#156: Left Behind

Published by Ben Stahl on June 7, 2021June 7, 2021

Then Elisha said, “Hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the LORD: ‘Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.”

So an officer on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, “Look, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, could this thing be?” And he said, “In fact, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it.”

II Kings 7:1-2 NKJV

Are you a partaker of the glory that will be revealed, or will you see the glory of God revealed but not partake of it?

The gospel of Luke gives the account of the rich man who died in his sin never lifting a finger to help poor Lazarus who was often begging at his gate and died in agony. From hell we are told that the rich man looked up to heaven and saw Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham. From his vantage point the rich man cried out for a mere drop of water from the tip of a finger; for he was tormented by the flames of hell. Regardless of his torment no help would be coming to the rich man.

This is a jolting portion of Scripture that should lead the reader to ask what he must do to be saved and partake of the glory and comfort of heaven which Lazarus was enjoying. The answer as always is to repent and believe in Jesus Christ alone for salvation and you will be saved.

The servant of the king of Israel was brought face to face with a similar horror as the rich man as he questioned the mercy of God. The Lord had made a promise of mercy and the servant in unbelief mocked God’s promise. Because of his unbelief, the Lord told him through Elisha that he would see God’s promised mercy come to pass, but, he would not partake of so much as a spoonful of God’s gracious provision.

The Lord says, “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:17-18).

The account of the King’s servant presents another gracious call of God to the world to flee from the wrath to come by embracing Christ through faith. The servant had survived through hardship, war, and famine. Samaria was on the eve of its greatest deliverance to date. The hungry would soon be fed, the starving would find sustenance. The servant would witness all of this coming to pass. But because of his unbelief he would not partake of any of it.

Friends, a far greater day of salvation is coming than the day of temporary salvation in Samaria. Sometimes that future day is referred to as the “Day of the Lord”; sometimes as “that Day;” sometimes as “the Last Day.” All of these titles along with others are referring to the final day when the hour of salvation is ended and judgment will be given. It is the day when the Lord Jesus Christ Himself will stand up from His throne in Heaven and descend once again to Earth where all men will see Him, know Him, and willingly or unwillingly bow before Him confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

On that day of the Lord the righteous will enter body and soul into the New Heavens and the New Earth where they shall be in eternal joy with Christ forever. The unrighteous men, the ones who did not believe this message of the grace and mercy of God, will see the righteous enter glory but they will not partake of it. Rather they will descend body and soul to everlasting hell fire with the rich man of Luke 17 and be tormented for evermore.

Friends, flee from the wrath of God to come. Let this servant be a warning to us today not to mock God but rather, while it is still the accepted time, while it is still the day of salvation, trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, hope in Him, rest in Him, believe in Him, and obey Him. His promises are as certain today as they were in ancient Samaria.

Are you a partaker of the glory that will be revealed or will you see the glory of God revealed but not partake of it?

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