The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-11-30
[ God Will Be God
For All That
By REV. F. FINCHER
Pastor Second Presbyterian Church
4 Houston, Texas

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eduess Of Ab~imeleck-and all the evil Of
men Of Sechem did God render upon their
heads.-Judges 9:5S. So.
Our text reads, Thus did God rem
der the wtckedness OF Aplmeleck-and
all the evil Of the men Of Shechem did
God render upon their heads"
The mills Of the gods grind slow
but they grind exceedingly small
History keeps on repeating this truth,
Back Of all the mystery Of human
deeds is the ruling of a mighty hand.
Abimeleck learned this to his sorrow.
He had gained his throne by murder
and ruled with hands dyed In blood.
But evil hunts for the wicked to over
throw him. One of his own number
conspired for his ruin and the story
Of his fall by a stone hurled from a
woman's hand Is graphically told IN
this chapter. Our text merely gives
the reason why: God will be God for
all that" Is here sounded forth IN
words that can not die. So.
Let US learn first that God rules
over all and no wrong shall ever go
unpublished. ALI dealings with men
have also their deal with God. There
are three parties to every transaction,
God, myself and my brother man and
none can be left out. In wrongtng my
brother I wrong God and the wrong
shall not go %unrequited. History re-
peats this story over and over. BE
sure your sin Will find you out
Abtmeleck was no exception. The
blood of his seventy brethren was cry
ing out for vengeance. His fall was
inevitable. This truth needs added
emphasis today. Many are amassing
wealth by means foul OF fair, regard
less of law either that of man or God.
But there shall surely come a day OF
reckoning, not only from men, but God
Himself shall set right every wrong.
Vengeance may be slow, but it is new
ertheless sure. .. 81
The crime Of murder Is fast en-
the increase. Statistics show that a
large per cent Of the guilty go tree.
But there is yet a sterner Judge from
whose law no guilty one shall es'
cape. "
Then again our text shows how men
reap what they SOW. Abimeleck had
gained his throne by numbering all
who stood in his way and now he falls
by a m%urderer's hand. HE that soWs
to the wind shall reap the wh1rlw1nd.'
A life Of sin must end in a Life OF
shame. A mans conduct always comes
back to him. Jacob deceived his faith
er and in his old age he reaps the sor'
row of deceit and falsehood at the
hands Of his eleven sons. The man
who swindles. to make his fortune Will
most surely reap loss and ruin at the
swindler's hand.
Note also that God carries on His
purpose despite the sin Of those en-.
trusted with power. God will still be
God after all, and He Is the last one
with whom we must reckon. We shall
not be able to foil His purpose nor
thwart His plan. Our resistance shall
only become our ruin. Abfmelech
found 1t so. Might could not make
right and error shall not stand. That
man or nation that persists in wrong.
doing God shall set aside and 1t shall
fall. We call ours a great nation and
II ia but we have some %grievous sins
laid to our charge. Our civilization Is
fast leaving God out and has little re-
gard for His eternal law. We often
weigh with a false weight and sell
with a false measure. Right Is often
changed to suit the occasion while
men in high places set up false stand
ards. Let US be sure that all this graft
and greed and wrong shalllbecome our
undoing for we are dealing with God
az well as with man. If we continue
to resist and break His law He shall
cause the destroyer to rise up In our
midst, and though we fall His pur'
pose shall go evenly on.
Then, again, I think this text clear
" teaches that God will most surely
ARE for His own. Those who trust
Him shall never be forsaken. In the
end our cause shall triumph because
II is Gods cause. Not so much 1t Is
because God is on our side, but rather
because we are on the side that God
upholds and makes to triumph. He
will care for us though all else shall
fail. Though, like Elijah, we seem all
alone. Gods tender care shall be our
constant stay. While we trust and
obey Him the cruise of oil shall not
fail nor shall the bread be exhausted,
He shall ever keep US in the hollow OF
His hand.