Close of probation in the Bible.

[phipps]

The words "close of probation" are not found in the Bible. However they are used to mean a time when God closes the door of mercy so that even if people repent, God will no longer forgive them.

Many Christians believe there is a close of probation, even though they don’t use the phrase. This might be at the Second Coming or after the millennium, but all Christians believe that there is a point when people can no longer switch sides.

The close of probation is a thoroughly biblical concept. It’s found all throughout the Bible. God has given intelligent beings He created, both angels and humans, the power of choice, the freedom to make their own decisions about their relationship with Him.

Isaiah 55:6-7 says, "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." This means that one day people will search for God and He will not be found. It will do no good to try and get in touch with Him, that is the time we refer to as the "close of probation."

“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it” (Amos 8:11-12). A time is coming when there is going to be a famine in the land, not of bread and water, but of the hearing of the Word of God. It will not be found. They will seek it from coast to coast, but it will not be found. They will wish they had taken advantage of the opportunities God had opened for them to learn and become knowledgeable in His Word but it will be too late.

Its important to note that God doesn’t close anyone’s probation. We close our own probation by the choices we make. God simply accepts our choices.

 

[phipps]

Probation.

If there is a closing of probation in the Bible, that means there is probation. Probation is the time of opportunity we all have to make a choice to choose either God or Satan. For most of us that is our entire lives until we die (which ends our probation) or until Jesus finishes the judgement in heaven (those who will be alive at the end). At that time God will close the door of mercy. During the probationary period we have mercy, forgiveness. Also during probation, the Holy Spirit works tirelessly to guide and to bring the truth of Christ to us.

 

[phipps]

There are two different types or phases of the close of probation in the Bible.


1. For Individuals.

a. Close of probation at one’s death.
Most human’s probation closes when they die, for the simple reason that they no longer have the opportunity to make a choice whether to accept God’s grace or not. Those who die having accepted His grace close their probation on God’s side, and they will spend eternity with Him in His kingdom after Christ returns for the the second time. Those who fail to accept God’s grace during the time they are alive no longer have that opportunity when they die, and they will suffer the fate of eternal death.

b. Close of probation before one’s death.
This is where humans commit the unpardonable sin or blaspheme the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31-32). God takes His Holy Spirit away from the person and the door of mercy closes on the individual before they die. King Saul and Judas Iscariot are two examples of people who blasphemed the Holy Spirit and God departed from them before they died. The reason blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven isn’t because of a lack of willingness on God’s part to forgive us our sins. It’s that the Holy Spirit is the one who convicts us of our sins, and if we persist in refusing His conviction, eventually He accepts our choice as final, and He backs off and no longer convicts us. At that point our probation has closed, or perhaps more correctly, at that point we have closed our own probation.

2. Close of probation for groups of people.

a. A good example of the close of probation for groups is the antediluvians before the flood who had a chance to choose either God or Satan. God gave them 120 years during which time Noah preached to them about the coming flood while building the ark. He was not taken seriously and mocked but once the doors of the ark closed and the rains started, the door of mercy had closed for them. It was too late to change their minds. God had accepted their choices.

b. Second is just before Jesus returns the second time when judgement will be finished in heaven and the announcement is made, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, BEHOLD, I COME QUICKLY; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be” (Revelation 22:11-12). When the last plagues fall, they will fall on only the unrighteous because it will have been decided by then who is saved and who is lost (I'll post more on this later).

 

[CommonSense]

As Jesus told St Faustina when he revealed his Divine Mercy...there will come a time when my Mercy will give way to my JUSTICE..this was in the 1930's....we are fast approaching his time of Justice... I pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy every day.

 

[phipps]

Close of probation before Jesus comes back.

"He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, BEHOLD, I COME QUICKLY; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be” (Revelation 22:11-12)

Mankind is living on probationary time right now but not far in the future probation will close when God's mercy will come to a close and the line will be drawn in the sand. According to these clear scriptures, probation closes prior to the Second Coming of Christ. Christ is now ministering as our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary (Temple, Sanctuary, and Tabernacle are all referring to the same thing). So long as Christ is ministering with His High Priestly garb, so long as He is standing as mediator between God and man in the Holy of Holies, salvation, mercy, and grace is provided for sinners, that we may be justified in His sight. According to Psalms 77:13, we are told, “Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary.” This sanctuary is in heaven, “For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth” (Psalms 102:19). The Apostle Paul declares, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). Thus we see, that by faith (not literally), we are to follow Jesus Christ, our High Priest, into the sanctuary of heaven.

