A PEN of divine love it is that describes to us so briefly, yet so graphically, the scene that lies behind the curtain of time.
The aged apostle, John, imprisoned for his Master’s cause, is in the island of Patmos. He sees a vision. Event after event takes place. Strange thrilling scenes he sees. Judgment after judgment is being poured out upon the world, which had almost forgotten the existence of a God-whose only idea of Him, in whom they lived and moved and had their being, was that of a God of the heathen, taken up with his own pursuits and pleasures.
But the kaleidoscope turns, and he sees a scene of contentment. A king is reigning in righteousness—the lion is eating straw like an ox, and a little child is leading them. Christ reigns for a thousand years.
Again the scene changes. Hell seems let loose upon earth, and mad warfare is being made by overwhelming force upon the people of God. Fire comes out of heaven and the enemies of God are destroyed. The devil is cast into hell to be tormented night and day.
Again the scene changes, and mark this last great drama in the history of man well, for every unbeliever, who dies in his sins, will be there.
The great white throne in its spotless purity is seen. The earth and the heavens flee away. Before God, the dead, small and great, stand with solemn awe in space. The countless small with their forgotten histories, and the great, who have “stalked luminous across the stage of time,” alike, see the books opened and they themselves judged according to their works.
Their good works then, as never before, seem tawdry, polluted, and sinful. That which they vainly hoped on earth would count for them, goes against them. Sin, which they had rolled under their tongue as a sweet morsel, starts up giant-like, black and damnable. The boldest have no thought of framing an excuse. They have none.
Friend, this scene will be a reality. If you die unsaved, it will be the most awful reality you have ever known. “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Is your name written there?
Let every infidel rage, they cannot disturb the calm imperturbability of the Word of God. God has spoken. The unbeliever must meet all this. But love divine shows us still further.
In hell, the easy-going sinner of earth lifts up his eyes in torment. Far away is Lazarus―the beggar man―happy and comforted. The earnest importunate prayer rises from the parched lip of the lost sinner. It is a small request―one drop of water. No answer can be made to his prayer, for the great gulf is fixed.
Now-a-days the Christian and the infidel rub shoulders together―the mere professor with his deceiving show of piety can sit next door to the real possessor, and sing the same hymns, and listen to the same ministrations, and place his unholy offering on the same plate.
But there! all is changed―the great dividing, impassable gulf is fixed.
It is matchless love that thus shows us sin and its true deserts. If it leads thee, dear reader, to face thy sins, if it leads thee to the loving Saviour now, if it leads thee to wash away your countless sins in His precious blood, heaven will rejoice. And these scenes are plainly writ down for us in Holy Scripture by One who loved the sinner so much that He traveled from glory’s heights to Calvary’s depths for his eternal salvation. Now as you read this reach out the hand of faith, to him “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)). May God grant it.
A. J. P.