Old Paths In Portrait

“The guilt of any sin is not in the least degree lessened by the agency of the Divine Providence in directing and overruling it to serve the purpose of the Divine wisdom. Those who crucified the Lord of Glory did nothing but what God had foretold by the mouth of His holy prophets, nothing but what God saw expedient to be done for the accomplishment of our salvation. The murderers of Jesus

Christ had no intention to exercise the will of God; they rejected His counsel against themselves. They were under no compulsion but fulfilled the desires of their own hearts, yet they did nothing but what God’s hand and counsel determined before to be done; and by doing it, they justly brought upon themselves the most fearful curses denounced against the enemies of God in the volume of inspiration.

4. The consideration of this truth should teach us how to regulate our thoughts and affections under all the awful events that take place in the world. The men who bring them to pass are the instruments of that Providence to which all reverence and praise is ever due, and they have done nothing which will not be overruled by Him to the accomplishment of His own purpose. We repeat that it is indeed true that the guilt of wicked men is not in any degree lessened by the use which God makes of them, and therefore are they the just objects of abhorrence. It is likewise true that the changes wrought by them may

be attended with great misery to nations, to our nation perhaps, and to ourselves, amongst others who are effected by them. But the Lord is righteous in all the evil things that come upon us and our fellow men. We are sinners, as well as those by whom God takes vengeance of our sins.

Why then should we indulge our angry passions without restraint? Ought we not rather to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, to learn righteousness from the Divine judgments? Whatever loss we sustain in our accommodations and comforts, if we behave dutifully to God and with a right temper towards men who are the instruments of our correction, the advantage derived from the most awful events will greatly counterbalance the loss. Give no place to desponding fears, either on your account or on account of the interest of Christ’s Church. Let the children of God remember that He is their heavenly Father who loves them, whose tender mercies infinitely exceed compassions of any earthly parent toward their children, and that His power is equal to His grace. The mightiest of your enemies are in his hand, and they can do no more harm than He sees necessary for your good. When God sent the Assyrians against the Jews, fearlessness justly surprised the hypocrites of Zion; but remember what He said to the faithful remnant of that day: see Isaiah 10:24, 25.”

-George Lawson from “The Divine Agency in War, Jeremiah 51:20”

Taken from Studies In The Scripture by A. W. Pink (1886–1952)