Heed the Warnings

Verse of the day: Judges 9:56-57, Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father by killing his seventy brothers. 57 And all the evil of the men of Shechem God returned on their own heads, and on them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.

Abimelech and the men of Shechem thought they had escaped judgment for their deeds, simply because there were no immediate consequences. How often do we ignore God’s warnings because there are no immediate consequences to our sinful behavior? Jotham warned the men of Shechem and cursed them in verses 7-21. They probably thought he was a coward because he ran away and fled right after he made his proclamation. Yet, here we read that the men of Shechem paid the price when they fell into the hands of Abimelech, and Abimelech paid the price at the hands of a woman who crushed his skull. Nothing that we do escapes God’s knowledge. We have an omniscient God who knows all things past, present, and future. He has given us His unconditional love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness, yet far too many unsaved people, and even Christians, have ignored all the warnings in God’s Word that are there for our good. The unsaved continue to ignore the fact that they are on a path to eternal condemnation and mock those of us who repeat God’s warning to accept Jesus today before it is too late. 2 Peter 3 tells us that there will be scoffers who will mock us for believing that Jesus is coming back. The Apostle Peter goes on to tell us that God desires that none should perish (2 Peter 3:8-9). Nonetheless, the time is coming when it will be too late. 2 Peter 3:10 clearly tells us, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.” This pattern is nothing new. As it is now, so it was during the days of Noah, and all those who ignored the warning perished in the Flood (2 Peter 3:5-6). Sadly, many will perish because they will continue to ignore the warning, and think they are fine, because they are experiencing worldly success, even though they may gain that success by dishonest and evil means. Their end will be a sad and tragic end. We, the children of God, also put ourselves in a position to suffer trials and tribulations that we create for ourselves by ignoring God’s command to live a holy life, a righteous life, which honors God. Galatians 6:7-8, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” What sinful behavior are we holding onto, convincing ourselves that there will not be consequences for it? Even that which we practice in secret, God will eventually expose openly, whether in this lifetime or the next when we stand before Him. In Luke 12:2-3 Jesus said, “For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. 3 Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.” The Apostle Paul wrote this in 2 Corinthians 5:9-10, “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” Simply put…heed God’s warnings before it is too late!

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).