BY THE REV. DUNCAN MACKENZIE, GAIRLOCH, ROSS-SHIRE,
MODERATOR OF SYNOD.
Preached at Opening of Synod in Inverness Church
on 2nd July, 1912.*
“Fight the good fight of faith.”—I TIMOTHY vi. 12.
(Continued from page 222.)
(5) Ignorance of God’s Word.—
It is to be feared that God’s Word is not so well known by the young as it should be. Parents should do more than they are doing in teaching their children the Word of God, and the Shorter Catechism; and they should also test the knowledge of their children.
Here is the result of a General Bible Knowledge Examination in the district High School of one of the oldest towns in Otago, New Zealand. The results were given in at the last meeting in Dunedin of the Presbyterian Assembly of New Zealand. Here is what was said:—”I have classified the answers under two headings, ‘Ignorance,’ wrong answer or blank; and ‘Knowledge,’ correct or good answer. Out of 700 answers 530 showed ignorance, 173 knowledge. Some of the papers would not have got 5 per cent. One boy, in the High School, aged 17, got nothing. Some of the questions were easy. ‘Mention one incident in the life of St. Paul?’ ‘Ignorance’ 41, ‘Knowledge’ 7. That is to say, 31 knew nothing of Paul, 10 confused him with some one else. ‘Who was Joseph’s father?’ 44 did not know, 4 did. 35 knew something about the Ten Commandments, 13 nothing. Hard Questions.—Only one child could name the sons of Noah, 47 knew absolutely nothing about them. Two had a hazy idea of Absalom, 46 knew nothing. Only 8 could give the name of an Epistle. I learn from this examination (1) that most of our children know little about the Bible, a few nothing; (2) that more and better teaching is required on Sabbath and week day; (3) that if adults know as little as children much of our preaching is lost, inasmuch as Scripture allusions are not understood.” A local journal makes the following criticism: “It must, therefore, be considered demonstrated by a test as careful as that of a clinical thermometer that, to the extent of five-sevenths, young New Zealand is ignorant of the Word of God. This is sad reading, but the revelation hardly comes as a surprise to those who have noted the growing tendency towards secularism and materialism. It is to be feared that the general tendency in Australia is in the same direction, and any attempt to improve matters, by raising our children from paganism, is thwarted by the indifference of Protestants, and the organised antagonism of Rome.”
(6) Rejecters of the Word of the Commander.—
Some who profess to be soldiers of Jesus Christ reject the Pentateuch, others reject a part of it, others reject portions of the books of the prophets and the Psalms, while others reject portions of the New Testament. Thus everyone is judge of what is and what is not the Word of God. One is at liberty to reject or accept as much of it as pleases one. At this rate one exalts oneself above one’s Maker and Creator and above His Word. The Word of God is in subordination to the creature! One criterion given by a learned professor is that if we feel the touch of genius about what we read in Scripture we then know that is the Word of God. Yea, the lives of professing Christians are given, by the same authority, a higher place than the Word of God. But we have not so learned Christ. Those to whom the Word of God came in the power of the Holy Spirit cannot speak against that to which they owe their salvation. Of the Thessalonians Paul writes: “For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance. And ye became followers of us and of the Lord.” Those who thus receive the Word of God will sound forth its praises as the Thessalonians did, and turn from dumb idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven. Those brought in guilty before the bar of God and the bar of their own conscience, and who were set free by the Most High on account of Christ and His finished work, cannot say a word against God or His Christ or His Word. It would be most presumptuous to speak or write against the Word of the Eternal. The true soldiers of Jesus are born from above; born not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. The language of the redeemed to their Redeemer is, “To whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.” They are fed at the King’s table; nourished in the word of faith; Christ’s words dwell richly in them; they sit at the feet of free and sovereign grace, listening to the gracious words that proceed out of the mouth of Jesus, realising that man cannot live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Christ says, “He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me.” And to the Father He says, “I have given them the words thou gavest me, and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from Thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me” (John xvii. 8). The declaration of Christ’s ambassadors is: “We can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth” (2 Cor. xiii. 8). The experience of the saved is on the side of the Truth. It is sweet to their taste—sweeter than honey; more valuable than thousands of silver and of gold; counted more precious than their necessary food. They feed upon the sincere milk of the Word and grow thereby. They buy the truth and sell it not. No one can teach the twice-born to profit but God alone. No one can reveal God but Himself, nor can anyone teach the Word of God but the author of it. God has given His Holy Spirit to teach His children the inspired Word; they all sit at His feet and receive of His words. They receive God’s Word with faith and love, treasure it in their hearts, and practise it in their lives.
