Moment in the Word 

Revelation 22:10-11. Then he instructed me, "Do not seal up the prophetic words in this book, for the time is near. 11Let the one who is doing harm continue to do harm; let the one who is vile continue to be vile; let the one who is righteous continue to live righteously; let the one who is holy continue to be holy."

Foreshadowed by Jesus' words, "You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me (Matthew 26:11)," some people will always be morally poor, intellectually poor, physically poor, etc., despite God's involvement.

Although deprivation is an unfortunate tragedy, personal sacrifice is grievously compounded when individuals suffer for purposely making poor life choices. Thus, present world conditions aptly illustrate the consequences of undesirable human behavior during the Last Days when the Almighty condemns mankind's blatant willful sin.

Currently, we see Europe and the United Kingdom enduring the reoccurring ravages of a global plague due to the victims' stubborn unwillingness to obey wise counsel for avoiding the scourge and protecting themselves from death. Bereft of basic wisdom, these mentally poor casualties of preventable illness hurdle toward their own demise while dragging others with them. Loathe to abandon ignorance and be rescued, they remain blissfully impoverished to the very edge of the grave.

Barely concluded, this past summer of horrific illness has taught us absolutely nothing about our prevailing lack of cooperation, rooted in defiant rebellion. The obstinate rabble that scarcely escaped death the first time is just as oblivious now as before, daring the grim reaper to cut another wide swath. Considering our lethal naivety, Jeremiah's bleak words are truer than ever, "The harvest is past, the summer has ended, but we are not saved (Jer. 8:20)!"

Recent experience should be the best teacher for changing faulty attitudes about guarding our health, yet we are witnessing an unfortunate resurgence of infections across the country where the noncompliant mob refuses to protect life in the face of new contagion. Around and around, it goes like the repeating circuits of the Apocalypse's Four Horsemen. However, despite calamity, we have learned precious little, and here lies the dire spiritual inclination noted in Revelation 9:20-21, "The people who lived through these terrible troubles did not turn away (repent)... No one stopped murdering or practicing witchcraft (drug addiction) or being immoral or stealing!"

At some point during God's pending judgment, the cessation of time will disallow repentance and remediation because the end will be upon us as the outcome is determined. Sadly, the vile will be vile, and the harmful will continue to harm... all the way to the bitter end.