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Set up a sign of fire in Beth-haccerem. Introduction. - Illustrate from Homer's description of such signal-fires, or from Macaulay's poem, "Defeat of the Spanish Armada.' Take them as illustrative of the warnings of God against sin.

I. REVIEW SOME OF THESE SIGNAL-FIRES.

1. The Bible.

2. The ministers of God's truth.

3. Conscience.

4. Present judgments upon men's sin.

II. NOTE WHEREFORE THEY SHOULD BE SET UP.

1. Men are living in grievous sin.

2. God's judgments are near at hand.

3. Men are in a state of false security.

4. They will rally the good to increased exertion.

5. They will arouse and arrest the wicked.

6. That like fires may be enkindled by the faithful, who have seen them and taken the warning, and will therefore send it on.

7. God's sore judgment will come upon those who do not set them up.

III. How THIS MAY BE DONE.

1. By faithful preaching.

2. By living in the fear of God.

3. By separation from the ungodly.

4. By seeking to save all over whom you have influence from the wrath to come.

IV. WHEN DONE, LET THESE WARNINGS BE AS SIGNAL-FIRES.

1. Such as all must observe.

2. Such as all will understand.

3. Set up from sense of the reality both of the threatened danger and the people's need.

4. Kept burning steadily in spite of all that would quench them.

V. THE SIGNAL-FIRES THAT GOD SETS UP HAVE THESE CHARACTERISTICS.

1. The Bible.

2. Conscience.

3. Present judgments.

VI. LET OURS HAVE THE SAME. - C.

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KJV: O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Bethhaccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction.

WEB: "Flee for safety, you children of Benjamin, out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and raise up a signal on Beth Haccherem; for evil looks forth from the north, and a great destruction.