Morning By Morning #56

…the coming wrath.

Matthew 3:7

From the pen of Charles Spurgeon:

It is quite pleasing to our senses to walk through the countryside shortly after a rainstorm to smell the freshness of the grass just after the rain has stopped and to observe the pure drops of rain glistening like clear diamonds in the sunlight. And that is the place of a Christian. He is traveling through a land where a storm has vented its fury upon the Savior’s head, and if there are a few drops of sorrow still falling, they are distilling from clouds of mercy, while Jesus assures him the rain is not intended to bring about his destruction.

Yet how unnerving it is to witness a terrible storm approaching—to see the warning signs such as birds drooping their wings for protection, cattle keeping their heads low in fear, the sky growing black and blotting out the sun, and the heavens seemingly becoming sad and angry! How fearful it is to experience the approach of a tropical hurricane—to wait in terrible anticipation of the wind’s full fury and force, powerful enough to rip trees up with their roots, force huge rocks from their foundations, and quickly destroy people’s homes!

Sinners, that is your present position. No hot drops have yet fallen on you, but a shower of fire is coming. No fierce winds are yet howling around you, but God’s tempest is gathering its fearful artillery. Thus far the floods of water have been dammed up by God’s mercy, but soon the floodgates will be opened. God’s thunderbolts are still in His storehouse, but beware! The fearful storm is coming and how awful will that first moment be once God, robed in vengeance, finally marches forth in fury!

Where—where—where, O sinner, will you hide yourself? Where will you flee? Oh, may the hand of God’s mercy lead you even now to Christ! He has been freely set before you in the gospel—His pierced side is your rock of shelter. You know you need Him. So why not believe in Him and cast yourself upon Him?

Then the fury of the storm will be gone for eternity.

From the pen of Jim Reimann:

Nearly every unbeliever wants to focus on a God of love—not one of justice. “God is love” (1 John 4:8), but He is just as well and, therefore, sin must be judged. Thus, when Jesus returns, He will return as the Judge to make war. Here is how John described this future event:

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war…The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations.

Revelation 19:11, 14-15

And here is how Paul described it:

God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord.

2 Thessalonians 1:6-9