But there are three classes in particular that the Lord addresses in this passage and this chapter. There are, first of all the simple ones: “How long, ye simple, will ye love simplicity?” And who are the simple; who are those who are here designated simple? Those who act as if they were devoid of the reason that God gives. And there are multitudes who act as if they were just bereft of reason, they are simple. The adversary sets many a net and snare for young and old in this generation. If ever there were a generation in which the devil was busy setting nets, and snares, and gins, to entangle boys and girls, and young men and women, it is in the very day in which we live, The net is set in order that you may be entrapped. Many are the temptations of the devil, and he will get many people in the net that he may ruin them for eternity. How many by each other’s example ensnare one another: “When sinners entice thee, consent thou not.” And let us see that we will not be sinning against light, against knowledge, against the warnings that we receive from the Word of God, and from parents, and from those who wish us well for eternity. See that we will not be striving, as it were, against these warnings to our own ruin and destruction. “How long, ye simple, will ye love simplicity?” “Surely in vain is the net set for any bird.” The Lord gave understanding to the very birds. When they see a net laid for them, they fly away, they do not wish to be ensnared. We have become more stupid even than the very birds, and we who are rational creatures see clearly, our consciences tell us, the Word of God tells us, there is a snare. There it is before your eye, and, knowing it to be a snare, we walk right into it. Let us heed then, every one of us, that we shall be vigilant, for the devil is walking about “as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”
The scoffer.
There are those in the world who scoff and mock at sacred things. On a Sabbath day, after hearing a sermon, the first word that may be said concerning the service is a word of scorn. There are multitudes who laugh at the very thought of being eternally tormented in the lake of fire that burneth for ever and ever. There are multitudes in this age who laugh at it. If they mention the word “hell,” it is likely in ridicule. But the joviality of such will end. Those who laugh now will weep eternally if they repent not. These are things that we ought never to scoff at, things we ought never to laugh at, things that pertain to God and to our own souls. Now the Lord is addressing those who scoff, who mock at eternal realities: “Fools make a mock at sin.” They make a mock at these very things which ought to be a source of terror to them. They mock at sin itself when they think little of it. They may recall their former wickedness, and only laugh over it. Instead of being grieved in their spirits and ashamed of it, they only laugh and scoff at it. “Turn you at My reproof,” that is the Lord’s exhortation, even to those who may be scoffers.
Those who hate knowledge.
Though we would acquire all the knowledge that is attainable in this world, without saving knowledge it would avail nothing. We do not disparage education and learning. They can be used to the glory of God. But we do denounce seeking knowledge of those things that pertain to time as if they were the chief end of man, whereas his aim and object ought to be to have knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul had a right estimate of things, and he could say, that for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ his Lord, he viewed all things but loss and dross, even as dung, that he might win Christ. He was seeking spiritual knowledge. Those who seek spiritual knowledge will find it. There are many who are simpletons, and who are ignorant, and yet they view themselves as if they were endued with much knowledge and wisdom, as if they were pleasing the Lord in a very marvellous way. That shows the fearful deadening influence of sin.
3. The duty to “turn”.
Then again, in the next place let us notice the duty which is here enjoined, and the duty is to “turn,” “Turn you at My reproof.” It matters not who the sinner may be, whether he be a scoffer, one of those simple ones, one of those who hate knowledge—it matters not who he may be, he is welcome to come to One who can instruct, who can have compassion upon them that are ignorant and out off the way. They are called upon to turn. Now, we are all coming into this world in a course that leadeth to destruction. There is a passage in the 32nd of Genesis, and 17th verse: “Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?” And we might well ask ourselves these three questions tonight. Whose are we? Who owns us? Are we for Christ, or are we for Satan? Whither are we going? What is the course in which we are? Is it a course that leadeth to eternal ruin and destruction, or have we come out of that fearful way? Have we chosen for ourselves the narrow way that leads to everlasting life and blessedness? We cannot be in the two ways at the same time, in the way to heaven and in the way to woe; that cannot be. And if we are not in one way, we are in the other. We are heading nearer and nearer to our destination.
“And whose are these before thee?” Is it the world or Christ you are following? We cannot follow both. Well, the exhortation is given: “Turn you at My reproof.” If your conscience tells you here this night: “I have not been regenerated or converted,” are you to continue in that fearful state? You say: “I cannot turn, I cannot convert myself, no minister on earth can convert me.” Well, it is good to have that knowledge. But it is sheer excuse and hypocrisy, if we say, we cannot turn ourselves, having never put forth a single effort to return. It is these who are at their wit’s end that they are in the way that leads to ruin, who realise in a day of mercy that they cannot turn themselves. “Turn Thou me, and then I shall be turned.” It is those who know their inability that the Lord will encourage, and own, and help, and strengthen. “Turn you at My reproof.”
