There Is A Balm In Gilead
Jeremiah 8:18-22
Cancer... what a horrible disease! I venture to say that each person here has been impacted one way or another by this sickness. Many of you have fought it and beat it. Some of you here today are still fighting it. And most all of us have lost a precious loved to as a result of Cancer. There are countless physicians and scientists in laboratories all over the world trying with all their might to find a cure for this disease. And in recent years there has been some progress in the areas of treatment and prevention. But as of yet there is no miracle drug to completely eradicate this disease. Let's imagine for a moment that someone has created a pill that would completely wipe out every cancer cell in your body. Wouldn't you be willing to go to the Dr. and take that pill? Suppose they also came up with a vaccination that would completely prevent you from ever getting cancer. Wouldn't you be willing to take that shot? If this were to happen it would dramatically increase the lifespan of countless individuals. It would be unthinkable for someone with a terminal cancer diagnosis to be offered this drug and say... no thanks, I think I will just continue to suffer and take my chances. You would think that that person was crazy!!! (and you would be right!!!)
But some of you have a disease far more serious than cancer. And it is a disease that not only has a terminal diagnosis, but eternal consequences! I come bearing good news... there is a cure for this disease and the cure is in abundant supply. It won't cost you a dime and it doesn't just increase your lifespan... it gives you life eternal! I am talking about salvation thorough the precious blood of Jesus.
But sadly, many of you have been offered this eternal cure and you simply say "no thanks!" "...not today!" This was an issue for the people of Judah many... many years ago. They were suffering greatly, they needed a cure, they had unlimited access to the cure... but they refused to take the medicine. There was a "Balm in Gilead" that could solve all their problems. But they refused this Balm.
Gilead was a mountainous region east of the Jordan River. There was a rare medicine that was produced here that is called "The Balm Of Gilead". This was an ointment made from the gum of a tree. This balm became symbolic for the power to soothe and to heal. Our key verse for today is - Jeremiah 8:22 Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?
There indeed was a Balm for God's people then and there is still a Balm in Gilead today! There is an old spiritual that says:
"There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole"
"There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin sick soul"
If you are here and you are living with the spiritual disease that I speak of...I want you to know that there is a cure! There is a limitless supply, but this balm will do you no good if you refuse to accept it. ---- J. C Philpot said - “There is more in the balm to heal than there is in guilt to wound; for there is more in grace to save than there is in sin to destroy.”
I would like to look at the sinful condition of the people of Judah in the book of Jeremiah. Then I would like to look at your sinful condition and I would like to show you that there is a cure for your disease. Let's look to the scriptures and see that "There Is A Balm In Gilead". And if you are sick and suffering, I pray that you are healed today!
In order to fully grasp the extent of Judah's suffering we must look back to Jeremiah chapter 7. At this time in History Judah had turned from the Lord and begun to worship false idols. The Lord in His great mercy sent Jeremiah to the Temple with a message for them. The Lord gave them an opportunity to repent. If they would turn from their idols and back to the Lord they would be able to stay in their own land. God warned them not to be fooled by the lying prophets. The Jews falsely thought that because their temple had been chosen by Jehovah as His peculiar dwelling, it could never be destroyed. Here In chapter 7 the Lord gives them the conditions of His mercy. - v6 if you do not oppress the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, or walk after other gods to your hurt, 7 then I will cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever.
They had been :stealing, murdering, committing adultery, telling lies, burning incense to Baal and serving other gods. Then they would go into the temple as if they were justified in all they were doing! They felt that they would be safe and secure inside the Temple... GOD SAYS THEY WERE DEAD WRONG!!!! The Lord makes it clear that they would not escape His wrath just by entering the Temple. He gives them a powerful example from the past: The Tabernacle and Ark had resided at Shiloh for a long period of time. As a result of the iniquity of the priests and the people... The Lord allowed it to fall into the hands of the Philistines. The Philistines then took it to their land and put it with the rest of their idols. The Lord says that the same thing could happen to these people and His temple! Jeremiah 7:13 And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not; 14 Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh. 15 And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim.