But when Christ ceases His High Priestly ministry and steps out of the Heavenly Sanctuary, probation for man closes. According to Hebrews 7-9, He is our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary. But when He returns, He will not return in His priestly attire. He will return with the name, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” etched on the side of his vesture (Revelation 19:14-16). So long as the sanctuary of heaven is open for service, so long as the door to the tabernacle is open, we may enter in and obtain mercy. This door of mercy to heaven’s sanctuary closes before Jesus comes back. And we know not when this will transpire. But we will know that probation (that is, mercy and grace are still open and available—where it is possible to still repent and confess our sins) is closed for mankind after the 7 last plagues begin to fall:

“And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and NO MAN WAS ABLE TO ENTER INTO THE TEMPLE, TILL THE SEVEN PLAGUES OF THE SEVEN ANGELS WERE FULFILLED” (Revelation 15:5-8)

Such was the case as in the days of Noah. After Noah was done preaching, the door to the ark was shut. For 7 days it rained while the ark was still on the ground, but no man could enter into the ark during those 7 days while it rained (Genesis 7:4,10,16-18). Their probation had closed, the door of mercy was shut. Then the flood came, the ark was lifted off the ground by the waters, and the floods took all the wicked away. Likewise, the door to heaven’s sanctuary will be shut, the 7 last plagues will fall, and then Jesus will return. The door to the ark was a prototype to the door to the heavenly sanctuary—which will be shut before Jesus comes. The pattern teaches us a lesson, and this is precisely why Jesus said, “as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man” (Matthew 24:37; Luke 17:26) When Christ is interceding on our behalf as our High Priest, He is our mediator between man and God in the heavenly sanctuary. But once Christ ceases His High Priestly ministration, there is no more mediator between man and God. The door to the Holy of Holies, where Christ is now interceding and pleading His blood before the original Ten Commandments (His Testimony) contained in the original Ark of the Covenant in the heavenly sanctuary (Revelation 11:19; 15:5), finally shuts. This door is the door that only Jesus can open and shut. Hence we read,

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.” (Revelation 3:7-8)

No man can enter into God’s temple when the 7 last plagues begin to fall. The door has been shut. Every opportunity has been given. After the 7 plagues have been fulfilled, Christ comes to gather His people while the wicked are destroyed, and then His people will be able to enter into the temple literally once they reach heaven.

May we allow these facts to compel us to action and study God’s Word like never before. May we take advantage of the fact that probation is still available for sinners. May we be thankful and take advantage that there are still those who are willing to teach us and help us understand the knowledge of the truth, and not be so afraid we will hear something that is not pleasing or “edifying” to us. There will come a famine in the land of the hearing of the Word of God. When we procrastinate and put off hearing God’s Word, and being willing to be taught and helped, we increase the chances that we will miss the small window of opportunity God is giving us. Our hearts then harden, the whispers of the Holy Spirit grow dimmer, and our desire for truth weakens.

 

[phipps]

Sealing before the close of probation.

The winds of strife are yet held back until God’s people are sealed, after which there will be a time of trouble.

Before probation closes, there is a sealing time. The sealing time is the present time. Sealing is the settling into the truth, both intellectually and spiritually, so that you cannot be moved. There are changes to be made in a person, intellectually and spiritually. These occur through the ideas and doctrines we adopt. These modify our faith and practice. While truth sanctifies, error corrupts. This is why sound doctrine is important. To him that will be sealed, Paul admonishes, “Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:16).

To be sealed is to be settled in the testimony and the law of God; when we both know and love it, then the Lord will declare: “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples” (Isaiah 8:16), and “never suffer the righteous to be moved” (Psalms 55:22). For every doctrine we must appeal to “the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20). For the law of God is the one unerring rule, by which all doctrines are to be tested.

We must be settled in the truth so “that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive” (Ephesians 4:14). The law and testimony represent “the hope of the gospel” preached to us, in which we must be “grounded and settled, and be not moved away from” (Colossians 1:23). The seal is therefore the pure mark of truth.

John “saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God” (Revelation 7:2) to place on the servants of God.

To be sealed, we must depart from iniquity. “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (2 Timothy 2:19).

To those that are to be sealed, sin must “become exceeding sinful” (Romans 7:13). Even others’ sin must grieve those that are to be sealed. “The Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof” (Ezekiel 9:4). We must no more be indifferent to sin.

The Christ-like character, a prerequisite for the sealing, must be developed now. Christians cannot with impunity reject the warning which God in His mercy has sent them through the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy and therefore fail to develop a character that is worthy of the seal of God and hope to develop such a character amidst panic and fear of end time events. We are told: “As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel’s message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position and join the ranks of the opposition” (The Great Controversy, p. 608).

