WHEN God was about to deliver His people Israel from Egypt, Pharaoh refused to let them go, and ten fearful plagues came upon the Egyptians. But judgment is God's strange work, so that, notwithstanding their wickedness, when the seventh plague, that of hail, is about to be poured out upon them, the voice of Mercy sends a warning beforehand. So now, God has threatened judgment upon this world, but continues to send warning after warning to sinners, that they may be delivered from the coming wrath.
In Exodus (9:13-19) Moses is sent by the Lord to Pharaoh to say, "... Behold, to-morrow about this time, I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as has not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof, even until now. Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field: for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die.”
Five things come out in this warning: —
(1) The certainty and the severity of the coming judgment. "I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail."(2) The hour when it will come." To-morrow, about this time." (3) The present moment the time to escape. "Send therefore now." (4) The way of escape open to all. "Gather all, every man." (5) The place of shelter is pointed out. They were to be brought home.
Reader, these words have a voice to all. God has long threatened judgment upon this guilty world. "Wrath of God is revealed from heaven” (Rom. 1:1818For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; (Romans 1:18)). All are subject to it. Authority has long ago been given to the Son of Man to execute it (John 5:2727And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. (John 5:27)). Grace and mercy alone stay off the evil clay. But come it surely 'will, for God has said it. Fearful indeed will it be when it does fall. He is strong that executeth His Word.
One day's warning was given to the Egyptians. Now grace has waited already more than eighteen hundred years. No man knoweth the day nor the hour of the impending judgment (Mark 13:3232But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. (Mark 13:32)). It is not revealed. But the day is appointed, though known alone to God. Christ is ready to judge the quick and the dead (1 Peter 4:55Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. (1 Peter 4:5)). Every moment draws us nearer the awful hour of doom. Sinner, beware!
"Send therefore wow," said the Lord, through His servant, to the Egyptians. There was no time to be lost. Twenty-four hours' delay, and it would be too late. And now, sinner, is the time for you to escape, for behold now is the day of salvation. There is not even one day left you to decide, for this moment the Lord may come, or death may overtake you in your sins, and judgment after. Flee now from the coming downpour of the unmitigated wrath of Almighty God. Now, now, undecided one, is the time to escape.
All who would in Egypt might escape from the threatened plague. The warning was to all. Every man, who neglected it, did so at his own peril. To remain in the field was certain death. To return home was perfect safety. So, now, all are without excuse. The voice of Mercy speaks to all. Salvation, full, free, and everlasting, is offered to all. To neglect it is to perish with the world, to receive the cup of judgment at the hand of the Lord.
There is a place of safety now as there was then. There is a home for sinners, as well as for the Egyptians. The field was the scene of the judgment, the home the place of security and blessing. Judgment now rests upon the world, and wrath will soon be poured out. But sinners are invited to come to the Saviour now, and turn their back upon the world. In Him, and in Him only, is salvation to be found. Jesus says to all, “Come unto me. "Have you come? If not, will you? “Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:3737All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37)). There you will be at home. At home with God. "Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might Bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:1818For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: (1 Peter 3:18)). Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and His blood shall cleanse you from all sin (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)). Believe on Him, and thou shalt be saved and thy house (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)).
The next verses show us how the warning was treated. “He that feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh, made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses. And he that regarded pot the word of the Lord left his servants and his cattle in the field " (Ex. 9:20, 2120He that feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses: 21And he that regarded not the word of the Lord left his servants and his cattle in the field. (Exodus 9:20‑21)).
He that feared the Word of the Lord obeyed it. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. He that regarded it not, disobeyed it, and reaped the terrible consequences. My reader, how have ye treated the Word of the Lord? Have you feared it? Have you believed the message of warning and salvation, the glad tidings of God's grace. "Verily, verily," saith the Lord,” he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation (or judgment); but is passed from death unto life "(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))." But the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, with his mighty angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thess. 1:88In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: (2 Thessalonians 1:8)). Amongst which class are you found? But few, out of the mass, fear the Word of the Lord. Tens of thousands disregard and disobey it. “Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it " (Matt. 7:13, 1413Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matthew 7:13‑14)). Oh come home.
“And the Lord sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground: and the Lord rained hail upon the land of Egypt. So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt rill that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field " (Ex. 9:23, 2423And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the Lord rained hail upon the land of Egypt. 24So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. (Exodus 9:23‑24)).
Judgment had been threatened, and judgment came. The Lord threatened it, and the Lord sent it. It came at the appointed hour, and as He had said, it was very grievous, such as had never been known before. All came to pass. The Word of the Lord is sure, forever settled in heaven. Judgment is now coming,-coming quickly. Deluded by Satan, and lulled into carnal security, thousands are crying, "Peace and safety," as though God had never spoken, and the Word of the Lord had never been written. But sadden destruction, cometh. At the appointed day God will execute His Word. Woe, woe, woe to those who are unsheltered at that awful moment. Woe, woe, woe to him that regards not the Word of the Lord. Woe, woe, woe to him that refuses to come home. Fearful as were the plagues of Egypt, and other judgments of God, there is yet fiercer wrath to come. Judgment after judgment is detailed in the Revelation, and amongst them a far more terrible downpour of hail even than the plagues of Egypt. In Rev. 16:21,21And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great. (Revelation 16:21) we read, " And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail for the plague thereof was exceeding great." This is yet to come. Oh! unsheltered reader, come home.
Grace is flowing freely. God is warning sinners. Sinner, take heed. Behold the Judge standeth before the door (James 5:99Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. (James 5:9)). Eternal wrath hang's o'er thy guilty head. Oh, that men would consider their latter end! (Deut. 32:2929O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end! (Deuteronomy 32:29)). Come to the Saviour now. In Christ, and in Christ alone, is salvation to be found. For there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:1212Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)). Whether you have a good moral, or religious character before men, or whether you are openly wicked and infidel, if still unconverted in the world, you are exposed to the sure judgment of God. But whatever your moral or immoral state, Christ is the open door of salvation to all. “I am the door: by me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved," &c. (John 10:99I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. (John 10:9)). Oh! enter,-enter now! E. H. C.