Balm in Gilead
Comments for Study 8
Pick to read this Bible passage in a separate window.
I. Bones (8:1-3)
* The engraving titled "The Autumn: As If It Had Not Happened" is from "Beschouwing der wereld : bestaande in hondert konstige figuuren, met godlyke spreuken en stichtelyke verzen / door Jan Luiken."
The book is by Luiken, Jan, 1649-1712.
In a garden a man and a woman point to a tree that has nearly lost all its leaves; in the background are other bare trees and a man with a wheelbarrow. The Dutch artist and poet Jan Luiken (1649-1712) was responsible for drawing this emblem and composed the poem that accompanies it. The etching was executed by Jan Luiken or his son Casper Luiken (1672-1708), who had used this image in an earlier work, which may be found in the Digital Image Archive under the call number 1699Weig. The attendant scriptures are Isaiah 64:6 and Jeremiah 8:20.
The motto is: "What soon leaves us, Is sooner despised by us."
The accompanying poem is:
Where is the Jewel of the green trees?
Where is the graceful blossom?
Thus one is apt to dream of something beautiful,
But in the morning the flowering time is past.
As the abundant Summer runs to the end,
Into the Winter of Death,
Its power starts to wither its blossom,
And shortly it is bare:
He who then put his repose and desire here,
In the Paradise of this time,
Loses, before he counts many years,
His chosen heaven.
A Summer that will not come again,
One should then seek a dwelling in a land,
With all sorts of fruit trees,
Beautifully planted by the very highest.
A land located in such a region,
Where the north or the east wind,
Will never sweep away the green leaves,
And is not an enemy of its fruit.
O Holy land we mean here,
Thou dost not lie next to the light of Time,
But illuminated by the Eternal light,
Thou liest right next to Eternity.
(Translation by Josephine V. Brown, with editorial assistance from William G. Stryker)
Courtesy of the Digital Image Archive, Pitts Theology Library, Candler School of Theology, Emory University: http://www.pitts.emory.edu.
>1. What does "at that time" mean?
* Jeremiah 8:1 1 "'At that time, declares the LORD, the bones of the kings and officials of Judah, the bones of the priests and prophets, and the bones of the people of Jerusalem will be removed from their graves."
* "at that time" -Refers back to the ending of chapter 7.
*
*
*
*
>What had just happened? (7:30-34)
*
*
*
*
*
>What did they love and serve?
* Jeremiah 8:2 "They will be exposed to the sun and the moon and all the stars of the heavens, which they have loved and served and which they have followed and consulted and worshiped. They will not be gathered up or buried, but will be like refuse lying on the ground."
*
*
*
*
*
>What did he promise them in verse 3?
* Jeremiah 8:3 "Wherever I banish them, all the survivors of this evil nation will prefer death to life, declares the LORD Almighty.'"
*
*
*
*
*
II. No One Repents (8:4-12)
>2.
*
*
*
*
*
*
>
*
*
*
*
*
*
>
*
*
*
*
*
*
>3.
*
*
*
*
*
>
*
*
*
*
*
*
>
*
*
*
*
*
*
>4.
*
*
*
*
*
>
*
*
*
*
*
*
>
*
*
*
*
*
*
>5.
*
*
*
*
*
>
*
*
*
*
*
*
>
*
*
*
*
*
*
III. Is There No Balm in Gilead (8:13-22)
>6.
*
*
*
*
*
>
*
*
*
*
*
*
>
*
*
*
*
*
*
>7.
*
*
*
*
*
>
*
*
*
*
*
*
>
*
*
*
*
*
*
>8.
*
*
*
*
*
>
*
*
*
*
*
*
>
*
*
*
*
*
*
>9.
*
*
*
*
*
>
*
*
*
*
*
*
>
*
*
*
*
*
*
>10.
*
*
*
*
*
>
*
*
*
*
*
*
>
*
*
*
*
*
*
|
