Scourge Of The Tongue

SCOURGE OF THE TONGUE

Job 5:21 ---- "You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, and you shall not be afraid of destruction when it comes."

The tongue is a small weapon, but it is a cutting one; it is like a scourge or whip, with which wicked men strike hard and very sad to be under the lash of some men's tongues, and it is a great mercy to be delivered from them. The tongue was originally made to be an organ of God’s praise, it has now become an instrument of unrighteousness. God has set two natural fences to keep in the tongue—the teeth and lips. The tongue inflicts greater wounds than the sword. No physician can heal the wounds of the tongue!

The Scourge of the tongue is all the evil which the tongue can speak. It refers to gossip, maligning, bearing false witness and slander etc. If we follow God's direction concerning the tongue, and then we will be delivered from the scourge of the tongue. God will take us to a safe place where people cannot see us and complain. The Psalmist David gives us warning:" For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue." (Psalm 5:9). The mouth of the wicked is full of deceit.

1. The scourge of the tongue is that punishment which false accusers obtain against the innocents, their tongues got judgment against them to be scourged or whipped. Our Lord Jesus was crucified upon the tongues of the Jews before he was crucified on the cross by the Romans.

Jeremiah 18:18 describes how a man is imprisoned by the tongue, hanged and burned by the tongue, “….Come and let us attack him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.” The tongue does all these virtually by false accusations, causing these things to be done actually and formally.

2. All manner of slanders, malice, cursing or evil speaking, false witness and accusations are product of the scourge. When a slanderer speaks openly, his tongue is compared to a sword or an arrow by day. The scorpion carries his poison in his tail but the slanderer carries his poison in his tongue! When a slanderer speaks secretly, it is a trap or an arrow by night; a scourge prepared for the back called back-biting. To pretend friendship to a man, and slander him, is most odious.

3. Scourged tongues can produce terrible and dreadful reports which amaze and afflict one’s spirit about the approach of dangers - report about an invading enemy, dreaded communicable disease, economic down turns, broken homes etc.

It is a great mercy to be delivered and hid from the scourge of the tongue, and this is promised to him who fears God - Psalms 112: 7 – No evil tidings shall make him afraid.

The Bible tells us in Isaiah 54:17 that "No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of Me, says the Lord.” Many things can be weapons when wielded by anger and malice but they will not prosper against God's people. God will condemn every tongue that rises against His people in judgment. This is our heritage in the Lord.

Again the Psalmist David gives us God's promise: " You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues."( Psalm 31:20). The pavilion of the Lord is the secret place of the Most High God. We have access to this place in God where no tongue will be able to strive against us.

We can also be hidden from the scourge of the tongue:

1. By the direct influence of divine power. God will restrain the evil speaker and the rage of the ungodly. The lord will defend and vindicate you from all false aspersions, take care of your reputation, honor you and disgrace your enemies.

2. By the sanctifying influence of Divine grace. The heart which is prepared by God’s grace, casts aside and rejects the evil word, or the cruel insinuation, or the boisterous abuse; these things have no power over it.

3. By the resignation of a chastened spirit. The chastened spirit of the Christian disarms the shafts of the evil tongue, and spared the poignant stings of malice before the furious blast.

4. By the prospect of future freedom. The nauseous taste of medicine is little heeded when the anticipated end is considered, which is restored health and renewed strength. So, in the view of future glory and entire sanctification, the present bitterness will be little regarded.