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Abram and the Ravenous Birds
“But when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away.” — Genesis 25:11.
WE might use this text, if we chose, as a picture of the ease with which Faith repels all attacks that are made upon Christ, the great sacrifice of the new covenant. Ainsworth tells us that the original word which we translate “drove,” has in it the force of “puffed” them away; as if with a very puff of breath these kites, and vultures, and eagles, were at once driven away from the bodies of the victims. Faith knows how, when sceptical kites, when blaspheming vultures, when speculative eagles, come down to attack the sacrifice of Christ, to chase them away with but a puff of her breath. “We know whom we have believed.” Let the earth shake; our confidence in him cannot move. He is to us as real a person as ourselves; nay, we might doubt our own existence, but Jesus, his power, his love, his precious blood, his prevalent atonement, we dare not doubt. One puff of the breath of prayer, and questions and cavils are gone; one puff of the breath of holy faith in praise, and every sceptical attack is scattered to the winds, as far as we are concerned. When these fowls come down upon the body of Christ, like Abram, by faith we “puff” them away.
But I do not intend to use the text with such an object this morning, though one might legitimately do so. It seems to me to represent to us our duty, when distracting thoughts invade the sanctity of our holy worship. Here is Abram; he has killed the victims according to divine order; he has laid them in their places according to heavenly rule; he is waiting until God shall over those victims make and ratify the covenant; but meanwhile the buzzards, and kites, and vultures, scent the body from afar, and hasten to devour the flesh of the bullock and the ram. Abram chases them away, that so his sacrifice may not be spoiled, and he may have real fellowship with God. Brothers and sisters, we never attempt to worship God without finding some difficulties in the way.
“What various hindrances we meet,
In coming to a mercy seat!”
We in our assemblies are like the angels in theirs; “When the sons of God came together, Satan came also among them.” We find that wherever we may be, and in whatever frame of heart, and with whatever earnestness we may attempt to worship God, there is a servant with us who must be told to stop at the foot of the mountain, while we go and worship God yonder upon the mountain-top, or else our offerings will not be profitable to ourselves, nor acceptable before God.
I shall attempt, this morning, in dealing with this subject, first to enumerate some of those foul birds which come upon our sacrifice; secondly, to show the necessity of driving them away; and thirdly, how we are to do it.
I. First, then, LET US MENTION SOME OF THOSE WELL-KNOWN INTRUDERS WHICH ARE PERPETUALLY MOLESTING OUR PEACE AND DISTURBING OUR SERVICE.
