This picture shows a repenting heart that is beginning to look for God. The angel is holding the sword, the Word of God, which is “alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It cuts all the way through, to where soul and spirit meet, to where joints and marrow come together. It judges the desires and thoughts of man’s heart” (Hebr. 4:12). The Word of God reminds him that “sin pays its wage – death” (Rom. 6:23) and that “everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God” (Hebr. 9:27). The place for the sinner and unbeliever will be in the lake burning with fire and sulphur” (Rev. 21:8).
In this other hand the angel is holding a skull. This is to remind the sinner that we will all die. Our body which we love so much, clothe, feed and beautify, give such care and attention to in order to satisfy its desires and longings, is going to die and decay, and the worms will destroy it while our soul and spirit live for ever, and will one day appear before Christ, to be judged by Him (2 Cor. 5:10).
Here we see the sinner beginning to take notice of the message of God and to open his heart to the love of God. The Holy Spirit begins to shine into the dark and sinful heart. The light of God comes into his heart to drive all darkness away. When God’s light comes in, darkness has to go. Sin, described here by all the various animals, has to go. Therefore, dear reader, allow Jesus, the Light of the world, to come into your heart, and darkness and the evil actions of darkness must leave the heart, as shown in this picture. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness” (John 8:12). You will never succeed in driving sin out of your heart by your own efforts, your own wisdom, or by the wisdom of people. The easiest, surest, quickest and most effective and only way, is to let Jesus, the Light, come in, and darkness, which is sin, must leave. The moon and the stars may give us some help on a dark night, but when the sun has risen, then darkness as well as the smaller lights disappear. Jesus is the Sun of righteousness. When He went into the temple at Jerusalem, He drove out all those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money-changers and the stools of those who sold pigeons, saying, “It is written in the Scriptures that God said, ‘My temple will be called a house of prayer.’ But you are making it a hideout for thieves!” (Matt 21:13). Your heart is intended to be God’s house, God’s temple. He wants to live in it, make it beautiful, fill it with light, love and joy. Jesus not only came to forgive us our sins, but He came to deliver us and set us free from the power and domination of sin. “If the Son (Jesus) sets you free, then you will be really free” (John 8:36).