From Zebulun: 50,000 fit for service, trained for battle with all kinds of weapons of war, who with one purpose were devoted to David. Sermons
I. DESCRIBE THE CHARACTER AND POSITION OF THE DOUBLE-HEARTED. 1. Those may be assigned to this class who are undecided whether to serve God or the world. As a matter of fact, those who are in such a state of mind are decided, for the present, against God. "He that is not with me is against me." It is a pitiable, weak, unhappy condition, and none should remain in it for a single day. "If the Lord be God, serve him; but if Baal, then serve him." 2. Those also may be termed double-hearted who are attempting to serve both God and the world. There are misguided persons who flatter themselves that they can rank with both the opposing forces. Christ has spoken very plainly upon this matter, saying, "Ye cannot serve God and mammon," "No man can serve two masters, for... he will love the one and hate the other." 3. There are those who profess to serve God, but, in reality and in their heart of hearts, are serving the world. These profess a single eye to God's glory; but in truth they are ever seeking, as the great aim of their life, their own glory, or wealth, or pleasure, or ease. These are hypocrites; against such the censure and condemnation of Christ are stern and unmistakable. II. DESCRIBE THE GUILT AND MISCHIEF OF DOUBLE-HEARTEDNESS. 1. It is dishonouring to God, who has a just claim upon a perfect allegiance and service, By every claim we are his, and his only, and to withhold from him aught that is ours is an infringement upon his rights. His demand is a just and unvarying one: "My son, give me thine heart." 2. It is evidence of ingratitude towards Christ. When the Lord Jesus undertook our redemption, he did not leave his work half finished, for he did not undertake it with half a heart, with a divided purpose, a distracted love. Shall we give a divided heart to him who gave himself for us. 3. It is disastrous in its effect upon those who witness its exhibition. How many young minds have been prejudiced against religion by the double-heartedness of its professors! And what mischief has been wrought in society by such a spectacle! How often has it shaken the confidence and deterred the progress of inquirers into Christianity! 4. It is deteriorating to the character of those who are tempted into it. What more contemptible than vacillation? "A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways." The longer the habit is persevered in, the more mischievous are its consequences to its victim. He cannot but sink in his own esteem and lose the strength which is imparted by self-respect. LESSONS. 1. Remind those of double heart of the fearful danger to which this sin exposes them. 2. Warn Christians against the temptations of sin and the world. 3. Encourage the young to give their whole heart to their God and Saviour. - T.
Fifty thousand which could keep rank. I. OUR GREAT WANT IS MORE MEN WHO CAN KEEP RANK.II. TO KEEP RANK IMPLIES PRACTICE — DISCIPLINE. III. TO KEEP RANK IN ACTUAL CONFLICT REQUIRES OLD-FASHIONED VALOUR. The great trouble in the Church to-day is the cowards. They do splendidly on parade-day, but put them out in the great battle of life and they soon break rank. We confront the enemy, we open the battle against fraud, and lo! we find on our side a great many people that do not try to pay their debts. We open the battle against intemperance, and we find on our side a great many men who make hard speeches. Oh! for fifty thousand armed men, heroic men, self-denying men, who can go forth in the strength of the Lord God Almighty to do battle, able to keep rank! Men like Paul, who could say, "None of these things move me. Neither count I my life dear unto myself, so I may finish my course with joy, and the ministry I have received of the Lord Jesus to testify of the gospel of the grace of God." Men like John Bunyan, who, after lying years in a loathsome prison, said, "I am determined, God being my helper and shield, to stay here until the moss grows over my eyebrows, rather than surrender my faith and my principles." Men like Thomas Chalmers, who, notwithstanding all the jeering in high places at his theory of reform and elevation of the poor, went right on to do his whole work, until Thomas Carlyle, then a boy, wrote of him: "What a glorious old man Thomas Chalmers is!" (T. De Witt Talmage.) People Aaron, Aaronites, Adnah, Ahiezer, Amasai, Asher, Attai, Azareel, Azmaveth, Bealiah, Benjamin, Benjaminites, Berachah, Danites, David, Eliab, Eliel, Elihu, Elkanah, Eluzai, Elzabad, Ezer, Gad, Gadites, Gedor, Gibeon, Ishmaiah, Ismaiah, Israelites, Issachar, Isshiah, Jahaziel, Jashobeam, Jediael, Jehoiada, Jehu, Jeremiah, Jerimoth, Jeroham, Jesiah, Jesse, Jeziel, Joash, Joelah, Joezer, Johanan, Josabad, Jozabad, Kish, Korahites, Korhites, Levi, Levites, Machbanai, Manasseh, Michael, Mishmannah, Naphtali, Obadiah, Pelet, Reuben, Reubenites, Saul, Shemaah, Shemariah, Shephatiah, Simeon, Simeonites, Zadok, Zebadiah, Zebulun, ZilthaiPlaces Anathoth, Gederah, Gedor, Gibeah, Gibeon, Hebron, Jordan River, ZiklagTopics 50000, Army, Array, Battle, David, Double, Experienced, Fifty, Instruments, Loyalty, Manner, Order, Prepared, Soldiers, Thousand, Type, Undivided, War, Weapon, ZebulunOutline 1. The companies that came to David at Ziklag23. The armies that came to him at Hebron Dictionary of Bible Themes 1 Chronicles 12:33 5853 experience, of life Library Drill and Enthusiasm'[Men that] could keep rank, they were not of double heart.'--1 CHRON. xii. 33. These words come from the muster-roll of the hastily raised army that brought David up to Hebron and made him King. The catalogue abounds in brief characterisations of the qualities of each tribe's contingent. For example, Issachar had 'understanding of the times.' Our text is spoken of the warriors of Zebulon, who had left their hills and their flocks in the far north, and poured down from their seats by the blue waters … Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture The Channel of Power. God's Answers Beneath his Banner Epistle xxxix. To Anastasius, Bishop . The King. Watching the Horizon 'The Waters Saw Thee; they were Afraid' The Section Chap. I. -iii. Chronicles Links 1 Chronicles 12:33 NIV1 Chronicles 12:33 NLT 1 Chronicles 12:33 ESV 1 Chronicles 12:33 NASB 1 Chronicles 12:33 KJV 1 Chronicles 12:33 Bible Apps 1 Chronicles 12:33 Parallel 1 Chronicles 12:33 Biblia Paralela 1 Chronicles 12:33 Chinese Bible 1 Chronicles 12:33 French Bible 1 Chronicles 12:33 German Bible 1 Chronicles 12:33 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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