Nothing is Without a Voice

(1 Cor. 14:10. R.V. margin)

By W. G. Turner.

Publisher: C. A. Hammond, 11 Little Britain, London, E.C.1.

Scripture speaks of "a tree that will not rot," such as impoverished idolaters used in the making of idols in Isaiah's day; of "autumnal trees without fruit" typical of fruitless religionists in Christendom; of "good trees" and "worthless trees" (Isa. 11:20; Jude 12; Matthew 7:17). Habakkuk also in his short prophecy refers to the beam out of the timber as having a voice. "And the beam out of the timber shall witness against it," the evils then current amongst the professed people of GOD (Hab. 2:11. R.V.) The Apostle Paul, too, in writing to the church of GOD at Corinth, and to all that in every place call upon the Name of JESUS CHRIST our LORD reminds them that, "There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and nothing is without voice" (1 Cor. 14:10 R.V. margin). Nothing is without voice to us if we have ears to hear. "Doth not even nature itself teach you," he also remarks in another connection to the same persons (1 Cor. 11:14) showing that "nothing is without voice" is a fact to be taken into account by Christian people.

There is a voice in the following taken from a trade journal. "The tongue of the situation," to use an Arab expression, speaks in the story of these two old vessels, and the secret of their long usefulness to their owners.

"The 120 years' old ketch, 'The Three Sisters,' of Cowes, recalls the 'Old Trulove,' of Hull, whose longevity was attributed to its participation in the northern whaling trade, by which its timbers were so saturated with oil that decay and shipworm failed to find a lodgment there."

"Those agents, animal or vegetable, were warned off; theirs was not to take on with the odour or flavour of that vessel; it was one from which they could neither drink nor sup, and so the ship went on to a wonderful old age."

It is a point worth making first, that the odour and flavour of the "Old Trulove," being such that neither decay nor shipworm could find lodgment in her timbers, her owners would find unusual value in her, This raises the query in a thoughtfuI believer's mind, as to whether the Divine Owner of so many vessels of mercy finds surprising usefulness in them because they are filled with the SPIRIT; or as to whether He is disappointed in them, because decay and the worm of worldliness have found lodgment instead. "Let a man (or woman) examine himself (or herself)" is a New Testament injunction.

A careful study of one O.T. Scripture may throw much light upon the mind of any who seriously propose to look into this important matter.

The prophecy of Hosea, for example, contains a very significant passage, which, apart from its personal, prophetic and dispensational meanings, holds a practical principle for the people of GOD in any age. "Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned. Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not; gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not. And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the LORD their GOD, nor seek Him for all this. Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart; they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria." Hosea 7:8-11. Examine carefully this Old Testament Scripture, for it is one of very many dealing with what may aptly be described as "spiritual dry-rot." We notice first, "Ephraim, he mixeth himself with the peoples," (N. Trans. J.N.D.) that is to plainly say he allows himself to be mixed up with foreigners who are aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise; to whom the true God is unknown, and for whom the hope of Israel is a myth or an absurdity. "He mixeth himself among the peoples." It is his own choice of company for ends, that to him appear sound and sufficient. But it is a grave dishonour to the GOD of Israel Who had specially separated this people to Himself by blood and power that they might be holy unto the LORD. Ephraim by this wilful course of action in mixing himself among the nations is practically cancelling GOD'S plan so far as he is able to do so. The result for himself is not happy: "Ephraim is a cake not turned"; so burnt as to be good for nothing, an uneatable mess, a sheer waste of good material. Intended for the spiritual blessing of all nations as an object lesson to them of the abundant goodness and truth of the merciful, gracious, longsuffering JEHOVAH GOD, they have now become like "a cake not turned," through mixing themselves in spirit, aim and practice with the peoples. Other gods had taken the place of the LIVING GOD, the secret of Whose worship was known only to Israel. "In Judah is GOD known; His name is great in Israel." "GOD is known in her palaces for a refuge." Psalm 76:1; 48:3. Strangers have devoured his strength unknown to him. The true spiritual joy and energy of Israel's distinctive testimony is steadily eaten away by the very foreigners whose company Ephraim so eagerly seeks. His ignorance of a condition that is obvious to others is tragic, for "gray hairs are here and there upon him and he knoweth it not."

TRAGIC IGNORANCE

Signs of spiritual weakness and decrepitude mark the outward man of Ephraim as he drifts farther and farther from his MAKER. "With Thee is the fountain of life," sang the Psalmist. "Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD. For my people have committed two evils : they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that hold no water." So mourned the priestly prophet in the word of the LORD (Jer. 2:12, 13). To this Hosea adds in this striking verse, the twice repeated "he knoweth it not." As though to say, unknown to himself the "spiritual dry-rot" has set in, conduct, character and conversation becoming infected and infectious.

"And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to JEHOVAH their GOD, nor seek Him for all this. And Ephraim is become like a silly dove without understanding (or heart): they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria."

Wandering from the position in which GOD had placed them; worthless (because of their waywardness) for the purposes for which GOD had chosen them from the nations; weakened inwardly and outwardly by their associations with the ungodly, idolatrous peoples who surrounded them, they now exhibit their heartlessness as well as their folly. To Egypt they will cry for help, to Assyria they will fly for refuge; how surely has their heart turned from GOD, Who alone is the Helper and Refuge of His chosen people.

"Yet I am JEHOVAH thy GOD from the land of Egypt; and thou hast known no GOD but me, and there is no SAVIOUR besides me. I knew thee in the wilderness, in the land of drought" (Hosea 13:4-5). The REDEEMER GOD, the sustaining SAVIOUR GOD was He who had borne them on heart and hands from the day of their bitter bondage in the land of Egypt. How heartless their treatment of Him; how foolish their attitude towards Him. "They vexed His holy SPIRIT." Spiritual dry-rot has set in badly, yet GOD, when dealing with His people, always has the last word, and the last word is love, for GOD is love. So the book of Hosea ends gloriously: "Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? Prudent, and he shall know them? For the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein." (Hosea 14:9).

The question emerges, too, as to why so many assemblies of believers appear to wield so little influence for CHRIST in the places where they are situated. Has decay set in? Is there a worm at the root, which hinders the testimony? The Apostle Paul, in a famous passage with the Corinthians, says, "Doth not even nature itself teach you . . thereby establishing as a general principle that we may learn from Nature if we are teachable. In the matter of spiritual "dry-rot" the analogy from Nature is very instructive, and may serve by way of illustration.

"Dry-rot," according to the dictionary definition is:

"A rapid decay of timber, due to the presence of fungi, by which it is converted into a dry powder."

In short, such deterioration takes place as renders the material utterly worthless, not only for the special reason of its existence, but for any purpose of value at all.

The words of the LORD to the angel of the church in Sardis seem to fit such a case spiritually: "I know thy works, that thou hast a name, that thou livest and art dead . . . I have not found thy works perfect before GOD." Spiritual dry-rot had set in; and we must beware of explaining this message away under the specious plea that some company of persons meant other than ourselves, if these conditions prevail in our midst. Whatever other legitimate application of Scripture may be made, "they that fear the LORD and tremble at His word" always make the first application to themselves, if it may be properly so used. Thus, indeed, are we exercised to have a good conscience before GOD and man.

IN INDIVIDUALS TO-DAY

In addition to the dictionary definition of "dry-rot," the findings of experts as the result of observation and careful study add a fascinating interest to the subject of "spiritual dry-rot," as the analogies are so many and varied. Take first the case of standing timber