It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God because it means to face His judgment as One who judges His people and repays willful wrongdoing against the Son, the covenant blood, and the Spirit of grace. The terror is most certain for those who know the light yet persist in sin, for at the final weighing of character, conduct and motives to be found wanting in love and obedience is terrible and irreparable loss. In the last days this will be shown openly when light is fully rejected, mercy is withdrawn, and calamity and trouble fall on those who lead others into error and exalt false worship. Yet one whose soul is in harmony with the Maker's will need not fear to stand alone before Him. For this reason it is better and safer to choose now to fall into the hands of God than into the hands of men, for He is too wise to err, too good to do harm, and merciful to all who take hold of Christ and make peace with Him.
Fearful Judgment for Sinners
To fall into the hands of the living God is to face His judgment, and it is fearful for those who persist in sin, reject the Son of God, treat the covenant blood as unholy, and insult the Spirit of grace, for God judges His people and repays wrongdoing. The terror falls on professed Sabbath-keeping believers who claim the truth while continuing in sin, becoming liars who work against God and lure others into defiling practices. Rather than give up lustful habits they go on in wrong education under Satan's deception until sin is no longer seen as sinful, conscience is defiled, heart is corrupted, and thoughts are continually corrupt, while Satan uses them as decoys to lure souls into unclean practices that defile the whole being. As one who despised Moses' law died without mercy, far worse punishment is deserved by those who trample the Son and insult grace.
At the final judgment God weighs character, conduct, and motives, and to be found wanting in love and obedience is a terrible, irreparable loss. This is made more serious because the Redeemer died to draw people and God has given light and knowledge of His will. One whose soul is in harmony with the Maker's will need not fear to stand alone in the presence of the Eternal One. Moses was not afraid to be alone with God even though the law was spoken with awful grandeur at Sinai.
The flood that destroyed the old world and the fire that destroyed Sodom prove the fearfulness for the unrepenting sinner. Christ's agony in Gethsemane when He bore God's wrath proves it most, for no human sorrow measures what the Son endured. Man was not made a sin-bearer and will never know the horror of the curse the Saviour bore, for no sorrow compares with the sorrow of Him upon whom the wrath of God fell with overwhelming force. Finite human nature can endure only a limited, finite measure of test and trial and then succumbs, but Christ had greater capacity for suffering because the human existed in the divine nature, creating capacity to endure what resulted from the sins of a lost world. His agony reveals the character of sin and that continued sin brings death while repentant believers receive eternal life through Christ.
Those who entice others away from integrity face especially severe punishment. Sinful desires, feelings, and acts bring guilt and misery and unchecked traits lead to ruin, requiring God's strength and separation from sin and its influence. Human judgments of mercy and justice are unreliable beside God's, so people must reject what God condemns and cherish what He cherishes. Dishonoring God by taking His name in vain through swearing or careless oath language brings the fearful prospect of falling into His hands, for God will not hold such transgressors guiltless or be mocked.
Murmuring against God is fearful. Those serving God should remember the path is rugged and self-denying with trials, knowing troubles would be far greater without God's sustaining hand. It is terrible to exhaust God's patience by bold, violent disobedience that defies His law and compels others to break it, for God may end forbearance and answer with righteous retribution.
Retribution in Last Days
It is a fearful retributive judgment after long forbearance, to be fully demonstrated in public in the last days when the Christian church repeats the history of the Jewish nation by having the example of rejected light before it yet rejecting light and doing despite to the Spirit of grace. That demonstration is a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation.
God keeps a reckoning with nations, and the summing of impiety is kept with unerring accuracy until it reaches its limit. When men fully make His law void, destruction comes, His protecting mercy is gradually withdrawn, and the hater of God and man is permitted to work on land and sea. Calamities on land and sea warn what shall be when light is wholly rejected, overtures of mercy are still given but will not long continue and then end, and the ministry of wrath begins and is about to begin. Meanwhile iniquity increases and fallen churches unite with the world in apostasy, calling for whole consecration to vindicate the old commandment and stand on the Lord's side in the last battle. The severest punishment then falls on those who educated the people to accept error in place of truth and to walk in paths not cast up for the ransomed of the Lord to walk in, leading them off the path prepared for the ransomed.
