Evening, July 24

Charles Spurgeon · Morning and Evening: Daily Readings

"His camp is very great."

  Joel 2:11

   Consider, my soul, the mightiness of the Lord who is thy glory and
   defence. He is a man of war, Jehovah is his name. All the forces of
   heaven are at his beck, legions wait at his door, cherubim and
   seraphim;, watchers and holy ones, principalities and powers, are all
   attentive to his will. If our eyes were not blinded by the ophthalmia
   of the flesh, we should see horses of fire and chariots of fire round
   about the Lord's beloved. The powers of nature are all subject to the
   absolute control of the Creator: stormy wind and tempest, lightning and
   rain, and snow, and hail, and the soft dews and cheering sunshine, come
   and go at his decree. The bands of Orion he looseth, and bindeth the
   sweet influences of the Pleiades. Earth, sea, and air, and the places
   under the earth, are the barracks for Jehovah's great armies; space is
   his camping ground, light is his banner, and flame is his sword. When
   he goeth forth to war, famine ravages the land, pestilence smites the
   nations, hurricane sweeps the sea, tornado shakes the mountains, and
   earthquake makes the solid world to tremble. As for animate creatures,
   they all own his dominion, and from the great fish which swallowed the
   prophet, down to "all manner of flies," which plagued the field of
   Zoan, all are his servants, and like the palmer-worm, the caterpillar,
   and the cankerworm, are squadrons of his great army, for his camp is
   very great. My soul, see to it that thou be at peace with this mighty
   King, yea, more, be sure to enlist under his banner, for to war against
   him is madness, and to serve him is glory. Jesus, Immanuel, God with
   us, is ready to receive recruits for the army of the Lord: if I am not
   already enlisted let me go to him ere I sleep, and beg to be accepted
   through his merits; and if I be already, as I hope I am, a soldier of
   the cross, let me be of good courage; for the enemy is powerless
   compared with my Lord, whose camp is very great.