“Nor did they repent …”
The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood-idols that cannot see or hear or walk. 21 Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.
(Revelation 9:20-21; NIV. Please read Revelation 8-9.)
There are people who will suffer the judgment of God … and still refuse to repent. Please God do not let us live so long … or become so corrupt.
ON SECOND THOUGHT: When I was a boy, all my father had to do … to get me to “straighten up” was to give me one of his “looks”. (My daughter was that way too.) May my heart always be so sensitive to pleasing my Father that He never has to send the plagues of judgment to get my attention or to bring about my repentance.
November 8, 2008 at 1:50 pm
My father could give me the same wilting look. Unfortunately as I got older I did not think I had to pay attention to the “look”. After all I was grown and could do what I wanted.
Unfortunately my heart still has to “get the look” from time to time (to often). My prayer is that I always pay attention to the “look” and never feel like I’ve outgrown God so that I remain sensitive, want to please, and repent from whatever it is I am doing …or better yet, remember from past “looks” so that I don’t repeat the same type of mistakes.
May the Lord hear my prayers, know I’ve repented and not send judgement down on me.; and I hope I show my thanks and appreciation to the Lord by not repeating the same mistakes and by trying to glorify his name better everyday. That is my prayer.
My ability to become the noble person I want to be will probably be a life long committment (struggle), but may I never stop trying.
November 8, 2008 at 2:36 pm
I read of the “woes” that were exacted and not only was there vast amounts of destruction, but horrible pain and suffering involved. If I were watching all of this going on I would like to think that it would cause me to repent. I read “nor did they repent” and I think, “What!?! You’ve got to be kidding.” Who could watch so much destruction and not repent?
Then I look around me and see all the destruction, pain and suffering from my life and the lives of those I come in contact with and I have to admit that those things did not bring me to repentance. Not until my heart was touched by God in a way that I could no longer ignore. Not until I reached my own personal limit. Why? I thought I was different, and then got caught up in my own delusions. I also had poor attitudes of pride, selfishness, embarrassment, and mostly fear.
I thank God for doing what needed to be done in my life to bring me to a place of repentance. I also pray that keeps me in that place. I never want to get to a place where I feel I do not need God’s grace and mercy.
November 8, 2008 at 11:38 pm
These verses about destruction and judgment seem harsh and horrible and frightening. These people did not repent…even in the midst of such times. How could their hearts not turn to God during such times? I shudder to think how much we will allow to happen before we turn to God.
I know that I went way past what I thought I would ever do…I got way too far away from God. He got my attention and I turned back to Him…thank you Father. I never want to get that far away again. May I respond to His “looks” without it needing to go beyond that.
November 9, 2008 at 6:04 pm
In the middle of all the punishment, there is clear distinction between those who would be punished, and those that would escape it. Only the people with the seal of God on their foreheads would not be harmed.
God is righteous, and it is up to him to decide punishment/reward. I just know that I want to be one of the ones with his seal on my forehead when I finally get to face him.