THE late earthquake in Italy, and similar disasters, give one a feeble idea of the judgments about to fall on guilty Christendom. An experience that nearly cost the writer his life makes for him the above text an unforgettable part of Scripture.
Once when on surveys in Namaqualand, South Africa, he stood on a hummock―which elevated him above the vast surrounding sandy plains―to take observations. An assistant, well acquainted with the country, tended the horses by his side.
Far in the horizon, but traveling in the direction of the hummock, came a whirlwind, lifting and suspending in the air a column of sand. Once and again the assistant urged the surveyor to leave the hummock. The surveyor, however, failed to realize the danger, and continued working. The assistant’s cry of terror―who saw the whirling column of sand to be making directly for the hummock―made the surveyor hurriedly pack up his instruments, and rush off to level ground, and out of the way of danger.
Turning round at some little distance from the hummock he had left, he was just in time to see the column of suspended sand strike the hummock, and in a moment collapse and form a pyramid of sand.
Had the surveyor remained at his station but a short time longer both men and horses would have been fatally overwhelmed, and left not a trace of their disappearance.
The Lord’s faithful servants have seen, and see today, the whirlwind of God’s long foretold but still suspended judgments approaching indifferent, pleasure-loving Christendom.
Again and again has their cry of warning been heard as God’s voice has spoken in recent years, and is speaking in the terrible happenings occurring in many parts of the world, both on sea and laud. But momentary horror passed away under the lullaby of “Peace and Safety.” Once more―and as many believe― God is speaking through the appalling carnage and horrors of the present war to His professing people for the last time: “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:33I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. (Luke 13:3)); “Judgment must begin at the house of God” (1 Peter 4:1717For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17)).
The terror that was universally manifest when first the war broke out is becoming once more largely a thing of the past, and it is to be feared that indifference will again stifle purposed repentance. A conviction, deep, wonderful, and real, that the Lord’s return for His saints is at hand, is the precious experience of comparatively a few, and BE the many fail to realize the significance of present happenings, and look forward to a time of great spiritual and temporal prosperity when peace once more is the world’s portion.
The spiritually instructed believe otherwise. If the Lord said to His friend, “Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do” surely we may expect that the Lord will reveal to His loved and waiting people that the time for their translation is very near-even if the particular “day and hour” of the Church’s departure is withheld. This the Lord has done and is doing.
The wise do not wait for the “great tribulation,” but for God’s Son from heaven, and they see in passing events, not a prelude to “peace and safety,” but the swift approach of the whirlwind of overwhelming judgments on guilty Christendom, boasting today of being “rich... and having need of nothing”―not even of God and the word of His grace. Lord, warn and save!
H. L. S.