The Iron Pen #104

"...graven with an iron pen and lead..." Job 19:24
Pastor David L. Brown, Ph.D.

Did you know that at the rear entrance of the United States Supreme Court building, at the peak of the building is Moses, seated, holding a tablet of the Ten Commandments on each knee. Carved into the oak doors leading into courtroom we see the tablets of the Ten Commandments again. Then, above the bench where the justices sit are the Ten Commandments between "The Power of the Law" on the left and the "Power of Government" on the right. As you look at the side panel, there you will see Moses carrying a tablet of the Ten Commandments, with Hebrew writing on the tablet. By way of application, the admonition of Proverbs 22:28 applies -- "Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set."

My wife and I hopped on a plane at the Milwaukee Wisconsin Airport and in a little more than two hours we were stepping off the plane in Knoxville, Tennessee. But, there was a time in this nation’s history when people took the train instead of planes on their trips. The story I am about to share is adapted from a pamphlet in my files.

A terrible blizzard was raging over the eastern part of the United States, making it more and more difficult for the train to continue on to its destination. Among the passengers on this train was a woman with a little child. She was unfamiliar with the area, and very concerned that she might not get off at the right station. A gentleman sitting near her sensed her anxiety and asked her if she was OK. She told him of her concern and he assured her that he had ridden this train often and was vary familiar with the route. He told her that he would tell her when they were coming to her station.

After some time, the train made a stop. The man told the woman that the next stop would be hers. The train went on, and in a few minutes the train stopped again. The man turned to the woman and said, "This is your stop ma’am!"

The woman got up quickly, put the hat on her young child, scooped him up in her arms and walked off the train into the storm. Then, to the man’s surprise the conductor came in to the car as the train was stopping and announced the station where the woman was supposed to get off. The startled man said, "you’ve already stopped at this station!"

"No, sir," said the conductor. "Something was wrong with the engine and we stopped a few moments to make repairs."

"That can’t be," cried the passenger. "I told the woman with the young child that it was her stop and she got off between stations."

The police were notified and when the blizzard finally stopped they found the woman with a child clutched in her arms, frozen to death. This was the terrible and tragic consequence of following the wrong directions.

There is another tragic thing going on today in the religious realm. There is a myriad of contradictory voices, which are offering false and misleading advice in the spiritual realm, especially concerning the matter of where you will spend eternity. Following the wrong advice can have tragic eternal consequences! I must tell you, because of the eternal ramifications you must refuse to rest on the uncertain opinions of men. The Word of God, the Holy Bible, is where you can find the right answers. God’s Word points us to Christ as the only way to Heaven. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6

To believe that there is another way, or many other ways to Heaven is following the wrong advice, AND there will be eternal consequences. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…" Acts 16:31