God's Anvil
In the book of Acts we have this account of the apostles being brought before the Sanhedrin,
"Then someone came and said, "Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people."
At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.
Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest.
"We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name," he said. "Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood."
Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men!
The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree.
God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Saviour that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.
We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."
When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death." Acts 5:25-33.
Then a Pharisee named Gamaliel spoke,
“A Pharisee named Gamaliel a teacher of the Law an honoured man, standing before the Sanhedrin as they were presiding over the trial of Christ’s apostles said,
“Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.
But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” Acts 5:38,39.
There’s a poem by an unknown author that I’ve always liked it reads,
Last eve I passed beside a blacksmith’s door,
And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;
Then, looking in, I saw upon the floor
Old hammers, worn with beating years of time.
“How many anvils have you had,” said I,
“To wear and batter all these hammers so?”
“Just one,” said he, and then, with twinkling eye,
The anvil wears the hammers out, you know.”
And so, thought I, the anvil of God’s Word,
For ages skeptic blows have beat upon;
Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard,
The anvil is unharmed - and hammers gone.
Anonymous
Gamaliel and the poet were right. The Gospel message is of God. As a result today Christianity is the largest religion in the word and all who have tried to destroy it have failed.
Please think about it.
