1421. Fever–Sin's Restlessness

Fever–Sin's Restlessness

"When Jesus was come into Peter's house, He saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever. And He touched her hand, and the fever left her" (Mat_8:14-15).

Fever is a picture of the restlessness of sin; of the burning, strength-sapping power of sin. Let us notice these two suggestions.

1. Sin produces restlessness. Differently stated, sin never gives rest; it never satisfies. "The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked" (Isa_51:20-21).

Daniel described the time When "many shall run to and fro" upon the earth (see Dan_12:4). That time certainly has come in more ways than one. Every time we get on one of our great through trains, we are half startled with the throngs that are going along with us. When we pass a train going in an opposite direction, the throngs are just as great.

When we visit our American cities, we find the people filling the streets. They move about as ants from a disturbed ant hill.

Nahum speaks in his 2nd chapter of the days of the preparation, the days of war: "The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall jostle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, and they shall run like the lightnings."

One would have thought that Nahum was standing on Broadway, N. Y., in the shades of the eventide, trying to get across the street. There the cars run, two or three abreast; sweeping, swaying, jostling one against another; rushing, racing like torches coming and going, until one is filled with rapt amazement.

All of this is a picture of the restlessness of sin.

Sin never satisfies. Solomon searched every avenue of the world's supply; he tasted every cup of pleasure; he withheld not his heart from any joy; he laid hold upon everything that his eyes desired–then he said, "I hated life" (Ecc_2:17).

The prodigal son sailed forth on a search for happiness. He wasted his substance in riotous living; he left home with a song, and returned with a sigh; he went out full, he landed in a swineherd empty.

Sin never satisfies.

2. Sin saps the strength, it is the fever that burns. When one follows sin with feverish restlessness, he soon begins to waste away; he wearies and weakens in his body and in his mind; his eye becomes languid, his lip pales, his steps falter, his brow is cast down, his vigor is gone. There is nothing that so emaciates the life as the sway of sin.

3. The Saviour satisfies. The Lord Jesus "touched her hand, and the fever left her" (Mat_8:15). The Lord Jesus Christ cries unto the sinner, "Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not?" (Isa_55:2). Then the Lord cries, "Incline your ear, and come unto Me: hear, and your soul shall live" (Isa_55:3).

He places a little wicket gate before the man of the world and says, "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord" (Isa_55:7).

Next, He led the hungry, famished, thirsty soul through the little wicket gate, and immediately the scene is changed, and we read: "For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands" (Isa_55:12).

Yes, the Saviour touched her hand, the fever left her, and she was satisfied.

"In Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore" (Psa_16:11).

The Lord Jesus says, "Come unto Me * * and I will give you rest" (Mat_11:28).

The Lord Jesus says, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you" (Joh_14:21).

"I came to Jesus as I was

Weary and worn and sad,

I found in Him a resting place,

And He has made me glad."

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR