BOTH SIDES OF THE SHIELD – Charles Spurgeon
BOTH SIDES OF THE SHIELD
Introduction: The Danger of Being One-Sided in Understanding Truth
“Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses saId unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.” Exodus 17:8, 9.
In trying to understand the Truth of God, we are in great danger of being one-sided. One man catches part of a Truth of God and says, “That is it, and that is the whole of it.” Another man lays hold of another side of the Truth of God and says, “This is the whole of it,” and straightaway, there arises a contention between them.
They are like the men who quarreled about the material of a certain shield. One said it was made of gold, the other was equally sure it was made of silver. However, it happened that it was gold on one side and silver on the other. So, they fiercely wrangled when they might have been agreed if they had known a little more. Most Truths of God have two sides, and it is well to try to see both of them. Nearly every doctrine in the Word of God is balanced by some other doctrine, and many of the differences among the people of God have arisen from the undue stress laid on one aspect of the Truth while the other side has been neglected.
The Danger of Half-Truths and the Importance of Balancing Truths
This danger frequently besets us. For instance, some see the Sovereignty of God and are so carried away with that sublime Truth that they deny the responsibility of man. They thus wrest the doctrine they know and fight against the doctrine they do not know. Others see the universality of the Gospel invitation and, with large hearts, urge all men to turn unto God and live—but they have never seen the specialty of Christ’s redemptive work, so they fail to understand the eternal purpose of God to save His chosen people. Running away with half a Truth, they are like men who go through the wilderness wearing only one shoe—they become lame in one foot—and that makes them limp all over. It does not matter which foot it is that is lame—the man is a cripple if either foot is afflicted.
It is essential for us to hold our minds ready to receive whatever the Holy Spirit teaches—and frequently to accept Truths of God which we cannot harmonize. I have long ago given up all attempts to reconcile what God has revealed in one part of the Bible with what He has made known in another part. If I find, in God’s Word, doctrines which appear to me to be at variance with the teaching in other passages, I say to myself, “God knows where these things harmonize and if He had wanted me to know it, He would have told me. As He has not told me, why should I worry about it?”
The Mystery of God’s Revelation and Trust in Him
I am not going to speculate or theorize about where these Truths meet. Nor will I cast a bridge of gossamer across the deep gulf which I fancy I see and then trust myself to a thread that cannot bear my weight! “The secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever.” One said to me, the other day, concerning two great doctrines, “How do you make these two agree?” I answered by first asking another question, “How do I make two things agree that never fell out? There is no need for me to attempt anything of the kind. These two Truths are perfectly reconcilable and as they come from God’s mouth, it would be as difficult for you to show that they do not agree as it is for me to show that they do agree.” God does not say, “Yes,” and “No.” The Lord does not blow hot and cold. If He reveals two doctrines which apparently contradict each other, yet they are both true, since both are spoken by the God who cannot lie! And if I cannot see how they can both be true, it comforts me to think that I am not asked to see it—I am expected to believe it—and God’s Grace gives me the faith to do even that.
The Opportunity for Faith in Difficulty
In fact, I rather like a difficulty, for then there is an opportunity for the exercise of faith. It is glorious when one is sailing to come right up under the lee of a great rock and to be compelled to say, “Well, I cannot proceed any further this way.” What then? Well, just let your anchor down and make a harbor of the rock, and lie there at rest while stormy winds blow. That is what you should do with difficult doctrines—make a quiet haven of the mysterious Truth of God and let it shelter you in time of doubt or despondency! When the storm is passed, you will find that there are other ways for you to go where it is perfectly plain sailing. Seeing that the Revelation is Divine, there must be mysteries which mortals cannot understand at present. Let us comfort ourselves with our Savior’s words, “What you know not now, you shall know hereafter.” Some day the way will be made plain before us, but meanwhile our attitude should be that of trustful children who believe implicitly whatever their loving father tells them, whether they comprehend it or not.
