- Horrible things happen when people sin...a child may be hit by a drunk driver and dies, a marriage may end in divorce because of unfaithfulness or a great number of people may be killed because of gun violence or a terrorist attack. These types of occurrences are the direct result of sin in the world...mankind violating the Word and will of God, and unfortunately, many innocent people suffer the consequences. Also sickness came into the world through the original sin of man back in the Garden of Eden and though God often chooses to heal sickness and disease, many time He does not. In these situations, though people often blame God, the reality is that God did not cause the tragedy to occur, but He is simply allowing sin to take it's course because He has given mankind freedom to choose whether to obey Him or not...and the results of disobedience are usually devastating. But we need to know that even though God did not cause these situations to take place, He CAN and WILL work even these circumstances together to cause good to come out of them if we will turn to Him in our time of need and trust Him.
- Then there are natural disasters which occur because of the effects of nature on our planet such as tornado destruction, earthquakes, floods, drought and famine in the world. These situations seem to be happening more and more frequently just as scripture tells us, "For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now." (Romans 8:22) While God can and often does protect His people from these disasters, we should know that as sin abounds in an area or nation, we see from scripture and history that God can and generally does remove His "hedge" of protection from a people who turn their backs and reject Him as Sovereign Lord over their lives and nation
- And the third type of tragedy is the most horrific event of all. We see this tragedy happen over and over in scripture and in history, when people continually choose to deliberately disobey and turn away from God, His Truth and His laws of Creation that He alone has established. In scripture we see the results of the wrath of God being poured out upon people in the examples of the complete flooding of the whole earth because of the evil which abounded at that time. Then we also see the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by hail and brimstone cast upon these cities by God Himself because of the utter sinfulness of the people who dwelled there. In Egypt, we see the wrath of God being directed at the Egyptian people because of their leader's refusal to obey God by releasing His people from the bondage of slavery. But it's also worthy to notice that in each situation, we see that God always provides protection and a means of deliverance for His people, for God NEVER pours out His wrath upon those who belong to Him...those who act in obedience.
So this is an important fact for us to remember, because the Bible warns of of at least 2 more occasions of God's wrath that is still promised in the future...and by knowing this, we should also realize that He has provided a way out for those who belong to Him. You see, God never promised us deliverance from the consequences of sin, and He never promised us protection from the effects of nature...BUT He does promise us divine protection from the judgement of His wrath that is about to come upon the earth. In 1 Thessalonians 5:1-4, Paul writes, "But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief."
The very next "wrath" that is talked about in the Bible is the Wrath of God that will be poured out upon the earth at the very end of the age. Listen to this devastation that is yet to come.... "I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Revelation 6:12-17) This is a time of great sorrow that you do NOT want to endure...for this is the time when God will begin to repay all those who have rejected His Sovereignty...rejected His rule over the earth...rejected His own dear Son Who came to save us from the wrath of God. And listen to this deliverance for God's people from this Wrath to come....
"After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:9-17)
These are the ones who have chosen to repent of their sins and follow Christ while they were still on the earth, and God has delivered them from the "wrath to come" by taking them out of the earth. This is a day that is coming in the not-too-distant future Friends. Are you ready...will you be among those who are delivered, or will you be left to endure the wrath of God? Because if you are not among those who are redeemed and you are left on the earth during the most devastating times known to mankind, there is still another time of wrath that you must face, and this is the most devastating wrath of all, for it is the wrath of God that will last for all eternity.
"Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:11-15)
Friends, you may survive the effects of sin upon mankind that happen daily in the world. You may survive the effects of natural disasters that happen in the earth...and you may even survive the devastation that happens when God begins to pour His wrath out during those final weeks and months upon the earth. But it is guaranteed...unless you know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, you WILL NOT survive that final day of wrath when everyone great and small will be judged according to the judgement of God. That wrath and that judgement will last forever and ever. May I encourage you today....do NOT continue to reject this Great God...for whether it is now or later...every knee WILL bow and every tongue WILL confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Won't you PLEASE do it NOW???
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