“I Want You to Know – There are Consequences to Pay When One Does Not Heed the Warnings of God!”
By Lou Yeboah
You see, God began human history with a warning. He told Adam and Eve that if they ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they would surely die. [Genesis 2:17]. The soul that sins shall die [Ezekiel 18:20]. There are consequences to pay when one does not heed the warnings of God. If you continue to disobey and live in sin, God’s anger will descend on you like King Manasseh. Don’t take God’s grace for granted. Repent before it is too late!
“A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.” [Proverbs 22:3]. How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?” [Proverbs 1:22]. “How long will you keep ignoring the warning signs and live for your own ways and desires as if there are no consequences for doing so?” Proverbs 14:12; 16:25 reminds us that, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” God’s warnings always precede God’s judgment!
Case in point, before the tragedy that befell the house of Eli, the death of his two sons and his own death, God had warned about the sin of Eli’s sons and his failure to discipline them. He warned of the impending judgment. “Then the LORD said to Samuel, ‘I am about to do a shocking thing in Israel. I am going to carry out all my threats against Eli and his family. I have warned him continually that judgment is coming for his family, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them. So, I have vowed that the sins of Eli and his sons will never be forgiven by sacrifices or offerings” [1 Samuel 3:11-14]. Why? Because they had squandered the opportunities, to repent. God’s warnings always precedes His judgment.
The angels who came to execute God’s judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah told Lot, “‘Run for your lives!’ the angels warned. ‘Do not stop anywhere in the valley. And don’t look back! Escape to the mountains, or you will die.’” [Genesis 19:17]. But Lot’s wife didn’t heed their warning. She looked back. Therefore, God’s judgment came upon her. She became a pillar of salt [Genesis 19:26]. I tell you, there are consequences to pay when one does not heed the warnings of God!
Be like the people of Nineveh who repented and believe that God will do what He said he would do. Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes”
The king took Jonah’s message very seriously and caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, “Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?” [Jonah 3:5-9].
“When God saw that they had put a stop to their evil ways, he had mercy on them and didn’t carry out the destruction he had threatened” [Jonah 3:10]. God’s warning always comes before His judgment. Your response to His warnings determines what happens to you. As Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar [Daniel 4:27] please listen to me. Stop sinning and do what is right. God’s warning comes before His Judgment. [Ezekiel 18:20].
God did not just let them go into sin. He sent messenger after messenger, prophet after prophet, judge after judge, king after king—and they never listened. Even though God had compassion on them and wanted to save them from this, they were not willing. [2 Chronicles 36:15].
“Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” [Amos 4:12].