Down in verses 16-20 the Lord expresses His anger to the Prophet Jeremiah. He speaks about the fact that: The children would gather the wood and their fathers would build fires for the sacrifices. The women would knead dough and make cakes to offer to the Queen of Heaven. (They considered the Sun to be the King of Heaven and the Moon to be the Queen.) - Jeremiah 7:20 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.- God made it clear that their idolatry would not be tolerated.
Let's pause for a moment and consider what we have seen. In these verses we see that the Lord is longsuffering and merciful. Time and time again He sent Word to His people. He warned them. He pleaded with them to repent. He desired that they would turn from their idols. He longed for the day when they would return to Him. We also see that there was a limit placed on His mercy. He would not continue to plead with them. After a while He would pour out His wrath upon them.
You may be here today and you are living just like these people were. Everyday you live like the Devil. You are a: liar, cheater, thief, homosexual, adulterer, fornicator or an idolater. You are living in open rebellion against God. You know what His Word says about the sinful acts that you are committing.
Don't think for a moment that you are safe and secure just because:
-You attend church
-You go to Sunday School
- You say a prayer every now and then
- You open the Bible and read a few verses
- You put a little money in the offering plate
THAT IS WHAT THE JEWS THOUGHT AND THEY WERE WRONG! They went through the motions, they attended the Temple, they participated in the ceremonies and rituals all while they were living in rebellion against God. Notice what the Lord had to say to Jeremiah about their observances in - Jeremiah 7:21 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: "Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices and eat meat. 22 For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices. 23 But this is what I commanded them, saying, 'Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.' 24 Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.
Maybe you are here and God has warned you time and time again. He has called you unto salvation and you refuse to surrender... He has revealed your transgressions, He has called you unto repentance, yet you refuse to listen... you refuse to cease your wickedness. Just like the people of Judah you will learn that you cannot sin and get by! If you refuse to repent you will suffer the disastrous consequences! One day you will reach a place where mercy runs out, you will reject God one too many times and you will face His undiluted wrath! God is a God of love that is why He has given you opportunity after opportunity to make things right. But God is a just God and He is a God of wrath and He will not tolerate your sin! There is coming a day when you will find that you cannot live a life that is a stench in the nostrils of God without facing His righteous judgment!
The Lord goes on to say that from the day they left Egypt until the present time... He had sent prophets unto them but they had rebelled and refused to listen. They were more stubborn and sinful than their ancestors. God tells Jeremiah to repeat all of this unto the people but not to expect them to listen.
I know exactly how Jeremiah feels! Many times I have witnessed to a lost person who refused to acknowledge their sin. They would not hear the message that the Lord had for them. Countless times I have stood before a congregation filled with lost people who needed to hear of the mercy of God and in their rebellion they rejected the mercy, grace and salvation that God was offering them! Maybe you are one who has heard the message time and again and you continue to reject God's great offer to you. I hope you realize that this is HIS WORD and HIS MESSAGE and HE IS REACHING OUT TO YOU ONE MORE TIME! God is merciful, gracious and longsuffering and He is giving you ONE MORE OPPORTUNITY TO SURRENDER TO HIM TODAY!! And it is my prayer that you will realize that THERE IS A BALM IN GILEAD today!