And what is implied in this? There is implied repentance. We cannot be saved without repentance: “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” There is no possibility of salvation without repentance. And what is next in this? There is this—forsaking of sin. That is what we are to turn from, we are to turn from our sin. We are to turn with grief, with sorrow of heart, that we have so long been despising and rejecting the Lord Jesus. Our unbelief will become the greatest sin to us, that Christ should have been revealed, and we would have none of Him. But if the Holy Spirit were to come, He would reprove the world of sin, because they believe not in Him. There is sorrow then in connection with true repentance. There is a forsaking, an abhorring of sin, a hating of it as against God and one’s own best interests.
4. The encouragement given: “Behold, I will pour out My Spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.”
And then we have the encouragement here given, “Behold, I will pour out My Spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.” And without the Holy Spirit, nothing is of any avail: “Not by might, nor by power: but by My Spirit, saith the Lord.” That is, not by human might, not by human power, but by the Lord’s own Spirit, can sinners be converted. Turn from thy evil ways. You may be certain, if a sinner turns from the ways of sin and death, that was not apart from the Holy Spirit’s work in that soul. We are not just here speaking about mere nominal turning from sin, but a forsaking of it because it is against God, against holiness, against one’s own best interests. It is because the Holy Spirit is leading, and guiding, and working in that soul. Now every one of us needs this. Whether we be sinners, individual believers, whether we be the Church collectively in the world, we all need the Holy Spirit, and without Him nothing will be done. How necessary it is that this should be impressed upon us, that the Lord Himself would impress upon us, the need of the Holy Spirit! At the time of the revival in Scotland and in other places, we believe it was brought home very forcibly to the Lord’s people how much they should seek the Holy Spirit. Preachers seek the Holy Spirit, that they may have the Word of God brought unto their remembrance, that they may speak what is according to the mind of God. “Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God.” Oh if we were dependent upon the Holy Spirit as to what we should say, do you not think it would be very evident? Don’t you think it would be necessary for the Holy Spirit to equip them that they may speak boldly, not with an ungodly boldness of presumption, but a boldness begotten of God? Do they not need the Holy Spirit to show that they have need of the Holy Spirit for the conversion of sinners? And we have no right boldness apart from the Holy Spirit. Don’t preachers need the Holy Spirit in order that the word preached might be powerfully applied by Him? Though we should talk to the end of our days about the most solemn things that ever were uttered by mere men, they will have no effect without the Holy Spirit’s application of them. And let us ever seek to give a right and lawful place to the third Person of the Godhead.
Individual believers need Him in order that they may be taught, that they may know these things that even the most intellectual in this world will never be able to get near. Apart from the Holy Spirit, these deep things of God will never be known: “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” So that the Holy Spirit is needed in order that we may be taught, that we may experience what regeneration is, that we may be able to meditate upon the truth. Can we sit down, say, on a Saturday afternoon, and have power ourselves to meditate upon the truth so as to bring out of it things new and old? Can we in any time in the week meditate in a way that will be God-honouring? Apart from the Holy Spirit, we will not be able to do it. We need Him in order that our minds may be exercised aright. We may have gifts and much mental endowment, but shall never be able to meditate aright apart from the Holy Spirit. “I will pour out My Spirit unto you.”
Do we not need Him to strengthen us? What are we but weak frail creatures at best? And so the Lord’s people realise their need of being strengthened and comforted by the Lord Himself? He is the Comforter. You are here who can say: “If it were not for the Lord’s word in my trouble and my distress, I should have fainted. I can say to His glory that it was His word that encouraged me amidst all the discouragements, it was His own word that enabled me to continue to this day.” Well, it will be Himself that will enable you to continue unto the end and He will receive you at last into glory, who are thus dependent on the Holy Spirit. He is the Comforter, He is the Revealer to reveal Christ to the soul: “He shall receive of Mine, and show it unto you.”
Oh that the Holy Spirit would reveal to us the glory of Christ, so that it would humble us in the dust! It would have a humbling influence upon a sinner who realises something of his own sinfulness and unworthiness, as Christ is revealed by the Holy Spirit to him. “Who am I and what is my father’s house, that Thou hast brought me hitherto?” We need the Holy Spirit to warm those who are cold-hearted, and to heal those who are broken in heart. And when He convinces of sin, He wounds, and He puts the balm of Gilead into that soul.
We need the word, “Turn you at My reproof,” and we are left without any excuse, for the Lord says this: “If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him.” And may those who are a praying people in this congregation keep before their minds continually the need there is for the Holy Spirit to come to work in us; and if He comes, then marvellous things will be done in the name of Jesus and He will have all the glory. May He bless this word.