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Bind the chariot to the swift beast. These words are addressed to the inhabitants of Lachish. "This place appears to have formed the link of idolatry between Israel and Judah. Lying in the Shephelah, a fortified place of great importance, she was the first city in Judah that was led away by the sin of Jeroboam; and from her the infection spread till at length it reached Jerusalem itself. In the prospect of a sudden attack, it behoved the inhabitants to use all despatch in removing their families and what property they could take with them to a distance. Lachish was besieged by Sennacherib before making the threatened attack on Jerusalem" (2 Kings 18:14). Our subject is promptitude in action. "Bind the chariot to the swift beast."

I. BE QUICK IN YOUR MATERIAL ENGAGEMENTS. Man has material duties; these are as sacred and as binding as spiritual ones. Indeed, the distinction between the secular and the spiritual is not real, but fictitious. A man should be quick in all his legitimate temporal engagements, whatever they may be. Whatever is to be done must be done at once. "Be diligent in business." By quickness I do not mean the hurry of confusion, but adroit expertness, skilful promptitude. As Shakespeare says, "What the wise do quickly is not done rashly."

1. The quicker you are, the more you will accomplish. An expert man will accomplish more in an hour than a slow man in a day.

2. The quicker you are, the better for your faculties. The quick movement of the limb is healthier than the slow; the quick action of the mental faculties is more invigorating than the slow. As a rule, the quick man is in every way healthier and happier than the slow.

3. The quicker you are, the more valuable you are in the market of the world. The skilful man who cultivates the habit of quickness and despatch increases his commercial value every day. Those trades unions that enact that all of a craft should be paid alike, however they work, enact an absurdity and an injustice. One quick and skilful man may accomplish as much in one day as six slow men, though equally clever. Be quick, then, in business. "Bind the chariot to the swift beast."

II. BE QUICK IN YOUR INTELLECTUAL PURSUITS. You have an enormous amount of mental work to do, if you act up to your duty and discharge your mission in life. You have manifold faculties to discipline, numerous errors to correct, vast and varied knowledge to attain. "The soul without knowledge is not good" (Proverbs 19:2). No, not good either to itself or others. Be quick.

1. The quicker you are, the more you will attain. The more fields of truth you will traverse, the more fruits you will gather from the tree of knowledge. Some men in their studies move like elephants, and only traverse a small space. Others, like eagles, sweep continents in a day. The quick eye will see what escapes the dull eye; the quick ear will catch voices unheard by the slow of hearing.

2. The quicker you are, the better for your faculties. It is the brisk walker that best strengthens his limbs, the brisk fighter that wins the greatest victories. It is by quick action that the steel is polished and that weapons are sharpened. Intellectual quickness whets the faculties, makes them keen, agile, and apt. "Bind the chariot to the swift beast."

III. BE QUICK IN YOUR SPIRITUAL AFFAIRS.

1. Morally you have a work to do for your own soul. It is in a ruined state, it is like the "field of the slothful" and the "vineyard of the man void of understanding" of which Solomon speaks; it needs cultivation. The work is great and urgent.

2. Morally you have a work to do for others. There are souls around you demanding your most earnest efforts, etc.

(1) Be quick; the work must be done during your life here, if ever done.

(2) Be quick; your life here is very short and uncertain.

(3) Be quick; the longer you delay, the more difficult it is to do.

Be quick: "Whatsoever your hand findeth to do, do it with your might; for there is no knowledge nor device in the grave whither we are all hastening." "Bind the chariot to the swift beast."

Oh, let all the soul within you
For the truth's sake go abroad;
Strike! let every nerve and sinew
Tell on ages - tell for God."

(A.C. Coxe.) D.T.

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KJV: O thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast: she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee.

WEB: Harness the chariot to the swift steed, inhabitant of Lachish. She was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion; For the transgressions of Israel were found in you.