Some will Heed the Warnings and Some will Not!
He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. (Revelation 22:20-21 NKJV)
Weather Prophets
For the last week, our weather prophets have been warning us to get ready for a blizzard and for abnormally cold weather. “Change travel plans” they said. “Don’t drive unless absolutely necessary” they said. Many traveling Interstate 80 during this storm should have stayed home. The Department of Transportation said travel was not advised between Iowa City and Des Moines on Thursday and those who did not heed the warning have been involved in traffic stoppages resulting from multiple accidents. The warnings were given and some heeded them and some didn’t.
The Warnings in the Book of Revelation
Several of us have been studying the book of Revelation for the last three months. We have been doing it in a discussion style over Zoom so that we could interact freely. There are several takeaways for me. First in the summary that the Apostle John gives in Chapter 22 verse 16, the Lord Jesus says he sent His angel to testify in the churches to the things in the book. Now if I understand this book correctly, the church is in heaven during the judgments that take place on earth. So why should the church be admonished to know about these judgments? I think it is because those who believe in the Lord (not just about the Lord) but who actually believe what He says, they are the ones who need to be weather prophets for the world with regard to the coming storm. Some will heed the warnings and some will not.
The Unbeliever
Unbelievers will say that He says He is coming quickly but He has not. However, the thought is that He will come suddenly when He comes. For example, when Paul is explaining the times and seasons in 1 Thessalonians 5 he says, “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 (1 Thessalonians 5:3 NKJV).”
Again we read in Hebrews that when He comes, people will not have time then to prepare for His coming. That writer says, “For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry (Hebrews 10:37 NKJV).”
Another problem unbelievers have is found in the first chapter where we read that time is near (Revelation 1:3). How could they have been “near” 2000 years ago if the events have not happened yet? A better rendering of this statement would be that the time is ready. All through the Gospels the Lord warns people to be ready. For example the Lord says, “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect (Matthew 24:44 NKJV).” In other words the events may not happen immediately, but they are ready to happen at any time. Nothing has to happen for the promise of the Lord’s coming to be fulfilled.
The Message of the Church
And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely (Revelation 22:17 NKJV).
The bride is the church and she should be greatly concerned about these coming events. The way in which all these judgments occur and how they all occur would likely not have been evident to the Apostle John. Neither are we sure as to what is being described with regard to some of these judgments. All we know for certain is that the church has been chosen to be saved from these judgments (2 Thessalonians 2:13). We know that a terrible time is coming on this earth because of the rejection of the Lord, our creator and our Savior. If we think things are bad now, just wait. They are going to get worse. And then there is the judgment of the Great White Throne where unbelievers will be judged according to their works (not according to the work that Christ did for them) and their destiny will be the Lake of Fire.
Please Heed the Warnings!
If doctors can warn us about the signs of cancer and the need for vaccinations, if weather forecasters can warn us about coming storms, should not we who believe that God does not lie be warning people about the coming wrath of God on unbelievers? Oh yes, we need to make sure that the whole world knows that God loves them and that He died to save them from the storm that is coming. Satan is a great deceiver and a murderer. He is still whispering in the ears of unbelievers, “Yea, Hath God said?” But we who are saved should earnestly be saying, “Come and drink the water of life freely!”
How can we honestly pray, “Even so come Lord Jesus!” when we know that our loved ones and our neighbors are not saved? We need to sound the warning. Some will heed the warnings and some will not!
Bruce Collins
Meditation for the week of December 18, 2022