1 Samuel 2:6

The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.

Killed, then made alive

We must be emptied of self before we can be filled with grace; we must be stripped of our rags before we can be clothed with righteousness; we must be unclothed that we may be clothed; wounded, that we may be healed; killed, that we may be made alive; buried in disgrace, that we may rise in holy glory. These words, “Sown in corruption, that we may be raised in incorruption; sown in dishonour, that we may be raised in glory; sown in weakness, that we may be raised in power,” are as true of the soul as of the body. To borrow an illustration from the surgeon’s art: the bone that is set wrong must be broken again, in order that it may be set aright. I press this truth on your attention. It is certain that a soul filled with self has no room for God; and like the inn at Bethlehem, crowded with meaner guests, a heart preoccupied by pride and her godless train, has no chamber within which Christ may be born in us “the hope of glory.” (T. Guthrie, D. D.)

From death to life

This sentence has its own plain and natural meaning, which lies upon its surface like dust of gold; it has, moreover, a spiritual meaning, which needs to be digged for like silver in the mine.

I. In reference to its first and most manifest meaning, “The Lord bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.” Here the agency of God, in life and death, is clearly revealed to us. How well it is to discern the Lord’s hand in everything. We ascribe events to second causes, to the laws of nature and I know not what. I think it were better far, if we could go back to the good old way of talking and speaking of the Lord as being in everything. While we donor deny the laws of nature, nor decry the discoveries of science, we will suffer none of these to be hung up as a veil before our present God.

1. First of all, it should awaken gratitude. What a mercy it is that we are here this evening!

2. While it causes gratitude, it should compel consideration. “The Lord bringeth down to the grave,” and it is his rule never to do anything without a purpose. “He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men for nought.” There is always a “needs be.”

3. The Lord’s bringing us law and raising us up again, should cause great searching of heart. Suppose I had died when last I was sick: was I then prepared to die?

4. To those of us who are believers in Christ, restoration from sickness, and the privilege of again coming up to God’s house after an absence from it thorough illness, should suggest renewed activity. Haste thee! for behind thee are the flying wheels of the chariot of death, and the ashes thereof are growing red hot with speed. Fly, man, if thou wouldst accomplish thy life work, for thou hast not a moment to sparer Be watchful, brethren, for tits Lord bringeth down to the grave, and from that grave he bringeth us not up again to work, though he will bring us up to the reward and to the rest which remain foe the people of God.

II. Our text seems to indicate a state of heart through which those pass who are brought to God. I shall speak new experimentally, for if there breathes one soul on earth that can speak experimentally here, I am that man.

1. The sinner is led, first of all, to hear his own sentence pronounced.

2. Further than this: the convinced sinner is often made to feel, not only the sentence and the justice of it, but the very horror of death itself. You may have read in the narrative of the old American war, of the execution of deserters. They were brought out one bright morning, while yet the dew was on the grass, and were bidden to kneel down each man upon his coffin, and then a file of soldiers stepped forth; the word was given, and each man fell upon his coffin in which he was to be buried. Such things as the punishment of deserters are common in every war, but what must he the horror of the man who stands there, knowing that the bullet is waiting to reach his heart? In the old wars, they used to have a black heart sewn on the man’s breast, and all the soldiers were to take aim and fire at that. Why, the man must suffer a thousand deaths white he stood waiting for the word of command. I have stood there, spiritually; and there are hundreds here who have thus faced their eternal doom.

3. Then there is a yet further death which the convinced sinner is made to feel, and that is the death of inability. He feels himself brought into a perfect state of death, as if a stupor had gone through every nerve, and frozen every muscle rigidly in its place, so that even the lifting of his little finger to help himself appears to be beyond his power. The climax of your disease is just the dawn of my hopes; your direst poverty is the time when I expect to see you enriched, for when you are completely emptied and have nothing, then Jesus Christ win be your strength and your salvation.

4. No doubt, the man now sees death written upon all his hopes. There was a door through which I had hoped to enter eternal life. I had spent much time in painting it, and making it comely to look upon. It seemed to me to have a golden knocker, a marble threshold, and posts and lintels of mahogany, and I thought it was the door of life for me. But now what do I see? I see a great black cross adown it, and over it there is written, “Lord, have mercy upon us.” This door is the door to heaven by my own good works, which I thought full sure would always be open to me; but lo, I see that all my best works are bad, and “Lord, have mercy upon us,” is the highest thing my works can produce for me. The death of legal hope is the salvation of the soul. I like to see legal hope swung up like a traitor. There let him hang to rot before the sun, more cursed than any other that was ever hanged on a tree. No more, then, concerning this death--“The Lord bringeth down.” But now a word or two of comfort for any of you who are brought down to this spiritual grave. There are many precious promises for such. “Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” “Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.” Remember the experience of Jonah. Let the hope of Jeremiah be your consolation: “But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude o(his mercies. For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.” And now notice that where God has thus killed and brought down, we may rest assured He will certainly bring up again. (C. H. Spurgeon.)