By the Word, God kills and makes alive; wounds and heals; casts down and raises up. Freedom comes by knowing the Truth—the Truth in the hands of the Holy Spirit. We are in bondage till we know the Truth. When any one calls in question the reliability of one’s words he is thereby striking at one’s character; and when any one rejects this part and that part of God’s Word he is calling in question the character of God—a very serious crime. Divinity itself seems to be ascribed to the Scriptures: “The word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews iv. 12). Those who know the Truth of God after this manner cannot doubt it, or speak against it. We can do nothing against the Truth.
A well-known clergyman, who had a charge in an English city, once said that Satan has a terrible grudge against the Books of Moses, the Psalms, and the Prophets, because out of these Books Christ so severely wounded Satan that, to this day, he has not recovered from these wounds; and that he has, in the visible Church, those who take up his dirty work by calling in question the very books by which he, the arch-enemy, was so sorely wounded.
We read of those who hold the Truth in unrighteousness: of those who stumble at the Word, being disobedient. Their disobedience causes them to stumble, and they reject the Word because it is not palatable to their taste. We also read of those who heard the Word preached, but got no profit therefrom, because it was not mixed with faith in them when they heard it. King Saul rejected God’s Word, and on account of it, God rejected him. A warning to us to deal kindly with our Maker, and His precious Word.
(7) Infidel Socialism.—
Socialism is a power that is making itself felt in these days, causing much unrest in the land. It has captured our Trade Unions. Here is testimony from headquarters, which is clear evidence of the danger in which the world is from such a well-organised evil power. James Leatham, an English Socialist, says, “At the present moment I cannot remember a single instance of a person who is at one and the same time a really earnest and intelligent socialist and an orthodox Christian. Those who do not openly attack the Church, and the fabric of Christianity, show but scant respect to either the one or the other in private, and while all of us are thus indifferent to the Church, many of us are frankly hostile to her. Marx, Lassalle, and Engels, among earlier socialists; Morris, Bux, Hyndman, Guesde, and Babel, among present-day socialists, are all, more or less, avowed atheists, and what is true of the more notable men of the party is equally true of the rank and file the world over.” Wilhelm Leibnecht says, “It is our duty, as socialists, to root out the faith in God with all our zeal, nor is any one worthy of the name who does not consecrate himself to the spread of atheism.” Enrico Ferri declares that, under the influence of “scientific culture,” religious convictions will “perish by atrophy.” In a letter, in the “Advance,” by George D. Herron, he writes: “Every appeal to men to become socialists in the name of Christianity will result in the corruption, and betrayal of socialism in the end . . . People cannot separate Christ from Christianity. And Christianity to-day stands for what is lowest and basest in life. The Church of to-day sounds the lowest note in human life. It is the most degraded of all our institutions, and the most brutalising in its effects on the common life. The Church is simply organised Christianity. For socialism to use it, or to make terms with, or let it make approaches to the socialistic movement, is for socialism to take Judas to its bosom. There is not an instance in sixteen centuries in which the Church has not betrayed every movement for human emancipation it has touched . . . Official religion and militarism are the two guardians of capitalism, and the subtle methods of the Church, in destroying the manhood of the soul and keeping it servile, are infinitely more to be dreaded by the socialist movement than the world’s standing armies.” Karl Marx states, “Religion is a fantastic degradation of human nature.” Leibknecht declares, “Socialism must conquer the stupidity of the masses in so far as this stupidity reveals itself in religious forms and dogmas.” Babel says, “We wish in politics, republic; in economy, socialism; and in religion, atheism.” The following is from the “Sozial Demokrat,” the organ of the German socialists: “The Socialistic State will never be realized except by a violent revolution, and it is our duty to spread this conviction through all classes. Christianity is the greatest enemy of socialism. When God is expelled from human brains, what is called the Divine Grace will, at the same time, be banished, and when the heaven above appears nothing more than an immense falsehood, men will seek to create for themselves a heaven below.” The “Clarion” is a paper that advocates socialism, and has a large circulation among the labouring classes. The editor, Robert Blatchford, in the issue of 23rd September, 1904, states: “I deny the existence of a Heavenly Father. I deny the efficacy of prayer. I deny the providence of God. I deny the truth of the Old Testament and the New Testament. I deny the truth of the Gospels. I do not believe that any miracle was ever performed. I do not believe Christ was Divine. I do not believe that Christ died for men. I do not believe that He ever rose from the dead. I am strongly inclined to believe that He never existed at all.”
