“Is it peace?” said Joram’s mounted messenger to Jehu, when, in the king’s name, he met him.
“What hast thou to do with peace?” was the stern reply. Judgment was at hand. Even while the two kings were fraternizing together the avenger was rapidly approaching―driving “furiously.” Moreover, a deadly arrow was in Jehu’s sheath, and his strong hand ready to give it aim and flight.
Then the king himself approaches and asks the question, “Is it peace?” The stern reply is ready, “What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?” (2 Kings 9:18, 2218So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu said, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me. And the watchman told, saying, The messenger came to them, but he cometh not again. (2 Kings 9:18)
22And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many? (2 Kings 9:22)).
Is it peace with the unbeliever today? We may well answer in Jehu’s words, “What peace?” If he has any peace at all, it is only when he is able to forget the things of eternity and shut his ears to God’s unmistakable warnings concerning the doom of the unpardoned sinner.
When he thinks of his dying hour, has he peace? No. For he knows that his sins are not pardoned, and that to die in his sins is to be banished from Christ’s presence forever. “Ye shall die in your sins [said the Lord to the unbelievers of His day]: whither I go, ye cannot come” (John 8:2121Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come. (John 8:21)).
When he thinks of the Lord’s coming, has he peace?
No. For he knows that no unbeliever will be “caught up.” by the Lord’s power to meet Him in the air. No unbeliever has the Spirit of God dwelling in his heart: no unbeliever has oil in his vessel. Only those who are “Christ’s” will be caught up at His coming. And listen to His solemn words, “Ye believe not, because ye are not of My sheep” (John 10:2626But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. (John 10:26)). Outside the door will be the unbeliever’s place.
When he thinks of the resurrection of the just, has lie peace? No. He knows that he would be left in his grave to await the resurrection of the unjust—all who have died in their sins will be raised in their sins (Rev. 20:6-126Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. 7And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 10And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 11And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (Revelation 20:6‑12)).
When he thinks of the day of judgment, has he peace? No. For well he knows that the open books will bring to light two condemning indictments―a lifetime of sin against God and the willful neglect of salvation through Christ, though brought right to him and pressed upon him in the gospel, times without number. He is fully aware, also, that the inevitable sequel to the great white, throne for every unbeliever will be the lake of fire for eternity. Thus it is written: “The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whore-mongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake of fire which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Rev. 21:88But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Revelation 21:8)).
Oh, unbeliever, what hast thou to do with peace? If thou thinkest thou hast peace, we would earnestly, tenderly challenge thee to answer Jehu’s question, “What peace?” While Christ is rejected and thy sins are unpardoned, WHAT PEACE?
Believers in a triumphant Saviour, what say ye? Is it peace? YES. “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”