Bible Themes Jeremiah 7:17-19Library An Earnest Warning About LukewarmnessI should judge that the church at Laodicea was once in a very fervent and healthy condition. Paul wrote a letter to it which did not claim inspiration, and therefore its loss does not render the Scriptures incomplete, for Paul may have written scores of other letters besides. Paul also mentions the church at Laodicea in his letter to the church at Colosse; he was, therefore, well acquainted with it, and as he does not utter a word of censure with regard to it, we may infer that the church was at … Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 20: 1874 The Sinner Stripped of his Vain Pleas. The Life of Mr. Hugh Binning. The Valley of Hinnom. The Knowledge that God Is, Combined with the Knowledge that He is to be Worshipped. The Everlasting Covenant of the Spirit Whether a Vow Should Always be About a Better Good? Appendix iv. An Abstract of Jewish History from the Reign of Alexander the Great to the Accession of Herod Obedience Christian Worship, Some General Uses from this Useful Truth, that Christ is the Truth. First Ministry in Judæa --John's Second Testimony. Barren Fig-Tree. Temple Cleansed. Concerning the Ministry. The Scriptures Reveal Eternal Life through Jesus Christ "To what Purpose is the Multitude of Your Sacrifices unto Me? Saith the Lord," "All Our Righteousnesses are as Filthy Rags, and we all do Fade as a Leaf, and Our Iniquities, Like the Wind, have Taken us Away. " Covenanting a Duty. Motives to Holy Mourning Letter ii (A. D. 1126) to the Monk Adam Jeremiah Links Jeremiah 7:19 NIVJeremiah 7:19 NLT Jeremiah 7:19 ESV Jeremiah 7:19 NASB Jeremiah 7:19 KJV Jeremiah 7:19 Bible Apps Jeremiah 7:19 Parallel Jeremiah 7:19 Biblia Paralela Jeremiah 7:19 Chinese Bible Jeremiah 7:19 French Bible Jeremiah 7:19 German Bible Jeremiah 7:19 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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