Page 41 - Racing Toward Judgement
P. 41
Has God turned away from busy, unconcerned shep-
herds to send us a prophet from behind Satan's iron
curtain to warn us of coming judgment?
And the destruction of the transgressors and of
the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake
the Lord shall be consumed.
(Isaiah 1:28 xjv)
3. The Roman Warning
Rome was the great empire during Christ's ministry
on earth. At first the empire was benevolent toward
Christians. But when it discovered they swore allegiance
to Christ instead of Caesar, they were persecuted.
Christians were simple, modest, and moral. They re-
fused to participate in the wild games and feasting of the
indulgent Romans. Instead, they condemned them for
their obsession with amusement and pleasure. Rome
was being swept away by a preoccupation with sports,
fancy foods imported from around the world, amuse-
ments, and sexual pleasures of all kinds.
As Rome became more wicked and vile, God began
to judge the empire with famine, plague, floods, and Ca-
lamity. The Romans blamed the judgments on Chris-
tians and began to throw them to the lions. Christians
went underground into catacombs. The empire rejected
Christ, and God gave it up to judgment. Rome fell, and
a city that once claimed a population of more than four
mfflion inhabitants was destroyed with the empire.
The day of judgment has come; the morning
dawns, for your wickedness and pride have run
their course and reached their climax—none of
these rich and wicked men of pride shall live. All
your boasting will die away, and no one will be left
to bewail your fate.
(Ezekiel 7:1O,11 LB)
39
herds to send us a prophet from behind Satan's iron
curtain to warn us of coming judgment?
And the destruction of the transgressors and of
the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake
the Lord shall be consumed.
(Isaiah 1:28 xjv)
3. The Roman Warning
Rome was the great empire during Christ's ministry
on earth. At first the empire was benevolent toward
Christians. But when it discovered they swore allegiance
to Christ instead of Caesar, they were persecuted.
Christians were simple, modest, and moral. They re-
fused to participate in the wild games and feasting of the
indulgent Romans. Instead, they condemned them for
their obsession with amusement and pleasure. Rome
was being swept away by a preoccupation with sports,
fancy foods imported from around the world, amuse-
ments, and sexual pleasures of all kinds.
As Rome became more wicked and vile, God began
to judge the empire with famine, plague, floods, and Ca-
lamity. The Romans blamed the judgments on Chris-
tians and began to throw them to the lions. Christians
went underground into catacombs. The empire rejected
Christ, and God gave it up to judgment. Rome fell, and
a city that once claimed a population of more than four
mfflion inhabitants was destroyed with the empire.
The day of judgment has come; the morning
dawns, for your wickedness and pride have run
their course and reached their climax—none of
these rich and wicked men of pride shall live. All
your boasting will die away, and no one will be left
to bewail your fate.
(Ezekiel 7:1O,11 LB)
39
