HE was a very wealthy and successful farmer. His ground brought forth so plentifully that he had no room wherein to store the produce thereof. So he resolved to pull down his barns and build greater. He thus addressed himself: "1 will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry." (Luke 12:19.)
Were the narrative to stop there, his fellowmen might say "What a wise man! He is providing for his future!”
But was he wise? Was he really providing for the future? Let us read on.
“But GOD said unto him, Thou FOOL, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?" (Luke 12:20.) His was a Sudden Death.
God calls that man a FOOL! Why? Because he had thought only of his short future in time, and forgot his long future in ETERNITY.
He had planned for himself "many years" of ease and merriment; but God said unto him, "THIS NIGHT thy soul shall be required of thee.”
This was SUDDEN DEATH. Are you ready for SUDDEN DEATH? It may come, you know. If God were to say to you, "THIS NIGHT thy soul shall be required of thee," where would you spend ETERNITY?
If you die in your sins, you will spend it in hell, with the devil and the damned.
But if, as a sinner, you trust in the LORD JESUS, you will spend ETERNITY in heaven with HIM and all the redeemed.
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A startling announcement will appear in the newspapers one of these mornings, something after this style: THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE MISSING ALL OVER THE WORLD!!!
Husbands will be searching for wives, and wives for husbands; parents, for children, and children for parents; but those, whom they seek, will not be found—they will be gone—and gone Forever!
What a wail will go up from this world when this event takes place; and take place it will, in spite of the "scoffers," who for centuries have been saying, "Where is the promise of His coming?”
THE LORD JESUS IS COMING! His last words in the Bible are: "SURELY I COME QUICKLY. (Rev. 22:20.)
"For THE LORD HIMSELF shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be WITH THE LORD." (1 Thess. 4:16, 17) This will be Sudden Glory for all, who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Where will you be when this event takes place? "Caught up" to meet the Lord "in the air," or "left" behind in this world for judgment? If the latter, there will be no hope for you; for the word of God tells us that after the Lord Jesus comes and takes "His own" out of this world, then they will "all... be damned who believed not the truth." (2 Thess. 2:11, 12.)
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We have had some very solemn instances of SUDDEN DESTRUCTION lately— MARTINIQUE! JAMAICA! MESSINA! But all three, if put together, would be as nothing in comparison to the SUDDEN DESTRUCTION that is soon to come upon the whole world.
It is said that just before these terrible catastrophes occurred the atmosphere was quiet and peaceful.
And Scripture tells us that: "The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then SUDDEN DESTRUCTION cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape." (1 Thess. 5:2, 3.)
We read of many soul-thrilling escapes in Martinique, Jamaica, and Messina; but when Sudden Destruction overtakes this world, not one will escape.
Reader, if you are in this world when that awful event takes place, there will be NO ESCAPE for you. No power in heaven, earth, or hell can save you then; but you can be saved NOW, for “NOW is the day of SALVATION." (2 Cor. 6:2.)
If you believe the gospel, then you will not be afraid of SUDDEN DEATH, or risk SUDDEN DESTRUCTION, but will look forward with joy to SUDDEN GLORY.
T. C. M.