Those who exalt the man of sin in the place of Jehovah by worshiping an idol sabbath in place of the Sabbath of the Lord Jehovah will meet the day of recompense when God's punishing hand falls on them. His hand is already stretched out against them, they will be made monuments of divine displeasure and holy vengeance, and they will learn by terror what it is to be in the hands of the living God, because God is a consuming fire. The same terrible judgment of the living God will be the fate of unrepentant workers and institutions at Battle Creek if they do not make thorough reformation. With warnings long unheeded and time now short, God will turn His face from the publishing house unless there is seeking God with all the heart, plain definite confession, truth in the inward parts, cleansing of the soul-temple and of His institutions from defilement, and coming to Jesus just as they are to be cleansed and restored, for without repentance they will perish and must escape for their lives because the kingdom of God is at hand.
In the last days unbelievers will learn by experience that falling into the hands of the living God is fearful. The light and glory of God that is brightness and safety to His commandment-keeping people is darkness to the unbelieving. The arm long stretched strong to save all who come unto Him for life is strong to execute judgment upon all who would not come unto Him for life. Sinners who would not let Jesus take away their sins will then face the Lamb whose wrath is terrible to scorners of grace, while to all who received Him He is grace and righteousness and love and blessing, sheltering and shielding the obedient until the indignation be overpast.
Safety in God's Hands
It is better to fall into the hands of God than into the hands of men, even when human beings treat the erring harshly. To fall into the hands of the living God is well and something to be grateful for rather than to be dreaded in this sense. He is too wise to err and too good to do harm, and He knows human frailties. He is all-wise and merciful, and He holds the golden scales that weigh character.
From now until the close of this earth's history every soul should choose to fall into the hands of the living God. That choice is made by taking hold of Christ's strength and making peace with Him. To fall into His hands is to fall into line with Him in the face of the coming fearful confederacy, when unholy human agencies combine with demon forces imbued by satanic impulses. It is to be chosen because His mercies are great, while falling into the hands of men is to be refused.
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God because it means to face His judgment as One who judges His people and repays willful wrongdoing against the Son, the covenant blood, and the Spirit of grace. The terror is most certain for those who know the light yet persist in sin, for at the final weighing of character, conduct and motives to be found wanting in love and obedience is terrible and irreparable loss. In the last days this will be shown openly when light is fully rejected, mercy is withdrawn, and calamity and trouble fall on those who lead others into error and exalt false worship. Yet one whose soul is in harmony with the Maker's will need not fear to stand alone before Him. For this reason it is better and safer to choose now to fall into the hands of God than into the hands of men, for He is too wise to err, too good to do harm, and merciful to all who take hold of Christ and make peace with Him.
Fearful Judgment for Sinners
To fall into the hands of the living God is to face His judgment, and it is fearful for those who persist in sin, reject the Son of God, treat the covenant blood as unholy, and insult the Spirit of grace, for God judges His people and repays wrongdoing. The terror falls on professed Sabbath-keeping believers who claim the truth while continuing in sin, becoming liars who work against God and lure others into defiling practices. Rather than give up lustful habits they go on in wrong education under Satan's deception until sin is no longer seen as sinful, conscience is defiled, heart is corrupted, and thoughts are continually corrupt, while Satan uses them as decoys to lure souls into unclean practices that defile the whole being. As one who despised Moses' law died without mercy, far worse punishment is deserved by those who trample the Son and insult grace.
At the final judgment God weighs character, conduct, and motives, and to be found wanting in love and obedience is a terrible, irreparable loss. This is made more serious because the Redeemer died to draw people and God has given light and knowledge of His will. One whose soul is in harmony with the Maker's will need not fear to stand alone in the presence of the Eternal One. Moses was not afraid to be alone with God even though the law was spoken with awful grandeur at Sinai.
