H. F. PHELPS by H. F. Phelps

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 25, 1889

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 12.

H. F. PHELPS

By H. F. Phelps

GOD'S OBJECT LESSONS. NO. 2.

ANOTHER of these object lessons is to be seen in the life of Cain. The sin of murder is a terrible sin. Cain slew his brother, "and wherefore slew he him? because his own works were evil and his brother's righteous." Cain was branded as a murderer; he was cursed from the earth, and sent out as a vagabond from the face of the Lord. Then God cursed the earth again because of this sin. Already the curse rested heavily upon the earth, but after this awful deed, the blight of God's curse is felt more and more. And no wonder! for man made in the image of God has lifted his puny arm to take the life of his brother. First, he allows angry feelings in his heart. He is envious because God accepts the offering of Abel. Do we allow feelings of envy and even hatred to arise in our hearts?

It may be our brother's works are righteous and our deeds are evil. These very feelings may result in taking the life which none but God can give. The devil was a murderer from the beginning, and we must not be a partaker with devils. Be careful of those angry feelings. Ahab did not with his own hands take the life of Naboth, but God held him accountable, and in the very place where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth, there they also licked up the blood of Ahab.

David so far forgot his duty to God, his dignity as ruler of Israel, shepherd of the flock, that he dared to feel envious of Uriah because of his wife. And God said of him by the mouth of his servant, "Thou art the man." And there is Judas, that false apostle who betrayed his Master with the kiss of affection—envy, hatred, and even murder in his heart at the very time he bestows the kiss of affection. These are God's object lessons to show us the danger of allowing our feelings to run as they may. By these he says, Be careful of those feelings of envy, and malice, and hatred. Christ, by his words, unveils the matter, and traces sin to the very thoughts of the heart. It is a crime in the sight of Heaven to harbor a thought of sin in the mind. "Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornication, thefts, false witness, blasphemies; these are the things which defile the man."

In Paul's catalogue of sins, he classes that feeling of envy right by the side of murder: "Full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity." Rom 2:29. "Envying, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like." Gal. 5:21. Envy may lead to anger, anger to hatred, and anger and hatred to murder. 1 John 3:15: "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer." Those who indulge in any of these feelings are just so far from the great Pattern. And that is so far that they are not like him at all. And all such will finally be found outside the city of God. These feelings are cruelty itself. "Envy is as rottenness of the bones." These feelings, if indulged by us, may in this life do harm to others, but in the day of God will, unless repented of, turn with tenfold power upon the guilty one. If these feelings are in our hearts, in our midst, shall we not arise and put them away? Oh, for more of the Spirit of the Master in our hearts in place of these things.