All The Counsel of God

There is a verse in Judges chapter 5 that stands out from all the others of that chapter because it is a curse pronounced in the midst of the praise and blessings, “Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty” (verse 23).

Not too much is known of Meraz. Only that it was a little village near the river Kishon, and the people of the village were Children of Israel and the Lord was their God. It is not mentioned anymore in the Scripture, and it seems that it was utterly destroyed as a result of this curse put upon it by their own prophetess, Deborah. Why would she utter such a curse upon her own people? Why did God send His angel to bring judgement to pass?

For twenty years the children of Israel were being ruled by hard-hearted Jabin who was king of Canaan. He had a large army, and many of his soldiers rode in iron chariots drawn by horses. The children of Israel were in constant fear of them, and for twenty years they were oppressed. Then they cried to God for help. God spoke to the Prophetess Deborah and told her what to do. She called Barak, and together they planned the battle against the Canaanites.

When they reached Mount Tabor, in the north, the place chosen by God for their camp, they found it to be a perfect spot. From there they could look down and see the little river Kishon winding through the valley below them. Sisera soon heard, and ” … gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him … unto the river of Kishon” (Judges 4:13).

Deborah sent her army down, “And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him” (Judges 4:14).

There was a tremendous battle, but all the while this was going on there were some of the Lord’s people in a little village called Meraz who refused to help when they were so greatly needed. They knew what their duty was, and at first they considered it. ” … For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart. Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart” (Judges 5:15-16). They felt the patriotic impulse, and, no doubt, at first determined to join the ranks of their brethren; but while they waited and considered, the counter-call came-the more pleasant and peaceful sound of the bleatings of the sheep. Why exchange this for a battlefield? Or the shepherd songs for the trumpet sound of war.”

So here we have it- the call of duty and the counter-call of comfort and worldly gain and self interests. So they abode among the sheepfolds. ” … Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go …?”(Judges 4:6). “Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds …?” (Judges 5:16).

The men of Meroz are many today. They arc the Lord’s dear people who are not in the battle for God. They know their duty but fear the foe. They know the truth but shrink before Satan’s lies. They fear trouble and shrink from being numbered with the few. They lack the courage of their convictions and call cowardice “caution.” But it is the sin of Meroz! It is the love of ease, the “leave us alone, we want to live our own lives” attitude.

Deborah scorned them, and they deserve scorn still. Our duty and privilege is to serve the Lord. He needs and He wants our help to make His message of salvation known. This is the only message that can deliver those who are held captive by Satan and by sin.

Almost everyone wants to keep something which he prizes very much. Here are four “keeps” which are jewels from a treasure chest:

1. Keep the Lord’s commands. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments … ” (1 John 5:3).

2. Keep the love of God. “Keep yourselves in the love of God … ” (Jude 1:21).

3. Keep thy lips. “Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile” (Psalm 34: 13).

4. Keep yourself from evil. “I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word” (Psalm 119:101).

A Man and His Soul

“I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir” (Isaiah 13: 12).

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36). The

Redeeming Blood of Christ

“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1: 18-19).

The Inspired Word of God

” … the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb” (Psalm 19:9-10).

Wisdom and Understanding

“Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold” (Proverbs 3:13-14).

The Knowledge of God

“Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold” (Proverbs 8: 1 0).

A Good Name

“A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold” (Proverbs 22: 1).

The Trial of Your Faith

” … ye greatly rejoice … That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1 :6-7).

In his epistle to the Colossians, Paul cautions them against philosophy. He says, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” (Colossians 2:8).

Philosophy is love of wisdom. There are two types of wisdom: the wisdom of this world which ” … is foolishness with God … ” (1 Corinthians 3:19); and the wisdom of God which is “after Christ.” The latter is the gift of God and not the result of human attainment.

Some Christian magazines are so filled with human philosophy that there is little room left for the true wisdom of God. Only articles written by men who have some educational degree and letters after their names are admitted. These often philosophize on things which can be argued about with little or no reference to the Word of God. Whole chapters are sometimes devoted to discussion on what some Christian celebrity has taught, giving long quotations from other writers about such men, often without any finality or any real profit to the reader. And all this tends to squeeze out profitable exposition of the Word of God.

