By Mike Riley
In Psalm 20:7-11, the Psalmist writes: “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple, the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.”
Throughout Bible history, God has repeatedly provided man with more than “ample warning” of His impending judgments. His purpose for warning man is to motivate him to repent and come back to Him (Luke 15; 1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 3:9; Revelation 8; Revelation 9). For the most part, man has not taken advantage of God’s “ample warning” because of his evil and doubting heart (Genesis 6:5; Deuteronomy 1:35; Revelation 9:21).
Examples of Ample Warning From God
1) Christ (through Noah) preached God’s Word to the people living in Noah’s day warning them of certain judgment through the impending flood (Genesis 6:13; Hebrews 11:7; 1 Peter 3:18-20). They did not repent and heed God’s warning and perished in the flood. Only eight souls heeded God’s “ample warning” and were saved (Genesis 7:7; 1 Peter 3:20).
2) Note the example given of disobedient Israel by the Hebrew writer in Hebrews 3:5-19. The disobedient did not “enter into his rest” (Numbers 14:29-30; Hebrews 3:18) because they didn’t repent and heed God’s warning through the testimony of Moses (Hebrews 3:5).
3) God warned Israel through Jeremiah and Ezekiel of their impending captivity by the Babylonians (Jeremiah 6:10; Ezekiel 3:10-11, 17) because of their idolatrous worship (Jeremiah 11:10; Ezekiel 6) but they did not repent and heed God’s “ample warning” (Jeremiah 6:19; Ezekiel 14:6-10).
4) The Lamb (symbolic of Christ) in Revelation 5:6 sends forth God’s Truth “into all the earth” by the Holy Spirit (seven spirits of God). He is to bear witness to and reveal God’s Truth (John 15:26; John 16:13) to mankind through the Apostles (John 14:26). Note that God gives unregenerate mankind plenty of “ample time” to repent as only “partial” judgments are rendered upon them by God (Revelation 8; Revelation 9) but they refuse to repent and heed God’s “ample warning” (Revelation 9:20-21). As we see in the preceding examples, God has given mankind plenty of “ample warning” concerning His impending judgments.
In Light Of This Evidence, We Need To Ask Ourselves The Following Questions:
1) Are we today rejecting God’s “ample warning” by our unwillingness to repent and render obedience to His Word (Matthew 7:21; Romans 2:13; James 1:22; 1 John 3:7)?
2) Are we taking advantage of God’s longsuffering and “ample warning” to us today by readying ourselves for the certain event of our Lord’s coming and certain judgment (Matthew 24:44; Matthew 25:10; Matthew 25:31-46; John 5:24-29; 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12)?
3) Do we have an attitude of continual confession and repentance (1 John 1:9) when we sin so that we can always stand ready to meet our Lord when He returns (1 Thessalonians 4:17)?
4) Are we with joyous anticipation, “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13)?
We should be – God through His Word has given us plenty of “ample warning.”