Desolate in the midst of general joyfulness.
I. THERE IS TO BE A SEASON OF GENERAL JOYFULNESS. "When the whole earth rejoiceth"—that is a glimpse of a wonderful future. At present the earth mourns and languishes. Tyranny oppresses nations of slaves. Penury holds multitudes in weary drudgery on the verge of starvation. War devastates fields and towns and countries. Sorrow sighs from the heart of humanity. But this shall not continue forever.
1. There will be joy in a glorious future. The Bible is full of hope. Its golden age always lies before us, not behind us.
2. This joy will be attained through the gospel of Christ. The angels sang for joy at his birth on earth. Gladness comes to the heart in which he is revealed afresh. When the old earth is subject to the rule of Christ, and the sin that is its curse is blotted out, a new Divine joy must take possession of men.
3. This joy will be for the whole earth. At first, only a remnant is to be saved (Romans 9:27). But this remnant does not represent the whole harvest of Divine salvation. It is but the firstfruits. The gospel is for the wide world. All the nations are to enter into the heritage of the future. Christ "shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied" (Isaiah 53:11). No scanty salvage from the huge wreck of humanity could satisfy the great soul of Jesus.
II. IT IS POSSIBLE FOR ANY ONE TO BE EXCLUDED FROM THIS GENERAL JOYFULNESS. Edom is to be shut out when the whole earth rejoices.
1. The joy of the whole earth is the joy of its several inhabitants. The sheet of sunshine that lies broadly over meadow and hillside is woven out of innumerable rays of light. The flood of music that fills the valley with melody consists in a succession of distinct notes. The blaze of color that flashes on us in the summer garden comes from the several hues of separate flowers. The general joy is the joy of many hearts. Each must share it individually if all are to display it collectively.
2. The individual participation in the general joy depends on an individual condition of receptiveness. It is supremely the joy of reconciliation. Now, Christ died to make atonement for the whole world. Yet each soul has to be separately reconciled to God. And when the old rebellion of man against God is virtually quelled, if but a single soul held out, that soul must be excluded from the joy which comes in with the great peace.
III. IT IS UNSPEAKABLY DREADFUL TO BE DESOLATE AMIDST GENERAL JOYFULNESS.
1. The perception of contrast is intensely distressing. The one heavy heart is in painful contrast to the many light hearts. Sorrowful people shun merry gatherings, shrinking from them as people with pained eyes shrink from bright lights. It is an acute grief to the desolate soul to be alone in a joyous festivity when all others are of one mind. For a lost soul to be placed in the midst of the blessedness of heaven would be far worse than the torments of hell.
2. The discovery of needless failure is especially grievous. The rejoicing is practically universal. Why, then, should one poor soul be excluded? Nearly all are in when the door is shut, but one miserable creature is left out in the darkness. If salvation were only intended for a few, the many might learn to acquiesce in their dismal lot. But when a man sees that it is intended for the whole world, and yet by his own folly he is excluded, he must torture himself with bitter regrets.