WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
SEPTEMBER 15, 2024
TOPIC: GOD’S WARNINGS ALWAYS PRECEDE GOD’S JUDGMENT
BY T. O. BANSO
“Then one of the angels said, ‘Run for your lives! Don’t look back and don’t stop in the valley. Run to the hills, so that you won’t be killed’” (Genesis 19:17 Good News Translation).
God is a God of justice. One of the things evident in the Bible is that God’s warnings precede His judgment. The only problem is that God’s warnings do not always avert His judgment. Why? Because people fail to heed God’s warnings – pay attention to it and do what He says.
They behave as if God is not going to carry out His judgment. God’s warning is intended to make people repent and do the right thing. Unfortunately, some don’t. They follow their ways. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25 New King James Version).
God’s warnings always precede His judgment. But those who want to self-destruct don’t repent. Instead of repenting and avoiding the negative repercussions, they continue on their wrong journey and ruin their lives. Before the tragedy that befell the house of Eli – the death of his two sons and his death – God had warned about the sin of Eli’s sons and his failure to discipline them. He warned of the impending judgment. “Then the Lord said to Samuel: ‘Behold, I will do something in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them. And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever” (1 Samuel 3:11-14 New King James Version). Why? Because they had wasted the opportunities He had given them to repent. Eli didn’t discipline them. Thus, God visited His judgment on them. God’s warnings preceded His judgment. Don’t joke with God’s warnings.
Jeremiah 44:4-6 says, “However I have sent to you all My servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, ‘Oh, do not do this abominable thing that I hate!’ But they did not listen or incline their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense to other gods. So My fury and My anger were poured out and kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they are wasted and desolate, as it is this day” (New King James Version). God’s warning preceded His judgment.
The angels who came to execute God’s judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah told Lot and his family to run and not look back. “Then one of the angels said, ‘Run for your lives! Don’t look back and don’t stop in the valley. Run to the hills, so that you won’t be killed’” (Genesis 19:17 Good News Translation). But Lot’s wife didn’t heed their warning. She must have heard what they said but didn’t do it. She looked back. Therefore, God’s judgment came upon her. She became a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26).
When God wanted to destroy Nineveh because their wickedness had come up before Him (Jonah 1:2), He didn’t just go straight to destroy the city. Rather, He sent the Prophet Jonah who reluctantly delivered the message of impending judgment. “Then he cried out and said, ‘Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!’” (Jonah 3:4 New King James Version).
To Jonah’s disappointment, the people of Nineveh repented. “So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes” (Jonah 3:5-6 New King James Version).
The king took Jonah’s message very seriously. He made a proclamation and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, “Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?” (Verses 7b-9 New King James Version).
Therefore, God withdrew His hand of judgment against them. “Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it” (Jonah 3:10 New King James Version). God’s warning always comes before His judgment. People’s responses to His warnings determine what happens to them.
After Nebuchadnezzar had a dream and Daniel interpreted it to him, Daniel told him, “Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity” (Daniel 4:27 New King James Version).
Unfortunately, Nebuchadnezzar paid no attention to the godly warning of Daniel. He didn’t stop sinning. Twelve months later, the negative dream he had came to pass. God’s judgment was fulfilled. He was driven away from men and ate grass like oxen. His body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws (Daniel 4:31-33). God’s warning came before His judgment. You, too, must stop sinning. “Come back to your right senses and stop your sinful ways” (1 Corinthians 15:34a Good News Translation).
Solomon did not heed God’s warning. He heard what God said but didn’t do it. 1 Kings 11:10 says, “He [God] had warned Solomon specifically about worshiping other gods, but Solomon did not listen to the Lord’s command” (New Living Translation). Solomon loved foreign women and married from the nations the LORD had warned the children of Israel not to intermarry with or they with them (verses 1-2). In his old age, these foreign women turned Solomon’s heart to worship other gods instead of being completely faithful or loyal to the LORD his God (verse 4).
What was the consequence of Solomon’s failure to heed God’s warning? The LORD said, “Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant” (1 Kings 11:11 New Living Translation). After his reign, the LORD gave the kingdom to another person. Solomon’s son who succeeded him, Rehoboam, was left to rule over only one tribe, Judah, according to the word of the LORD (1 Kings 11:12-13, 30-32, 34-36).
Those who do not pay attention to God’s warnings and do what He says will have themselves to blame; their blood shall be on their heads. “When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman, when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life” (Ezekiel 33:2-5 New King James Version).
On the other hand, verse 6 says, “But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand” (New King James Version).
God has sent His Son to die for the sins of all but sinners will end up in the lake of fire if they do not pay attention to God’s warnings to repent of their sins and give their lives to Jesus. Have you given your life to Jesus? Some people still think that hell is the imagination of some preachers.
You may be rich and your wealth makes you say “No” to the salvation message. Beware, before it is too late. God is telling those rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment (1 Timothy 6:17). Don’t let the false security your wealth or earthly position gives you take you to hell-fire. Hell is real; accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour now.
For the rich man in the Bible, it was too late for him; there was no room for making any request. “Then he [the rich man] said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment’” (Luke 16:27-28 New King James Version). But Abraham told him that Moses and the prophets had warned them, and his brothers could read their writings anytime they wanted to.
When he replied that if someone was sent to them from the dead, they could turn from their sins, Abraham said, “If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead” (verse 31 New King James Version).
Maybe you’re not even rich yet you’re rejecting or snubbing those the Lord has been sending to preach the message of salvation to you. Stop hardening your heart, and answer God’s call today. There is no other name that saves other than the name of Jesus Christ. He died for you and the entire world. No other person did. Never expect angels to preach to you before you accept Christ into your life – it’s not their responsibility.
Pay attention to God’s warning today and do what He says before it’s too late. The soul that sins shall die (Ezekiel 18:20a).
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. Take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner, and cannot save yourself, and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You must join a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Holy Spirit, help me to pay attention to God’s warnings and do what He says. Those who have ignored God’s warnings will repent and obey Him in Jesus’ name. An end will come to the hardening of their hearts so that God’s judgment will be averted.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org
