"The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved" (Jeremiah 8:20).
This is a sad verse. In the context, the "weeping prophet," Jeremiah, was lamenting the fact that his nation's time of blessing and peace had passed with no spiritual fruit produced. God had been wonderfully patient and had sent prophetic warnings time and again, but they had all been ignored, and the nation -- especially its priests and kings -- had continued in their rebellion. Now their summertime of ease was over. Soon, God said, "I will make the cities of
The end of summer does provide a good metaphor to depict the sad ending of a time of careless living. Astronomically, the autumnal equinox, occurring on this date, when the days and nights are equal in length, notes the beginning of the fall season, with nights growing longer and longer until deep in December.
Sad, indeed, is the tale of many a young man or woman who lives carelessly, often sinfully, during their prime of life, with little thought of God or what His will might have been for those good years of vigor and potential spiritual fruit in their lives. Suddenly they realize that their "days" of strength and joy are growing shorter, with little permanent harvesting of any real value accomplished.
Gladly, however, it is never too late for a lost soul to be saved. Even a thief, dying on a criminal's cross, can still say "Lord, remember me," and that gracious Savior, recognized finally as his Lord, will still take him to paradise (Luke 23:42-43).
But his life's summer will have been gone, with no lasting harvest produced to offer his Lord. As the poet said: "For all sad words of tongue and pen, The saddest are these, `It might have been'." HMM
