Fire and Hammer

“IS NOT MY WORD LIKE A FIRE, SAYS THE LORD, AND LIKE A HAMMER THAT BREAKS THE ROCK IN PIECES?”

(Jeremiah 23:29)

In this context, fire burns and destroys. A hammer strikes with force, driving hard, smashing and pulverizing. When God’s word goes forth as fire and hammer, it brings justice and vengeance, which is part of God’s faithfulness to His promises. When we share God’s word as fire and hammer, we fulfill the spirit of Ezekiel 3:17: “Whenever you hear a word from My mouth, you shall give them warning from Me.” We let the Word fulfill its role which includes “reproof” and “correction” (2 Tim 3:16).

Friend, do you speak the whole truth as Paul instructed Timothy? “I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shun to declare to you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:26-27).

John the Baptizer’s  message  was  “good  news”  (Lk 3:18) that included painful truths  (Luke  3:17-  19). “Salvation” makes no  sense  without  knowing  the problem it solves. Therefore, the true and healthy message from God defines and exposes sin. Read Eph 5:11,13; Lk 2:34-35; Jn 3:18-21 and Jer 6:14.

Are you seeking the perfect balance of positives and negatives? Do you want the healthiest presentation of the Good News from God? If so, then you must read and follow the Bible itself. It is the “whole counsel of God” within one cover (Acts 20:27). In the last Great Day of Judgment, the books of the Bible will be opened, and every man and woman will be judged according to the things written therein. “And I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it … and I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. And Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev 20:11-15).