Evening, September 10, edited from Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

“Wolves in the evening.” — Habakkuk 1:8

While preparing this present volume, this particular expression recurred to me so frequently, that in order to be rid of its constant nuisance I determined to give a page to it. The evening wolf, infuriated by a day of hunger, was fiercer and more ravenous than he would have been in the morning. Might it be that the furious creatures represent our doubts and fears after a day of distraction of mind, losses in business, and perhaps mean-spirited taunting from our fellow men? How our thoughts howl in our ears, “Where is now your God?” How voracious and greedy they are, swallowing up all suggestions of comfort, and remaining as hungry as before. Great Shepherd, slay these evening wolves, and bid your sheep to lie down in green pastures, undisturbed by insatiable unbelief. Note how the fiends of hell are like evening wolves, for when the flock of Christ are in a cloudy and dark day, and their sun seems going down, they hasten to tear and to devour. They will scarcely attack the Christian in the daylight of faith, but in the gloom of conflict of the soul they fall upon him. Oh, you who has laid down your life for the sheep, preserve them from the fangs of the wolf.

False teachers who craftily and industriously hunt for our precious lives, devouring men by their fabrications, are as dangerous and detestable as evening wolves. Darkness is their element, deceit is their character, destruction is their end. We are most in danger from them when they wear the sheep’s clothing. Blessed is he who is kept from them, for thousands are made the prey of grievous wolves that enter within the fold of the church.

What a wonder of grace it is when fierce persecutors are converted, for then the wolf dwells with the lamb, and men of cruel ungovernable dispositions become gentle and teachable. Oh Lord, convert many such; for such we will pray tonight.