So, John the Baptist, the last and greatest of the prophets, was sent to prepare the way for the coming Messiah. And what was his message? It was one of coming judgment -- especially on the religious establishment: "But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: 'You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, "We have Abraham as our father." I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come One who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will clear His threshing-floor, gathering His wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire'" (
Matthew 3:7-12).
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Tragically, they failed to heed the warnings -- not only of John the Baptist but of the Messiah he promised. And so the message of Jesus against His people, Israel, was one of warning, of greater judgment given than what they had heard and witnessed:
"Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. 'Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you'" (
Matthew 11:20-24).
Now the same principle applies to us and to our nation -- privileged to have known the gospel for centuries and the Bible in dozens of versions in our own language while millions have lived and died without ever hearing the name of Jesus. "To whom much is given, much is expected."
And what of those within our nation who claim to be God's own people, those He has reconciled and redeemed in a far greater and deeper way than the ancient nation of Israel? Do we fail to heed God's warnings and ignore His judgment? We do so at our peril, for if we fail to repent and turn from our sin, then God's judgment is certain.
Now, do not misunderstand. God's judgment on His people does not nullify His covenant, either with Israel or the church, but rather it purges His covenant people, removing false professors and disciplining true members as Jesus Himself said in
John 15: