Heaven Taken By Storm
By Thomas Watson
(His dates: c. 1620-1686, This book first printed: 1669)
Soli Deo Gloria, edited by Joel R. Beeke, 1992
Introduction (Magee)
The life of the Christian is a life of warfare.
How are we to fight this fight?
Contents
1. Taking the
2. The Christian Offering Violence to Himself
3. Offering Violence by the
4. Offering Violence by the Hearing of the Word
5. Offering Violence by Prayer
6. Offering Violence by Meditation
7. Offering Violence by Self-Examination
8. Offering Violence by Sanctifying the Lord’s Day
9. Offering Violence by Holy Conversation
10. The Christian Offering Violence to Satan
11. The Christian Offering Violence to the World
12. The Christian Offering Violence to Heaven –
13. Arrows of Reproof to Those Not Offering Violence
14. Examining Whether We Are Offering Violence
15. Objections Against Offering Violence
16. Motives for Exhorting All Christians to Offer Violence
17. Take Heed of Hindrances to Offering Violence
18. Directions on How to Promote Offering Violence
19. Conclusion: What Shall We Do?
Appendix 1: The Happiness of Drawing Near to God
Appendix 2: How We May Read the Scriptures With Most Spiritual Profit
1. Taking the
ESV Matthew 11:12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.
A difficult text
BGT Matthew 11:12 avpo. de. tw/n h`merw/n VIwa,nnou tou/ baptistou/ e[wj a;rti h` basilei,a tw/n ouvranw/n bia,zetai kai. biastai. a`rpa,zousin auvth,nÅ
bia,zetai verb indicative present passive 3rd person singular
[UBS] bia,zomai see bia,zw
[UBS] bia,zw exercise force (if midd.) or suffer violence (if pass.) (Mt 11.12); enter by force (Lk 16.16)
biastai. noun nominative masculine plural common
[UBS] biasth,j, ou/ m violent or eager person
a`rpa,zousin verb indicative present active 3rd person plural
[UBS] a`rpa,zw (aor. pass. h`rpa,ghn, ptc. a`rpagei,j) take by force; take away, carry off; catch up (into heaven); perhaps attack (Jn 10.12)
NIV Matthew 11:12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.
Pratt’s notes in The Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible:
11:12 forcefully advancing. The Greek verb translated “forcefully advancing” can also mean “suffering violence,” but in other Greek literature it almost always takes the former meaning. Further, the parallel saying in Luke 16:16 uses “the
Watson:
What is the kingdom of heaven? Glory… The earth is inherited by the meek. Heaven is inherited by the violent.
The combat: “suffereth violence”
The conquest: “the violent take it by force”
Men as magistrates
Punishing the guilty
Defending the innocent
Men as Christians
Though heaven is given us freely, we must contend for it.
What “violence” is not meant here
Ignorant zeal
Murder
What is meant – holy violence – boldness, courage, and even a willingness to die
For the truth
For our own salvation – 2 Peter 1:10 (make your calling and election sure)
What is implied in this holy violence?
1. resolution of will
2. vigor of affection, and
3. strength of endeavor
How many ways must a Christian offer violence?
1. to (against) himself,
2. to (against) Satan,
3. to (against) the world, and
4. to (toward) heaven.
2. The Christian Offering Violence to Himself
Offering violence through mortification of sin
ESV Galatians 5:17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
Our Christian duty always
The Christian duty of everyone – even the best saints
Offering violence through provocation to duty
ESV Isaiah 64:7 There is no one who calls upon your name, who rouses himself to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities.
Next seven chapters (3-9) are seven duties of Christianity following upon this idea of offering violence through provocation to duty…
3. Offering Violence by the
ESV Acts 17:11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
4. Offering Violence by the Hearing of the Word – paying attention to the preaching of the Word
ESV Hebrews 12:25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.
5. Offering Violence by Prayer – there must be a stirring up of the heart to prayer and in prayer
ESV Psalm 34:6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.
6. Offering Violence by Meditation – a holy exercise of the mind whereby we bring the truths of God to remembrance
Meditate upon:
· The corruption of your nature
· The death and passion of Christ
· The evidences for heaven
· The uncertainty of all earthly comforts
· God’s severity against sin
· Eternal life
Where is the meditating Christian? Most people live in a hurry.
[Magee – Profitable spiritual discussions in a teaching setting are a beneficial method of corporate meditation.]
ESV Psalm 119:15 I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.
7. Offering Violence by Self-Examination – The rule by which the Christian must examine himself is the Word of God.
ESV 2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?- unless indeed you fail to meet the test!
