Eternity's Whirlwind

II Cor.5:11 - Knowing the terror of the Lord we persuade men…

On Thursday, February 1st, 2007 Brittney went to sleep knowing she had to rise early for school the next day. As she lay awake for awhile she thought of schoolwork, boys, and the coming weekend. Shortly she drifted into sleep.

But what this 17 year old young woman did not realize was that eternity was beginning to open its mouth wider and wider during the night. In the clouds a whirlwind was beginning to take shape starting in the western part of Florida and moving eastward. This whirlwind is considered an anomaly by the general population and is rare in the part of the country that Brittney lived in but in reality this event had been seen before the Earth was formed and eternity lived inside this very whirlwind. Eternity had been sent to visit Brittney’s room in the early morning hours of February 2nd in Lake County Florida and it had chosen this whirlwind as its transportation.

There is an eternal appointment complete with date and time that has been assigned to every person and on that day each person will be translated from the temporal into the eternal. No more chances to repent, no more time to consider Christ, and no more opportunities to serve the Lord Jesus. There is no more serious subject than a person’s eternal destination and there are only two, heaven or hell. If you were master and owner of the entire universe and died without Christ you would have lost everything. But if you were seventeen and never married, never had children, never owned a car or home, and really never became an adult but you died in Christ you would have gained everything.

There are millions in America, many sitting in pews, that are Spiritually sleeping while eternity approaches with an irreversible appointment that will bring judgment and pain, forever. Many mourn the temporal loss of lives like Brittney and thoughts about loved ones will be spoken, inspirational songs will be sung, recollections will be shared, but those now are citizens of eternity. We should mourn and pray for those who willingly sleep consumed with this earthly life while their Spiritual slumber seals their eternal fate.

On television many reporters suggested that people purchase a weather warning radio that loudly warns when a tornado or violent storm is approaching. There is a whirlwind coming from the Creator’s hand and this whirlwind is majestic in its justice, perfect in its wrath, unimaginable in its power, and rapidly coming closer in its proximity. There is one and only one warning instrument that is loudly sounding the alarm that a colossal whirlwind of God’s judgment is rapidly approaching this very world. It is God’s Word, and so many pulpits have the warning device turned to mute while they accentuate the “don’t worry” channel. Think about this: If Brittney had attended church last week what did the preacher say? If she was lost did any believers pray for her the past week? And how culpable would be the weatherman who saw the coming tornado and did not sound an urgent alarm? Then consider this: When was the last time you saw and heard any preacher demonstratively and urgently cry aloud for his listeners to flee the wrath to come? And like warning about a coming earthly tornado was he carried out of his normal character emotionally which would translate credibility to his listeners?

Men and women throughout church history have been labeled as crazy and unstable and many have been murdered because of the uncomfortable intensity of their witness, where are they today? When a tornado is spotted and the call goes out to take shelter, people leave their kitchens, leave their entertainment, leave their belongings, and they run to the safest part of the house. Now we say that the wrath and judgment of the Creator is coming to this earth but is it any wonder that the world so easily dismisses our claims when we ourselves exhibit so little outward manifestations that would normally be associated with the enormity of such a warning? Do they ever see tears? Shouts? Unusual behavior? All night prayer? Fastings?

And if a friend knocked on your front door and as you invited him in he greeted you with some small talk and took a seat in your living room. After he accepted your offer of some iced tea he began to speak of football, politics, and a host of other topics. He shared seven principles of success, ten doors to a successful marriage, four keys to Biblical finances, and insights to a purpose driven life. Now after a while he stood to leave and on his way out he turned and said, “By the way, there’s a tornado four houses down the street and it is headed this way.” Then he closed the visit in prayer, smiled and shook your hand, and asked you which restaurant you wanted to eat at today. Would you believe the tornado story?

If you knew that you or someone you knew would be in eternity by this time next week would it change your schedule? And if you knew that the judgment of God was arriving next Tuesday would the spirit of Paul Revere come upon you? And would your behavior be so urgent and abnormal that your friends and neighbors may not believe it but they are convinced that you do!

So what are we saying? That if we knew the exact date it would change us, but until then we will doctrinally espouse it but it will have very little culturally extricating impact upon our lives. Jesus observed that the true prophets of God were stoned and killed not because they were respected and within the accepted mainstream of Spiritual thought, no, they were thought of as madmen. And Hebrews chapter eleven describes the past prophets

Heb.11:36-38 - And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourging, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins, and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

Do not bother to look for them today…they are not here.

Only a revival could bring them back and substantiate the message we claim to actually believe. The world has adjusted their eyes and have become quite comfortable with the light that we give off in the midst of their darkness. Instead of cruel mockings and scourging, the world invites us to have one of many places in a Larry King round table discussion. And the world puts out our message like a cover dish in a dinner line at church inviting people to take what they like and leave the rest. And we continue to watch as people consume damnable poison but our lives continue with no more than a mere shaking of the head. We would show more urgency if it was discovered that an asteroid would hit the Earth in one year than we exhibit because we believe the judgment of God is coming soon!?

What would happen if twenty million believers in America woke up tomorrow with an anointing that broke all the accepted evangelical mores and day and night they labored in prayer and preaching to the exclusion of everything else? At the very least it would glorify God our Savior and we would not look so pitiful against the backdrop of former servants of God. And maybe, just maybe, the world might believe that we really do believe what we say.

The wrath of Almighty God is headed for this world and Christ is the only shelter that will save. Run, don’t walk, to the shed blood of Jesus Christ and by faith follow Him as Lord.