As we arrive at chapter 8 I would like to see 4 things about the suffering that these people experienced. We will see:
i. The Source Of Their Suffering
ii. The Severity Of Their Suffering
iii. The Sympathy For Their Suffering
iv. The Solution For Their Suffering
Let's begin in verses 19-20 as we examine:
I. THE SOURCE OF THEIR SUFFERING v17 For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the LORD.
Notice that this is THE LORD speaking! And He says, "I will send serpents among you, Vipers which cannot be charmed, And they shall bite you". Here, He is referring to of the enemies that would coming against them. The Lord is taking responsibility and credit for the suffering of the people. People don't want to hear about a God of wrath and judgment in our day. Some would say that "God wants you to live your best life now". People refuse to acknowledge the sovereignty of Almighty God. Modern day preachers and teachers have painted a caricature of a loving grandfather figure with white flowing hair who just wants His children to be happy and enjoy life! My dear friend, GOD IS NOT CONCERNED WITH YOUR HAPPINESS!! That's right, He doesn't desire happiness, HE DESIRES HOLINESS!!! God hates sin! This hatred of sin is the source of His wrath. - Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness
* Wrath – {G} (orgē - or-gay') - violent passion, justifiable abhorrence; by implication punishment. (This word literally means to become "red faced")
If you don't think that our God is a God of wrath, then you have not read the Book of Jeremiah!! In fact, you haven't read the Bible! There are many examples of the Wrath of God found in the Bible:
- Adam & Eve being cast from the Garden – Genesis 3:24
- The Great Flood - Genesis 6-8
- The Destruction Of Sodom and Gomorrah - Genesis 19
- The Egyptian Army Drowning In The Red Sea - Exodus 14
And before you attempt to play the "That is all Old Testament" card...We find in Acts Chapter 5 the story of Ananias & Sapphira. They lied to God and were immediately struck dead!
Even the death of Jesus on the cross was a result of God’s wrath! When Jesus was on the cross, God directed all anger against sin... past, present and future onto His own Son.Don't think for a moment that you will escape His wrath if you neglect the great salvation that He has provided you!
Judah faced this great wrath. The reason for their suffering was their sin, wickedness and idolatry. And God was the one who provided the devastating calamity that they experienced. In the latter part of Jeremiah Chapter 7 we have the description of "The Valley Of Slaughter". The people of Judah had set up their idols in the Temple and defiled it. They also built pagan shrines at "Topheth" in the valley of "Ben-Hinnom". It was there that they burned their sons and daughters in the fire. God says "I never would have thought to command them to do such a thing!". As a result of their wickedness God says that they would bury so many of their dead that they would run out of room. No longer would this place be called "Topheth", instead it would be called "The Valley Of Slaughter" He goes on to say that the bodies of His people would be food for the vultures. Notice what He says in Jeremiah 7:34 Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate. - He is saying that He will cause the happy singing and the laughter to cease. By this description it seems that they were enjoying their sin! - Hebrews 11:25 tells us that "there is pleasure in sin for a season"
Dear friend, you may think that you are living it up right now. You may be living in open rebellion. You may do what you want to do you may go where you want to go and you may think that there are no consequences for your actions. Well, to use an old southern cliché ..."one day your chickens are going to come home to roost!" If you reject Jesus and die in your sin you will one day stand before a Holy & Just God and you will answer for your life of rebellion. You will be held accountable for your rejection of God's great mercy! Right now you are living in a day of Grace. God has sent you a message this morning! He is giving you a warning HEED THAT WARNING WHILE THERE IS STILL TIME! If you refuse to heed this warning today, you are not rejecting me... YOU ARE REJECTING A DIVINE INVITATION FROM A HOLY GOD!! God has a cure for your disease...THERE IS A BALM IN GILEAD!!
Not only do we see The Source Of Their Suffering, as we move deeper in the text we see:
II. THE SEVERITY OF THEIR SUFFERING - Jeremiah 8:18 When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me. 19 Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the LORD in Zion? is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities? 20 The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.
Jeremiah says that "the weeping of the people can be heard across the land." They asked "Has the Lord abandoned us?" ..."Is our King no longer there?" They cried out “The harvest is finished, and the summer is gone yet we are not saved!” As promised, their laughter and singing has ceased. Now they are weeping and mourning. The previous verses reveal the great calamities that are coming for the people of Judah. God says that "those who survive would rather be dead than to go where He will send them". The people had fallen and they refused to get up, they were content to remain on the path of destruction. God was willing to hear and forgive but none would repent. Look To Jeremiah 8:5 Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. 6 I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.