8. Offering Violence by Sanctifying the Lord’s Day – Keeping the day of Resurrection devotion as a Christian duty
ESV Acts 20:7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, …
The matter of spiritual preparation – the example of William Still and the officers
9. Offering Violence by Holy Conversation – see above under Chapter 6
[Magee: Some general thoughts on the means of grace:
· The corporate preferred to the merely individual
· The Sacraments as means of offering holy violence
· The connection between the various means of grace
How can God’s Word be useful in prayer? Clowney: To pray according to God’s will means to make God’s word the guide for our prayers [Edmund Clowney, “Prayer, Theology of,” New Dictionary of Theology (
How do the Sacraments inform our understanding of the Word, and the Word inform our understanding of the Sacraments?]
10. The Christian Offering Violence to Satan
ESV 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
11. The Christian Offering Violence to the World
ESV 1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
12. The Christian Offering Violence to Heaven
[Magee – Chapters 2, 10, and 11 all teach about a violence that we offer against an enemy. Chapter 12 is different than these. Here we are fighting to gain something, like
ESV Philippians 3:14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
13. Arrows of Reproof to Those Not Offering Violence
· Slothful Christian
· Formalist
· Violent people (in a bad sense)
14. Examining Whether We Are Offering Violence
· Do we strive with our hearts to get them into a holy frame?
· Do we set time apart to call ourselves to account?
· Do we use violence in prayer?
· Do we thirst for the living God?
· Are we skilled in self-denial?
· Are we lovers of God? (Do we love God more than we fear hell?)
· Do we keep our spiritual watch? (Do we watch against temptation?)
· Do we press after further degrees of sanctity?
· …
15. Objections Against Offering Violence
· But we have no powers to save ourselves – Yet let us do what we are able, and trust God to provide ability where we are lacking holy violence.
· But this is too hard – Yet it is a duty, and there is no disputing duty. Also there is a glory that awaits us that far outweighs the difficulty we face now.
· But this would force me to give up too many things I like – Choosing lesser delights in order to miss our chief delight in God is sin. Sin is not good for you.
· But this would make me miserable – This labor of duty will turn into a delight, even with both hard labor and tears. Trust God on this point.
· But I will look like a religious zealot to family and friends – Who are you more willing to offend, worldly men, or the God who sent His Son to die for You?
· But this would cost me dearly – Don’t you want your soul to be healthy? What profit will your lazy, worried soul be to you if you refuse God?
· But I just have no time for this – Are you so foolish that you have time for all the things that perish, and no time for what will remain forever? God had time for your salvation, and Jesus was not too busy to die for your sins.
16. Motives for Exhorting All Christians to Offer Violence
ESV 2 Samuel 23:16 Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of
ESV Romans 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
ESV Matthew 11:12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.
Men will wade through blood for a kingdom…
ESV Matthew 6:33 But seek first the
Philippians 2:12-13 12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
17. Take Heed of Hindrances to Offering Violence
· Unbelief
· Incorrect thinking about election
· Too much violence after the world
· Indulging any lust
· Despondency of spirit
· A lazy temperament
· Consulting with flesh and blood
· Listening to the voice of carnal friends
· Being content with a little bit of grace
· The idea that the way to heaven is easy
18. Directions on How to Promote Offering Violence
· Daily prayer
· Get under lively preaching
· Get your hearts filled with love of Christ and all that is Christ’s
· Be vigilant
· Keep your sacred vows
· Make going to heaven your business
· Have heaven continually in your eye
· Keep company with others who are offering violence for the kingdom
· Never stop seeking God in any Christian duty until you have the Holy Spirit
19. Conclusion: What Shall We Do? Keep alive this holy violence!
Psalm 105:1-4 ESV Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! 2 Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! 3 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! 4 Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!
Closing Thoughts (Magee):
1. Do you see the Christian life in the current age as one of warfare?
2. What is your strategy for victory in that warfare?
3. See the importance of the means of grace in fighting the good fight.
4. Your fighting needs to be tied into the fabric of your life.
a. How is your fighting tied into some duties that cannot be put off?
b. How is your fighting tied into some people that will expect you to fight with them?
c. How is your fighting teaching the young and the weak how to make progress in holy violence?
5. A model of Christian warfare that is passive, individualistic, and informal is hard to consider as truly seeking first the
6. Holy violence is necessary among the leaders of the church. A church with leaders who are not committed to holy violence should not expect to somehow develop a congregation that will be committed to holy violence.
7. Every man needs to consider how God is calling Him to fight for the king?
a. Am I called to be an elder?
b. Am I called to be a deacon?
c. What does it mean to my life as a Christian that I promised to support the worship and work of the church to the best of my ability?
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