Here, then, you have the testimony of socialists themselves, and it reveals the nature of the power that controls labour—a power antagonistic to the Almighty, and to mankind. Banish the Most High from the nation, and you have chaos. A power that denies Jehovah, and treats Him with the utmost contempt, is a power fraught with mischief of a crimson dye. This is the power that seeks to control the nation. “The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God”—a class who have not only lifted up the heel of rebellion against the true Church of God, but against Heaven. “For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things” (Philipp. iii. 18, 19). “The instruction of fools is folly” (Proverbs xvi. 22). “The preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness” (1 Cor. i. 18). “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools” (Romans i. 18, 22).
The Truth speaks on this wise: The carnal mind is enmity against God, it is not subject to “the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans v. 7, 8). “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned” (Romans ii. 14). “We preach Christ crucified: unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. i. 23, 24). “Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved. And for this cause, God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thess. ii. 10, 12).
(8) Mormonism.—
In Great Britain it is well represented. That it is so is an eye-opener to many. It has in Britain 1 apostle, 17 high priests, 67 seventies (propagandists), 236 elders, 856 local missionaries. In 1910 they baptised in Britain 963 women, and induced 555 to emigrate to Utah. W. Jarman, ex-Mormon priest, from Salt Lake City, Utah, says that the “prophet” Brigham Young was a most sensual, wicked man; the apostles an extremely licentious set; the church, and the whole concern, so indecent that it is difficult to describe it; men living with a number of wives; swarms of children in dugouts, and old rickety cabins; the women fighting, and the men cursing and swearing; many living in the most abject poverty and squalid misery. English girls prostitutes on the streets; British women leading a miserable life of sin and shame in the Mormon harems, crying bitterly for deliverance. Hundreds of women die an untimely death, and hundreds more, whose sorrows overwhelm them, commit suicide. The children of the “saints” roam like cattle; unwashed, uneducated, surrounded with vice and immorality, they grow up fearfully corrupt. There are more whisky shops and drunkenness in “Zion” than anywhere else, and there is more bigamy and murder committed in Utah than elsewhere on the face of the earth.
Such, then, is the description in part given by W. Jarman, ex-priest of Utah. If it does not surpass, it equals the character given to Sodom and Gomorrah. Representatives of this unclean body penetrate north of the Grampians, and advocate their tenets with great plausibility. Although this country is warned against this polygamous body, yet British women are led away by fair promises, until at last they find themselves in such unclean entanglements that they are entirely helpless.
According to reports from Montreal, dated 30th June last, 200 Mormon converts are arriving there weekly from Europe. The women and girls, nearly all of whom are British, are brought to Montreal to avoid the American immigration laws, and, while there are a few Mormon colonies in the Western Provinces, the majority of the converts are sent to Utah via Winnipeg. All the Montreal Churches are uniting to counteract this evil, and clergymen and church workers meet every immigrant ship. Renewed appeals have been made to the Dominion Government to introduce legislation to prevent the entry of these converts, and efforts are being made to obtain some action by the provincial authorities.
Here, then, is a gigantic evil that demands, in the name of righteousness, extirpation. The nation should make it illegal for any Mormon to domicile in the land. Mormons propagate views completely at variance with the law of God, and with the law of the land. It is very melancholy that many of the young women of the kingdom should be led away to such unclean surroundings. It means ruin for life. The Word of God thunders forth its anathemas against polygamy; and polygamy is pregnant with other evils. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the only purifier, and the only real elevator of the human race. Without Divine revelation no true real character can be built. Only those who fight the good fight of faith, and lay hold on eternal life, escape the wiles of Satan. “Without holiness no man shall see the Lord.”
