long-suffering God, 'not willing that any should perish, but that all
(4) Expectation.—It is the voice of faith, and hope, and longing desire. The present is dark, the future is bright; God's word is sure concerning the coming glory; and so we, looking for and hasting to that glory, and depressed with the evil here, cry out day by day, 'How long?' When will the day dawn? When will the kingdom come? When will the glory break forth? Faith hears the voice of the Beloved, and says, 'Make hast;' it hears His 'Behold, I come quickly,' and it says, 'Even so, come, Lord Jesus.' We 'look for and hasten (unto) the coming of the day of God' (2 Peter 3:12). II. The words as from God to man.—I note the following instances: Exodus 10:3, 16:28, 'How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself?' Joshua 18:3, 'How long will y be slack to go in the possess the land?' 1 Kings 18:21, 'How long halt ye between two opinions?' Psalm 82:2, 'How long will ye judge unjustly?' Proverbs 1: 22, 6:9, 'How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity?' Jeremiah 4:14, 'O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be heard: how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?' Taking up these words of God as spoken to different classes, we would dwell on the following points:— 1. Long-suffering.—Jeremiah's words to Jerusalem are the words of a long-suffering God, 'not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.' He is the infinitely long-suffering God, as such most unwilling to smite. He speaks in pity to the sinner, 'how long wilt thou not be saved?' like Jesus weeping over Jerusalem. 2. Expostulation.—How long halt ye between two opinions? How long shall ye be of deciding? How long of trusting me? How long will ye treat me as a false God, and do injustice to my grace? 3. Entreaty.—How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? God beseeches man; He entreats him to give up his sin, to come and be saved. How long will ye refuse my love?