Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/spurgeon/ps1.3

Text File | 1993-03-15 | 9KB | 165 lines

                           EXPOSITION.

        "_And he shall be like a tree planted_;" not a wild tree,
but "a tree _planted_," chosen, considered as property,
cultivated and secured from the last terrible uprooting, for
"every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be
rooted up:" #Mt 15:13|. "_By the rivers of water_;" so that even
if one river should fail, he hath another. The rivers of pardon
and the rivers of grace, the rivers of the promise and the rivers
of the communion with Christ, are never-failing sources of
supply. He is "like a tree planted by the rivers of water, _that
bringeth forth his fruit in his season_;" not unseasonable
graces, like untimely figs, which are never full-flavoured. But
the man who delights in God's Word, being taught by it, bringeth
forth patience in the time of suffering, faith in the day of
trial, and holy joy in the hour of prosperity. Fruitfulness is an
essential quality of a gracious man, and that fruitfulness should
be seasonable. "_His leaf also shall not wither_;" his faintest
word shall be everlasting; his little deeds of love shall be had
in remembrance. Not simply shall his fruit be preserved, but _his
leaf_ also. He shall neither lose his beauty nor his
fruitfulness. "_And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper_." Blessed
is the man who hath such a promise as this. But we must not
always estimate the fulfillment of a promise by our own eye-sight.
How often, my brethren, if we judge by feeble sense, may we come
to the mournful conclusion of Jacob, "All these things are
against me!" For though we know our interest in the promise, yet
are we so tried and troubled, that sight sees the very reverse of
what that promise foretells. But to the eye of faith this word is
sure, and by it we perceive that our works are prospered, even
when everything seems to go against us. It is not outward
prosperity which the Christian most desires and values; it is
soul prosperity which he longs for. We often, like Jehoshaphat,
make ships to go to Tarshish for gold, but they are broken at
Ezion-geber; but even here there is a true prospering, for it is
often for the soul's health that we should be poor, bereaved, and
persecuted. Our worst things are often our best things. As there
is a curse wrapped up in the wicked man's mercies, so there is a
blessing concealed in the righteous man's crosses, losses, and
sorrows. The trials of the saint are a divine husbandry, by which
he grows and brings forth abundant fruit.

               EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS

        Verse 3.--"_A tree_."--There is one tree, only to be
found in the valley of the Jordan, but too beautiful to be
entirely passed over; the oleander, with its bright blossoms and
dark green leaves, giving the aspect of a rich garden to any spot
where it grows. It is rarely if ever alluded to in the
Scriptures. But it may be the tree planted by the streams of
water which bringeth forth his fruit in due season, and "whose
leaf shall not wither."--^A. P. Stanley, D.D., in "_Sinai and
Palestine_."

        Verse 3.--"_A tree planted by the rivers of
water_."--This is an allusion to the Eastern method of
cultivation, by which rivulets of water are made to flow between
the rows of trees, and thus, by artificial means, the trees
receive a constant supply of moisture.

        Verse 3.--"_His fruit in his season_."--In such a case
expectation is never disappointed. Fruit is expected, fruit is
borne, and it comes also in the time in which it should come. A
godly education, under the influences of the divine Spirit, which
can never be withheld where they are earnestly sought, is sure to
produce the fruits of righteousness; and he who reads, prays, and
meditates, will ever _see_ the _work_ which God has given him to
do; the _power_ by which he is to perform it; and the _times_,
_places_, and _opportunities_ for doing those things by which God
can obtain most glory, his own soul most good, and his neighbour
most edification.--^Adam Clarke.

