Then the Mud Appears
God uses fiery trials and corrections to awaken and purify His people, revealing the greatness of God and the vileness of sin.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes that God's severe judgments serve as a wake-up call for individuals and nations to cease from sin and return to Him. He illustrates that God's corrections are meant to instruct and purify us, revealing the hidden sins in our hearts during times of prosperity. Just as rust is removed from iron through fire, so too are we awakened to our true selves through fiery trials. Brooks notes that in moments of affliction, our sins become evident, allowing us to confront our pride, unbelief, and discontent. Ultimately, he asserts that afflictions act as a mirror, reflecting both the greatness of God and the vileness of sin.
Text
God inflicts great and severe judgments upon men,
and upon cities and countries--that they may cease
from sin, receive instruction, and reform and return
to Him.
God's corrections should be our instructions,
His lashes should be our lessons,
His scourges should be our schoolmasters,
His chastisements should be our admonishments.
God, by fiery afflictions, and by burning up our comforts
round about us--awakens us, and brings us to Himself.
When iron grows rusty, we put it into the fire to purify
it; and so when the people of God grow rusty, then the
Lord brings them under fiery trials to awaken them, and
to purify them.
God has several special ends that he aims at by all the
fiery trials and sharp providences that He exercises His
people with. He intends a further and a fuller discovery
of their sins. In standing waters you cannot see the mud
which lies at the bottom of the pond; but when once the
water is drawn away--then it appears. Just so, in times
of prosperity there is a great deal of mud--a great deal
of unbelief, discontent, murmuring, impatience, passion,
pride, etc.--which lies at the bottom of men's hearts,
undiscovered. Oh, but when God shall once empty them
of their estates, and burn up all their outward comforts,
and set them with Job upon the ash-heap--then the
mud appears, then a whole army of lusts reveal
themselves!
In times of fiery trials, you may say with the
psalmist, "My sins are ever before me!"
My pride is ever before me,
my unbelief is ever before me,
my frowardness is ever before me,
my murmuring is ever before me,
my discontent is ever before me,
my impatience is ever before me, etc.
Godly men never come to know how bad they are,
until they come to be exercised with severe and
sharp trials. It was the speech of a holy man in a
great sickness, "In this disease I have learned
how great God is, and what the evil of sin is!"
Afflictions are a Christian's mirror, in which they
may run and read the greatness of God, and the
vileness of sin!
Sermon Outline
- I. God's Judgments and Corrections
- 'A. Purpose of God''s judgments: to cease from sin, receive instruction, and reform'
- B. God's corrections should be our lessons
- II. God's Methods of Correction
- A. Fiery afflictions to awaken and purify
- B. Burning up comforts to bring us to God
- III. The Purpose of Fiery Trials
- A. Further discovery of our sins
- B. Purification and awakening
Key Quotes
“When iron grows rusty, we put it into the fire to purify it; and so when the people of God grow rusty, then the Lord brings them under fiery trials to awaken them, and to purify them.” — Thomas Brooks
“In times of prosperity there is a great deal of mud--a great deal of unbelief, discontent, murmuring, impatience, passion, pride, etc.--which lies at the bottom of men's hearts, undiscovered.” — Thomas Brooks
“Afflictions are a Christian's mirror, in which they may run and read the greatness of God, and the vileness of sin!” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- We should recognize that God's corrections are opportunities for growth and learning.
- We should not be surprised when God uses afflictions to reveal our sins and weaknesses.
- We should seek to use our trials as a chance to discover God's greatness and our own spiritual maturity.