WHILE the bright and blessed side of the salvation of God is being, if possible, more and more earnestly expounded and enforced; while sinners are being besought to be reconciled to the God who “so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son”―a God who offers, through the precious and atoning death of that Son, pardon full and free, and who is Himself entreating “whosoever will” to take the water of life freely―the time is slowly and silently, yet none the less surely, drawing near when this blessed, long-extended “day” of grace shall give place to the short, sharp, and unspeakably solemn “hour” of judgment! Then shall the Lord Jesus Christ, whom God now sets forth “a Saviour” through faith in His blood, be revealed from heaven “in flaming fire, taking vengeance upon those who know not God, and who obey not the gospel.”
Paul spoke to Felix of judgment to come, and while he reasoned “Felix trembled.” Well might he tremble, as conscience looked backward over a lifetime of sins, secret and open, and forward to that terrible day, for which he was all unprepared, when all would be brought out before the righteous Judge, and infinite damnation, eternal punishment, justly follow a career begun, continued, and ended in sin against a God of infinite holiness and righteousness!
Reader, art thou too as one not yet sheltered by the blood of Jesus, still exposed to the wrath of God? Does it still abide on thee, ready to burst at any moment over thy guilty head? ‘Say not,” I am not a great sinner; “for the word of God declares:” He that believeth not the Son, the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:3636He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36).) It is enough, therefore, just not to be a believer in Jesus, to be quite sure that the wrath of God ever hangs, like a thunder-cloud, right over you, only prevented by His long-suffering grace from bursting, and involving you in everlasting, hopeless ruin!
Say, precious soul, who art of greater value in the sight of God than the world’s weight of gold, dost thou tremble at the awful truth of judgment to come? Does it make thee cry out, in anguish of spirit, “Have you nothing to tell of a way of escape? Is there no refuge, no place of shelter, in view of that awful day?” Yes; oh, yes! Poor work it would be―miserable, most miserable, to writer and reader alike―were the truth of God confined to the revelation of the coming judgment. But eternal praise be His who has provided, at His own expense, a shelter so perfect that the reader may be saved eternally, and yet so simple that he may be saved immediately! Blessed be God, who has never foretold coming judgment without providing and pointing out a complete salvation from it! When it was the flood, there was the ark; when it was the plague of hail, there were the houses, so that “every one that feared the word of the Lord made his servants and cattle flee into the houses” (Exodus 9:2020He that feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses: (Exodus 9:20)); when it was the night of judgment on Egypt’s first-born, it was the blood of the lamb; when, it was the destruction of Jericho, it was a scarlet line in Rahab’s window. In each case all who availed themselves of God’s provision were perfectly sheltered; all others were fearfully and fatally exposed. But these cases are but figures of the “judgment to come,” a judgment before which they all pale, and fade away into insignificance. Who can tell the unspeakable awfulness of that day? “Enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.” (Psalms 143:22And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. (Psalm 143:2).) This settles the question of “mercy in the day of judgment.” There is no mercy, no justification possible for those with whom God shall enter into judgment. What then? Ere that day is revealed God has provided a full salvation, and now sinners are pointed to Christ, the true Ark, and to His precious blood, the perfect, only shelter in the day when this Jericho-world shall crumble to pieces beneath the almighty hand of God―in the night when this Egypt-world shall be overtaken as a thief by His awful judgment. Oh, sinner, flee, flee, FLEE from the wrath to come I Linger not, look not back at the doomed scene Wait not for others; escape for thy life Look to Jesus. See Him on Calvary’s cross; behold Him there, given in the infinite love of God to be thy Surety and Substitute, bearing all the judgment in thy stead, that thou mightest be saved. Come to Him now―the risen, living Saviour, who invites thee so graciously, saying, “Come unto me,” and encourages thee by declaring, “Him that cometh tome I will in no wise cast out.” Then not only shall you be instantly and eternally sheltered “beyond the reach of ill,” but, on the authority of His own word, you may know that you” shall not come into judgment.” (John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24).) (How simple to see it is because He has been into it, and borne it all.) You may know too that you have eternal life (1 John 5:1313These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:13)), and may have” boldness in the day of judgment,” because already as Christ Is, so ARE you in this world. (1 John 4:1717Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. (1 John 4:17).) Dear reader, can you rest satisfied in anything short of being saved? Dare you go on another moment exposed to the judgment of God? Can you lie down to sleep this night, leaving all this an unsettled question? Oh, let me pray you, as, you value your eternal welfare, before you close your eyes in sleep again, get alone with God, and in His presence ask yourself, “Am I SHELTERED or EXPOSED?” and may He, of His infinite grace, grant that your eyes may be opened to see Jesus, and, believing in Him, be able to say with heartfelt gratitude― “I’m SHELTERED by His PRECIOUS BLOOD, Beyond the reach of ill.”
H. P. A. G.