 

[phipps]

The pre-advent close of probation in the Bible.

The concept of a close of probation prior to Christ’s second coming is suggested in Revelation 7, 13, and 14. In Revelation 7:1-4 God’s people receive the seal of God, while those who reject God receive the mark of the beast. Then, in chapter 16 the seven last plagues are poured out on those who receive the mark of the beast. This is especially evident in verse 2, which says that the first plague was poured out “on the people who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image.” Then verses 5-9 inform us that these people have been judged worthy of receiving these plagues because they refused to repent. This suggests that their probation has closed, but it doesn’t actually say so.

However, the close of probation shortly before Christ’s second coming is clearly evident in Revelation 15. This chapter begins in verse 1 with seven angels who have the seven last plagues, “because with them God’s wrath is completed.” The wrath that is referred to here is the wrath of God against those who receive the mark of the beast in the third angel’s message of Revelation 14:9-11. This is followed in verses 2-4 with a scene of those who have gained the victory over the mark of the beast praising God. Verse 5 is a scene in heaven in which the temple of God is opened. This opening of the temple in heaven is as an antitype of Matthew 27:51, where the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom at the moment of Christ’s death. This event, which exposed the ark of the covenant, signified the end of the Jewish ceremonial system. It brought to a close the mediatorial ministry of the priests in the earthly sanctuary. Similarly, in the heavenly sanctuary, when the temple is opened, Christ’s mediatorial ministry ends.

This especially becomes evident in Revelation 15:8, which says, “And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.” This verse is actually based on 2 Chronicles 5:13-14 and 7:1-2. Both of these texts are in the context of the dedication of Solomon’s temple. Chapter 5:13-14 says, “Then the temple of the Lord was filled with a cloud, and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God.” Chapter 7:1-2 says essentially the same thing: “When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. The priests could not enter the temple of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled it.”

Notice that when the cloud and the glory of the Lord filled the temple, the priests could not enter the temple to perform their service. And this concept, which is borrowed from these two passages in 2 Chronicles, will at some point in the future take place in God’s temple in heaven. The statement in Revelation 15:8 says that “no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed” means that Christ has concluded His intercessory ministry in the temple on behalf of sinners, and even He cannot (or perhaps more correctly, will not) enter it. And in the very next verse, which is Chapter 16:1, the seven angels begin to pour out their bowls of wrath, the seven last plagues.

Most of the biblical evidence for the close of human probation has it closing either at the time we die or at Christ’s second coming. However, what I have just shared with you is the biblical evidence for the idea that human probation will close a short time before Christ’s second coming, not at His second coming.

 

[phipps]

When will probation close?

We do not know exactly when probation will close, for that date and time God has not revealed it to mortal man. We are simply told: “Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is” (Mark 13:33). We may die before or we may live to the close of probation. We must now be ready lest the close of probation finds us unprepared.

Probation closes when Christ ceases pleading for men.“When Jesus ceases to plead for man, the cases of all are forever decided. Probation closes. Christ’s intercessions cease in heaven. This time finally comes suddenly upon all, and those who have neglected to purify their souls by obeying the truth are found sleeping” (Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 191).

Before the Flood, after Noah entered the ark, God shut him in, and shut the ungodly out; but for seven days the people, knowing not that their doom was fixed, continued their careless, pleasure-loving life, and mocked the warnings of impending judgment. “So,” says the Saviour, “shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Matthew 24:39). Silently, unnoticed as the midnight thief, will come the decisive hour which marks the fixing of every man’s destiny, the final withdrawal of mercy’s offer to guilty men.

While the man of business is absorbed in the pursuit of gain, while the pleasure lover is seeking indulgence, while the daughter of fashion is arranging her adornments – it may be in that hour the Judge of all the earth will pronounce the sentence: “Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting” (Daniel 5:27).

When probation closes,“the righteous and the wicked will still be living upon the earth in their mortal state – men will be planting and building, eating and drinking, all unconscious that the final, irrevocable decision has been pronounced in the sanctuary above” (The Great Controversy, p. 491).

We are told, When the irrevocable decision of the sanctuary has been pronounced, and the destiny of the world has been forever fixed, the inhabitants of the earth will know it not. The forms of religion will be continued by a people from whom the Spirit of God has been finally withdrawn, and the satanic zeal with which the prince of evil will inspire them for the accomplishment of his malignant designs, will bear the semblance of zeal for God” (The Great Controversy, p. 615).

Those who do not now appreciate the truth, and dearly prize the Word of God spoken by His servants will have cause to mourn bitterly hereafter. After close of probation, the fearful plagues will begin to fall (Revelation 16). Then those who have despised God’s Word, those who have lightly esteemed it, shall “wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east; they shall run to and fro to seek the Word of the Lord and shall not find it” (Amos 8:12). A famine will be in the land for hearing the Word.