The Scribes and Pharisees of our Lord’s day were, in their own view, learned men, being exceedingly zealous of the traditions of their fathers. When the disciples, Peter and John, fearlessly and equally lucidly, proclaimed before them the exclusive Gospel of Jesus Christ, their judges ” … perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men … “, and” … they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). That is where true wisdom is found.

To sit at Jesus’ feet while, in fulfilment of His promises, the Holy Ghost guides into truth, is better than all the degrees or the seminaries. We do not despise the teaching of the colleges as an adjunct to the teaching of the Spirit, but it can never be more than an adjunct, for without the teaching of the Word by the Spirit in fellowship with the Lord Jesus there can be no true wisdom at all. The best thing Luke could say of Apollos was that he was” … mighty in the scriptures … ” (Acts 18:24). It is the Scriptures that ” … are able to make thee wise unto salvation … ” (2 Timothy 3:15), and it is the same Scriptures by which the man of God ” … may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:17).

Paul’s exhortation to Timothy was to “Preach the word … ” (2 Timothy 4:2), and in doing so we are to use ” … wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. .. ” (1 Timothy 6:3). The discourse given by our Lord to His disciples, and His following prayer in John 14-17, are couched in simple language. The great majority of the words used are of one or two syllables. Even a small child can understand the words used, and yet the truths conveyed are too deep for angelic minds to fathom. This proves that profound truths can be conveyed in simple language. Paul exhorts Titus to use “Sound speech, that cannot be condemned … ” (Titus 2:8).

A chaplain to Queen Victoria was once asked whether he felt nervous in preaching before the Queen. His reply was to the effect that when the Queen attended divine services, all her domestic staff were also present, right down to the scullery maid; and he said, “I preach to the scullery maid.” Paul tells the Corinthians that he came to them ” … not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God” (I Corinthians 2:1). He said he was sent” … to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect” (I Corinthians 1:17). O ye philosophers, leave your high-falutin language sometimes and come down to the scullery maids! Do not spoil your hearers through philosophy but “Preach the word … ” (2 Timothy 4:2) in language “easy to be understood.”

TO PURGE. “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1 :3).

TO PUT AWAY. “For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Hebrews 9:26).

TO REMEMBER NO MORE. “And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 10: 17).

TO CLEANSE. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1 :7).

TO WASH. “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen” (Revelation 1 :5-6).

TO COVER. “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered” (Psalm 32:1).

TO REMOVE FROM “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12).

TO CAST BEHIND HIS BACK. “Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back” (Isaiah 38:17).

TO BLOT OUT. “I, even I, am he that blotteth out my transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins” (Isaiah 43 :25).

TO CAST INTO THE SEA. “He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19).

” … be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

1. A Christian should be fervent in the faith. ” … it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 1 :3-4).

When the faith is under attack, it needs to be defended. (Read Titus 2:1 ;Acts 20:29-31; 1 Corinthians 16: 13; 2 Timothy 4:7.)

2. A Christian should be fervent in brotherly love. “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently” (1 Peter 1 :22).

A mark of true discipleship to be seen by all men. (Read John 13:34-35; 1 John 4:20; Romans 12: 10.)

3. A Christian should be fervent in prayer. “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5: 16)

If it is the prayer of faith, we may expect that it will be fervent. (Read Ephesians 6: 18; Acts 12:5; Matthew 6:5-8.)

4. A Christian should be fervent in worship. “And his disciples remembered that it was written, the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up” (John 2:17).

The early church is our example in worship. (Read Acts 2:42- 47; Acts 20:7; Hebrews 10:25.)

5. A Christian should be fervent in mind. “And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more” (2 Corinthians 7:7).

The effect of wrong thinking; you are what you think. (Read Proverbs 23:7; Philippians 4:8.)

