Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 1296
“And as your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.” 1 Kings 20:40.
THE parable which the Prophet acted before Ahab was simple and natural. A soldier in the heat of the fight was charged by an officer to take care of an important prisoner. “Keep this man,” he said, “and if you allow him to escape, your life shall answer for it, or you shall pay a talent of silver.” The soldier’s one business from that moment was to look after his captive. He had received command to do so from his superior officer and his first and last work was to see that the prisoner was safely kept. However, he had other things to do belonging to himself—his family and the like—and turning his thoughts in that direction, he forgot his charge, and the prisoner very naturally seized the opportunity to escape. And so the soldier exclaims, “While I was busy here and there, he was gone.”
The neglectful guard had no cause to be surprised that such was the case, but he was not prepared to bear the penalty and, therefore, he came before the king to ask that he might be pardoned for his neglect. The king replied at once, “You have stated your case and decided it. Your own carelessness has lost us the captive and you know the penalty.” This story was originally told in order to touch the conscience of King Ahab, who had allowed Benhadad, king of Syria, to escape when Providence had put the cruel monarch into his hands on purpose that he might receive his doom. Ahab is no more, but this Scripture is not, therefore, like a spent shell, there is truth and power in it!
Its teaching is applicable to us, also. Ahab is gone to his account and the dogs have licked his blood. We may forget the guilty monarch and incline our own ears and hearts to hear what the parable may have to do with us. We, too, have received a charge—have we neglected it? We have had time and opportunity within our keeping—have they gone? Let us search and see whether it is so or not. When the rebellious king had received this warning he went to his house heavy and displeased and it may be that the subject of this morning will be far from agreeable to many—it will be well for their souls if they become heavy with the burden of repentance and displeased with themselves.
Oh that the Spirit of God would speak home to all our hearts and save us from a course of life which may cost us a thousand bitter regrets!
I. And first, let us think of THE OBLIGATION which the text suggests, that we may solemnly admit that we are under a higher obligation, still. This man, being engaged in warfare, was bound to obey the orders of his superior officer. That officer put into his custody a prisoner, saying, “keep this man,” and from that moment he was under an obligation from which nothing could free him. It is a law of discipline in the army that what a man is bid to do by legitimate authority, he must do, and, therefore, the man’s chief business was to detain his captive till he could hand him over to the officer.
Dear Friends, you and I are under personal obligation, from the moment of our entrance upon years of responsibility, and that obligation is this—to serve, honor and glorify God. Every man is bound to serve his Creator and live to His Glory. That this is most just is clear as the sun in the heavens if we will but think a little. Alas, it is a subject upon which some men have never thought, nor will they care to think. Of themselves they have been more than a little thoughtful. Their duty to their neighbor, they have, also, in some measure considered. But their obligation to God does not seem to have ever crossed their minds!
They forget God and live, in fact, as if there were none, or as if they were not bound to serve Him. The practical language of their life is like that of Pharaoh, “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice?” They would not be unjust to a neighbor, but they practice constant injustice towards their Maker! The Prophet asks, “Will a man rob God?” But, alas, thousands of lives are one long robbery of the Almighty, one perpetual disregard of claims founded upon eternal justice! That we are bound to serve God is clear, because we derive our being from Him. We would never have existed if it had not
been for His power. We would cease to exist at this instant if that power did not sustain us in being! Surely that existence which was originated by God should be spent to His honor and the being which hourly depends upon Him should be used for His Glory!
Children owe obedience to their parents and much more do creatures owe a debt to their Creator—that debt is a consecrated life—a debt which is always due since the life is daily being maintained by fresh Divine power. It was for this end that the Almighty made us and for nothing short of this, that we might glorify God and enjoy Him forever. When a man fashions a vessel or a tool, it is that it may answer the purpose for which he designed it. And if it does not answer his design, he casts it away. What man will keep a horse or a cow if it yields him no benefit? And if a dog never acknowledged you as its master, who among you would long call it your own? God has made us that we may glorify Him and if we do not honor Him we miss the end and object of our being.