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