We should now be making the best of our present opportunities. There will be no other probation given to us in which to prepare for heaven. This is our only and last opportunity to form characters which will fit us for translation at Christ’s second coming.

All will be tested and tried according to the light they have had. Those who turn from the truth to fables can look for no second probation. There will be no temporal millennium. If, after the Spirit of God has brought conviction to their hearts, they resist the truth and use their influence to block the way so that others will not receive it, they will never be convinced. They did not seek for transformation of character in the probation given them, and Christ will not give them opportunity to pass over the ground again. The decision is a final one.

 

[phipps]

Those who think they’re saved but aren’t.

Jesus made it very clear that some people who think they are on God’s side will discover when it’s too late that they are not. He said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:21-23).

This text is significant because it includes both parts of a saving relationship with Jesus: grace and works. The text begins by saying that the only one who will be allowed into God’s kingdom is “he who does the will of my Father in heaven.” That’s the works part. But Jesus also said that the reason those who are lost are denied entrance into His kingdom is that He never knew them. They closed their probation on the wrong side because they were Christians in name only. They believed the doctrines; they attended church regularly; but the affairs of this life kept them so busy that they did not take the time to maintain a saving relationship with Jesus. Those who have this personal relationship with Jesus have had their minds and emotions transformed by the Holy Spirit, which is what it means to know Jesus; and because of that, they are able to produce the works that will gain them entrance into God’s kingdom. They close their probation on God’s side because of their choice to have a close relationship with Him.

 

[phipps]

 

[phipps]

Why must Probation End?

Time has lasted as long as it has because God is unwilling to give up one soul that might yet choose eternal life. However, it has to come to an end at some point. The Bible is full of promises to God’s people that they will soon be rescued from this world of sin and pain. Since the beginning of time, people have looked forward to that redemption.

The Bible tells us in Hebrews 11 of a long list of faithful people who passed through this life and died, “not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them…But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly” (Hebrews 11:13,16).

Abraham, we are told, sojourned in the land of promise, dwelling in tents, “for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10). God must deliver on His promise to all of His children waiting in the grave.

 

[phipps]

Once probation closes, the final events will move forward quickly. Since there will be no more opportunity to change one’s master, there will be no more reason to continue living in Satan’s realm.

 

[phipps]

When Jesus rises up in the most holy place, and lays off His mediatorial garments, and clothes Himself with the garments of vengeance in place of the priestly attire, the work for sinners will be done.... The probation of all closes when the pleading for sinners is ended and the garments of vengeance are put on.

The case of every soul will have been decided, and there will be no atoning blood to cleanse from sin.... Then the restraining Spirit of God is withdrawn from the earth.

In that fearful time the righteous must live in the sight of a holy God without an intercessor. The restraint which has been upon the wicked is removed, and Satan has entire control of the finally impenitent .... Satan will then plunge the inhabitants of the earth into one great, final trouble. As the angels of God cease to hold in check the fierce winds of human passion, all the elements of strife will be let loose. The whole world will be involved in ruin more terrible than that which came upon Jerusalem of old.

We have no time to lose. We know not how soon our probation may close Christ is soon to come.

When probation ends, it will come suddenly, unexpectedly—at a time when we are least expecting it. But we can have a clean record in heaven today, and know that God accepts us; and finally, if faithful, we shall be gathered into the kingdom of heaven.

 

[phipps]

TELL THE WORLD AND SHARE THIS POST- GET READY, GET READY, THE SIGNS SHOW THAT THE CLOSE OF PROBATION AND RETURN OF CHRIST IS 'AT THE DOOR'!!!
Dear friend, take a look around you. What do you see? War and the nations gathering for more war. Economic woes, massive inflation, crime on all sides, wickedness everywhere, natural disasters, famine, etc, etc. We are living in a time like no other before us, and yet just as in the days of Noah and Lot, people continue to 'eat and drink' and live as if nothing is going to happen.

There are very few who are seeking and serving the LORD. There are very few who truly 'fear God' (Revelation 14:7) by turning away from all sin and seeking the righteousness of Christ. And for this reason, the world is languishing and dying. The Spirit of the Lord is being withdrawn from the world, plagues are already sweeping the earth and Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, is soon to return and put an end to this world.

The signs are clear for all to see. We are living in the final "hours" of this earth's history. Let's all choose Christ. Time is running out!

Isaiah 45:22, "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else."

SEEK THE LORD TODAY as the close of human probation is coming soon!

