Homilist Hosea 6:11 Also, O Judah, he has set an harvest for you, when I returned the captivity of my people. Divine punishment for sin is elsewhere spoken of as a harvest. I. RETRIBUTION IS NATURAL IN ITS SEASON. There are the "appointed weeks of harvest." These weeks come round with an undeviating regularity. Punishment comes to the sinner naturally, so far as the proper time is concerned. In this life the sinner has many harvests. Every transgression is a seed, and the seed sometimes grows rapidly and ripens fast. II. That retribution is natural in its RESULTS. In harvest, the man reaps the kind of seed he has sown, whatever it may be, barley or wheat. Also as a rule the amount; if he has sown sparingly he reaps sparingly, if with abundance he will reap abundantly. He gets what he wrought for. It is just so in the retributive ministry of God. Hence he will never be able to blame either God or His creation for his wretched destiny, he reaps " the fruit of his own doings." III. The retribution is natural in its APPROACH. As soon as the seed is sown and germination begins, it proceeds slowly and silently from day to day, week to week, and month to month, towards maturition, its harvest state. It is just so with sin, it proceeds naturally to work out its results. "Lust, when it is conceived, bringeth forth sin; sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." (Homilist.). Parallel Verses KJV: Also, O Judah, he hath set an harvest for thee, when I returned the captivity of my people.WEB: "Also, Judah, there is a harvest appointed for you, when I restore the fortunes of my people. |
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