The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. (Jeremiah 8:20) 

We have just experienced one of the appointed harvest times in the church. Dr. John R. Rice declares that the majority of Christians that attended his revival meetings were saved during times of special meetings and revivals in local churches. That time when the concentrated efforts have been toward the lost. In the fields of corn about us we see some what the same thing. Last Summer Richard Franklin invited me to go on a campout with him and his son. We went to the timber behind his home and pitched a tent and enjoyed great fellowship in the rain. But while we were there Kenny went into the corn field and harvested a few ears of corn, brought them back for us to see the fruit of his labor. It is true that he has harvested some crop, but there was not intense drive to bring in the whole harvest, for it was not ready. Later in that same field Richard labored with out rest until the crop was in the bins, without a doubt the great portion of the harvest was brought in. But if you had gone out in the days following the main harvest and had looked around you could have brought in a few more ears even bushels of corn. Thus it is in revival. When we pout the greatest effort we reap the greatest results. But there come a time when the harvest is past, the summer is gone, and the crop is lost.

I. The scene in Jerusalem

A. The People had sinned

But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth. Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the LORD hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath. For the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, saith the LORD: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to pollute it. And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart. (Jeremiah 7:28-31)

1. They had not obeyed the voice of the Lord.

2. They had not received correction.

3. Their mouths were filled with lies

4. They have done evil in the sight of the Lord.

5. They have set up idols in His house.

6. They have built up the high places of Tophet

7. they have offered children unto idols.

B. The People were backsliden.

Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. (Jeremiah 8:5)

1. Why, Because they held to deceit.

2. Why, Because they refused to return.

C. The people were trusting in Egypt (a type of the world)

And Pharaohnechoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the room of Josiah his father, and turned his name to Jehoiakim, and took Jehoahaz away: and he came to Egypt, and died there. And Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh; but he taxed the land to give the money according to the commandment of Pharaoh: he exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, of every one according to his taxation, to give it unto Pharaohnechoh.  (2 Kings 23:34-35

“In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him.” (2Ki 24:1 av)

 “And the king of Egypt came not again any more out of his land: for the king of Babylon had taken from the river of Egypt unto the river Euphrates all that pertained to the king of Egypt. Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother’s name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father had done. At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.” (2Ki 24:7-10 av)

1. Jehoiakim paid tribute to the King of Egypt, He became servant to the world.

2. When Nebuchadnezzar came up against Judah, Israel turned to Egypt, but the world will always be allied against God’s people.

3. There is not help from the world we have allied ourself with when some other area of the world attacks. The man who become the servant to making of money can not depend upon his money to deliver him from drink.

II. The result of Jerusalem’s sin.

A. In the tenth month of 9^th year of Nebuchadnezzar the city was besieged.

1. The king was captured and his army in the fourth month of the year, a total of six months

2. But the city did not fall until the nineteenth year.

3. According to Lam 2:11, 12 conditions were so bad that the children died in the streets

“Mine eyes do fail with tears, my bowels are troubled, my liver is poured upon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of my people; because the children and the sucklings swoon in the streets of the city. They say to their mothers, Where is corn and wine? when they swooned as the wounded in the streets of the city, when their soul was poured out into their mothers’ bosom.” (La 2:11-12 av)

In verse 20 conditions were so bad that mothers ate their own children.

B. As the city was besieged the grain that was meant for the children of Israel to harvest was harvested by  another.

1. The harvest is past. The grain either rotted or was destroyed or eaten by the enemy.

2. The summer is past. The fruit bearing time is gone.

3. We are not saved. Egypt still has not come to our rescue.

III. A Practical Application. I believe it should be obvious.

A. There is seed to be planted. Matt. 13 “The sower went forth to sow.”

And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; (Mat 13:3)

1. We as children of God are to be active, working in the vineyard planting the seed.

2. Much is being said about lifestyle evangelism today, but if the farmer waited until the ground cried out to be planted he would never have a harvest.

3. If we expect to reap we must plant, our planting must be planned and actively carried out.

4. If we wait to long the fruit bearing time is past. Each spring there is a date in which it becomes to late to profitably plant corn, and I supposed beans as well.

5. Now is the time to plant, we can not do it yesterday, and we have no promise of tomorrow.

B. The Harvest is Past. Dr. Rice in his message “Missing God’s Last Train for Heaven” gives certain great times of harvests that pass.

1. The harvest of youth passes—The majority of Christians are saved when they are children. Some wonder why we put such a great emphasis on youth. Rice found that the majority of his audiences were saved before they were 15.

2. The harvest of God’s Special dealing with a sinner passes. Times of crisis, of joy, of suffering.

3. The harvest when the reapers may pass away. These laborer are love one and those who have special interest in you. Friend, when you pass away the harvest may be passed for some loved one—get them saved now.

4. The harvest of the Holy Spirit Conviction passes. God’s Spirit does not always strive with man.

5. The harvest of revival meetings—Revival meeting and special evangelistic emphasis times can and must be used to win the lost.

6. The harvest of life itself soon comes to an end. “It is appointed unto man once to die.”

7. What a terrible thing when that which we should have reaped dies and goes to Hell.

C. Lost of the Children.

1. While we are busy making our alliances with the world, while we are living in a backslidden state we are losing our children.

2. While God’s children are focused on the here and now and are not looking to eternal things, our children are slipping away.

3. While God’s children are bitter and backbiting, our children are turning away.

4. The sad thing is that we can blame no one but ourselves.

5. In Jerusalem the mother held there dying babies in the street, and in some homes they boiled them and ate them.

IV. The Most important task of God’s children is the Harvest.

“Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” (Mt 9:37-38 av)

A. The Harvest is plenteous. There is no Lack to harvest.

B. The Harvest is ready. There is no need to wait.

C. The Laborers are few. There is plenty to do.

C. The Lord of the Harvest will send you forth if you are truly concerning about the harvest.