DISCOURSE: 354
FAITHFUL MINISTERS OBJECTS OF HATRED
1 Kings 22:8. I hate him; for he doth not speak good concerning me, but evil.
IT is generally supposed that sentiments adopted by the great mass of mankind, especially if they be maintained also by those who from their personal advantages and official character are considered as best qualified to judge, must, of necessity, be right. But, whatever deference may be due to the opinions of others, we cannot concede to any man, or to any number of men, that measure of confidence which is due to God alone. Even in relation to arts and sciences, we frequently find that universally received axioms are at length exploded, and systems of a very different aspect established in opposition to them. In religion there is but one standard, to which every thing must be referred; and how numerous or learned soever the persons may be who would impose their sentiments upon us, we must bring them all “to the word and to the testimony,” and discard every thing which accords not with that unerring test. On a subject of great importance to the kings of Israel and of Judah, no less than four hundred prophets were consulted: and they all, with one voice, gave their judgment in such a way, as to flatter the pride, and gratify the inclinations, of those who consulted them. But there was one poor despised prophet, Micaiah, whom Ahab had intentionally kept in the back-ground, because he dreaded the advice which he might give: and, when inquiry was made respecting him, Ahab said, “I hate him; because he doth not speak good concerning me, but evil.”
Now, though this saying had respect to one individual, and may therefore be supposed to be confined to him, the reason assigned by Ahab is of a general nature, and is applicable to all who faithfully declare the mind of God. This saying therefore of Ahab will furnish me with a fit occasion to shew,
I. The necessity imposed on every faithful minister—
A servant of God must declare the truth with fearless and impartial freedom. Fidelity is essential to his very character.
1. God requires it of us—
[Ministers are ambassadors from God, and must deliver faithfully the message intrusted to them. An unfaithful man may be called a servant of God; but he is, in fact, a servant rather of the devil, who assumes in him the appearance of “an angel of light [Note: 2 Corinthians 11:13; 2 Corinthians 11:15.].” St. Paul’s representation is this: “Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful [Note: 1 Corinthians 4:1-2.].” And to every such character God gives this solemn charge: “He that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat [Note: Jeremiah 23:28.]?” We are not to fear the face of man, but to speak the truth of God, “whether men will hear, or whether they will forbear [Note: Ezekiel 2:6-7.].” And when men say to us, “Prophesy unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits [Note: Isaiah 30:9-10.],” our answer must be like that of Micaiah, “As the Lord liveth, what the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak [Note: ver. 14.].” God has plainly told us, that “if we seek to please men, we cannot be the servants of Jesus Christ [Note: Galatians 1:10.].”]
2. It is of the utmost importance to all to whom we speak—
[It is to be expected that men who look to us for instruction will imbibe the sentiments we convey. And if we deceive them in relation to temporal matters, the mistake, though injurious, may be rectified: but if we mislead them in their everlasting concerns, the consequence must be fatal. It is doubtless a great misfortune to any, if, like Ahab, they be betrayed by false prophets and by blind guides: but, like Ahab, they will reap the bitter fruits of such erroneous counsels. Our blessed Lord, by a very simple figure, conveys to us this truth in a most convincing way: “If the blind lead the blind, shall they not both fall into the ditch [Note: Matthew 15:14.]?” We cannot doubt of this, in relation to this world; nor is there any more reason to doubt of it in relation to eternity. It will be no excuse to any, especially to any who have had the Scriptures in their hands, that they were deceived. They had access to the fountain of knowledge; and they might have obtained by prayer the influences of the Holy Spirit to instruct them: and therefore they are altogether responsible for the errors they have imbibed, and for the counsels they have followed. In them will surely be fulfilled that declaration of the prophet, “The leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed [Note: Isaiah 9:16.].”]
3. The salvation of our own souls depends upon it—
[As from God we have received our commission, so to God are we responsible for our execution of it. In truth, so awful is our responsibility, that nothing but a conviction that “a dispensation is committed to us,” and that we are “called to it by the Holy Ghost,” could prevail upon us to undertake the office of ministering to immortal souls. Hear what God himself has spoken to us: “Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand [Note: Ezekiel 3:17-18.].” Here you see, that if the consequences be fatal to others, they are doubly so to ourselves: for they who perish through our unfaithfulness, have only their own souls to answer for: but we must perish under the accumulated guilt of destroying, not our own souls only, but the souls of all that have been committed to our charge. Well does the Apostle Paul again and again make that request: “Brethren, pray for us:” for indeed we need your prayers; since we are sure to incur man’s displeasure, if we are faithful; and God’s displeasure, if, through any motive whatever, we shrink from a full discharge of our duty.]
Ahab’s mind towards the faithful Micaiah shews to every minister,
II.
The recompence he must expect for his fidelity—
It might be supposed, that in proportion to the fidelity with which he exercises his office, a minister should be loved: but by the ungodly world he will rather be hated like Micaiah, and for the very same reason, “because he doth not speak good concerning them, but evil.” This hatred to him will be,
1. Invariable—
[If we go back to the beginning of the world, we shall not find one faithful minister that ever escaped the hatred of those around him. Noah “condemned the world” in his ministrations; and was regarded by them with scorn and contempt. If we ask how Moses, David, Elijah, and all the prophets were treated? our Lord has told us; “Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?” As for the Apostles, our blessed Lord plainly warned them, that they also should have their cross to bear, being “hated, reviled, persecuted, for his sake.” But it may be thought that our blessed Saviour could never become an object of aversion to any; since the perfection of his wisdom, and the extent of his goodness, and the efficiency of his power, would preclude a possibility of his being regarded with any feelings but those of love and gratitude. Yet, though “he spake as never man spake,” and wrought miracles far more numerous than those which had been wrought from the foundation of the world, he was more an object of hatred than any other: as he says; “The world cannot hate you: but me it hateth, because I testify of it that the works thereof are evil [Note: John 7:7.].” Even at this day there is not to be found on earth one faithful minister who does not experience the truth of that assertion, “If they have hated me, they will hate you also.” It matters not what wisdom these servants of God exercise, or what talents they possess, or what blamelessness they maintain; if they will discharge their duty faithfully to God and man, they shall surely be made conformable to their Saviour’s image in this respect: for, “if men called the Master of the house Beelzebub, much more will they those of his household.”]