6. A Christian should be fervent in good works. “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:14).

The life that we live; the Gospel puts emphasis on the life. (Read Titus 2:7; Titus 3:8; Hebrews 10:24.)

7. A Christian should be fervent in spiritual gifts. “Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church” (I Corinthians 14:12.)

These gifts edify and build up the believer and give him strength. (Read 1 Corinthians 12.)

“Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 6:1).

This is indeed one of the heart-searching passages from God’s Word. We have read it over many times, no doubt; yet, have we ever stopped really to consider its true meaning? Surely the words practically mean this, “Take care that you do not live your life before men instead of before God, for if you do, God cannot bear witness to it and give you His reward.”

It is a severe temptation to live our “righteousness” before men, to be seen by others, to have them think well of us because they notice us doing good deeds or hear us speak kind words. These words truly pierce to the joints and marrow (Hebrews 4: 12).

It is possible to do much of our Christian work to ” … be seen of men … ” (Matthew 6:5) – not intentionally perhaps, but almost unconsciously we ask or think, “How does it look?” or “What will they say?” concerning much that is said and done.

The heavenly life is a life ” … hid with Christ in God” (Colossians 3 :3). In Matthew 6:1-18, the Lord Jesus endeavours to tell us about such a life and some things necessary in its living. The Lord in these verses speaks of hidden service (verses 2-4), hidden prayers (verses 5-15), and hidden suffering (verses 16-18).

HIDDEN SERVICE

There is the hidden life of service. Service is a much used word today in the church and Christian sphere. We are urged to serve, and so we ought. Christ does not condemn service, indeed He encourages it; but warns that our Christian service, all our giving of money, time, and strength, should be hidden between God and ourselves (verses 3-4). Even among our members, the left hand and the right hand (verse 3), it is to be a secret service. We are not even to sit down to think or dwell upon it – what we do we are to forget and leave it before God. This is the “closet” life- a life lived close to God.

Such life, lived in secret, will be owned by God openly. It will be seen of men then, but in such a manner that they will glorify God the Father. They will be able to see how God serves us, not how we serve God!

Jesus said one time that what we give up we gain, and what we try to save we lose. This passage of Scripture helps us to understand what He had in mind. If we do a good deed and think of the praise of men, we lose our reward of God. If we think of the praise of God, we gain His approval and His open reward, which men do see after all.

HIDDEN PRAYER

In verses 6-7, the Lord speaks of praying in secret, or hidden prayer. In verse 5, He mentions a class of people who prayed deliberately and intentionally to ” … be seen of men … ” because they loved men’s praise.

“Please excuse me from leading in audible prayer,” some folks will beg, “I just can’t pray so well as Brother So and So.” Another has been heard to say, “Well, if I cannot speak, at least I can pray!” Common expressions, sounding almost humble, yet with perhaps the dangerous “seen of men” poison behind them, a subtle motive being the guiding principle rather than true humility.

“My prayers aren’t answered, so why go on praying?” asks a Christian professor, despondently. “I’ve almost ceased to believe that God hears prayer; so many of mine have gone unanswered lately.” Many have this experience. May it not be possible that, in some cases, the reason is made clear by the Lord’s explanation of prayer rewards? He says plainly, ” … no reward of your Father … ” (verse 1).

Someone has said, “We think of men so much because we know so little of God.” One of the greatest problems of public prayer is here: to keep the thought upon God and off of men. It is much easier to pray in the secret place where men cannot see or hear, but it is also possible to pray in public, ” … before men … ” (verse 1). The characteristics of prayer in this hidden prayer life could be set forth in this way:

1.1t is prayer with no thought of what others think (verse 5).

