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The Curse of Meroz

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 10, 1907

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 84, No. 41.

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The Curse of Meroz

By I. H. Evans

It was a day of victory and triumph in the camp of Israel. From hamlet to hamlet, and from city to city, spread the glad news of the great battle with the enemy, and an overwhelming victory for the people of God.
The battle was a great one. For twenty long years Israel had been oppressed, and had been compelled to bear the galling yoke of the heathen nations about them. Nor was this oppression a mere slight tax or homage exacted by the heathen king Jabin. The Bible says, “Twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.”
The time came when that oppression was to be broken. God raised up the necessary leadership, and inspired his people with courage to throw off the tyranny of the king. The call to battle was sounded, and ten thousand men from Zebulun and Naphtali marched to the front to give battle to the enemy. Through God the victory came to Israel, and the power of the oppressor was broken. Israel was free!
But in the midst of the song of deliverance, at the very time of rejoicing because of the great victory gained, we hear this terrible denunciation of wrath: “Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty.”
It was the duty of the inhabitants of Meroz to unite with their brethren in meeting the enemy. Instead of doing this they chose to remain safely at home. If Israel gained the battle, they would share in the blessings of the victory. If Israel was defeated, the heathen king would not regard them as having joined in the rebellion. So, by remaining neutral and non-committal, they were to be benefited whichever side gained in the conflict.
But God did not look upon their position with favor. From God’s viewpoint, when his people were in great trial, and there was a battle raging between them and the enemy, it was the positive duty of the inhabitants of Meroz to join with God’s people in defeating the enemy. They were not permitted to remain at home safely sheltered from all the hardships of the campaign, and with their lives secure, while their brethren jeopardized their lives to break the yoke of bondage which was upon Israel. It was their imperative duty to meet the enemy, and positively to throw their influence on the side of God’s people. When they took a neutral position, and neither joined the enemy nor helped God’s people in the deadly conflict in which they were engaged, God did not accord to them the right to enjoy the fruits of the victory. In his sight they were enemies to the best interests of the people of God. As far as we can understand, God regarded them with even more disfavor than he did the enemies who fought against his people.
The awful curse of God sounded the death knell of the inhabitants of Meroz. True, they had not joined the ranks of the enemy in fighting the cause of God; but in the day of battle and great trial they had remained neutral. They failed to see the hand of God working deliverance for his people from the hand of the oppressor. They had not discerned the signs of the times, nor the call of God to action. Shall they now enjoy the fruits of the victory purchased by the sacrifice of the lives of their brethren?
God’s message of doom answers all these queries. “Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty.”
I. H. EVANS.