Word Like a Hammer

"Is not My word like a fire?" says the LORD, "And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?"

Jeremiah 23:29

This verse follows on from God saying through the prophet, "What is the chaff to the wheat?"  The chaff is a thin, papery coating that is distinct from the edible wheat that can be planted and produce more grain.  God followed on to ask, "Is not My word like a fire?"  There was a statute in Israel that all spoil obtained from enemies was to be purified by fire if it could endure fire.  Dreams and prophesies were thus tested and approved by the absolute truth of God's word He had spoken.  God's word would consume the chaff of lies and deceit and reveal the living word God spoke through His faithful ministers that would bear much fruit.  As it is written in Psalm 12:6, "The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times."

God then likened His word to a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces.  A hammer wielded by a worker is able to accomplish what is impossible with bare hands.  Sometimes a hammer is used to pulverise rocks, and this morning I used a roto hammer to separate bricks from concrete.  While power tools did not exist when the prophet Jeremiah spoke these words, God's word remains true and relevant to this day.  Not only does God's word have the power to break hard hearts, it can make an accurate impact on our hearts and minds.  In the context of distinguishing faith in God from unbelief, Hebrews 4:12 says:  "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

For a hammer to be useful, it needs to be accurately swung.  While separating concrete bedding from pavers, it was important to place the chisel bit in the correct location to create cleavage between the different materials.  It is important we do not use the Bible as a hammer to bash people, but that we humbly allow the Holy Spirit to administer the impact of God's word where it is best needed.  Because we cannot know people's hearts (or perfectly discern our own thoughts and motivations) we are called to exercise faith God is able to safely use all His word in a refining, purifying and constructive way.

Jesus said in John 16:12-14, "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³ However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you."  Our call is to trust God by obeying His word and to leave all the "hammering" on others to God.  Not only does God always and only speak the truth, but God is perfectly accurate to accomplish His purposes by the redemptive work of His word in our hearts.  His word is able to make quicker work in the minds and lives of His humble children than a roto hammer through concrete bedding.

A Different Kind

Without God's grace, humanity would remain in a perpetual decline.  While we observe many sons walking in the sinful ways of their fathers or departing from the living God their fathers faithfully served, there are many occasions when the son of a wicked king did what was right in God's sight.  I think of Jeroboam who made all Israel sin through idolatry and yet he had a young son God revealed "...in him there is found something good toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam." (1 Kings 14:13)  In all the house of Jeroboam, one boy who would have been the most naturally impressionable and influenced by his father instead had a heart that was inclined to the LORD God of Israel.

King Saul and his son Jonathan also provide a stark contrast.  While Saul began his reign with humility and faith in God, in a short time he was lifted up with pride and disobeyed the LORD's commands.  Just this morning I read of what happened as Jonathan and his armourbearer drew near to a Philistine garrison.  Jonathan suggested they show themselves to the Philistines, and if they were invited to advance up the steep hill it was a sign the LORD had delivered them into their hands.  After they put their plan into motion, 1 Samuel 14:12 tells us:  "Then the men of the garrison called to Jonathan and his armorbearer, and said, "Come up to us, and we will show you something." Jonathan said to his armorbearer, "Come up after me, for the LORD has delivered them into the hand of Israel."  I am struck by the faith and humility of Jonathan, for he saw the victory the LORD gave them as already complete.  It was a victory for God and Israel, and Jonathan gave all honour to Him.

Jonathan did not learn this from his father, King Saul.  Rather than seeking the LORD for guidance before battle, Saul sought out valiant men to add to his fighting force.  Saul was very self-centred in broadcasting his victories (even when he did not fight), and his focus remained on himself and his enemies--not God and the nation.  Later in the passage 1 Samuel 14:24 illustrates the point:  "And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had placed the people under oath, saying, "Cursed is the man who eats any food until evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies." So none of the people tasted food."  Rather than blessing the LORD and the people who bravely fought for Saul, he placed a curse upon them if they ate food before "I have taken vengeance on my enemies."  He did not mention God, express confidence the battle was the LORD's, exhort the people to take courage in the LORD, or lead by brave example.

While Saul was sitting under a pomegranate tree surrounded by his valiant men, Jonathan was valiant in faith and humility before God by advancing upon a Philistine garrison by faith in God.  I have heard it said an apple does not fall far from the tree, but it is clear Jonathan was of a different kind than his father.  Jonathan's actions illustrates the power and grace of God to guide a person to embrace a life of faith in God they have not observed in others close to them, and it is a blessing to know God is in no way limited by the selfish, proud or faithless people to raise up from their children people who fear and trust Him.  A selfish father can raise a selfless child when that child has God as his Father by faith.  There's always hope for transformation when God is involved, for He is able to stop the downward spiral of humanity and helps us embark on God's upward call by faith in Jesus.

The Heart of the Problem

God allows His people to experience situations that put their faith and leadership to the test.  There are tests God brings that refine us, that prompt us to exercise faith in God that builds faith and results in spiritual growth as we trust in God.  There are also tests that reveal our heart, motives and actions to be sinful and in need of repentance.  Tests can reveal what our hearts carefully conceal, the reality about us the LORD knows already.  When Peter denied knowing Jesus three times, it indicated his lack of strength to resist the fear of man and his lack of faith in Christ's word--which resulted in weeping, repentance but ultimately spiritual growth and fruitfulness.

