“Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
Revelation 20:15
There didn’t seem to be anyone around to play with, so I wandered into the woods where I had been trying to build a log cabin. I had used the trunks and larger branches of alder trees, but I needed more to finish the job. Now some months later the place looked rather messy. Lots of raspberry canes had sprung up. They were prickly and had caught lots of dead leaves. It was hard even to walk around. It seemed to me the easiest way to tidy things up would be to start a ground fire. Yes, it was a bit windy, but I was sure I could keep the fire under control.
The woods were very dry, so it wasn’t hard to start the fire. At first everything went as planned, but all of a sudden wherever I looked new flames were springing up. I tried stamping them out with my feet, but that didn’t work. It was getting hot. I ripped off my jacket and began beating the flames with it. As I beat the flames in front of me, more would spring up behind me.
I was quickly changing my mind about it being a good idea to start a fire in the woods. I beat and beat until my jacket was badly singed and I was exhausted. All I could think about was putting that fire out. But there is one fire that will never go out. The Bible tells us about it - hell fire. And there’s one way, and only one way, for you to avoid being in that fire. “Flee from the wrath to come” (Matthew 3:7). Run right into the strong and loving arms of the Lord Jesus who died on Calvary’s cross to save you. If you will come to Him to be forgiven, He will write your name in the book of life. This will protect you. Revelation 20:15 explains how: “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
I might have started a really big fire that day, but I was finally able to beat out all the flames. And I was very, very thankful to see the end of them. But for anyone who is cast into the lake of fire, there will be no end to the flames. God warns us over 20 times in the New Testament about that fire that will never stop burning. But remember that He offers you an escape, if you will accept His Son, the Lord Jesus, as your Saviour. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). That’s God’s promise.
Will you accept the plan of escape that He has provided?
ML-05/12/1996