Ecclesiastes 4:12

A threefold cord is not quickly broken.

A threefold cord

I have read somewhere that the ancient Thebans had in their army a band of men who were pledged to friendship and fellowship with each other. They were therefore almost irresistible; they held together by a union caused by a living principle that suffused and inspired them all, therefore when the enemy came upon them it was like the sea breaking on the unmovable strand. If we as church members and fellow-Christians are thus one in heart, we shall be irresistible. A common Saviour claims our common love. We have been cleansed in the same precious fountain, we have all eaten of the Bread that came down from heaven, and drunk of the Spiritual Rock that follows us. Let us hold more closely together than ever--pastors, officers, people, for “a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” “A threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Do we not know this from sad experience?

I. It was by such cords as these that we were originally held in bondage. I do not know how many threads were in them, how many strands they contained. Not three, perhaps, but thirty, nay, thirty thousand evil influences were dragging us down and holding us fast. All I do know is that they were not quickly broken. It took God’s dear Son to break them, the Father’s love, and the Spirit’s power, and our own faith and repentance, begotten in our hearts from above. Satan knows the power of unity if we do not. “The world, the flesh, and the devil,” a terrible trio, were in league against us. It was the cords of this triple enemy that held us fast. They were threefold cords, and they were not easily broken. Sin is of various shapes and sorts. There are three words in God’s Book descriptive of sin, and I think I may apply them to the threefold cord. There is iniquity, that which is out of plumb, or off the line, or out of the level. There is sin, the missing of the mark, the going beyond by the arrow, or the falling short of the target. There is also transgression, breaking through God’s settled rules, passing beyond the bounds that He has fixed, making landmarks of our own instead of regarding God’s. Each of these may be regarded as a strand in the cord of sin, and all of us were held thereby. “A threefold cord is not quickly broken.” It took years of straining, and tugging, and pulling by a hand Omnipotent to break these cords in pieces. Thank God! it is done, and that they can never be spliced again, nor ever cast about us as they were originally.

II. It was by such cords as these--cords that are not quickly broken, threefold cords, that we were delivered from the power of sin. The form of the metaphor changes a little as we use it now. We were in a horrible pit by reason of sin. Sin always sinks us, and we were dropping deeper and deeper into it, and into the mire that was at the bottom of it. How have we got up? There was no ladder placed for us to climb; we did not cut notches in the pit-side by our own unaided strength, and so help ourselves up to light and liberty. No; God had pity on us. He, in the person of His Son, came to the pit’s mouth and looked down with the eyes of love upon us. Christ’s love, Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension into heaven--these are as another threefold cord. As soon as our eyes were opened and we saw this rope swinging, as it were, in front of us, God gave us strength to leap to it, and He did the rest; nay, He did that, for we had not believed unless the Spirit had prompted faith. He drew us with the cords of love, and with the bands of a man.

III. It is by such cords as these, threefold cords, cords that are not quickly broken, that we are now held captive. By creation, the claim of which we understand better than ever now; by regeneration, into the mystery of which they and we are being daily further led; by consecration, both on God’s part and our own, we are His and His for ever. These cords bind us to the horns of the altar. “And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three, but the greatest of these is love.” I think this is another threefold cord by which we are bound; bound to one another, bound to the cross of Christ, bound to this blessed book, and bound to heaven. (T. Spurgeon.)

A threefold cord

I. Have a threefold cord in your religion. Religion for young folks as well as old. Is yours twofold or threefold? Let us see. There is God--one. And you--two. Is that all? Explain how some people have no more. This not a nice religion. Can’t get near God. Can’t know Him. Bring in Christ, and you have the threefold cord. Then this cord will stand the strain. That is a strong religion. When temptations come down hard on you, it will hold and save you.

II. Have a threefold cord in your difficulties and dangers. Story of youth at sea. Ordered, during a storm, to go up and put the rigging right. Momentary hesitation of boy, and then darted down to his cabin. Appeared again immediately, ascended mast, put rigging right, and came down. Asked by an officer, “What made you run below? For prayer, sir: father always told me no time was ever lost in prayer.” “And what is that under your jacket?.. . My Bible, sir. My mother gave it to me when leaving home. I thought if I were drowned, I would like to have it with me.” Now here was a nice threefold cord--Prayer, the Bible, and Courage. I wish you had it. You may have, likely will have, many a hard bit in your life. But if you weave these three together into a cord, and hold on by it, you are safe.

III. Have a threefold cord in your friendships. There is an old saying among folks, that “Two are good company, but three are none.” And they expect us to believe that! We want no friendship that is only twofold. Have you any friendship without Jesus? He is the third strand of the cord. If there be anybody who wants you to go roads where Jesus can’t go with you, give up that company at once. We should want no friendship where our Saviour can’t; be one. (J. F. Dempster.)