“OH, sir! we could not go to bed tonight with that awful sword hanging over our heads.”
So spoke one of two young women after a preaching in a small village in Hampshire. The subject had been a blessed and solemn one, viz., judgment and mercy, as seen in 1 Chronicles 21. The king in the pride of his heart wished to know the strength of the great and prosperous kingdom over which he reigned. The commander-in-chief of his army, to whom was given the order to number the people, opposed it; but the king would have his way. The thought was sin, for it was the fruit of pride —an abomination in the sight of God.
Can God pass over sin? No! Judgment must follow. He therefore commissions an angel to go through the land smiting on every hand. Forth goes the angel on his work of destruction, spreading death and terror all around.
This was perfectly just of God: for we learn from another scripture that God was angry with the nation, for they too, as well as the king, had sinned; and He was using this as an occasion to punish (1 Sam. 24:11And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi. (1 Samuel 24:1)).
The king and the elders having been made acquainted with the purpose of God, have clothed themselves in sackcloth and ashes, deeply mourning over the news of the thousands that were being slain throughout the land. Then David, lifting up his eyes, saw the angel with his drawn sword standing over Jerusalem. This is more than he can bear. With his heart well-nigh breaking, he and the elders fall upon their faces, and he earnestly beseeches the Lord to stay His hand. Whereupon a prophet is sent, bidding him go and take his place under the angel whose hand had been stayed, but whose sword was still drawn.
The reader must try and picture the feelings of poor David as he slowly makes his way to that awful spot.
There stands the angel in solemn majesty, with his sword drawn, awaiting the Almighty’s next command. But a command has been given the king to build an altar there.
With trembling hands, and solemn thought, he erects the altar; and then places the offering thereon. The king having finished, anxiously awaits the answer from God. What will next happen—the sword fall upon the head of the guilty king, or the fire from heaven upon the sacrifice?
Solemn scene!
God is looking on, angels also, Satan too, and Israel deeply concerned in the result.
All are wondering what God would do. Yes, everything depended upon what He would do.
When lo! to the king’s unutterable joy, the welcome sign is seen: the fire falls from heaven upon the innocent victim on the altar, and the guilty king with his people is spared. The destroying angel, still standing solemnly waiting, is then commanded to sheathe his awful sword. Yes, the judgment of God (fire) has fallen upon another, and justice thus is satisfied.
Not till that victim had been offered and accepted could the sword of justice be sheathed.
A strikingly beautiful and divinely drawn picture of God’s way of salvation.
“He knew how wicked men had been,
He knew that God most punish sin,
So out of pity Jesus said—
He’d bear the punishment instead.
But now He’s risen from the dead,
And bears the greatest, sweetest name,
The Lord, almighty now to save,
From sin and death and endless shame.”
Thus that sword is sheathed—forever sheathed (Heb. 10:1414For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14))— for all who believe in Jesus, and are trusting in His precious blood alone for salvation. Two solemn scriptures were referred to during the preaching: “I lift up My hand to heaven, and say, Truly as I live forever, if I whet My glittering sword, and Mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to Mine enemies, and will reward them that hate Me” (Deut. 32:40, 4140For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever. 41If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me. (Deuteronomy 32:40‑41)); also, “If he turn not, He will whet His sword; He hath bent His bow, and made it ready. He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death” (Psa. 7:12, 1312If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready. 13He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors. (Psalm 7:12‑13)).
The unconverted ones present were earnestly warned to flee from the wrath to come.
These two young women could not bear the thought.
Reader, can you?
They resolved, God helping them, to have the matter settled that night, without further delay. Reader, will you, now?
God will be as gracious to you as He was to them if you will but give earnest heed to these things. He waits to be gracious (Isa. 30:1818And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him. (Isaiah 30:18)); while you are reading these lines He is graciously influencing your heart to believe and be saved. Will you not do so?
In less than an hour God gave these two young women rest and peace where it alone can be found—through the precious blood of Christ—God’s spotless victim.
Good works will never save you.
David found the only way of salvation from the “glittering sword “was God’s acceptance of the innocent victim. It is true he took a low place—clothed in sackcloth and ashes—but the victim on the altar saved him. That victim represents the blessed Lord Jesus—that Lamb of whom Abraham had said, “My son, God will provide Himself a lamb” (Gen. 22:88And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. (Genesis 22:8)); and of whom John said, “Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:2929The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)). We greatly rejoiced with these two in their newly found happiness.
Reader, will not you be made happy too? Oh! do not put it off. Behold, now is the accepted time; today is the day of salvation.
“Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.”
E. F. B.