For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.
The consequences of sin
Misery is attached to sin as its inevitable consequence; but the connection does not always appear to a superficial observer. Transgression sometimes appears to be productive of happiness, and obedience to be a source of much affliction and trouble. But the wicked are not really happy now, and they have no reasonable expectation of happiness in the eternal world.
I. Who may be said to sow the wind? To “sow the wind” is a proverbial expression for labouring in vain. It may be applied to all who seek happiness in the way of sin.
1. To sensualists, who yield themselves up to the gratifications of sense. See confession of Solomon (Ecclesiastes 2:1; Ecclesiastes 2:10-11).
2. To worldlings. The lovers of this present world hope to obtain, not a momentary gratification, but solid and lasting benefits. But riches are proverbially uncertain. Our cares are generally multiplied by means of them.
3. To formalists. The performance of religious duties seems more calculated to make us happy. No one can be happy who disregards them. But a mere round of services can never satisfy the conscience. Some delude themselves with an idea that it will secure the Divine favour. Under that delusion they may be filled with self-complacency. A sight of sin will speedily dissipate these self-righteous hopes.
4. To false professors. There are many who wish to be thought religious when they are destitute of spiritual life. They may be jealous about doctrines and their own particular form of Church government, but they are not solicitous to live nigh to God in holy duties.
II. What they may expect to reap. A “whirlwind” is a figure to represent extraordinary calamities. Their calamities will be--
1. Sudden. They receive warnings, but are taken by surprise at last.
2. Irresistible. Illustrate by a whirlwind.
3. Tremendous. See desolation wrought by a whirlwind. Infers
(1) How earnest should we be in redeeming time!
(2) How blessed are they who are living to God! (Sketches of Sermons.)
Reaping the whirlwind
Said Napoleon to La Place, “I see no mention of God in your system of theology.” “No, sire,” was the answer, “we have no longer any need of that hypothesis.” A half-century of anarchy and social disorder in unhappy France was the result--the awful “reign of terror.” How much wiser was Montesquieu, who said: “God is as necessary as freedom to the welfare of France!”
Sowing the wind
This is a proverbial speech, signifying the taking a great deal of pains to little purpose; as if a man should go abroad in the fields, and spread his hands about with effort and yet grasp nothing but air. The wind is an empty creature in respect of things solid, therefore the Scripture often makes use of it to signify the vanity of the hopes and laborious endeavours of wicked men.
1. Many do nothing all their lifetime but sow the wind; they labour and toil, but what comes of it? It is no good account to give to God of our time, to say that we have taken a great deal of pains; we may take pains and yet “sow the wind.” Who are those that sow the wind?
(1) Some students: men that spend their thoughts and strength about things in no way profitable to themselves or others, such sow the wind: with a great deal of earnestness they do just nothing.
(2) Idolaters. All those who take pains and are at great cost in superstitious worship, all their intentions that they have to honour God, come to nothing, it is but a sowing the wind.
(3) Formalists. Such as content themselves in the outward part of God’s worship, having no power nor life of godliness in the services they perform.
(4) The vainglorious. They who do all that they do out of vainglory, who, to set up themselves among others, spend a long time in prayer, and an ostentatiously scrupulous observance of all rites and ceremonies, a principle of vainglory actuating them throughout. Men of public gifts, who do abundance of good in the Church of God and in the commonwealth, but are moved thereto by a principle of self and vainglory, these lose all, they sow but to the wind.
(5) Such as serve themselves of sin; such as seek to shift for themselves by sinful means when they are in any straits, and forsake lawful courses to help themselves out of trouble. “They reap the whirlwind.” The Hebrew word has a syllable more than usual added to it to increase its signification. It is not only a whirlwind, but a most terrible whirlwind. There is more in the harvest than in the seed. Sow a little sinful pleasure, and a great deal of misery is the fruit. (Jeremiah Burroughs.)
The growth and power of habit
Notice the way in which the acts of daily life influence destiny.
I. We are continually forming habits.
II. The tendency of habits once formed is to increase in strength. “Wind--whirlwind.”
III. Habits increase in the direction of original tendency. Same in kind, though vastly different in intensity and force.
IV. The tendency of habits is to increase in strength till they pass beyond control. The whirlwind desolates the land and strews the sea with wrecks. Habit is something like appetite: we are led by it, just as a hungry man makes his way towards home. It cannot be explained how it is that actions become easier by being repeated, but that it is so everybody must admit. If we do anything a certain number of times, the doing has an effect upon us, and that effect we call “habit.” We should therefore be very careful what we accustom ourselves to do, lest we should acquire the appetite or habit of doing things that are hurtful and wrong. Habit is the result of repeated acts, and it is wonderful how soon a little child acquires a habit. The doing of a thing once or twice is sufficient to lead the child to do it again--
“All habits gather, by unseen degrees,
As brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas.”
(A. Hampden Lee.)