There are examples in Scripture of people who tragically were exposed as lacking faith in God and never seems they came round to repentance and renewed trust in God.  King Saul was one of these people.  He had been a king for a couple years when he commanded the trumpet sound to announce his successful attack on a Philistine garrison so all Hebrews would hear.  This had an unintended effect, for the Philistines responded by invading Israel with horsemen and chariots.  King Saul and his men were filled with fear and some hid in caves, bushes or rocks whilst others crossed the Jordan river to avoid warfare.  As Saul watched his fighting force melt away day after day, on the seventh day he sinned by offering a sacrifice to God when he should have waited for the prophet Samuel to do so according to the word of the LORD.

When confronted by Samuel, the king gave weak excuses to justify his actions:  the people were scattered from him, Samuel had not yet arrived, and the Philistines gathered together.  Instead of obeying the LORD or seeking His counsel, Saul said to himself offering the sacrifice in Samuel's stead was the best course of action.  1 Samuel 13:13-14 says, "And Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you. For now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. ¹⁴ But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you."  King Saul imagined his kingdom and leadership was threatened by the Philistine army, his fearful subjects or Samuel's lack of punctuality when it was his own proud, conceited heart which pried the kingdom from his grasp.

This is remarkable, isn't it?  The Philistine army was a problem for Saul, but it wasn't a problem for God.  Saul's inability to rally and inspire the troops wasn't the problem either.  The test God allowed of the invading army, fleeing fighters and the last-minute arrival of a prophet exposed King Saul as a fool.  This was affirmed when instead of owning up to his sin and humbling himself, Saul vainly tried to justify himself and continued on his proud path to ruin.  He looked to himself, to everything and everyone else rather than God and his kingdom would not be established or continue because of his faithless heart.  As Christians we do well to meditate on this matter, for many times the problems we see around us or in others isn't our problem.  God allows us to face tests that reveal the real problem is the unbelief and pride that runs rampant in our own hearts that undermines the strength and victory found in Jesus alone.

Remember God and King

Knowing we are to bear the infirmities of the weak and to edify one another according to Christ's example, Paul wrote of the Bible in Romans 15:4:  "For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope."  Reading the Scripture illuminates our hearts and minds to reveal the truth about us with the light of God's wisdom, that we naturally follow examples of those who did not trust or rely upon God.  The Bible also illustrates time and again the confidence we can have in God who is faithful to deliver people from sin, adversaries and troubled hearts.

None of us are strangers to bad news, and it seems with the lightning speed of the internet bad news reaches our ears and eyes faster than ever.  Paul's teaching leads us to conclude that what happened in Israel long ago--before the advent of what we call snail mail--remains relevant and edifying for us today.  In 1 Samuel 11, Nahash the Ammonite rose up and encamped against Jabesh-Gilead.  He offered them conditions of peace on the condition he could gouge out every person's right eye.  It doesn't take a genius to know these were terrible and unacceptable terms.  But the men of Jabesh-Gilead responded with a request for 7 days of respite during which they would send messengers with a plea to come to their aid.  If no one responded, they grimly agreed with being disfigured and reproached to save their lives.

From a Christian perspective, it is strange the men of Jabesh-Gilead did not seek the LORD.  They also did not consider Saul had been anointed king to lead God's people to victory in battle.  It was as if in the minds of the people God nor the king He anointed existed, and the people of Jabesh-Gilead had absolutely no confidence in anyone responding to their alarming message.  The passage goes on to say messengers from Jabesh-Gilead arrived at Gibeah where king Saul lived.  Instead of seeking audience with the king in person, they told the bad news to the people.   1 Samuel 11:4-5 reads, "So the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told the news in the hearing of the people. And all the people lifted up their voices and wept. ⁵ Now there was Saul, coming behind the herd from the field; and Saul said, "What troubles the people, that they weep?" And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh."  The response of the people of Gibeah were as faithless as those of Jabesh-Gilead, for they too mourned without thought of God or their king without any expectation of help, hope or deliverance!

It was only after Saul inquired he heard what was the matter in 1 Samuel 11:6-7:  "Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard this news, and his anger was greatly aroused. ⁷ So he took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, "Whoever does not go out with Saul and Samuel to battle, so it shall be done to his oxen." And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent."  When the king was finally informed of the trouble the people of Jabesh-Gilead faced, the Spirit of God came upon Saul and he mustered the people to battle immediately.  Within a day the people of Jabesh-Gilead were delivered from Nahash the Ammonite by God's grace, and Saul's actions galvanised the nation Israel in the fear of God.

Because this passage has been provided for our learning, it reveals the tendency of God's people upon hearing bad news is not to consider the promises, presence or power of God--nor the King He has ordained.  In the case of Christians today, when situations cause us to feel powerless and helpless, we can send messages to other men rather than seeking the LORD.  When we hear bad news that overwhelms us concerning others, we can grieve and mourn without any thought of our anointed King Jesus who is a deliverer and Saviour.  We would love to see ourselves as king Saul in this analogy, but even Saul could not do anything to help unless he had been first filled with the Holy Spirit and given wisdom by God.  It is good for us to own the fact we naturally and perhaps often resemble the men of Jabesh-Gilead and Gibeah so we might change our ways in the fear of God and look to Jesus our Saviour as we cast our cares upon Him.