God's tools and
instruments
"I form the light and
create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the
Lord, do all these things."
Isaiah 45:7
Let us see the hand of the Lord in this recent dreadful fire
which has turned our once renowned London into a ruinous heap!
London's sins were now so great, and God's wrath was now so
hot--that there was no quenching of the furious flames. The
decree for the burning of London was now gone forth, and nothing
could reverse it. The time of London's fall was now come. The
fire had now received its commission from God--to burn down the
city and to turn it into a ruinous heap!
Certainly God is the great agent in all those dreadful judgments
which befall people, cities, and kingdoms. Whoever or whatever
be the rod--it is God's hand which gives the stroke! The power
of bringing judgments upon cities, God takes to Himself, "When
disaster comes to a city, has not the Lord caused it?" Amos 3:6.
Whatever that judgment is, which falls upon a city--God is the
author of it; He acts in it and orders it according to His own
good pleasure. There is no judgment which accidentally falls
upon any person, city, or country. Every judgment is inflicted
by a divine power and providence. God had given a commission to
the fire--to burn with that force and violence as it did--until
London was laid in ashes! Whoever kindled this fire--God blew
the coal! And therefore no arts, counsels, or endeavors of men
were able to quench it.
All judgments are at the beck of God, and under the command of
God. Whatever judgment God commands to destroy a person, a city,
or country--that judgment shall certainly and effectually
accomplish the command of God--in spite of all that creatures
can do. If God commissions the sword of war to walk abroad, and
to glut itself with blood--who can command it into the scabbard
again? No art, power, or policy can cause that sword to lie
still!
God, as He is our Creator, Preserver, and sovereign Lord--has an
absolute power both over our persons, lives, estates, and
habitations: and when we have transgressed His righteous laws,
He may do with us, and all we have--as He pleases. He may turn
us out of house and home, and burn up all our comforts round
about us--and yet do us no wrong. "Our God is in heaven; He does
whatever pleases Him." Psalm 115:3. "The
Lord does whatever
pleases Him--in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and
all their depths." Psalm 135:6
Those things which seem accidental and chance to us--are ordered
by the wise counsel, power, and providence of God. Instruments
can no more stir until God gives them a commission--than the axe
or the knife can cut by itself, without a hand. God makes use of
whatever second causes He pleases, for the execution of His
pleasure. And many times He makes the worst of men the rod of
His indignation to chastise His people with! All inferior or
subordinate causes--are but God's tools
and instruments, which He rules and guides according
to His own will,
power, and providence.
Job eyed God in the fire which fell from heaven, and in all the
fiery trials which befell him. And therefore, he does not say,
"The Lord gave--and the devil took away!" Nor, "The Lord
gave--and the Chaldeans and Sabeans took away!" But
"The Lord gave--and the Lord has taken
away; may the name of the Lord be praised!" Job 1:20-21
Certainly without the cognizance and concurrence of a wise,
omniscient, and omnipotent God--no creatures
can move. Without His foresight and permission--no event can
befall any person, city or country. Whatever
the means or instruments of our misery are--the hand is God's!
It behooves us, in every judgment, to see the
hand of the Lord, and to look through visible means to an
invisible God! "The Lord has afflicted me;
the
Almighty has brought misfortune upon me!" Ruth 1:21
"The Lord brings death and makes alive; He
brings down to the grave and raises up. The Lord sends poverty
and wealth; He humbles and He exalts!"1 Samuel 2:6-7
Thomas Brooks, London's Lamentations, 1670
