During the infamous O.J. Simpson murder trial, his attorney made the statement, “if the gloves do not fit, then you must acquit”. The premise being that if the bloody gloves, which were found near the crime scene, would not fit Simpson, then he could not be the killer. Only the LORD and Mr. Simpson know for sure if he committed the crime, but it was “demonstrated”, at least to his attorney’s and consequently the jury’s satisfaction that the gloves did not fit regardless of the other seemingly insurmountable evidence.
The scripture often describes truth in very poetic imagery that stretches the mind to conceive of those vivid word pictures. I think of that Psalm that says “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psa 91:1) My mind soars to try and fully grasp this most sublime description but it is ultimately the heart that finds great comfort and solace in that which the mind cannot completely comprehend. The same is true when John said, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” (1John 3:2)
There is no more enigmatic image in all of the scriptures than this one which is set before us; “apples of gold in pictures of silver.” I must confess it is very difficult to envision such a thing in the natural mind yet at the same time there is such a beauty in that which the SPIRIT is pleased to communicate by it; that the extreme value and beauty of a word “fitly spoken” is clear. There is no shortage of words in the earth. Men multiply them daily to no great profit. Yet one word “fitly spoken” is worth a volume of those spoken in vanity.
Some are of the opinion that an abundance of Bible reading will serve to change men’s hearts and minds and to that end they press such upon men in general. Yet we can plainly see from the scriptures themselves that the words of the Bible are in themselves of no necessary profit to men. “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: (i.e. the unbelieving Jews) but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” (Heb 4:2) Faith is the gift of GOD and is a necessary ingredient in the manifestation of the salvation of the LORD’s people. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom 10:17) Yet without the SPIRIT’s application of that word to a quickened hearer no one will believe the preached word and it shall fall on deaf ears.
What a glorious event it is however when the sovereign LORD of mercy and grace is pleased to give a dead sinner life and give him ears to hear and faith to believe the glorious gospel of GOD. Indeed, such is an example of a word “fitly spoken”. Who can place a value upon it? Apart from this “fitly spoken word” the gospel can only manifest the doom of those who do not believe. “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savor of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savor of death unto death; and to the other the savor of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?” (II Cor 2:14-16)
The lives of GOD’s people are like giant puzzles which are designed by the most particular of ARTISTs. Every piece is fashioned with care and no piece of that puzzle can (or shall) be left out and still appear as the ARTIST intended. This is especially true of that instruction which the LORD is pleased to impart to HIS sons. Each utterance from HIS lips is a “word fitly spoken.” Whether it is “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me” (Acts 9:4) or “Rise Peter, kill and eat.” (Acts 10:13) The LORD said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32) These are words fitly spoken and specifically applied.
A word fitly spoken is as the sharpest of swords. “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Heb 4:12) David experienced it when the LORD sent the prophet Nathan with these words, “Thou art the man” (II Sam.12:7) even as Peter did when the cock crowed and the words of the LORD JESUS rang in his ears, and he went out and wept.
A word fitly spoken is as a raging fire which cannot be quenched. “Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.” (Jer 5:14) “For our God is a consuming fire.” (Heb 12:29) The wood, hay, and stubble in the lives of GOD’s people shall be burned by that word fitly spoken. “He will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Mat 3:12) “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Heb 10:31) Yet who among the sons of GOD would ever desire to escape HIS chastening for indeed we know that “whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.” (Heb 12:6-8)
A word fitly spoken is as a fountain which brings forth the coolest and sweetest water to a weary soul. “And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. “ (Rev 21:6) Is this not that same fountain which our LORD described to the Samaritan woman? “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:14)“Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” (Isa 55:1)
A word fitly spoken is that which awakens the dead. We see this demonstrated on a Judean hillside as the LORD of life and glory stands before a stinking tomb and says “Lazarus come forth”. Out of that darksome cave and still wrapped in graveclothes came the man whom the LORD called by name. Is this not a perfect picture of those whom the LORD is pleased to awaken from the deadness of sin and nature’s night by a “word fitly spoken”. This is not a word which can be uttered by a mere mortal but must be spoken by HIM who alone is able to cause the dead to hear. We are comforted by that same ONE whose word shall command the sea to give up her dead and shall gather HIS elect from the corners of the earth in the day of the resurrection. “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (1Thes 4:16-18)
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