Dr. H. F. Kohlbrugge The Language of Canaan (7)
Precious things have been said about the Bridegroom, who was willing to marry such a poor bride. We also read about the hardships of the pilgrim's journey. Straight- Forward then speaks about the clothing he wears during his travels. He has a uniform, because he has to fight a battle. He then describes his weaponry, the girdle of truth, the armor of righteousness, the shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation. He also speaks of his sword. It seems to be very short when compared to the long swords of the enemies, but nevertheless he can say with the poet in Psalm 118:10-12, “In the Name of the LORD I will destroy them.”
Nothing can resist this sword, and the enemies will fall under it. Then thousands will be put to flight.
Heavy Battles
Ask-Freely: Have you already won many battles?
Straight-Forward: I? Did I win them? My King has been the conqueror in all my battles. During each combat, I trembled and was afraid; I had no courage at all. I could not see my way, and it was as if I were completely deserted and alone. Sometimes it even seemed that my King had changed into my enemy. With each blow of the sword, and when the rain of arrows came down on me, I thought, “Now it is finished.” Finally, I sank away in helplessness and fell asleep from weariness, but I could still faintly hear His words, “Be still; I will fight for you.”
Although it seemed to me that I had fallen into the hands of Saul and that the enemy was dragging me away, I was awakened by the cry, “Victory!” It has been always this way: after each victory, I thought, “One more such battle, and I will lose all I have obtained.” No matter how often I thought everything was lost, yet I have always experienced that I obtained the complete victory.
Ask-Freely: Has the enemy ever completely prevailed over you?
Straight-Forward: Oh, yes, more than once. He has knocked the sword out of my hand, and with his armor he has been on top of me and seized my throat and roared against me with all curses. He said that the King was angry with me, and that I was not allowed to mention His Name anymore. He has tried to kill me.
Ask-Freely: How have you always escaped?
Straight-Forward: In my girdle I wear a small, sharp, pointed knife named Nevertheless. When I used this knife to pierce the enemy in his heart at the right time, then he has had to leave me alone, though it was quite an effort to free myself from his claws around my neck.
Ask-Freely: Has he ever taken you captive?
Straight-Forward: Oh, quite often. I do not even know how often he has spread a net for me; I did not see it, and, unexpectedly, my foot was stuck in it, and I could not get out of it anymore. Then I had to cry for a long time, until my King came and delivered me.
Once my enemy threw me, bound hand and foot, into a pit without water, and he roared to me, “Nobody will find you here. You must perish here.” But my King rescued me again.
Once he locked me up in a cave and barred the opening with a big rock. Then it was as if I never would escape anymore.
Ask-Freely: How did you escape?
Straight-Forward: I cried to my King, and I made a vow to Him that I would shout out His name before thousands, while not concealing what a guilty person I was, if He would deliver me. Then suddenly lightning came from heaven, and in this light I read, “Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money” (Isaiah 52:3). Then the cave burst open, and I lay on top of it, expecting to be broken and torn; yet I was completely whole and healthy.
A few times the enemy cast me into a deep ravine, but my King was right there, and He caught me in His arms and brought me through a narrow opening, which I first did not see, to liberty in a lovely valley.
Another time the enemy threw me into the miry clay. When I looked up for mercy, I saw a Lamb; I heard the question whether I would be satisfied to have that Lamb as my complete redemption. Deeply moved and weeping, I said, “Yes,” and then I was delivered.
Ask-Freely: Was that the end of it?
Straight-Forward: I could tell you much more, but it would not be edifying to relate everything. Once, after receiving a blow, I became so discouraged that I thought nothing would help. I even turned my weapons against my King Himself. Then I was as a beast before Him, and all my enemies triumphed over me. However, my King did not reproach me. He only said to me that if I could not run with the footmen, how would I ever contend with the horses? (Jeremiah 12:5). Then I was made willing, and I took up my cross again. He set all my enemies in slippery places.
Kohlbrugge describes the spiritual warfare of the pilgrims on the way to Zion. They wear the armor of Ephesians 6. Many times they are defeated, but the King gives them the victory. They have a mighty weapon in the little word “nevertheless.” It is a word of faith.
Sometimes their enmity rises up against the leading of their King, and they are like Asaph in Psalm 73. But King Jesus is faithful. He brings them to the right place and makes them willing to deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and to follow Him.
Ask-Freely had some questions about this cross.
Bearing the Cross
Ask-Freely: It is true that you bear a cross. I wonder how you can bear it.
Straight-Forward: I only bear one end of it. The bigger part is borne by Another, who goes before me.
Ask-Freely: Why do you bear this cross, and what does it profit you?
Straight-Forward: Without this, no one can enter into the city of the King. And would you like to know the profit of it? If I bear it well, then it bears me. The cross makes all enemies flee. This cross has also many fruits: it renews my youth; when I weep and look at it, I am glad and of good courage; if I kiss it, it is sweet, even if it looks like a rod; if it touches my wounds, they are healed. This cross takes the thorns out of my feet. It is to me a savor of life. The darker it is, the more this wood of the cross shines, so that I can see where I am walking. The more I look at it, the more glory I see in it.
Ask-Freely: How can that be?
Straight-Forward: If you look into a mirror, then you see your own image. But when it is dark and you look at the cross, then the King lets it reflect His image from above, and then you see not your own picture, but His beauty.
The pilgrim may speak of the blessed fruits of being a cross-bearer after Christ. From Him blessings come on the pathway of the cross-bearer. In the cross they may sometimes see the beauty of Him who was so willing to bear it for them.
— to be continued —
Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt
voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen,
vragen, informatie: contact.
Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing.
Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this
database. Terms of use.
Bekijk de hele uitgave van dinsdag 1 mei 2001
The Banner of Truth | 28 Pagina's
Bekijk de hele uitgave van dinsdag 1 mei 2001
The Banner of Truth | 28 Pagina's