We have heard it said that the “Day of the Lord” will be a horrible experience for all ungodly. We have heard it said that the “Earth groans under the oppression of the wicked”. And we have heard that there is a place where a Holy God will act against wickedness. A man of Jesus will put this precept into it’s proper perspective.
The ungodly will say this is not fair. We do what we do by nature and there is no justice in the punishment of all peoples who do not know the Holiness of God. “We’re just doing what we know to do.” The answer to that foolishness is simple and clear: “Have you not known?” Isn’t it plain to every man, woman and child that God is more than the mind of man? He has set everything in motion by His powerful and perfect peace. God is Love. But not the love of man. God is just. But not the justice of man. As God is eternal and man is but a few years, so the wisdom of God’s love and peace extend beyond man’s ability to comprehend.
What do we see at the end of this world? Is it a God venting His Great Wrath with a frown on His face? No. This is not the way The Lord of Glory will proceed with His final “wrath”. It will be with that continual face of love and peace. We read that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And if Jesus is the exact representation of God, we will see God’s wrath as a stable individual.
When I had to spank my children, one day, I adopted the wisdom of God in the process. I told them what they had done to disobey my rule. I told reminded them that I had spoken the rule and told them of the punishment coming if they did not accomplish what I had laid out for them to do. I told them I found no pleasure in this punishment. And that I would much rather they had obeyed the rule. Then I told them I was going to deliver 5 spanks to their bottom as punishment for breaking the covenant we had established before. With tears in our eyes we moved into the next stage. We all three understood the situation and the necessity. No one was angry and no one was sad. It had become a matter of fact.
I believe we can see the nature of God in that example. The punishment has been spoken since the moment of the sin. God has warned us all of what we can expect for disobedience. Those who disobey will die. God is not unjust in the creation of hell. And we will find something else from this: In the death of the wicked, there will be billions who will be protected for eternity. It is as though a family is in the wilderness and a great bear threatens to maul them. I can tell you without a second thought, that if dad has a gun, that bear is dead. Dad won’t kill the bear with malace. There will be no anger in pulling the trigger. There will be love for his family in his finger and eye. The sights will align on the bear with a great steadiness. The explosion from the end of the rifle will be delivered in love. It will not be love for the bear. It will be love for the protection of his family and their future.
In the movie “pulp fiction” we saw two mafia hit men acting as though the murder of people were nothing more than an 8 to 5 job. And we marvel at the concept of such a calculated and cool approach to such tragedy. Consider something. A just and loving God can not be, by definition, anything more or less than just and loving. Make no mistake. Hell is prepared and the day is fast approaching. I would recommend that every man, both great and small, seek the Love of God through Christ Jesus. But for all who reject Jesus, the only pity I can find in God is that punishment is necessary. As the tears flowed with myself and my children, so it will be on that day. But, dear people, that day IS coming.
By His Grace.
Words From There 