The blessings of God often are poured out on the godly and the ungodly. As Matthew 5:45 reminds us, the sun rises and sets whoever you are. The God-sent rain also refreshes the crops of His children and those of the heathen.
“That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matthew 5:45
Perhaps God’s blessings are to keep all alive as long as possible so that they have an opportunity to be saved from the Lake of Fire’s eternal torment. America has often reaped God’s goodness from all the countless efforts and sacrifices of its missionaries and other godly servants.
However, there have been and will be times that God will separate the godly from the ungodly while he deals with the ungodly’s disobedience to Him.
The ungodly of Noah’s day enjoyed “normal” living for a while when the godly man built the Ark. However, when it was finished, there came a time when the Ark’s door of escape was closed to them (Genesis 7:16). All who were not inside perished in the worldwide flood. God dealt with the ungodly; however, Noah and his family were spared.
Although both Egyptians and God’s people experienced some of the ten plagues God unleashed on their lands, there was a time when God only brought some upon Pharoah and his people.
“And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth. 23 And I will put a division between my people and thy people: to morrow shall this sign be.” Exodus 8:22-23
Egyptians experienced the scourge of flies, but God’s people, Israel, did not (Ex.8:23). Israel was also spared from the plague of the loss of cattle (Ex. 9:6), some believe the plague of boils (Ex. 9:11), damaging hail (Ex. 9:26), thick darkness (Ex. 10:23), and the death of firstborns (Ex. 12:30).
There is also a future judgment that God promised will come one day. Although many believe they can do whatever they want, there will be a time when God will end unrestrained iniquity.
As God spared the righteous in Noah’s and Moses’ day, he will spare His own from that coming judgment. Before the Almighty unleashes seven years of a terrible, destroying tribulation on Earth’s inhabitants, He will call His own Home to Him during the “Rapture.”
“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” I Thessalonians 4:16
After the godly are removed from Earth and out of harm’s way, the horrible seven-year Tribulation will begin. God’s judgments will plague all that remain. Earth’s inhabitants will face His wrath as it has never been experienced before.
When God halts the terrifying events, Jesus will return to rule and reign on this Earth for 1,000 years. After that time and other prophecies are fulfilled, this world’s final judgment will occur.
Christ-rejectors will be cast into the Lake of Fire at that judgment, where they will spend eternity! Horrifying! Again, the righteous will not experience that terrible event. As God has spared His own from many terrible judgments in the past, they will not be judged at the frightening White Throne judgment.
“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:14-15
There is a time to receive blessings; sometimes, they are the rewards of others’ obedience to God’s commandments. However, God’s patience in sin has often ended as He has judged many for their iniquities. Eventually, a final judgment for sin and rejection of Him will be pronounced on many.
The final judgment day is getting closer! When God’s wrath is poured out on all humanity, will you be there, or will you be spared His anger? The righteous of Noah’s, Pharoah’s, and other periods of wantonness escaped God’s punishment, you can too. Trust Christ’s payment for your sins today without delay.
“You may juggle human laws, you may fool with human courts, but there is a judgment to come, and from it there is no appeal.” — Gifford