2. Universal—
[It is not the profane and profligate alone that will hate the servants of God; but the moral, the sober, and those who have in some respect a regard for religion. Indeed, those who are of more decent habits are, for the most part, the very leaders in opposition to the faithful ministers of Christ; insomuch that Satan found not any more willing or more efficient instruments to persecute Paul and Barnabas, than a number of “devout and honourable women [Note: Acts 13:50.].” Bound as kings are to protect the servants of the Most High, they have often been found their most cruel oppressors. Ahab would gladly have wreaked his vengeance on Elijah, even as Jezebel had already done on a vast multitude of the Lord’s prophets: and at different periods have the great and mighty of the earth exerted all their power to extirpate the servants of the Lord. From this enmity no rank or order of men is exempt: “the fat bulls of Basan” have been forward to lead the way; and “dogs have joined in compassing” about the servants of the Lord, to destroy them. Even little children have encouraged one another in this impious work. No less than forty-two of them ridiculed Elisha, saying, “Go up, thou bald head! go up, thou bald head!” expressing thereby their contempt, if not their disbelief, of the miracle that had been wrought in the assumption of the prophet Elijah in a fiery chariot to heaven. And so, at this day, we can scarcely have a surer criterion of the state of men’s minds towards religion, than in the conduct of their children towards the faithful ministers of Christ. So true is that declaration of our blessed Lord to his faithful servants, “Ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.”]
3. Inveterate—
[There is no other thing which excites so much enmity as this. Persons guilty of any crime meet with some compassion: and, if they be treated with too much severity, they will find some to vindicate their cause. But a faithful servant of Christ may be persecuted with ever so much virulence, and none will venture to interpose for him. Ahab acknowledged that he had no other ground of displeasure against Micaiah, than his fidelity in declaring the messages of the Most High. And when he avowed both his hostility to him, and the grounds of it, Jehoshaphat, notwithstanding his piety, dared not to espouse the cause of this injured prophet any further, than merely to suggest, “Let not the king say so.” And, when he heard the prophet doomed to imprisonment and all its attendant horrors, he uttered not one word in his defence, but left him to experience all the wrath of his vindictive persecutor. So it was with our Lord. When he stood at Pilate’s bar, not one, out of the many thousands whom he had healed, would bear testimony in his favour, or endeavour to avert from him his impending doom. So it is at this day: “all manner of evil may be spoken, and spoken falsely,” respecting a pious minister; and the utmost that any one will dare to say in his behalf, is, “Let not the king say so.” True it is, that persecution does not rage to the same extent as formerly; but this is owing to the laws of the land, and to the spirit of toleration which has superseded the bigotry of former times: the enmity of men’s hearts, if unrestrained, would break forth with the very same fury that it ever did; and the cry of “Crucify him, crucify him,” would be heard, wherever the character of Christ and his Apostles was exhibited.]
Desirous, however, of approving myself to God, let me address,
1.
Those who, like Ahab, determinately follow their own way—
[Of Ahab’s idolatries, I say nothing. The point before us is, his determination to follow his own way for his own temporal advantage. And need I say how common a character this is? I dare not, then, “speak flattering words” to such persons. No: “I cannot speak good concerning them, but evil.” Indeed, my Brethren, God’s will must be regarded by you as of paramount obligation; and, if you will not obey his voice, you must inevitably perish. Tell me not whether a Jehoshaphat concurs with you, or false prophets uphold you: if all the Jehoshaphats in the universe concur with you, or all the false prophets in the world support you, I care not for it: it is at their own peril so to do; and it is by God’s word, and not by man’s precept or example, that you shall be judged in the last day. Let me not, then, be deemed “your enemy, because I tell you the truth [Note: Galatians 4:16.].” I cannot “sew pillars to your arm-holes,” or “daub your wall with untempered mortar.” ”I cannot speak peace to you, when there is no peace [Note: Ezekiel 13:10-11; Ezekiel 13:16; Ezekiel 13:18 with Jeremiah 6:14.].” Believe me, Brethren, there is no happiness but in serving God; there is no safety but in an entire surrender of your souls to him — — —]
2. Those who are induced to make compliances which their own consciences condemn—
[Be assured that a holy firmness in the way of duty is best. Your ill-advised compliances will only bring shame and trouble to your own souls. Who can tell what might have been the result to Ahab, if Jehoshaphat had acted with the firmness that became him? He might, perhaps, have prevented all the evil that ensued. And you also, my Brethren, if you will be faithful to your God, may prove blessings to many, whom by your dissimulation and cowardice you deceive. Let every child of God consider himself as a witness for God: let him “shine as a light in a dark world:” let no consideration under heaven tempt him to be “a partaker of other men’s sins.” Let him “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them [Note: Ephesians 5:11.].” Yea, let him rebuke sin, though he be hated for it; and act uprightly, though he be abhorred for it [Note: Amos 5:10.]. And whatever any man may suffer for righteousness’ sake, let him rejoice in the thought, that they so persecuted the prophets that were before him, and that in proportion to his sufferings will be his reward in heaven [Note: Matthew 5:11-12.]