Behold, The days come, saith the Lord, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper.
A revival sermon
God’s promises are not exhausted when they are fulfilled, for when once performed they stand just as good as they did before, and we may await a second accomplishment of them.
I. Explain the text as a promise of revival.
1. Notice a promise of surprising ingathering.
2. The idea of amazing rapidity.
3. Notice the activity of labour which is mentioned in the text. One sign of a true revival is the increased activity of God’s labourers.
4. A time of revival shall be followed by very extraordinary conversion.
II. What is taught us by a revival? That God is absolute monarch of the hearts of men. God does not say here if men are willing, but He gives an absolute promise of a Messing. If it were net for this doctrine I wonder where the ministry would be. Adam Old is too strong for young Melanchthons.
III. The text should be a stimulus for further exertion. The duty of the Church is not to be measured by its success. It is as much the minister’s duty to preach the Gospel in adverse times as in propitious seasons. Recollect that even when this revival comes an instrumentality will still be wanted. The ploughman is wanted even after the harvest. The ploughman shall never be so much esteemed as when he follows after the reaper, and the Sower of seed never so much valued as when he comes at the heels of those that tread the grapes. The glory which God puts upon instrumentality should encourage you to use it.
IV. A word of warning to those who know not Christ. (C. H. Spurgeon.)