(9) Millenial Dawn.—
This system is a most shocking one. It overturns the verities of Christianity. It robs Christ of His Divine attributes. Its votaries are very zealous, and travel in every direction to make converts. Particular attention is now paid to the Highlands of Scotland. A house to house canvass is made for orders for “religious books.” These books bear titles, which are not in accordance with the contents, for the books sold are full of deadly errors. A warning should be issued against buying books that subvert the gospel of Jesus Christ. I shall give a number of the errors taught by this well-organised and aggressive body. (1) Denial of Christ’s Divinity—Christ is not equal with the Father. (2) In eternity, Christ “was a perfect spiritual being,” but a creature. (3) On earth, Christ “was only a perfect human being.” (4) Denial of Christ possessing two natures in one person. (5) Christ’s death was only that of a perfect man. (6) Christ did not rise from the dead. (7) Christ’s body was dissolved into gases, or supernaturally removed from the tomb, or is still preserved somewhere as a grand memorial of God’s love. (8) Because Christ sacrificed the human nature He was, after his death, exalted to the highest nature—the Divine. Since His resurrection “He is a perfect spiritual being of the highest order.” It is to be noted that all the divinity Millenial Dawnism ascribes to Christ is that “He is a perfect spiritual being of the highest order.” (9) The Church will be exalted with her Lord to the divine nature. Here Polytheism is taught. (10) Christ was Adam’s substitute. Christ by His death could redeem only one life. (11) Man and “the angels of heaven will always be mortal.” Nowhere in Scripture is it stated “that angels are immortal, nor that mankind restored will be immortal.” (12) Man is no more than the highest of animals. (13) None but the Lord’s favoured little flock has sufficient light to incur the final penalty—the second death. (14) All mankind will have a second chance. (15) Death is simply extinction. (16) Denial of eternal punishment. “It is absurd to suppose that God would perpetuate Adam’s existence for ever in torment for the comparative small offence of eating forbidden fruit.” (17) In the resurrection the Gospel of salvation will be preached to the unsaved. The great mass will believe, but those who do not will be annihilated. (18) The Person and work of the Holy Spirit are ignored. (19) Christ came in 1874. (20) Christ’s saints were raised up in 1878. (21) The professing Christian Church was rejected in 1878. “The spring of 1878 marks the date when the nominal Church systems were spewed out: from that date they are not the mouthpiece of God, nor in any degree recognised by Him.” (22) 1881 marks the close of special favour to the Gentiles. (23) The end will be in October, 1914.
(10) Sabbath-breakers.—
The Sabbath-breaker tramples the law of his Maker and Preserver under his foot. He defies God; he robs God of His due. God has given six days to men to attend to their lawful callings, and has reserved only one day in the week as a day of rest—a day set apart to be kept holy unto the Lord. A gentleman, on his way to church on the Lord’s Day, saw a company of big boys amusing themselves. He approached them and said, “I want to tell you a story. There was once a good man who was noted for his kindness and liberality. As he was pursuing his way along a lonely road he met a man who represented himself as having suffered a great loss, in consequence of which he was in deep distress. With his usual kindness the good man instantly drew out his purse, and after examining it he said, ‘I have only seven shillings with me; but I think that with one shilling I can get to the end of my journey, and you shall have the rest.’ With this he handed the man six shillings. Wasn’t that generous? Wouldn’t you have thought that the beggar must have gone off feeling very grateful and contented? Certainly we should have expected this; but he did no such thing. He was not a beggar at all, but a robber; and seeing that the good man had still one shilling in his purse, he knocked him down with a club, and stole it from him.” All the boys cried out against this base and wicked conduct of the robber. Indeed, one exclaimed that he did not think anyone could be found quite so wicked as that. “Now, stop,” said the gentleman; “let me tell you, boys, this is just what you are doing. God has emptied not His purse but His heart for your benefit. He has given you freely six days out of seven for your own use. He has kept only one for Himself, to be kept holy and spent in worshipping Him, and yet you are so mean as to rob Him even of that.” The big boys, ashamed of their own conduct, went away and did not resume their play.
The Lord’s Day, to a great extent, is turned into a day of pleasure and amusement; and trade is busily carried on as if God had never said, “Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy.” Socialists make a special point of holding their meetings on the first day of the week. At these meetings, attended at times by 30,000 or more, Labour questions are discussed, proposals made for settling strikes, and arrangements made for strikes. This is an utter disregard of God’s holy and just and good law. It has come to this, that the major portion of the Labour Party reject the commandment of God, and thereby bring the curse of the Almighty on the land. A clergyman, who had for many years been chaplain to a large penitentiary, made searching inquiry as to what first led the criminals to go astray. In 99 cases out of 100 he found that Sabbath desecration was the beginning of their evil career. “Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy.” “Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil” (Isaiah lvi. 2). “If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable, and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord: and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it” (Isaiah lviii. 13, 14). “Thus saith the Lord, take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the Sabbath-day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath-day, neither do ye any work; but hallow ye the Sabbath-day as I commanded your fathers. But they obeyed not my voice, neither inclined their ear. And it shall come to pass if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the Lord, to bring in no burden on the Sabbath-day, but hallow the Sabbath to do no work therein; then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and this city shall remain for ever” (Jeremiah xvii. 21, 25). “But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the Sabbath-day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath-day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched” (Jeremiah xvii. 27).