Persecution in Its Double Aspect
In the present discourse, I am going to take up two sets of Truths which are varied yet practical. There are four things suggested to my mind while meditating upon this text and its surroundings, each of which may be viewed from two standpoints. First, in this assault of Amalek on the people of God, we see persecution in its double aspect. Secondly, in the rod of Moses, we behold instrumentality in its double relation. Thirdly, in the battle, we observe prudence in its double activity. And lastly, in the leaders of the people, we are reminded of Christ in His double capacity as He pleads for us yonder and fights for us here.
The Double Aspect of Persecution
First, let us look at PERSECUTION IN ITS DOUBLE ASPECT. On the one hand, notice that this attack upon Israel was Amalek’s great sin, for which the nation was doomed to be extirpated. Because of this, God said, “I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under Heaven.” But, on the other hand, this assault was the result of Israel’s sin, for it is significantly placed after the strife of Massah and Meribah, “Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.”
The point is this—persecution may come to you from evil men, distinctly from them—and it may be their wicked free will which makes them assail you. But, at the same time, it may be your sin that lies at the bottom of it, and because you have erred, they have been permitted and even appointed to bring trouble upon you. Let us think of these two things. Notice well that assaults upon us may arise from the sins of others. It is right that we should recognize this, lest, in the dark day, we should become unduly discouraged. Persecution often arises because we come into conflict with wicked men, but God will judge our adversaries—He will remember His Covenant with His people and deliver us from the hand of all our enemies.
The Attack of Amalek and God’s Judgment
these Amalekites attacked Israel and greatly sinned in doing so, for they were the first to make war against God’s people. He who had so graciously chosen and kept them, who, with a mighty hand and outstretched arm had brought them through the Red Sea, had espoused their cause, and His Word, “Touch not My anointed, and do My Prophets no harm,” had been a kind of shield to Israel in her earliest days. Though Abraham and others had gone forth to battle, nobody had fought with Israel since she had become a nation, delivered from Pharaoh and Egypt. But Amalek was the first among the nations to dare to assail the chosen people of God, and therefore, a stern doom was decreed against him.
The Guilt of Persecutors and God’s Justice
Let not wicked men imagine that because God is in Heaven and they are upon the earth, they can, with impunity, oppose His people. “He that sits in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.” Woe be to the man who wantonly attacks the saints of the Most High God! Be not disquieted, O child of God, if this is your case! “Fret not yourself because of evildoers, neither be you envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass and wither as the green herb.” Moreover, Amalek went out of his way to attack Israel. The people had not come into his territory—they were a good way from it, and were passing quietly by—but we read, “Then came Amalek.” His envy was stirred up so much that he came from his own region to fight with Israel without any provocation. Because the attack was thus wanton, he had to suffer the stern judgment of God.
The Responsibility of Sin and the Role of Chastisement
Let us not think that persecution always comes solely from evil men. It may also be the result of our own sin. Israel had been murmuring and quarreling with Moses and with God. Because they had questioned God’s presence, Amalek came and attacked them. We may often trace our afflictions back to our own errors. If we have withheld from the poor, we need not wonder if God withholds from us. If we have been slow to forgive, we need not marvel if we do not soon feel forgiven ourselves.
Instrumentality in Its Double Relation
In the second place, let us think of INSTRUMENTALITY IN ITS DOUBLE RELATION. Here, again, another contrast is found. In verse five, God says to Moses, “Take with you of the elders of Israel; and your rod, with which you smote the river.” But when Moses talks about the rod in verse nine, he says, “Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.” In both verses, it is the same rod, yet it is described differently. God calls it the rod of Moses, while Moses calls it the rod of God.
The first is true—it is the rod of Moses, the human side. The second is true—it is the rod of God, the Divine side. In this, we see that the instrumentality God uses has two sides: it is both the rod of Moses, used by God to accomplish His purposes, and the rod of God, signifying His power working through human agency. Both aspects are true and important.
The Importance of Acknowledging God’s Use of Instrumentality
We must never despise the instrumentality which God uses. The tendency of our nature is to either idolize the instrument or reject it altogether. But we must remember that, while God uses instruments, it is always God who is the ultimate source of power. As Moses holds the rod, it is not the rod alone that works wonders, but God’s power through it.