21. The Principle of Illustrative Mention

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE The Principle of Illustrative Mention a. Definition.

It is that principle by which God exhibits by illustrations of judgment, His displeasure at various forms of sin and disobedience.

(1) He speaks by way of judgment for violation of His command. He gives a decisive sign of hatred of sin and then is silent for a long time.

(2) If God visited every sin with deserved punishment as soon as a law was broken the human race would soon become extinct. b. Examples,

1. Lying to the Holy Ghost – Acts 5:1-11 Ananias and Sapphira. This illustrates what God thinks of this sin, yet if all who commit it were punished in this manner there wouldn’t be any Church.

2. Idolatry – Judgment of Babel is an example of judgment of idolatry – Genesis 11 3. Graven images – Story of the golden calf and its judgment – Exodus 32 :

4. Profanity of Holy things – Death of Korah – Numbers 16 – Nadab and Abihu – Leviticus 10:1-2.

5, "Thou shalt not kill." Cain had a mark because "Vengeance is mine saith the Lord" – Genesis 4:15.

6. Family impurity – Judgment on Sodom – Genesis 19 7. Theft – Judgment on Achan – Joshua 7 c. This principle should encourage Scriptural illustrations in preaching.