I. The lord’s hand is concerned in those events which have the appearance of being wholly accidental, and of happening by chance or luck. The man who drew the bow by which the King of Israel received his death, drew it, as our text says, “at a venture.” He took no aim whatever. Men talk of chance, and luck, and fate, and accident, as if there was not a God that ruled the world. And some even pretend to think that it is doing a kind of dishonour to the Lord to suppose that He interferes in the events of life, beyond, perhaps, a mere general oversight or superintendence. But what says the Scripture? What says the Lord Himself of His own doings and appointments? He tells us that His hand is everywhere. He tells us that not a sparrow falleth to the ground without Him--that when “the lot is cast into the lap,” yet “the whole disposal thereof is of Him.”
II. God is true to his own threatenings. Look back into the former verses of this chapter, and you will find King Ahab was expressly warned of God that he should fall at Ramoth-Gilead, and that he should not return at all in peace. Men may “encourage themselves in an evil matter”; they may go on still in evil courses, with a most assured persuasion that their sins shall be unpunished; but true, nevertheless, is that word of the Lord which He hath spoken--“The wages of sin is death.” “God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.”
III. That there is no fencing ourselves against the stroke of God by any efforts or devices of our own. Ahab, seeming, as he did, to hold God’s threatenings cheap, yet had some apprehensions notwithstanding. “He who made you can make His weapon to approach unto you,” and that all self-defences are in vain! There is a spiritual arrow, very strong and sharp, which may be called “the arrow of conviction,” and which consists in the bringing home a sense of guilt and danger to the sinner’s conscience. Let us consider such a case as this--a case where the arrow of conviction has come home toa man’s heart through the power of the Holy Ghost. The spiritual wound which this poor sinner has received is grievous. Blessed be God! it is not like that of Ahab, hopeless and incurable. There is “balm in Gilead,” and there is “a Physician there.” That very Lord who made the preaching of His law so sharp and piercing--who made the arrow of conviction strike so deep, can heal as well as wound. He hath providedin His gospel a cure for the transgression of His law. “To bind up the broken-hearted,” to provide a precious remedy for dying sinners, was theerrand of the Son of God when He visited our world. (A. Roberts, M. A.)
A bow at a venture
I. Where all is venture men act as if all were certain. Strong probability is not certainty.
1. No parent is certain that his child shall live to need the education he gives it.
2. No working man is certain that he shall require the provision he has made for “a rainy day.”
3. No merchant is certain of reaching that “wealth with honour” for which he toils. Yet the parent, the working man, and the merchant act as reasonable and responsible agents. Still, we have no certainty as to the result of any act viewed apart from its moral element. Thus viewed, however, all is certainty.
II. Where all is certain men act as if all were venture.
1. As a man sows morally, so shall he also reap; not necessarily from his fellow-men, but from God, in the harvest field of his own soul, etc. Experience, etc.
2. The most wicked deed ever perpetrated was first a thought. The accumulative force of moral evil is a certainty. Yet men lust as if lust would never bring forth; and covet as if covetousness never issued in actual theft, etc.
3. The Gospel is a certainty alike in its promises and its threatenings.
III. Deduce some practical lessons.
1. Be not afraid to “draw a bow at a venture” for the sake of Christ.
2. Be careful of all bows at a venture which are not for Christ’s sake. (The Study.)
Venture in Christian work
There is one recent example, vouched for by Miss Pratt of the Bible School, Yokohama. During the Chino-Japanese war a trainload of soldiers was passing the village of Suzakawa, and one of them tossed a copy of the Japanese gospels into the open window of a house. Through that single book, the owner of the house and his whole family have become Christians. (T. H. Darlow.)
The joints of the harness.--
Joints of the harness
We have heresuggested the strength and the weakness of our defensive spiritual armour. We do not now refer to what St. Paul meant by “the whole armour of God,” so much as to a humanly framed defensive system of rules and principles and habits which is necessary to protect us during this exposed earthly life.
I. We may arm ourselves against the world by placing restrictions upon our intercourse with its social life. If specially susceptible to worldly influences, we may wisely make it a rule to keep absolutely clear from all its pleasant things in which any temptation can lurk; or we may allow ourselves some degree of liberty, which, however, we restrict by some rule or clearly drawn line beyond which we will not go. This is good defensive armour, but it will not make us invulnerable. No formal, outward separation from the world can absolutely shut out the spirit of the world. The armour of our restrictions may keep out the world bodily, so to speak; but the very trust we place in such armour may open the way for some arrow from the bow of the archer.
II. We may arm ourselves against the worldly influences which touch us through our necessary intercourse with the world--as, for instance, in our business relations with men--by joining regularly in religious services and Christian work. In business hours our life is on the open ground, where we are exposed to every temptation. But in the sanctuary of God what can harm us? It is surely from the standpoint of the sanctuary that we get our true ideals of life’s duties and aims, and that all the weak things about us are seen. It is there that faith can see and realise Divine things most clearly, and heaven seems so near, and the things of earth so small and poor. But religious services and activities will not necessarily make us safe. The archer is subtle, and has many devices.
III. We may further defend ourselves by an armour of religious habits. There is great strength and protection in habits as distinguished from fitful, varying acts. Let us keep our armour of defence as perfect as we can. Do not undervalue it because it is dangerous to overvalue it. Let the sense of weakness make us humble and watchful. Let us remember that there are places, books, company, and habits which should be labelled “dangerous.” The wise man will not court danger, but will flea from it.(Thomas Wilde.)