The flood that destroyed the old world and the fire that destroyed Sodom prove the fearfulness for the unrepenting sinner. Christ's agony in Gethsemane when He bore God's wrath proves it most, for no human sorrow measures what the Son endured. Man was not made a sin-bearer and will never know the horror of the curse the Saviour bore, for no sorrow compares with the sorrow of Him upon whom the wrath of God fell with overwhelming force. Finite human nature can endure only a limited, finite measure of test and trial and then succumbs, but Christ had greater capacity for suffering because the human existed in the divine nature, creating capacity to endure what resulted from the sins of a lost world. His agony reveals the character of sin and that continued sin brings death while repentant believers receive eternal life through Christ.
Those who entice others away from integrity face especially severe punishment. Sinful desires, feelings, and acts bring guilt and misery and unchecked traits lead to ruin, requiring God's strength and separation from sin and its influence. Human judgments of mercy and justice are unreliable beside God's, so people must reject what God condemns and cherish what He cherishes. Dishonoring God by taking His name in vain through swearing or careless oath language brings the fearful prospect of falling into His hands, for God will not hold such transgressors guiltless or be mocked.
Murmuring against God is fearful. Those serving God should remember the path is rugged and self-denying with trials, knowing troubles would be far greater without God's sustaining hand. It is terrible to exhaust God's patience by bold, violent disobedience that defies His law and compels others to break it, for God may end forbearance and answer with righteous retribution.
Retribution in Last Days
It is a fearful retributive judgment after long forbearance, to be fully demonstrated in public in the last days when the Christian church repeats the history of the Jewish nation by having the example of rejected light before it yet rejecting light and doing despite to the Spirit of grace. That demonstration is a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation.
God keeps a reckoning with nations, and the summing of impiety is kept with unerring accuracy until it reaches its limit. When men fully make His law void, destruction comes, His protecting mercy is gradually withdrawn, and the hater of God and man is permitted to work on land and sea. Calamities on land and sea warn what shall be when light is wholly rejected, overtures of mercy are still given but will not long continue and then end, and the ministry of wrath begins and is about to begin. Meanwhile iniquity increases and fallen churches unite with the world in apostasy, calling for whole consecration to vindicate the old commandment and stand on the Lord's side in the last battle. The severest punishment then falls on those who educated the people to accept error in place of truth and to walk in paths not cast up for the ransomed of the Lord to walk in, leading them off the path prepared for the ransomed.
Those who exalt the man of sin in the place of Jehovah by worshiping an idol sabbath in place of the Sabbath of the Lord Jehovah will meet the day of recompense when God's punishing hand falls on them. His hand is already stretched out against them, they will be made monuments of divine displeasure and holy vengeance, and they will learn by terror what it is to be in the hands of the living God, because God is a consuming fire. The same terrible judgment of the living God will be the fate of unrepentant workers and institutions at Battle Creek if they do not make thorough reformation. With warnings long unheeded and time now short, God will turn His face from the publishing house unless there is seeking God with all the heart, plain definite confession, truth in the inward parts, cleansing of the soul-temple and of His institutions from defilement, and coming to Jesus just as they are to be cleansed and restored, for without repentance they will perish and must escape for their lives because the kingdom of God is at hand.
In the last days unbelievers will learn by experience that falling into the hands of the living God is fearful. The light and glory of God that is brightness and safety to His commandment-keeping people is darkness to the unbelieving. The arm long stretched strong to save all who come unto Him for life is strong to execute judgment upon all who would not come unto Him for life. Sinners who would not let Jesus take away their sins will then face the Lamb whose wrath is terrible to scorners of grace, while to all who received Him He is grace and righteousness and love and blessing, sheltering and shielding the obedient until the indignation be overpast.
Safety in God's Hands
It is better to fall into the hands of God than into the hands of men, even when human beings treat the erring harshly. To fall into the hands of the living God is well and something to be grateful for rather than to be dreaded in this sense. He is too wise to err and too good to do harm, and He knows human frailties. He is all-wise and merciful, and He holds the golden scales that weigh character.
From now until the close of this earth's history every soul should choose to fall into the hands of the living God. That choice is made by taking hold of Christ's strength and making peace with Him. To fall into His hands is to fall into line with Him in the face of the coming fearful confederacy, when unholy human agencies combine with demon forces imbued by satanic impulses. It is to be chosen because His mercies are great, while falling into the hands of men is to be refused.