The things that go on in the dark prove that people believe in You. They are afraid to do those same things in blaze of daylight. Afraid You will see them. Ashamed. But at night, well, they think Your vision or concern is somehow limited. May I only do those things at night that I would do in the light of day.”
–Stephen Bly (Throw the Devil Off the Train)
“Men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”
–Luke 21:26-27 (NKJV)
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This is a very solemn set of scriptures. Every person, in their heart of hearts, knows there is a God. Atheists, ha–fools! These verses indicate that to some extent God gives people what they want. They can choose to ignore and reject Him and the result is disaster. Matthew Henry calls it, “the doom of those that continue obstinate against all these means and methods of grace.”
1.24 — Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,
1.25 — Because you disdained all my counsel, and would have none of my rebuke,
1.26 — I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes,
1.27 — When your terror comes like a storm, and your destruction comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.
1.28 — Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
1.29 — Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD,
1.30 — They would have none of my counsel and despised my every rebuke.
1.31 — Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled to the full with their own fancies. (NKJV)
There is the promise of life. God has offered His Son as a gift to mankind to redeem them, but… Oh, that men would not reject this Gift. Man should never find himself in the position where he rejects God. Paul writes, “Do not be haughty, but fear.” (Romans 11:20, NKJV) The KJV version puts it this way, “be not high-minded.” Do not think of yourself above God. In other words, do not reject His offer. “Because although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but they became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools…” (Romans 1:21-22, NKJV) Matthew Henry states, “Those who do not choose the fear of the Lord, show that they have no knowledge.”
Imagine God laughing at someone’s folly. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31, NKJV). Oh reader, do not invoke the laughter of God. For “if God laugh, thou hast good cause to cry” (John Trapp). Choose the right way, walk with God while there is time. Those who walk the path that Satan and the world offer are stepping on precarious ground and are deprived of the security of the promises of God (Charles Bridges). Time is short, today is the day of salvation.
Remember the parable of the wedding feast told by Jesus. The dinner was ready, but…”They made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business… The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.” (Matthew 22:5,8, NKJV) God is stretching out His hand, who will accept His invitation? Luke tells us that when the guests are told that things are ready, they all began to make excuses. The Master after giving instructions declares, “For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste of my supper.” (Luke 14:24, NKJV) Andrew Fausset writes, “Men are free in choosing destruction, so the blame rests wholly on themselves.” “Their miserable end is the fruit–not of God’s way, but of their own. His plan, His device for them, was a plan of salvation.” (Ralph Wardlaw)
The time is at hand for the return of the Lord for those who look for Him. The trumpet will soon sound, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb is on the distant horizon. Those who are ready are looking up. Others say they are too busy, others may say there is no God and scoffs. However, as Warren Wiersbe says, “Wisdom sees a storm of judgment coming that will bring distress and anguish to all who reject God’s invitation.”
“Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth!” (Isaiah 1:2, NKJV) Do not cause the Lord to laugh, to mock you when you are left behind. “Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.” (Isaiah 55:6, NKJV) “Men’s own desires fulfilled are made their sorest plagues” (Fausset).
—————————
This is a very solemn set of scriptures. Every person, in their heart of hearts, knows there is a God. Atheists, ha–fools! These verses indicate that to some extent God gives people what they want. They can choose to ignore and reject Him and the result is disaster. Matthew Henry calls it, “the doom of those that continue obstinate against all these means and methods of grace.”
1.24 — Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,
1.25 — Because you disdained all my counsel, and would have none of my rebuke,
1.26 — I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes,
1.27 — When your terror comes like a storm, and your destruction comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.
1.28 — Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
1.29 — Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD,
1.30 — They would have none of my counsel and despised my every rebuke.
1.31 — Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled to the full with their own fancies. (NKJV)
There is the promise of life. God has offered His Son as a gift to mankind to redeem them, but… Oh, that men would not reject this Gift. Man should never find himself in the position where he rejects God. Paul writes, “Do not be haughty, but fear.” (Romans 11:20, NKJV) The KJV version puts it this way, “be not high-minded.” Do not think of yourself above God. In other words, do not reject His offer. “Because although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but they became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools…” (Romans 1:21-22, NKJV) Matthew Henry states, “Those who do not choose the fear of the Lord, show that they have no knowledge.”
Imagine God laughing at someone’s folly. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31, NKJV). Oh reader, do not invoke the laughter of God. For “if God laugh, thou hast good cause to cry” (John Trapp). Choose the right way, walk with God while there is time. Those who walk the path that Satan and the world offer are stepping on precarious ground and are deprived of the security of the promises of God (Charles Bridges). Time is short, today is the day of salvation.
Remember the parable of the wedding feast told by Jesus. The dinner was ready, but…”They made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business… The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.” (Matthew 22:5,8, NKJV) God is stretching out His hand, who will accept His invitation? Luke tells us that when the guests are told that things are ready, they all began to make excuses. The Master after giving instructions declares, “For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste of my supper.” (Luke 14:24, NKJV) Andrew Fausset writes, “Men are free in choosing destruction, so the blame rests wholly on themselves.” “Their miserable end is the fruit–not of God’s way, but of their own. His plan, His device for them, was a plan of salvation.” (Ralph Wardlaw)
The time is at hand for the return of the Lord for those who look for Him. The trumpet will soon sound, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb is on the distant horizon. Those who are ready are looking up. Others say they are too busy, others may say there is no God and scoffs. However, as Warren Wiersbe says, “Wisdom sees a storm of judgment coming that will bring distress and anguish to all who reject God’s invitation.”
“Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth!” (Isaiah 1:2, NKJV) Do not cause the Lord to laugh, to mock you when you are left behind. “Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.” (Isaiah 55:6, NKJV) “Men’s own desires fulfilled are made their sorest plagues” (Fausset).