        Verse 3.--"_In his season_." The Lord reckons the times
which pass over us, and puts them to our account: let us,
therefore, improve them, and, with the impotent persons at the
pool of Bethesda, step in when the angel stirs the water. Now the
church is afflicted, it is a season of prayer and learning; now
the church is enlarged, it is a season of praise; I am now at a
sermon, I will hear what God will say; now in the company of a
learned and wise man, I will draw some knowledge and counsel from
him; I am under a temptation, now is a fit time to lean on the
name of the Lord; I am in a place of dignity and power, let me
consider what it is that God requireth of me in such a time as
this. And thus as the tree of life bringeth fruit every month, so
a wise Christian, as a wise husbandman, hath his distinct
employments for every month, bringing forth his fruit in his
season.--John Spencer's Things New and Old, 1658.

        Verse 3.--"_In his season_." Oh, golden and admirable
word! by which is asserted the liberty of Christian
righteousness. The ungodly have their stated days, stated times,
certain works, and certain places; to which they stick so
closely, that if their neighbours were perishing with hunger,
they could not be torn from them. But this blessed man, being
free at all times, in all places, for every work, and to every
person, will serve you whenever an opportunity is offered him;
whatsoever comes into his hands to do, he does it. He is neither
a Jew, nor a Gentile, nor a Greek, nor a barbarian, nor of any
other particular person. He gives his fruit in his season, so
often as either God or man requires his work. Therefore his
fruits have no name, and his times have no name.--^Martin Luther.

        Verse 3.--"_His leaf also shall not wither_." He
describes the fruit before he does the leaf. The Holy Spirit
himself always teaches every faithful preacher in the church to
know that the kingdom of God does not stand in word but in power.
#1Co 4:20|. Again, "Jesus began both to do and to teach." #Ac
1:1|. And again, "Which was a prophet mighty in deed and word."
#Lu 24:19|. And thus, let him who professes the word of doctrine,
first put forth the fruits of life, if he would not have his
fruit to wither, for Christ cursed the fig tree which bore no
fruit. And as Gregory saith, that man whose life is despised is
condemned by his doctrine, for he preaches to others, and is
himself reprobated.--^Martin Luther.

        Verse 3.--"_His leaf also shall not wither_." The Lord's
trees are all evergreens. No winter's cold can destroy their
verdure; and yet, unlike evergreens in our country, they are all
fruit bearers.--^C. H. S.

        Verse 3.--"_And whatsoever he doeth, [or, maketh or
taketh in hand] shall prosper_." And with regard to this
"prospering," take heed that thou understandest not a carnal
prosperity. This prosperity is hidden prosperity, and lies
entirely secret in spirit; and therefore if thou hast not this
prosperity that is by faith, thou shouldst rather judge thy
prosperity to be the greatest adversity. For as the devil
bitterly hates this leaf and the word of God, so does he also
those who teach and hear it, and he persecutes such, aided by all
the powers of the world. Therefore thou hearest of a miracle the
greatest of all miracles, when thou hearest that all things
prosper which a blessed man doeth.--^Martin Luther.

        Verse 3.--A critical journal has shown that instead of
"_Whatsoever it doeth shall prosper_," the rendering might be,
"_Whatsoever it produceth shall come to maturity_." This makes
the figure entire, and is sanctioned by some MSS. and ancient
versions.

        Verse 3 (last clause).--Outward prosperity, if it follow
close walking with God, is very sweet; as the cipher, when it
follows a figure, adds to the number, though it be nothing in
itself.--^John Trapp.

                       HINTS TO PREACHERS.

        Verse 3.--"_The fruitful tree_." I. Where it grows. II.
How it came there. III. What it yields. IV. How to be like it.

        Verse 3.--"_Planted by the rivers of water_." I. The
origination of Christian life, "_planted_." II. The streams which
support it. III. The fruit expected from it.

        Verse 3.--Influence of religion upon prosperity.--^Blair.

        The nature, causes, signs, and results of true
prosperity.

        "_Fruit in his season_;" virtues to be exhibited at
certain seasons--patience in affliction; gratitude in prosperity;
zeal in opportunity, etc.

        "_His leaf also shall not wither_;" the blessing of
retaining an unwithered profession.