Terry Joe Kee
A preacher is one who communicates the message of God to men. Our Father desires that men know the will of God. He has used some very strange ones to make His message known or to remind man of His will in the life of man. One may look at the forerunner of Jesus and think he was strange. After all John’s dress was strange. He wore camel’s hair and a leathern girdle. His message was strange. “Repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” His pulpit was strange—he had all Judea and Jerusalem coming into the wilderness to hear him. He wasn’t in their synagogues and temples. He also had a strange diet—locust and wild honey (Matt. 3:1-5). But John was not strange at all compared to some God used to communicate His mind to man.
God used a dove. Noah had been in the ark for a year and sends out a dove to determine if the waters have abated so they can now leave the ark. In Genesis 8:11 the dove returns with an olive leaf. By this Noah knew that God had fulfilled His word. This dove called out to Noah and his family that God is faithful to His Word. What Godpromises He will fulfill. This dove comes flying back to the ark proclaiming, “God is faithful to all His promises.” He still is!
God used Balaam’s donkey. God opened the mouth of a donkey to proclaim a sharp rebuke to a rebellious prophet. Balaam did not want to do God’s bidding and had closed his eyes to God’s angel who stood to stop him from cursing God’s people and blessing God’s enemies (Num. 22:28). The wrong one was being smitten. Balaam deserved the correction. His rebuke was strong and without equivocation. More preachers like this donkey are needed today who are not afraid to rebuke and will even when our Balaams will strike out at us. We must still rebuke those who are in sin (cf. 2 Tim. 4:2; Titus 1:13; 2:15). Can we do less than Balaam’s donkey?
God used ravens to bless his servant Elijah. When Elijah was discouraged by a wicked king and queen, Ahab and Jezebel, God sent raven to deliver bread and flesh in the morning and in the evening as he drank from the brook (1 Kings 17:6). God blesses and sustains His children as these ravens preached to Elijah. God has given us all things pertaining to life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3-4). He cares for the birds of the heavens and clothes the fields with all their beauty (Matt. 6:25-34), and He does not forsake His children, but nourishes and cherishes His children.
Dogs at a rich man’s table preached a sermon on the compassion of God upon His children who are afflicted and neglected (Luke 16:21). There are many lessons to be learned from the rich man and Lazarus, but in the midst of it all, we see a suffering servant who finds compassion and caring. When one who has been richly blessed materially by God has no concern for a poor man begging for the crumbs which fell from his table, God used dogs to teach a lesson on His love and compassion. We ought to learn this lesson from the dogs before it is too late (1 John 3:17-18; Gal. 6:10; 2:10).
Jesus used a rooster to teach Peter a lesson on remembrance and repentance (Luke 22:60). Peter strongly objected to Jesus suggesting he would deny Him. But Peter did, three times. Upon the third denial the rooster crowed and Peter remembered the words of Jesus and wept bitter tears of repentance. More elders and preachers are needed who will remind us of the Words of Jesus and bring us to tears of repentance (Rev. 2:4-5; Rev. 3:19). The rich man remembered too late (Luke 16:25). Let us not be too late in reminding and calling for repentance.
A very strong sermon on God’s judgment upon those who put themselves in the place of God and seek the praises of men is found in Herod’s worms (Acts 12:23). Worms ate Herod and he gave up the ghost. Such judgment awaits all who fail to give God the glory He and He alone deserves. Judgment is waiting for those who will not hear and submit to Him. Worms are needed today who will cry out to man of God’s coming judgment (Psa. 9:17; Rom. 14:12; 2 Cor. 5:10; Eccl. 12:13-14).
What dove, donkey, ravens, dogs, roosters, and worms do we need in pulpits today? All of them!
