“The wrath to come.” — Matthew 3:7
It is pleasant to pass over a country after a storm has spent itself; to smell
the freshness of the herbs after the rain has passed away, and to note the
drops while they glisten like purest diamonds in the sunlight. That is the
position of a Christian. He is going through a land where the storm has
spent itself upon His Saviour’s head, and if there be a few drops of sorrow
falling, they distil from clouds of mercy, and Jesus cheers him by the
assurance that they are not for his destruction. But how terrible is it to
witness the approach of a tempest: to note the forewarnings of the storm;
to mark the birds of heaven as they droop their wings; to see the cattle as
they lay their heads low in terror; to discern the face of the sky as it
groweth black, and look to the sun which shineth not, and the heavens
which are angry and frowning! How terrible to await the dread advance of
a hurricane — such as occurs, sometimes, in the tropics — to wait in
terrible apprehension till the wind shall rush forth in fury, tearing up trees
from their roots, forcing rocks from their pedestals, and hurling down all
the dwelling-places of man! And yet, sinner, this is your present position.
No hot drops have as yet fallen, but a shower of fire is coming. No terrible
winds howl around you, but God’s tempest is gathering its dread artillery.
As yet the water-floods are dammed up by mercy, but the flood-gates
shall soon be opened: the thunderbolts of God are yet in His storehouse,
but lo! the tempest hastens, and how awful shall that moment be when
God, robed in vengeance, shall march forth in fury! Where, where, where,
O sinner, wilt thou hide thy head, or whither wilt thou flee? O that the
hand of mercy may now lead you to Christ! He is freely set before you in
the gospel: His riven side is the rock of shelter. Thou knowest thy need of
Him; believe in Him, cast thyself upon Him, and then the fury shall be
overpast for ever.
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