xvii. 5-7. _And it shall be as when the harvestman, &c._
God's visitations of judgment are the subject of the prophet's
burdens (ver. 1). So the text. Adversities and sorrows set in.
Blessings gone, except a few. "Two or three berries," &c.
+I. The various illustrations of the text.+ 1. _In the adverse
changes of life._ Many who were rich and prosperous are now poor. All
gone, except two or three berries. Some so through their own folly,
&c.; others by the allotment of Providence, sickness, &c. (H. E. I.,
4403-4406, 4975-4986). 2. _In the failure of bodily health and
vigour._ Once strong and robust, &c.; now left but a few berries, &c.
3. _In the bereavements of kindred and friends._ Once a crowd of
them--parents, brothers, sisters, children--but they have gone, one
after another. 4. _In the powers and capacities for useful activity._
Once active, useful, but now frailty and weakness have superseded.
This is distressing to the sensitive, &c. Pushed aside by another
generation. 5. It will apply to _times and seasons of probation._ How
wise was old Barzillai! (2 Sam. xix. 31). The indications of age, &c.
(Eccl. xii. 1). Few years left, &c., or even days.
+II. The uses we should make of the subject.+ 1. _It should impress
us with the vanity of earthly things._ All fleeting, all retiring;
like the seasons, like streams. 2. _The folly of earthly-mindedness._
How extreme! Grasping shadows, resting on the moving wave, building
castles in the air, &c. 3. _The necessity of wisely using our
opportunities._ For the best ends. Working while it is day--now,
while we have light and life. 4. _Seeking a fitness for the world of
the future_ (Heb. x. 34; xi. 13-16). 5. _Believing and devotional
confidence in God._
_Application:_--Christ is ever the same. In all His offices, work,
and graciousness, He is without a shadow of turning.--_Jabez Burns,
D.D.: 150 Sketches of Sermons,_ pp. 296, 297.
This striking passage depicts the process of God's judgments upon
Israel. We may take it as suggestive--
+I. Of the sweeping destructiveness of calamities in human life+
(ver. 5). How often has the picture been realised!--1. _In the
history of nations._ The process of the depopulation and misery with
which Israel was threatened, may be imagined from the view given in
chap. iii. 1-8. Modern parallels may easily be found, the wars of the
Roses, the plague of London, &c. 2. _In the social calamities of
families._ One after another is broken up, one relationship after
another is severed, until only an "outmost" branch is left as a
remnant. Widow, orphans, friendless. Such are those who remain to
tell the tale. 3. _In the physical calamities of individuals._ 4. _In
the degradation of the soul through the deceitfulness of sin._ In
some extreme cases, what a sad understanding of character and
destruction of capacity do we behold.
+II. Of the hopefulness of human life even when it is at its worst+
(ver. 6). Though the reaper has made sure work, yet enough remains to
give hope. There is here true gospel, suggesting such thoughts as
these:--1. _Begin at the point of your ability, however low it may
be._ Every man is rightly expected to make use of whatever power he
has. If it is only sight, or only hearing, or only one hand, one
talent out of ten, he must use it. The loss of the other nine will
not excuse his neglect of the one he has. 2. _Beginning thus low
down, yet in earnest, we have the assurance of improvement and
progress._ We have abundant illustration of this in the history of
the "remnant" that was left in Israel (2 Chron. xxx. 11; xxxiv. 6, 9,
&c.). We see here an encouragement for every sinner who will awake,
though late, to the true purposes of life. Redemption is the
favourite work of God. He is on the side of feeble, struggling men,
and delights to encourage and help "the remnant" which is spared
(H. E. I., 934-941, 956, 958, 2368, 4790-4792; P. D., 474). The very
purpose for which Christ came into the world was to help the
struggling, to save the lost. Those who have been brought down to the
extremity and need and the verge of despair may find friendship and
help in Him (H. E. I., 928, 929).--_William Manning._