NATIONS WILL BE WARNED
The Lord said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and thirty years."--Genesis 6:3
God keeps a reckoning with nations as well as with individuals. He allows the nations a certain period of probation, and gives them evidences of His requirements, of His supremacy, and makes known to them His laws, which are to be the rule of His kingdom in the government of nations.
All this He does that heathen nations may not be given, up to destruction unwarned, and without light. But, after He has given light and evidence, and they still persist in insolence toward Him, then, when their iniquity is full, God takes the matter in hand, and His judgments are no longer withheld.
The Amorites made themselves conspicuous by their idolatry. They accumulated guilt and indulged in wickedness after the order of that found in Sodom and Gomorrah and in the world before the flood. But though iniquity was added to iniquity, the Lord would not punish until the specified measure of guilt was reached, and their [cup of] iniquity was full.
He gave special direction that the Amorites were not to be disturbed until their cup of iniquity was full; but when God saw that more evidence would be vain, that forbearance would do no good, His long-suffering had an end. When they had gone to the full measure of making void the law of God, the indignation of the Lord broke forth upon them. "The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked." [Nahum 1:3.]
When He arises in His anger to punish, as in the case of the Amorites, how fearful is His retribution. Though punishment is long delayed, it is not an evidence that it will be any less severe. (Letter 13, 1893)
REFLECTION: In the exercise of the longsuffering of God, He gives to nations a certain period of probation, but there is a point which, if they pass, there will be a visitation of God in His indignation. He will punish. The world has been advancing from one degree of contempt for God's law to another, and the prayer may be appropriate at this time, "It is time for thee, Lord, to work; for they have made void thy law" (Psalm 119:126). (Selected Messages. Book 3, 396)
The Lord said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and thirty years."--Genesis 6:3
God keeps a reckoning with nations as well as with individuals. He allows the nations a certain period of probation, and gives them evidences of His requirements, of His supremacy, and makes known to them His laws, which are to be the rule of His kingdom in the government of nations.
All this He does that heathen nations may not be given, up to destruction unwarned, and without light. But, after He has given light and evidence, and they still persist in insolence toward Him, then, when their iniquity is full, God takes the matter in hand, and His judgments are no longer withheld.
The Amorites made themselves conspicuous by their idolatry. They accumulated guilt and indulged in wickedness after the order of that found in Sodom and Gomorrah and in the world before the flood. But though iniquity was added to iniquity, the Lord would not punish until the specified measure of guilt was reached, and their [cup of] iniquity was full.
He gave special direction that the Amorites were not to be disturbed until their cup of iniquity was full; but when God saw that more evidence would be vain, that forbearance would do no good, His long-suffering had an end. When they had gone to the full measure of making void the law of God, the indignation of the Lord broke forth upon them. "The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked." [Nahum 1:3.]
When He arises in His anger to punish, as in the case of the Amorites, how fearful is His retribution. Though punishment is long delayed, it is not an evidence that it will be any less severe. (Letter 13, 1893)
REFLECTION: In the exercise of the longsuffering of God, He gives to nations a certain period of probation, but there is a point which, if they pass, there will be a visitation of God in His indignation. He will punish. The world has been advancing from one degree of contempt for God's law to another, and the prayer may be appropriate at this time, "It is time for thee, Lord, to work; for they have made void thy law" (Psalm 119:126). (Selected Messages. Book 3, 396)
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