The soldiers of Jesus highly value the Lord’s Day. It is to them a day of holy rest; the day of light; the queen of days; the portal of God into the week; “day of all the week the best; emblem of eternal rest.”
“This is the day God made;
In it we’ll joy triumphantly.
Save now, I pray thee, Lord; I pray,
Send now prosperity.”
Philip Henry used to say of a well-spent Sabbath: “If this be not the way to heaven, I know not what it is.”
“A Sabbath well spent brings a week of content,
And strength for the toils of the morrow;
But a Sabbath profaned, what’er may be gained,
Is a certain forerunner of sorrow.”
Surely, then, the imperative duty of all the soldiers of Jesus Christ is to display the Banner of Truth given to them by their Commander: to hold fast that which He has given them: to hold forth the Word of Life in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom they shine as lights in the world. The soldiers of Jesus must show themselves approved unto God; workmen that need not be ashamed; rightly dividing the Word of Truth. “War a good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine, continue thou in them; for, in doing this, thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee” (1 Tim. iv. 16). “Flee also youthful lusts, but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Tim. ii. 22).
IV.—The Fight.—
It is (1) A life-long fight. There is no discharge till death comes. The enemy confronts the soldier at every step, and harasses him on his way to the celestial city. This fight is a noble fight, a profitable fight, an indispensable fight, an holy war. It is good to carry on a righteous war against all manner of evil. If we do not conquer the evil it will conquer us.
(2) The good fight.—
The Commander is essentially good. He is the fountain of all goodness. He is not only good, but of His rich bounty He has provided of His goodness for the poor. The soldiers have not only a present enjoyment of that which is good, but they have an eternity of it in store. Here they enjoy it in the calm and in the heat of the conflict; but no language can describe what awaits them in the country where war is never known. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God” (1 Cor. ii. 9, 10).
(3) The good fight of faith.—
It is not only a fight, and a good fight, but it is the good fight of faith. The soldiers are called the children of faith, the household of faith. They fight by faith, not by sight. The eye of faith, resting upon the Commander, is great strength in the day of battle. A sight by faith of their Commander leads them on to victory. The soldiers of the good fight of faith triumph over error and hold fast by the Truth and put down evil. The good fight of faith purifies and sanctifies and ennobles, and brings one into closer fellowship with the Commander. Faith leads the soldier to the throne of God. By faith many of Christ’s heroes were, out of weakness, made strong; yea, they waxed valiant in fight, and put to flight the armies of the aliens.
In this army there is
(1) The Bank of Faith.—
The “gold tried in the fire” is here. The soldiers draw daily upon the Bank. The Commander Himself is the Banker. That is sufficient guarantee that all cheques presented, bearing the name of the Commander and the name of the soldier, will be honoured.
(2) Music.—
The new song is put in the mouth of the soldiers by God Himself; yea, He encompasses them with songs of deliverance. God’s loving-kindness is with them in the day-time and His song in the night; and their prayer is to the God by whom they live.
It is the sweetest and most reviving song on earth, and is the only song that lasts for ever. Paul and Silas, cruelly scourged, thrust into the inner prison at Philippi, at midnight sang praises unto God. It ended in additional praise in the jailor becoming an enrolled soldier in Christ’s army. A huge multitude of Ammonites, Moabites, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir came against Jehosophat, King of Judah. Jehosophat called a solemn fast throughout all Judah. “And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.” Jehosophat prayed: “O, our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee” (2 Chron. xx. 12). Singers were then appointed to go before the army; and when they began to sing, the enemy quarrelled among themselves and slaughtered one another—no one escaped death. When Jehosophat and his army came upon the scene, the land was covered with the slain. Not a sword had to be drawn. Note the connection between the singing of Judah and the slaughtering of the enemy. Here was a song-victory—a most remarkable victory, gained while singing the songs of Zion.
“God hath done great things for us,
Whence joy to us is brought.”
“Thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.”