2. It is prayer shut in with God, whether in private or public worship (verse 6).

3. It is prayer not so much of language as of heart (verse 7).

4. It is prayer which is sure of response and reward (verse 6).

5. It is prayer definite and to the point, “After this manner therefore pray ye … ” (verses 9-13).

6. It is prayer to a Father who will respond to every real need (verse 8).

7. It is prayer in the spirit of forgiving love (verses 14-15).

HIDDEN SUFFERING

This is mentioned by the Lord in verses 16-18. Here, again, we find the warning about being “seen of men” when we suffer. This is perhaps the severest test or temptation of all. Fasting is particularly mentioned by the Lord Jesus. The Christians were not to fast and then go about with a sad countenance so that everyone who met them could tell they were fasting! There is a kind of pleasant martyrdom which Satan often uses, very cleverly, to spoil the Christian’s reward – it is rather “sweet” to do without, if we have the sympathy or praise or commendation of others! But it will bring no other reward, for such “martyrs” have had their reward.

These are very difficult things to make real in our lives, but most of Jesus’ teachings are difficult. He Himself lived fully this hidden prayer life, the hidden life itself. He spoke seldom of His own sorrows, always helped others overcome their difficulties and gave them sunshine. He told His Father the rest, lived in with Him, and was indeed rewarded openly to God’s glory.

God reveals Himself only to faith. Unbelief never receives anything from God. Everything we get from God, we get through faith. Righteousness cometh by faith (Philippians 3:9). Salvation cometh by faith (Ephesians 2:8). Without faith, the heavens are locked. God decreed that the just shall live by faith (Romans 1: 17). Without Faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11 :6)

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17). The basis of all faith is the Word of God. The written Word is the record God gave us of His Son, the Living Word. Faith believes the record. Unbelief makes God a liar (1 John 5:10).

“He sent His Word and healed them … ” (Psalm 107:20). Here is the great secret and plan. Here is described the wonderful way of God with the children of men. The Word is the gateway to God and the supernatural. Faith believes the Word and the promises. God is faithful. He never disappoints faith in His Word. When we meet the conditions, the promises are ours.

The Bible is the story of men and women who have believed God’s Word and have performed great exploits of faith. Faith and patience inherit the promises. The Word inspires faith. Faith obtains the wonderful promises of God.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). To faith, the Scriptures are discovered to be the infallible, unfailing, eternal Words of God (Matthew 5:18). Faith regards no circumstances, favourable or unfavourable. Faith asks only, “What saith the Word?” Faith banks all, risks all on the faithfulness of God in His Word.

FAITH IN GOD AND HIS WORD IS NEVER DISAPPOINTED

Faith knows no impossibilities. To the father of the dumb boy, Jesus said, ” … If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth” (Mark 9:23). He also said, “If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it” (John 14:14). The possibilities of faith are unlimited. God literally turns the universe over to faith. Did not one man bid the sun to stand still, and it obeyed? (Read Joshua 10: 12.)

Faith is not fear, but confidence and trust. Faith and fear cannot exist in the same heart. In the storm, Jesus wearied, slept. The disciples fearing, woke Him, crying, ” … Master, carest thou not that we perish?” (Mark 4:38). Awakening, He calmed the storm, and rebuked them, saying, ” … Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? … ” (Matthew 8:26).

Faith is not worry. Faith is freedom from worry. “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7). Worry is sin. Worry is unbelief. “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6).

WHY WORRY WHEN YOU CAN PRAY

Faith leaves the outcome with God. Like Esther going in to the king, ” … if l perish, I perish” (Esther4: 16).

Faith never despairs. Like Paul on the Alexandrian grain ship, when all hope had fled, cried, ” … be of good cheer: for I believe God … ” (Acts 27:25). Faith, like David at Ziklag, when all was lost and his men sought to stone him, encourages itself in the Lord (1 Samuel30:6).

“Is any thing too hard for the LORD? … ” (Genesis 18:14). ” … faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises … ” (Hebrews 11 33). Faith is the victory ( 1 John 5:4). When men believe, God works.

Have Faith In God! For faith proves the promises of God and the faithfulness of God. (Read Mark 11 :22-26.)

Faith proves the promises of God. Faith proves the faithfulness of God.

“…. let God be true, but every man a liar …” (Romans 3:4).

