Nehemiah 6:10-13 Afterward I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said… Holy courage is not that natural bravery which belongs to some men constitutionally — this is little more than strength of nerve and robustness of animal spirits, and in thousands of instances is found to exist apart from Christian principle; it is rather the bravery of the lion than the bravery of the mind and the man. Some of the most valorous have been the most depraved; and some who dragged their enemies at their chariot-wheels have themselves been dragged through the mire of pollution by their own appetites and passions. As water cannot rise higher than its level, neither can a moral quality rise higher than its principle. Holy courage springs from the fear of God, from "seeing Him who is invisible." Hence the soldier of Christ is fearless to do right, fearful to do wrong — afraid to sin, but not afraid to suffer. In considering the scope for this virtue, notice — I. HE THAT WILL BE A FOLLOWER OF GOD MUST TAKE UP ARMS AGAINST HIMSELF. It was finely said by Richard Cecil that "a humble Christian, battling against the world, the flesh, and the devil, is a greater hero than Alexander the Great." II. IT REQUIRES A COURAGEOUS SPIRIT TO HAVE RESPECT TO ALL GOD'S COMMANDMENTS. III. IT REQUIRES GREAT COURAGE TO OVERCOME THE WORLD. (Hugh Stowell, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee. |
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