Moment in the Word

John 3:19 - And this is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.

How heartbreaking to watch an expected calamity occur, almost like a train wreck in slow motion. Doubtless, we have all noticed early indicators in someone's life that will likely end in tragedy without necessary intervention. In retrospect, more often than not, those early signals were true regarding eventual grief.

Despite our sincere love for individuals, we cannot live their lives for them. They make their own poor choices while we helplessly witness the horrible outcome of their bad decisions.

During three years of ministry, Jesus did His best to warn Israel that they were on a path to ultimate ruin. Unfortunately, the greedy religious leaders and corrupt politicians blocked national restoration for their own selfish motives. Seven days before the Crucifixion, God's Son realized that very few people listened to His teaching, "I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all." (Isaiah 49:4)

Consequently, Christ wept as He entered Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, "How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. Soon, your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not know when God visited you." (Luke 19:42-43)

Forty years later, the somber prediction happened when Rome's General Titus destroyed Jerusalem, demolished God's Holy Temple, and banished the Jews from their ancestral homeland for 2000 years. God's judgment occurred after "Light came into the world, but men loved darkness better than the Light because their deeds were evil." (John 3:19)

In the very same way, godly preachers have faithfully declared God's Word to America, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Rudely rejecting the entreaty, many have mocked and belittled the divine call for repentance. We have thumbed our noses at God (Ezekiel 8:17), while declaring our own self-sufficiency to refuse any guidance from Him (Jeremiah 2:31). And like Israel of old, the day is quickly coming when America will fearfully understand that our nation's last hope for restoration has already passed. Our country also will be judged because "Light came into the world but we loved darkness rather than the Light because our deeds were evil." (John 3:19)

In the end, we will fatally discover that God was deadly serious when He said, "I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not... Thus, I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searches the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works." (Revelation 2:21 & 23)

Regretfully, on God's calendar of end-time events, we will learn too late that "the harvest is past, the summer has ended, and we are not saved." (Jeremiah 8:20)