(3) Court martial.—
The Commander is the sole Judge in this Court. Impartial judgments, tempered with mercy, are invariably given. The Judge has a rod in Court with which He chastises and corrects those who do not observe the rules of war. He visits their faults with rods and their sins with chastisements. (Psalm lxxxix. 32.) Those who forget the necessity of fighting daily in the strength of the Commander, and go astray from His laws, are court-martialed. [1] Miriam, for her sedition against Moses, her brother, was smitten with leprosy, and was put outside the camp; but the removal of the leprosy restored her to the camp. [2] Eli was chastised for being too indulgent towards his wicked sons. [3] Jonah, fleeing from duty, was cast into the sea and swallowed by a whale; but deliverance came to him when he repented. [4] David was moved by Satan to number the people, and pestilence broke out. The angel of the Lord was seen, having a drawn sword in his hand, stretched out over Jerusalem. Repentance and sacrifice stayed the plague. Sin is provoking to the eyes of God’s holiness. O, the need of being continually kept by God as the apple of His eye, from the lewd oppressors encompassing us about as deadly foes! Christ’s intercession for His soldiers and the faith and repentance He bestows upon them, restore to them the joys of His salvation, and restore them in heart to their comrades in the faith.
“It hath been very good for me
That I afflicted was;
That I might well instructed be,
And learn thy holy laws.”
“I shall not die, but live, and shall
The works of God discover.
The Lord hath me chastised sore,
But not to death giv’n over.”
V.—The armour.—
Like everything else in this army, the armour is of God. Man’s weapons are useless in this fight. No creature can provide weapons to overcome the powers of darkness. The armour has been tested in the furnace of heaven—tested by the Commander Himself. He puts into the hand of every soldier the same sword as He Himself used—even the sword of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit wields it, and enables every true soldier to wield it.
(1) the armour of righteousness.—
Here, then, are the righteous Commander, the righteous cause, the righteous weapons, and the righteous soldiers. This armour is for offensive and defensive purposes. The God-provided and God-bestowed weapons, handled lawfully, work wonders. [1] David at Zizlag. The people threatened to stone him, but he encouraged himself in the Lord his God, and pursued and slaughtered the plunderers, and restored all that had been taken away. [2] Gideon, with three hundred men, having pitchers, lamps, and trumpets, put to flight the Midianites. As they blew the trumpets, holding the lamps in their left hands, they shouted, “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon.” The Lord sent such consternation among the Midianites that every man’s sword was set against his fellow. One hundred and twenty thousand Midianites fell that day, and for forty years the land had rest. At times the soldiers of the Lord Jesus, on account of the strong opposition they meet with, conclude that they shall never overcome. “A troop shall overcome Gad, but Gad shall overcome at last.” It is said that Washington lost more battles than he won, but he won at last. So shall it be with the enrolled soldiers of Jesus. Greater is He that is for us and in us and with us than all that can be against us. “Our sufficiency is of God.” Go in and possess the land. They go on conquering and to conquer.
(2) The armour of light.—
It is not like the armour of darkness. It can stand the full examination of noon-day light. The Commander is the Light of the world. His soldiers are lights of the world. They were, ere He enlisted them, not only in darkness, but they were darkness; yet they were made “lights in the Lord.” All created light shall be extinguished. Every individual who is not a soldier of Jesus shall ultimately be in the outer darkness. “The lamp of the wicked shall be put out; but the righteous hath hope in his death.” “The path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” This radiant, celestial, holy light brings joy to earth, and is bound to conquer the darkness. Substitute this armour for any human armour and you endanger your own safety; you play into the hands of the enemy. It was not by Saul’s armour that the youth, David, gained the victory over Goliath and the Philistine army. The victory was gained in the name of the Lord God of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom Goliath had defied. Clad in this armour, the soldiers are bound to gain the battle. The giant’s seed cannot stand before the soldiers of Jesus Christ. David’s Lord and David’s King shall exterminate them wholly. (1 Chron. xx. 4-8.) Victories over Satan and sin give new life and power to the soldiers and nerve them for the conflict. The more the sword is wielded, the more is one strengthened to use it.
The armour consists of the girdle of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation. The soldiers must not be clad in a part of the armour but in the whole armour. Jehovah Himself is our shield and our exceeding great reward. The shield of the soldiers is faith; by it they quench the fiery darts of the wicked and ward off the sharp, poisoned arrows of the enemy. The armoury of the soldiers is the Word of God; their robe, the righteousness of Christ; their breastplate, righteousness, faith, and love; their helmet, salvation and the hope of salvation; their shoes, the preparation of the Gospel of peace; and their breath, continual prayer in the Holy Spirit. It is said of the Commander that He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation on His head, and that righteousness is the girdle of His loins and faithfulness the girdle of His reins.
(To be continued.)