801. JER 15:9. DEATH IN THE MIDST OF LIFE

Jer_15:9. Death in the Midst of Life

"Her sun is gone down while it was yet day."’97Jer_15:9.

Our text we select irrespective of the literal application of it when uttered by the prophet. The word of God contains a great amount of metaphorical representations. In this figurative style of speech most of the prophets abounded, and every subject of revelation is more or less illustrated in the form of allegory or metaphor. The metaphor of the sun is often thus borrowed by the sacred penman. "The Lord God," &c. "Unto you that fear," &c. There is one passage where the prophetess Deborah uses it, when she sang, "Let them that love thee be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might," Jdg_5:31. In accommodating the text to the present solemn occasion, let us consider.

I. The sun as an emblem of the saints of God.

II. And its setting, or going down, as representing their mortality.

I. The sun as an emblem of the saints of God.

When we contemplate the great orb of day, we are impressed,

1. With his greatness and elevation. The centre of the solar system exalted above our globe ninety-five millions of miles, and supposed to be a million times larger than the earth. From its size, it stands forth as one of the most sublime of all the works of Deity. We wonder not that nations without revelation should have given it divine honor and worship. This greatness and elevation fitly represent the true character of the Christian, contrasted with what he was, with what others are around him. Knowledge makes a man great. Grace of God elevates and lifts up to heaven. "I will set him on high," &c.

2. Natural glory and magnificence.

The most glorious of all the heavenly bodies. Now in this we are directed to the moral glory and excellence with which believers are adorned. "The king’s daughter," &c., Psa_45:13. See this strikingly set forth, 2Co_3:18.

3. As the great diffuser of light and beauty.

How dreary without his rays! He lights up and gilds, with his beams, universal nature. The Christian is first the recipient of light, and then he is called to shine. "Arise, shine," &c. "Ye are the lights of the world," &c., "So let your light shine," &c.

4. As the chief source of fertility and fruitfulness.

Cold, and ice, and sterility, reign in the absence of his rays. He makes the desert to rejoice. He revives and fructifies the earth, and this is the great cause of vegetable fruitfulness. Such is every spot where Christians do not dwell. There, is ignorance and cruelty, wretchedness and death. Where Christians live there is knowledge, benevolence, happiness, and life. Look at all our institutions of temporal and moral goodness. We now proceed to consider,

II. The setting of the sun as a striking representation of the mortality of the Christian.

1. The going down of the sun is a usual, and therefore expected event.

So sure as he arises, we know he will go down. How equally true of the sun of life! Man is born to die, &c. "I know that thou wilt bring me to death," &c. "The living know," &c.

2. The period of the going down of the sun is very diversified.

Look at the short winter’s day and the long summer’s Jay. So in life’97every age is alike mortal, &c. But the text speaks of the sun going down while it is yet day’97prematurely. How often is this the case! The eye is not dim; the ear is not dull; the almond-tree has not blossomed; the strong men do not bow themselves; bones are full of marrow’97and yet disease assails, and the tabernacle is levelled with the dust.

3. The going down of the sun is often peculiarly splendid and beautiful.

His appearance is then often larger, his beams softened down into radiant mellowness, and the whole horizon is gilded with his golden glory. How characteristic of the good man’s death! Then truly greater, mellowed in the fruitfulness of Christian graces and goodness. His dying room lit up with the beams of celestial glory, until every visitor feels it to be the ante-chamber of heaven. No wonder that Balaam exclaimed, "Let me die the death of the righteous," &c.

4. The sun goes down, to arise and shine upon another horizon.

Thus, as the curtains of evening are drawn around us, they are opening with the dawn of day in another hemisphere. Just so is it with the saints of God. To die, is to be with Christ. To dwell in the holier and happier abodes of bliss. To shine forth in the kingdom of our Father forever and ever. Not blotted out. Not in sleep or stupor, but shining forth in the celestial world, to the glory of God and the honor of his grace.

Application

1. Are we spiritual suns, illuminated and elevated, &c.?

2. Let us not forget the going down. Live holily’97usefully’97anticipating the shades of evening.

Autor: JABEZ BURNS