The Rod Before the Axe

When the disciples suggested they step into Elijah's sandals and call down fire from heaven upon those who rejected Jesus, Luke 9:55-56 recorded His response:  "But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. ⁵⁶ For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them." And they went to another village."  God who created mankind is inclined to show mercy and save sinners, not destroy them.  Though He is just, He is also gracious, compassionate and longsuffering.  If this was not the case, not one of us would remain.

C.H. Spurgeon said in a sermon, "The LORD usually brings the rod before the axe."  This is seen throughout the scripture concerning God's dealings with people.  For about 100 years Noah was a preacher of righteousness as he built the ark, using a rod of rebuke to warn lost sinners judgment was coming.  God sent Moses to tell Pharaoh to let God's people go and sent plagues upon Egypt that increased in severity until the final plague that killed the firstborn of man and beast throughout the land.  God did not begin with a deadly plague but with miracles and earnest warnings of what was to come, and the words were confirmed by the LORD's signs through Moses.

On two occasions during the life of Jesus, He went into the Temple and overturned the tables of money changers and drove out the animals sold in illicit trade.  Even as the LORD and angels went down to Sodom in response to the cry that rose up to heaven, Jesus walked through the Temple to observe everything that took place there before He took decisive action the following day (Mark 11:11-19).  What God intended to be a house of prayer had been made a den of thieves, and the quote of Jesus from the prophet Jeremiah strongly suggests coming judgment for sin.  To have tables overthrown and animals driven from the Temple was a foretaste of what God would do through the Romans who sacked Jerusalem and left no stone unturned in their destruction of the Temple.  Jesus did not kill anyone when He cleansed the Temple, yet many would perish when God purged Jerusalem in 70AD.

Since we are born again by the Spirit of the living God, it is good for us to adopt His approach to conflicts and situations of our lives.  We can be guilty of taking the axe to a relationship when we have neglected to gently confront or rebuke someone for an offense against us or others.  Perhaps there are parents who have "cut off" their children without taking decisive action to discipline or adequately warn those who strayed.  We can internalise frustrations and never voice our concerns in a constructive way until we are done.  We might also have been victimised by this behaviour, having been cut off without a word or a legitimate reason from our view.  It is natural to treat others like they have treated us rather than loving others like Jesus loves us.  How gracious is God to provide the rod before the axe, and may we do the same.