WHAT do you think that light at the horizon means? It is the prairie that is on fire. The long grass is burning and the wind is blowing the flames on with great force and swiftness, and the poor settlers who have put up a log hut, have to get away as quickly as possible; so they have hitched up their horses to the wagon and are getting off to some place of safety, so they will not get burned up. They might put forth a great deal of energy to get away from it, and yet would be overtaken by it, but there is a safe way for them, and that is, to stand right still and turn their backs to the wind and set fire to the grass in front of them; then after the fire has swept on and burned a large space in the grass they could go on to that place that had been burned and stand without fear, and when the fire that had been behind them would approach them, it would stop before reaching them, as there would be no more to burn, and they would be saved.
Dear children, there is terrible fire coming; it is God’s judgment for sinners, and God tells us in His word, that John said to the multitude that came to be baptized with the baptism of repentance, “O, generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” Luke 3:77Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (Luke 3:7). There was wrath coming then. How much nearer must it be now? But do you say, like those people did, “What shall we do?” At that time Christ had not yet died, but now that He has, we can answer in the language of another Scripture, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31). God’s judgment for sin fell upon Jesus when He was on Calvary’s cross, and if we believe in Him, we are like those people who went to stand on the place where the fire had been, with no more grass there to burn. Jesus has gone under all the fire of God’s judgment for poor sinners, and those who will put their trust in Him, will never have to bear the judgment, for He has borne it all. There is no judgment left.
ML 05/28/1916