PLANTS OF THE BIBLE

4. The Balm – Grace

“Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?”

Jeremiah 8:22
Balm of Gilead
As we have already seen the Lord Jesus Christ came into this world in order to die. The death of Christ was remarkable for many reasons but chiefly because of the fact that it happened at all. Jesus lived a holy and blameless life and yet he died. The one man who was without sin nevertheless suffered the awful penalty of sin! It can only be that on the cross Jesus took the place of others.

This is just how the Bible explains the death of Christ. It tells us that “Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust” (1Pet.3:18) and that “Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many” (Heb.9:28). Jesus himself said: “the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matt.20:28). Why is the death of Christ so important to us?

God created everything very good. The first man Adam was pure and holy like God. He was God’s servant and friend. A special test was made of Adam’s obedience when God said to him, “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Gen.2:16,17).

Through the subtlety of Satan Adam failed this test. In eating the forbidden fruit Adam committed sin, for “sin is the transgression of the law” (1John 3:4). God punished Adam by death as he had promised. The moment Adam sinned his soul died and he no longer knew God or enjoyed his presence. He became liable to eternal punishment. And since Adam represented us all then this is our state too.

How poor is our condition as sinners! In God’s sight we are sick and though men may try there is nothing they themselves can do about their sickness. “The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment” (Isa.1:5,6). Is there any help at hand?

When we are ill we look for a medicine that will make us better. It ought to be the same with our souls. Jeremiah lamented the state of his own people. They knew exactly what to do when their bodies were sick but they refused God’s remedy for their sinful souls. They were guilty of theft, murder and idolatry yet they would not even admit that anything was wrong! They needed a ‘balm’ for their souls.

Balm is a sort of ointment. The region of Gilead east of the river Jordan was famous for its balm. It was an oily substance, sticky like honey, which was obtained from the balsam tree by cutting into its bark. It was applied to the skin to soothe pain and heal wounds. This reminds us of another tree from which healing comes. From the cross of Calvary where Jesus was wounded for our transgressions the balm of God’s grace flows to a sin-sick world. What can balm teach us about God’s grace?

Balm was necessary. A man would not be able to recover from an affliction without such a medicine. Just as balm was needed to heal the body so God’s mighty grace is needed to restore our souls. “For by grace are ye saved through faith” (Eph.2:8). Salvation does not come by our own works but from the work of Christ in his life and death. This is the message of the gospel!

Sadly there are many, even those who have often heard that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,” who try to save themselves by their own works. They try to cover the wounds of their souls with a plaster that they themselves have made: their good deeds, their respectability, their religion. But these are “physicians of no value” (Job 13:4). Our very heart is sick and we must go to the Great Physician himself, the Lord Jesus Christ. He heals every repentant sinner, immediately and permanently.

Then balm was abundant. In biblical times balm was in plentiful supply. So it is with God’s grace. Our sins are very many and very great but the grace of God is able to deal with them all. “But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Rom.5:20). When we come to Christ the grace of God both soothes the pain of our guilt and heals our hearts from sin.

Apparently the balsam tree does not grow in Gilead now. God’s grace though will never come to an end. The wonder of it is that it is not only all-sufficient but everlasting. If we have been truly saved from our sins then we may be sure that we will be saved forever. For the sake of his dear Son who died for them, the Lord will give “grace and glory” to his people (Psa.84:11).

Finally balm was costly. The balm of Gilead was traded and fetched a good price (Gen.37:25). Here grace differs from balm. Grace is very costly – but it cannot be bought by us! Jesus paid a great price to purchase grace for sinners when he suffered at Calvary; salvation is now God’s gift to all who believe in Christ! “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom.3:24).

We should think about the balm of Gilead and think about our needy souls. Have we discovered this great truth, that “Jesus Christ maketh thee whole” (Acts 9:34)? If we are lost and go to hell at the end, none of us shall be able to say that it was because there was no Saviour and no grace!