Danger Signals
Danger Signals
God had danger signals long before the railroad developed them. Railroads are making their signals safer and safer, as they wish to avoid accidents, but God has already perfected His.
In the history of railroading, danger signals began with the flagman and the red lantern. Swift trains received their only intimation of coming danger from such imperfect sources. Then came petards on the track, hand block signals, and electric block signals. Now the Pennsylvania announces the "electric eye." In the cab of the engine will be an electric reproduction of wayside signals miles ahead. If the signal is "Stop," there will be a loud warning whistle in addition, that will not cease until the driver acknowledges, mechanically, that he has received the signal. Trains hurtling along the rails at eighty miles an hour can pick up these delicate signals and record them unerringly. Thus the engineer, regardless of the snow or fog, always has before him the track conditions ahead, as indicated by the wayside signals.
The Christian goes through the world beset with greater spiritual dangers than any material dangers that lie in the path of a fast limited. "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Eph. 6:12). Satan or his minions may bring us temptation, or something may come from the flesh itself to war against the soul. God has a perfect signal system against any such spiritual danger. "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it" (1 Cor. 10:13). Note this precious promise. God is faithful. He who keepeth us neither slumbers nor sleeps. Every time a temptation of any kind is put in your path, He provides a way of escape. A factor of nature might endanger the track of a railroad, but the signal could not pick up the peril and transmit it to the oncoming train. God is faithful; He has never failed and never will. He plants within us His Holy Spirit, who is so sensitive to the presence of sin that every intimation of its approach is recorded. Sanctification is the process whereby God trains us to heed the Spirit's signals.
The Lord Jesus lived His life as a man, but He was so spiritually alive to every onslaught of the enemy that the signals were in every case heeded. "He was tempted in all points like as we are and yet without sin" (Heb. 4:15). If we are to be like Him, it must be in the path that He trod. The dangers will not diminish, but if we will to do His will, we will heed the signals that God gives us every time the enemy of the flesh brings any temptation. Thus we will be able to bear it.
1. What are some instances in the Old Testament where God sends red flags or danger signals to the Elect in Israel?
2. What does Christ teach us about avoiding temptation in Matthew 4? What tools did he have to not fall to temptation?
3. What are some words that come to mind when you think about the tools we ought to employ we being tempted?
