The Long-suffering of God.
By H. A. St. John
THE period of the proclamation of the last message of mercy and warning to the antediluvian world, is characterized in the Scriptures as a period when the long-suffering of God waited. Says Peter, “When once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing.” 1 Pet. 3:20. God does not visit the earth with terrible judgments, without first giving the people fair and faithful warning. For the space of about one hundred and twenty years the generation before the flood were continually reminded, by the words and works of Noah, that an awful calamity awaited the world, from which there was but one avenue of escape, namely, by true repentance. Year after year, for full six score years, did the long-suffering of God wait, while that message was doing its work among the children of men. Mercy, and a shelter from the coming deluge, were fully and freely offered to all that would bring forth fruits meet for repentance. A multitude, no doubt, embraced the message with enthusiasm at first, but the time was long, they became discouraged, lukewarm, and fell out by the way. Without doubt if all that embraced that message had continued faithful to the end Noah’s ark would have been found too small for their accommodation. And perhaps instead of one ark floating upon the waters of the flood, there would have been many. But the long-suffering of God waited—waited for others to decide for or against the message, and waited for the development of character in those that believed. But time proved that the root of the matter was not in them. How solemn that period! How momentous the consequences that hung upon the acceptance or rejection of that message! In the judgment of Noah’s contemporaries his wisdom was far below par, being regarded as foolishness, or wild fanaticism. But from our standpoint we are wont to recognize him as the wisest man of his generation. He was wiser than all others because he gave the greatest attention to that which was of the greatest importance. This in every age is the only true wisdom. As we look back upon that period when the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, how apt we are to think that if we had been there we would have stood side by side with that man of God, fought the battle with him, and secured a shelter from that awful storm in the ship of salvation. But oh! how deceitful is the human heart; without the heavenly anointing who can know it? But we may test ourselves upon this point. Said the wisest teacher that ever appeared upon this earth, “And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.” Luke 17:26. The days of the Son of man are here. The last generation is upon the stage of action; the last message of mercy and warning is being given. The evidences that we are nearing the consummating crisis of this world’s history, the second coming of Christ in glorious majesty, and the destruction of all things earthly are, if possible, a hundred-fold more clear and overwhelming than even the evidences of a coming flood in the days of Noah. We are living in another solemn period when the long-suffering of God is waiting. Peter in his second letter has much to say about the second coming of Christ. After stating that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming, and that the heavens and earth which are now, are reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men, he adds, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Pet. 3:9. Again, in verse 15, he says, “And account that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation.” Thus it appears that the long-suffering of God is again especially manifested to the last generation of earth’s mortal inhabitants. More than twenty-five years of this solemn period is now in the past. For more than twenty-five years has the attention of the world been called to the fulfilment of prophecy, the signs of the times, and the soon coming of Christ. The long-suffering of God is waiting, yes, waiting, and what are we doing? Are we standing firmly side by side with those whom God has called to take a leading part in this message? Are we co-workers with Christ, and angels, and his consecrated servants, in warning our fellow-men of coming judgments, and showing them by word and example that the only way of safety is in humble obedience to the righteous principles of God’s moral government? Are we giving diligence to make our calling and election sure? Are we engaged in all holy conversation and godliness? The long-suffering of God is waiting, waiting for you, cold-hearted, worldly-minded, or lukewarm professor. Will you not arise, shake off stupidity, and put on the strength of God? Will you not seek and obtain the joys of salvation? Will you not be zealous and repent, lest you be spued out of the mouth of the Lord? And the long-suffering of God waits for you, sinner. Jesus still pleads his blood which can cleanse you from all sin. With outstretched arms he is waiting to receive you; and will in no wise cast out any that come unto God by him. Now you may find a shelter from the coming storm. The path of duty is the only safe path for you. There is perfect safety in Jesus. Then will you not flee to the place of refuge while the long-suffering of God is waiting? Soon it will be too late; too late to find mercy. The long-suffering of God is waiting for us all. It is designed for our salvation. Soon, very soon, it will be forever past. God’s longsuffering in the days of Noah came to an end. The last hour of that invaluable period of time arrived. Noah and his family alone are found righteous. They are safe in the ark. God shut them in. Too late! too late! could then be said of all the multitude without. Thus it will be again. God’s long-suffering will not last for ever. Soon sweet mercy’s hour will close. Oh, the solemn moment! Oh, for grace to wisely fill up every hour! Oh! for such a realizing sense of the danger and importance of this time, that I may ever sigh and cry for the abomination done in the land, live righteously, and walk humbly before my God. H. A. ST. JOHN.