” … Abraham believed God … ” (Genesis 3:6). The essence of faith is simply taking God at His Word. “What more can he say than to you he hath said?” ” … he hath said … so that we may boldly say … ” (Hebrews 13:5-6). We are thrown back upon revelation, not reason. God has spoken and holy men recorded it. Back of everything stands the record. If we are to believe the Living Word, we must accept the Written Word. Jesus accepted the Old Testament as the Word of God, and He told us that His words were spirit and life. “Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus”- but how do we trust Him? The next line has it, “Just to take Him at His Word.”

Not “a feeling fond and fugitive,” not a frame of mind strenuously maintained, but a calm reliance on, “It is written,” that is it. For ” … these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:31). Take His Word for it!

Why don’t we hear of Hell anymore? Why don’t preachers warn of Hell fires as Jesus did (Matthew 5:22,29,30; Matthew 10:28; Matthew 25:41,46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:23-28)? The answer is found in the following statement, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

In these last days there has been a falling away from the faith (Luke 18:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:3), and a number of minsters, rather than risk losing lucrative positions, have well-nigh ceased to proclaim that everlasting punishment awaits the individual who rejects Jesus as Lord of his life. Nevertheless, it is still true that “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:16).

If there were not a Hell in which the sinner will have to spend a hideous eternity, Jesus would not have needed to come to earth to die for fallen man in order that those who repent, believe that He bore our sins, and shift the burden of guilt to Him (thus escaping the penalty which otherwise will be exacted by a just God) might have everlasting life.

Many people think that if they are fairly respectable and have lived in an upright manner that they will go to Heaven. Nothing is farther from the truth. The Bible says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). At a terrible cost, Jesus suffered and died for all humanity because He knew that Hell awaits those whose sins are not forgiven. Anyone who says there is no Hell is trampling Christ’s blood under foot. Before Jesus was born, the sins of those who looked forward to His first coming were rolled ahead; and, at death, these Old Testament saints went to Paradise in the lower parts of the earth, while the lost were consigned to Hades. After His death, Jesus visited this region and took the spirits of the righteous to Heaven, because He had completely atoned for their transgressions. Now, those who die go either to Heaven or Hell, depending upon whether or not they believe that Jesus rose from the grave as Lord and Saviour of mankind.

What would you think of a mother who took the labels off bottles of poison and placed them within easy reach of her children? However, many preachers who are responsible for the spiritual welfare of God’s children have removed the warning signs from false teachings, and are allowing their congregations to imbibe freely of the devil’s deadly notions, one of the most dangerous of which is the suggestion that Hell does not exist.

In earlier days, ministers were true to their trust. Jonathan Edwards, the eminent Puritan preacher, is noted, in particular, for his sermon entitled, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” When this message was delivered, many of the members of his congregation began to weep in such distress at the realization of their lost condition that the missionary had to ask for silence so that he might continue. He told the people that the wrath of God is everlasting. “You must suffer it to all eternity: there will be no end to this exquisite, horrible misery. When you look forward you shall see a long forever, a boundless duration before you … You will absolutely despair of ever having any deliverance, any end, any mitigation, any rest at all; you … must wear out … millions and millions of ages in wrestling and conflicting with this merciless vengeance; and then when you have so done, when so many ages have actually been spent by you in this manner, you will know that all is but a point to what remains, so that your punishment will indeed be infinite. Oh, who can express what the state of a soul in such circumstances is! It is inexpressible and inconceivable: for ‘who knows the power of God’s anger?”‘

Dear friend, if you have not yet made sure that you will escape this frightful fate by asking Jesus to forgive your sins, and to accept you into the family of God, I plead with you to fall upon your knees this very moment and cry to Him, “Oh, Lord, I believe you died for me and rose again from the dead to give me eternal life, and I believe that you have borne all of my sins. Save me now, and keep me during the remainder of my earthly journey and through all the ages to come. Amen.”

Offer this prayer from your heart and He will give you a new spiritual birth so that you will pass from death unto life, and will know that Heaven (not Hell with its terrors) will be your eternal abode.