God’s Word Is a Fire and a Hammer!

“Is not My word like a fire?” says the Lord, “And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?

Jeremiah 23:29

Oh how I wish that God’s professed people would pay more attention to the instruction which He gives through His word. To me this scripture is true. His word is like a fire in my soul, and like a hammer that breaks my pride, humbling me to re-shape my character and fashion it after the similitude of Jesus. God’s professed people need to be willing to be put through the necessary trial, where the hammer and chisel of God can work off the rough edges and unpolished surfaces of your character. If that’s not enough to finish the job of purifying your heart and mind, then the fire of God’s word can burn off the dross and impurities.

In the work of metallurgy, when at first the raw material is laid in the forge, the fire softens and melts the steel making the work of the hammer more effective to reshape its hard surfaces. Blow after blow is struck to rework the material. This process is repeated again and again, fire and hammer, fire and hammer… until the metal is remade… into a completely different and new piece of craftsmanship.

Painful processes are these when instead of metal, the material is the human heart. But Jeremiah had to go through this process in order to overcome the corrupt religious influences in his day. For God told him not to be like them, the corrupt prophets and priests. And God kept him pure through trials. And through HIS WORD!

For God’s word is a like a fire, and like a hammer that will purge sin from your soul and re-make your character to become more and more like Jesus.

There are so many people in the world, over seven-billion they tell us. And of those seven billion, the vast majority have yet to hear an unclouded presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Why is that so? As I understand the passage in Jeremiah chapter 23, The LORD had much to say about false shepherds and false prophets, as Jeremiah lamented, “My heart within me is broken because of the prophets…” Even the Holy Spirit said, “‘For both prophet and priest are profane; Yes, in My house I have found their wickedness,’ says the LORD.”

But God would wake His true people up today, just the same as He did in Jeremiah’s day. The Creator of the Universe would not have the people of this earth remain in ignorance to His plan of salvation. He would have them hear and know something of the magnificence, benevolence and justice revealed in His character. But how will God’s character be revealed to the world? Is it not through His own people, through Jesus’ disciples? Yes, this must be the case. For God works through His own true people to reveal His character of love to the world. So that the people of the world may have a better opportunity to come to know Him.

But how can I truly represent the love of God, when I myself am faulty in character? Simon Peter once felt this same shame. He had been fishing in the Sea of Galilee and had caught nothing. So he had brought his boat to shore and was mending his nets along with the other fishermen. But Jesus needed to preach from Simon Peter’s boat, so that the people crowding on the shore could hear Him well. So, Jesus just stepped into Simon’s boat and asked him to put out a little from land. Simon did as he was told and Jesus was able to sit in the boat, and the Bible says that He “taught the multitudes from the boat” (Luke 5:3).

Now if that was all that God required of His servants, just to use our things like our cars and our boats, or even our houses, and that we would help by lending a hand now and then, well that would be fairly doable for most of us. And we know the point of this story found in Luke chapter 5 is about Simon, and not about what Jesus was preaching that day to those seated on the beach. Otherwise, Luke would have told us what Jesus was preaching about. But he didn’t. So we know the point is about Simon Peter and what was going on in his heart and mind regarding his relationship with Jesus. There is a conversion that must take place.

You see, God wants much more from us. He wants an entire transformation of character. For, the next thing that happened, when Jesus had finished preaching, He told Simon to take his boat out to the deep and let down his nets for a catch. But, Simon protested because he had already fished all night long and had caught absolutely nothing. Yet he did finally agree to take Jesus at His word, and so he “let down the net…” Note the irony here, that Simon is letting down a literal fishing net, while Jesus has cast a spiritual net to draw Simon into a deeper relationship with Himself.

The magnitude of the miracle was unexpected. Yet, magnificent and remarkable. The huge quantity of fish was overloading the net to the point of breaking, and they had to call for help from their partners in the other boat. Now, not just one boat overfilled, but both boats were overfilled with so many fish that they were both beginning to sink. This is not the first time that Jesus had called Simon Peter to “follow Me.” But Jesus wants to make a point to Simon that he will never forget. Because this miracle caused in Simon a transformation. Immediately, Simon Peter understood just Who he was in the presence of. The Holy Son of the Living God! The Bible says, that Simon “fell down at Jesus’ knees.” What more could he do? He confessed, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

Simon Peter knew that he could not properly represent the character of such a One as Jesus. He was a sinful man full of wicked thoughts and other extreme character flaws. Yet, Jesus’ reply to Simon is full of assurance and hope. “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” God is willing to use fallen human beings to represent Himself to the world. But, like Simon Peter, we must first be willing to be subject to the discerning and piercing gaze of Him who knows the thoughts and intents of the human heart. Those who will answer the call of God must submit to His will, and His will alone. Like Simon Peter, this begins with confession of sin. And then to take Jesus at His word and not be afraid, but go forward with whatever means and gifts that God shall supply to enable His servants to rightly represent Him.

The Lord is both merciful and just. God is love! Both mercy and justice are aspects of His great love. And it is up to God’s true people to share His message of love, salvation and judgment to a dying world. A world lost in sin, but not without hope, because Jesus became a man, and took the sinners place by dying for the sins of the world on the cross of Calvary 2,000 years ago. Love meets the sinner and provides a judgment of reconciliation with God through Jesus. Hallelujah!

I could say more about that of course. So much more. But today I want to appeal to those of you who profess to be God’s true people. Those who believe in Jesus and keep His commandments because they love Him. Now the book of Daniel testifies that in the last days of earth’s history, just before Jesus comes again, “There shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation… and at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book.” The Holy Spirit is certainly able to use such troubles to shape the character of His people that they might rightly represent His character.

But there is another condition to this character reshaping business. For everyone goes through trials. Yes, even unbelievers go through trials. But, God’s people must also subject themselves to the fire and hammer of His word. If you want your character to change, if you want to become more like Jesus, then you must read and study and meditate upon God”s Holy word. The Bible!

For God’s word is a like a fire, and like a hammer that will purge sin from your soul and re-make your character to become more and more like Jesus.

And, God will deliver His people through the time of trouble. And, that book of the saved ones is “the Lamb’s Book of Life” (Revelation 21:27). Those who are written therein must be the ones Revelation 14:12 refers to as, “Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”

How can we, like Simon Peter, realize our need for an entire transformation of character, that we may truly represent Him to the world, so that more people may come to know Jesus and be saved? How can we, like Jeremiah not shy away from the trials of life that God uses as a fire and a hammer to shape and mold our characters? How can we, God’s commandment keeping people, be more like Simon Peter? who confessing his sins and realizing his own deficiencies, yet he grasped hold of faith in Jesus. He took Jesus at His word and surrendered to His will. Then he said to Jesus, “At Your word I will let down the net.” Yes, the Word of Jesus, God’s Word is a fire and a hammer. From that day on Simon Peter went forward, believing Jesus’ word to Him, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.”

As for me, God’s word is a fire and a hammer. It burns in my soul and shapes my character to flee from sin, and become more and more like my Savior. God’s word is a fire and hammer that compels me, like Simon Peter to surrender my will to His will, and to go forward in faith… to be a messenger to share the Everlasting Gospel with whoever will listen. Help me Lord Jesus, for Your word to me is, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” Amen.