Where Are The Blacksmiths?

“Not a blacksmith could be found in the whole land of Israel,

because the Philistines had said,

“Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!”

So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plow points,

mattocks, axes and sickles sharpened.

The price was two-thirds of a shekel for sharpening plow points and mattocks, and a third of a shekel for sharpening forks and axes and for repointing goads.

So on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan

had a sword or spear in his hand; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.”

I Samuel 13:19-22

 

“…So all Israel went down to the Philistines…”

Where do your weapons come from?

If you have to obtain them from the enemy, you might want to be very careful.

The weapons of his warfare will surely backfire on you!

The enemies of the Israelites recognized the value of the blacksmiths.

They were capable of more than simply stocking that agricultural society with cattle goads.

The blacksmith trade also supplied with swords and spears for battle.

We are not told in this passage if the Philistines killed all the blacksmiths or simply forbade them from practicing their craft.

Either way, the Philistines had eliminated the source of weapons for God’s people.

Has the enemy done the same in your life or in the life of your church?

Has he so ridiculed or caused the weapons to be abused that they have effectively been laid aside in your life?

I can hear you yelling back at me: “No, God is greater than the enemy!”

Well, of course He is.

 He has given us the weapons but we choose to use them or lay them down.

Do the Gifts of the Spirit offend?

Then we don’t pick up that weapon!

How about praying in the Name of Jesus Christ?

Even our military has laid that weapon down!

 Preaching against sin?

Way too offensive – drop that weapon!

Not to mention the Word of God, the blood of Jesus or your personal prayer language.

You start using those weapons and you can be sure somebody’s feelings will get hurt.

Never mind an eternity in hell.

“I just want to be comfortable and unruffled at all costs.”

We are lulled into the army of the unarmed with statements like:

“Christians, lay aside Gods’ provision, we’ll meet your ‘felt needs’;

You don’t need those kinds of weapons – they offend and are not inclusive!”

We need God’s weapons in the church to fulfill His purposes.

Pick up and skillfully wield prayer, personal holiness and all the other weapons others may have persuaded you to lay down!