July 17, Evening

C. H. Spurgeon · Modern retelling

"Let not one of them escape." — 1 Kings 18:40 · KJV

When the prophet Elijah had received the answer to his prayer, and the fire from heaven had consumed the sacrifice in the presence of all the people, he called on the assembled Israelites to seize the priests of Baal, and sternly cried, "Let not one of them escape." He took them all down to the brook Kishon, and there put them to death. So must it be with our sins — they are all doomed; not one must be spared. Our darling sin must die. Spare it not for all its crying. Strike, though it be as dear as an Isaac. Strike, for God struck at sin when it was laid on His own Son. With stern, unflinching purpose you must condemn to death that sin which was once the idol of your heart. Do you ask how you are to accomplish this? Jesus will be your power. You have grace to overcome sin given you in the covenant of grace; you have strength to win the victory in the war against inward lusts, because Christ Jesus has promised to be with you even to the end. If you would triumph over darkness, set yourself in the presence of the Sun of Righteousness. There is no place so well suited for the discovery of sin, and recovery from its power and guilt, as the immediate presence of God. Job never knew how to get rid of sin half so well as when his eye of faith rested on God; then he abhorred himself, and repented in dust and ashes. The fine gold of the Christian is often becoming dim; we need the sacred fire to consume the dross. Let us fly to our God — He is a consuming fire; He will not consume our spirit, but our sins. Let the goodness of God stir us to a holy jealousy, and to a holy revenge against the iniquities that are hateful in His sight. Go forth to battle with Amalek in His strength, and utterly overcome that hateful host: let not one of them escape.