Two billion people dead. Shouldn’t that make anyone terrified and willing to repent? You would think so. As it turns out even seeing the death of more than 2,000, 000,000 individuals will not soften many a human heart.
What I am referring to is the verses from the Book of Revelation (9:13-21) about what is going to happen in the future. At the trumpet sound of the sixth angel, the plagues unleashed will kill a third of mankind living at that time. That is somewhere near to the staggering number of two billion deaths. This scale of destruction is horrific to the point of melting any human heart. But the Lord says even after that the people left on the earth did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts (9: 21 NKJV).
Many people who are aware of their sins wait for a breakthrough point to change, maybe some kind of shocking event to occur in their life. Nevertheless, keep in mind that the human heart can be deceiving and stubborn that even a terrible event like wiping out one-third of the population of earth is not sufficient warning to turn to God. This is a serious reminder for those who continue in sin and wait for a turning point in life to come to make some necessary changes. Today is the best time to change.
Just take the case of the global COVID pandemic. With just about 500, 000 deaths we are seeing life freezing in front of our eyes in every corner of the world. Even in a situation like that, it seems like any spiritual awakening or a willingness to turn to God is not happening. I was thinking, during these times many will be humbling and turning to God more. On the other hand, what I could is a spirit to fight, divide, and cause confusion. Even among Christians, there seems to be a spirit of self-reliance and complacency.
If you are not willing to confess your sins even God can not save you.
Now that I re-read the above-alluded verses from Revelation, I am not surprised by the current state of affairs in people’s hearts. But I would wish that were not the case.
We all should be thankful God revealed these verses to us. The words of Christ warn repeatedly in the last book of the Bible he who has an ear let him hear. It is not good to rebel against God. Some of you may be resolute that no amount of destruction or meaninglessness will change my heart to seek God. In fact, the death of 2 billion seen is just the beginning of the apocalypse and judgment. There comes a time that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10,11).
Unless you have an ear that hears and a heart that submits to God nothing can help you. A repentant heart is what God is looking for. No one can meet the standard of holiness set by God through their will power. There may be so many political, economic, and social causes you may be caring for and even willing to give your life for. All these things regardless of how good they are can be done without caring for one’s state of heart and seeking God.
If you are not willing to confess your sins even God can not save you. But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away (I John 1:9 CEV). Unfortunately, billions if not millions are choosing the path of rejecting God’s grace. But you can change the course of your destiny. These verses are foretold by God because he wants you to listen.
And heaven rejoices even when one lost person finds life.