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The Strange Act of God, November 28
For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth
as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange
work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.
Isaiah 28:21
.
With unerring accuracy the Infinite One still keeps an account with
all nations. While His mercy is tendered, with calls to repentance, this
account will remain open; but when the figures reach a certain amount
which God has fixed, the ministry of His wrath commences. The account
is closed. Divine patience ceases. There is no more pleading of mercy
in their behalf.
The prophet, looking down the ages, had this time presented before
his vision. The nations of this age have been the recipients of unprece-
dented mercies.... But increased pride, covetousness, idolatry, contempt
of God, and base ingratitude are written against them. They are fast
closing up their account with God....
The crisis is fast approaching. The rapidly swelling figures show
that the time for God’s visitation has about come.
To our merciful God the act of punishment is a strange act. “As I
live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked.”
Ezekiel 33:11
.... Yet He will “by no means clear the guilty.” “The Lord is
slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked.”
Exodus 34:6, 7
;
Nahum 1:3
. By terrible things in righteousness He
will vindicate the authority of His downtrodden law. The severity of
the retribution awaiting the transgressor may be judged by the Lord’s
reluctance to execute justice. The nation with which He bears long,
and which He will not smite until it has filled up the measure of its
iniquity in God’s account, will finally drink the cup of wrath unmixed
with mercy.
After God has done all that could be done to save men, if they still
show by their lives that they slight offered mercy, death will be their
portion; and it will be a dreadful death, for they will have to feel the
agony that Christ felt upon the cross. They will then realize what they
have lost—eternal life and the immortal inheritance.
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