God usually warns before He judges. Scripture is full of instances: Sodom was visited by two heavenly messengers the day before the fire of God consumed it (Gen. 19).
Pharaoh had warnings in abundance long before his final doom. Even at the last moment, his chariot wheels came off before he “sank as lead in the mighty waters” (Ex. 15:1010Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters. (Exodus 15:10)).
Judas got his warning when the Lord said, “One of you shall betray Me.” He ignored the message and went “to his own place” (John 13:2121When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. (John 13:21); Acts 1:2525That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. (Acts 1:25)).
Pilate was well and wisely-warned when, even on the judgment seat, he received the message from his wife: “Have thou nothing to do with that just man” (Matt. 27:1919When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. (Matthew 27:19)). Disregarding it, he signed the Lord’s death warrant-and perhaps his own at the same moment of time.
How different might have been the end, for time and eternity, of all these men, had God’s warning been accepted, His message believed and His mercy sought-had repentance and self-judgment taken the place of unbelief and indifference.
It was in the fifth month of the year that Hananiah spoke his false prophecy and got his warning: “This year thou shalt die,” and “Hananiah the prophet died the same year, in the seventh month.” This is God’s record of what took place; His Word always comes true.
Have you ever thought that God may have spoken thus to you: “This year thou shalt die”? Are you ready to die? Are you prepared to meet God? Are your sins all washed away?
Probably you will say, “How do you know I shall die this year?”
I do not know it, nor suggest it, but God knows, and if your days on earth are numbered, where will you spend eternity? You will be in heaven or hell. There is no third place. The theory of annihilation is a lie of the devil to get men to go on in utter carelessness until it is too late.
For anyone to continue in his or her sins unrepentant, unforgiven, unsaved-when God is still calling everyone, is foolish beyond measure!