The house of the wicked shall he overthrown”.
“The house of the righteous shall stand.”
In the houses of men, God is either honored or dishonored. The sequel in either case is given in the scriptures quoted in the heading of this article. These scriptures also show that God looks into the houses of men, both of the just and the unjust. "The eyes of the Lord arc in every place, beholding the evil and the good." Prov. 15:33The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. (Proverbs 15:3).
In Job 22:1515Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden? (Job 22:15) to 18, we have an allusion to the houses of men before the flood and their way of life. God had filled their houses with good things, yet they said to Him. "Depart from us: for we desire not [he knowledge of Thy ways." (21:14.) We are here reminded of Deut. 7:1010And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face. (Deuteronomy 7:10). "He will not be slack to him that hateth Him. He will repay him to his face. Assuredly, God did so! Those wicked men were cut down out of time and their foundation was overthrown with a flood.
Our Lord Jesus Christ, in His precious ministry on earth, sheds light on the days of Noah. "Before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away." Matt. 24:38, 3938For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matthew 24:38‑39).
History Repeats Itself
"The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be." Eccl. 1:99The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9). In our day the standard of living is high and God surely has filled our houses also with good things. But while accepting these mercies from His beneficent hand, men are once more saying as they did before the flood. "Depart from us." History repeats itself. The story of God's judgment of wicked men by the waters of the flood is something they willingly are ignorant of (2 Peter 3:55For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: (2 Peter 3:5)). How solemn to think that if man chooses to leave God out of his life in time, he will also be without Him in eternity. And judgment is at the door. "What shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" 1 Peter 4:17, 1817For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? (1 Peter 4:17‑18).
Consider Your Ways
A happier picture presents itself in the book of Haggai. Here we find the Lord looking into the celled houses of His people. What did He see? Occupation only with their own affairs and the Lord's interests completely neglected. All were seeking their own, namely, beautifully built and ornamented celled houses while they were living without the Lord's house. Consequently there was no place of worship.
The Lord was grieved, yet not unmindful that not so long since a small remnant only had returned to His land after seventy years of captivity in Babylon on account of Judah's idolatry. He loved them and "whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth." Heb. 12:66For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. (Hebrews 12:6). So asking them to consider their ways. He dried up their prosperity. Food and raiment were in short supply, and wages disappeared. Complete frustration ensued. "Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it.
Undoubtedly, the families suffered with their parents. It is so today when Christian parents with children turn their backs on the Lord. How refreshing to find the people "obeyed the voice of the Lord their God... and the people did fear before the Lord." Hag. 1:1212Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him, and the people did fear before the Lord. (Haggai 1:12). The very day the foundation of the Lord's temple was laid, (Hag. 2:1818Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the Lord's temple was laid, consider it. (Haggai 2:18)) their adversity ceased and blessing accrued.
Jesus in Martha's House
We turn now to the New Testament for a scene of blessedness, joy, and refreshment. "A certain woman named Martha received Him [Jesus] into her house." Wise woman! We all do well to follow her example. She considered it the highest honor to have such a guest. The blessed Savior, in flesh, was on His way to the cross of shame to lay down His life for our sins according to the Father's commandment. What a blessing came to Martha's house.
First: Martha made a wonderful confession—"I believe that Thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world." John 11:2727She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. (John 11:27). That meant eternal life for Martha.
Second: Mary "sat at Jesus' feet, and heard His word." Luke 10:3939And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. (Luke 10:39). She knew who the heavenly Stranger really was and for what purpose He had come. With the whole world against Him, and His own far behind in sympathetic understanding, she anointed His blessed head and feet against the day of His burying. As the Lord then foretold, we are here recounting Mary's action nearly two thousand years after it took place. Small wonder that the house was filled with the odor of the ointment.
Third: Lazarus fell sick, died, was buried, was raised again and restored to his mourning sisters. Truly he was a dead and risen man, and, seated at the Lord's table, he is a picture of every true Christian.
The secret of the blessing in the house at Bethany was that the Lord was accorded His rightful place there, and there was real affection for His blessed Person. How beautifully reciprocal it was, too, as we read, "Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus." How significant, the fact that in returning to the Father, after having glorified Him on the earth and finishing the work He gave Him to do, "He led them out as far as to Bethany, and He lifted up His hands, and blessed them." Luke 24:5050And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. (Luke 24:50). Let us then set the Lord always before us. He will be at our right hand so that we cannot be moved. He will pour us out such a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it. (Mal. 3:1010Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. (Malachi 3:10).)
T. Mather