There were false teachers among them who rejected the truth and taught lies. All of the teachers, prophets and priests were ruled by greed. The leaders gave assurances of peace when there was none. Listen to what He says in Jeremiah 8:12 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD. 13 ¶I will surely consume them, saith the LORD: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.
He says they were not ashamed of their wickedness and transgressions. They realized the source of their trouble but still refused to repent. Notice: v14 Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD. - What a picture of hard-hearted rebellion! They knew that God was the source of their suffering. They knew that they had sinned, but they refused to turn from their idols... they refused to repent of their sin ..they refused to return to the Lord!.
There are some of you who KNOW THAT YOU ARE LIVING IN SIN! YOU KNOW THAT YOU NEED TO TURN FROM YOU WICKEDNESS!! YOU KNOW THAT YOU NEED TO REPENT OF YOUR SIN!!! YOU KNOW THAT YOU NEED TO TURN (OR RETURN TO THE LORD)...YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES IF YOU DON'T!!!! But you are just as stubborn and hard hearted as the people of Judah and like Judah, you are and will continue to suffer the severe consequences of your rebellion!
Notice the contradiction of these people... v15 We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble! - In the previous verse they acknowledged that they had sinned against the Lord. Now they are complaining because they were experiencing sickness and trouble! That is like sticking your hand in a fire and complaining because you got burned. And some of you are no different! You a living lives of wickedness and rebellion, you have taken control of your life, you refuse to surrender to Christ and you are suffering the consequences. And you have the nerve to cry out to God to fix your situation all while you remain in direct opposition to His Word and His Will!!! IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY!!
When you transgress against God's will there are consequences!! There will be severe consequences in this life and if you die without Jesus there will be severe suffering throughout eternity! This disease of sin that you have comes with a terminal diagnosis and there are eternal consequences. But the true Balm of Gilead is the Lord Jesus Christ... He is offering you a cure for your disease. You may refuse Him today, But there is coming a day when you will stand before Him at the Great White Throne and you will hear these words - ...Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 25:41)
You will find yourself suffering in: A place of darkness... A place of separation from family, friends and most of all God! ...A place of pain and torments... A place of weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth... A place of unimaginable...UNENDING suffering! - You say, God would not send me there! My friend, when you reject Jesus you CHOOSE to go there! This place of suffering and torment is just as eternal as Heaven. When you find yourself there it will be too late to pray, it will be too late to repent! There will be no second chances in Hell. So if I were you I would accept God's offer of salvation today!! Some of you may say "I have done to much" "I have gone to far" "I cannot be saved". Don't underestimate the mercy, love and power of God. After all that Judah had done...God extended them mercy. Time and time again we read where God sent Jeremiah to plead with them to repent. And He is pleading with you right now!
*We Have Seen The Source Of Their Suffering and The Severity Of Their Suffering. Now in verses 18-21 I would like to see:
II. THE SYMPATHY FOR THEIR SUFFERING - Jeremiah 8:18 When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me. v19a Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the LORD in Zion? is not her king in her? 20 The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. 21 For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me.
Jeremiah loved the people and had compassion on them. He reached out to them time and again and they refused to hear him. Jeremiah is called the weeping prophet. Many tears were shed my this great man of God on behalf of the people. Jeremiah said that "he was full of sorrow, his heart was broken". In verse 21 he says "because they are hurting, he is hurting". He was overcome with grief and sadness because of the people.
The saints of God in 2015 could learn a great deal from Jeremiah's concern for people who are suffering as a result of sin. May we come to a place where we are broken hearted and mourn for those bound for hell. May we be motivated by the fact that they are trampling on the blood of our Savior! May we grasp the fact that Hell is real and our loved ones are going there! May we do our part to reach out and snatch them from the fire! We see this same compassion in the life of the Lord Jesus - Luke 19:41 ¶And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, 42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. 43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, 44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.
If you are lost... you are headed for great danger! You will face the undiluted wrath and judgment of a Holy God! But I hope you understand that it doesn't have to happen! God has compassion for your suffering today! The fact that you are here is evidence of that, He is extending you and invitation to receive the cure for your disease. Will you continue to reject the amazing offer that God has extended to you? Maybe you are here and you have seen the danger that awaits you. Maybe you are suffering the great consequences of your sinful lifestyle. I want you to know that THERE IS A BALM IN GILEAD!
We have seen the Source, Severity and the Sympathy concerning the sin of the people. Finally I want to examine:
III. THE SOLUTION FOR THEIR SUFFERING - Jeremiah 8:22 Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?
Notice the questions that are asked in this verse: Is there no Balm in Gilead? Are there no physicians there? The answer is YES and YES!! The most excellent Balm in the world was there at Gilead. There were many physicians there who were able to apply the balm. There is another question in this verse - "why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?" The people refused to go to the doctor! They were sick and suffering because they wouldn't take the medicine. Spiritually speaking they were morally diseased They sinned against God, they were warned time and again to repent and turn to God, they refused and continued in their sin and they suffered greatly as a result! There was an abundant cure, but they rejected it!
On the mountains of Gilead there were certain trees, they would remove the bark from that tree and from the side of that tree would flow a resin, they would take that resin and grind it into powder. This Balm had great healing capabilities. We find in the scriptures that there was another important tree. It was found on another Mountain... Mt. Calvary. Hung on that tree was the Great Physician! And from His side flowed a great balm of healing! In the blood of Jesus there is healing and salvation. What flowed from His side was the cure ...the balm for your sin problem!
"There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole"
"There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin sick soul"
The true Balm is the Blood of Jesus Christ! There are many references to the Blood of Christ throughout the New Testament.
- Judas called it "innocent blood" (Matthew 27:4)
- Peter called it "precious blood" (I Peter l:9)
- John called it:
......"cleansing blood" (I John l:7)
......"washing blood" Rev. l:5
- Paul called it:
......."purchasing blood" (Acts 20:28)
......."redeeming blood" (Eph. l:7)
......."justifying blood" (Rom. 5:9)
......."peacemaking blood" (Col. 1:20)
- The writer of Hebrews calls it:
......."sanctifying blood" (Heb. 13:12)
......."Powerful blood" (Heb. 13:20).
We also find in Hebrews 9:22 ...without the shedding of blood there is no remission. (for our sins)
"What can wash away my sin?...Nothing but the blood of Jesus!"
"What can make me whole again? ...Nothing but the blood of Jesus!"
"Oh precious is the flow... That makes me white as snow"
"No other fount I know... Nothing but the blood of Jesus"
Some of you are here today and you are lost and on your way to Hell. You have a disease called sin! You are sick and suffering! You do not know what true... hope, joy and peace really is! And if you die in your sins you will suffer eternal consequences as a result. But I have good news for you, there is a complete healing available today! The blood of Jesus is the cure and there is an abundant supply
In 1988 just 27 years ago there were an estimated 350,000 cases of Polio worldwide. Two vaccines were created and as a result there were only 223 cases in 2012.In just over 2 decades these vaccines have all but eradicated a horrible disease suffered by countless individual throughout history. Do you know what was required for this healing to take place? People had to take the medicine.
My dear friend, there is a cure for the disease that is causing you so much suffering today. There is a cure for the suffering that you will face throughout eternity. But you must be willing to take that medicine. You must surrender to Jesus! You must be washed in the blood of the Lamb! There is no price that you can pay for this healing. Jesus paid the price at Calvary. - Here is how simple it is for you to be cured from the disease of sin:Romans 10:13 says that "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord SHALL be saved!"
THERE IS A BALM IN GILEAD!