 

[phipps]

PROBATION AND GOD'S PROMISES!!!

Summary: When Christ has finished His judgment, the final decision will have been made as to who will be saved and who will not. Then, probation will end.

What is the Close of Probation?
When Christ has finished His pre-advent investigative judgment, the final decision will have been made as to who will be saved and who will not. When that time comes, probation (the opportunity to choose between serving God or Satan) will close.
At that time, each person will have already made his or her final decision. Once probation closes, the final events will move forward quickly. Since there will be no more opportunity to change one’s master, there will be no more reason to continue living in Satan’s realm.

Why must Probation End?
Time has lasted as long as it has because God is unwilling to give up one soul that might yet choose eternal life. However, it has to come to an end at some point. The Bible is full of promises to God’s people that they will soon be rescued from this world of sin and pain. Since the beginning of time, people have looked forward to that redemption.

The Bible tells us in Hebrews 11 of a long list of faithful people who passed through this life and died, “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. … But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them” (Hebrews 11:13, 16).

Abraham, we are told, sojourned in the land of promise, dwelling in tents, “for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10). God must deliver on His promise to all of His children waiting in the grave.

Once probation closes, you cannot switch sides you have today to make an intelligent decision before it's too late!

 

[phipps]

God’s Final Warning.
It is human nature to wait until Crisis hits before taking action and making necessary decisions.

It has always been fascinating to me that Noah probably hired helpers to construct the ark, and they perished later on because they rejected the very means of salvation in which they invested much of their lives. And these were the people who had the greatest reason for believing that a flood was coming. Day after day they listened to the earnest message of the OLD PATRIARCH as he pleaded with relatives and friends to avail themselves of this way of escape. The Bible calls Noah "a preacher of righteousness" (2 Peter 2:5) which indicates that he might have spent more time calling for decisions than driving nails into the ark.

How can we explain the amazing resistance to the powerful, Spirit-filled appeals of Noah and his sons? It seems almost a classic example of majority influence. The dread of being different has driven many sincere people to reject, out of hand, the appeal of conscience and sound judgment. It happened in Noah's day, and it still happens today. Prejudice and emotion, once aroused, has a greater influence on decision than all the logical truth in the world. None of the antediluvians could deny the persuasive evidence of those animals marching two by two and seven by seven into the completed ark, but the jeering multitude reminded them of the cost of non- conformity. They dared not be different and show any support for the unpopular little group of religious standouts.

I've tried to imagine the dynamics of that last appeal Noah made to the crowd of curious onlookers. The sounds of construction have ceased, and the tools have been put out of sight. The animals are all safely on board, and Noah's family has finished transferring all their possessions into the massive windowless vessel. Of all the sermons which have ever been preached in the history of man, this is the one I would have preferred to hear. The drama of this moment was captured by our Lord Jesus when He said, "As the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be" (Matthew 24:37).

Another last call - another final sermon, if you please - WILL BE GIVEN TO THE DOOMED INHABITANTS OF THIS EQUALLY WICKED AGE. This time the destruction will not be by WATER but by FIRE. Yet, there is a terrible parallel between the urgent message of Noah and that of the faithful ones who will give the loud warning cry that the world is about to be destroyed again.

Jesus described the indifference with which that message will be received. "They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all" (Luke 17:27). What a commentary on the paralyzing effect of sin! People continue, business as usual, while the last moments of probation slip away.

Has any other preacher operated under the emotional stress that constrained Noah that day? He was fully aware that in a few moments the door behind him would close forever on any hope of salvation for the human race. Only the words of this final sermon could make a difference for any living soul. The Scriptures indicate that Christ by the Holy Spirit was preaching through Noah to the spirits of those sin-bound people (1 Peter 3:18-20).

GAMBLING FOR TIME.
Just as the probation of the antediluvian world ended seven days before the flood, so the probation of the planet will close seven plagues before Jesus appears. During those desolating, end-time seven last plagues, the Bible says no one can enter the temple in heaven (Revelation 15:8). There will be no intercessor for the human race. The great edict will have gone forth, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still ... and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly" (Revelation 22:11-12).

Millions are waiting in the vain hope that some special event will signal that they can quickly make the necessary preparation to meet the returning Lord. When the flood came and the door of the ark closed, it did not matter how near or how far a person happened to be at that moment. Those who were one foot out-side that door were just as lost as those who were miles away. After 120 years of pleading, the Spirit of God was withdrawn from the earth, the hand of God closed the door, and the fate of a world was fixed and settled.

The door of the ark is still open, and it's only a step inside. Why not settle the uncertainty this very moment? Surrender your will and say Yes to the loving Saviour, who longs to give you His peace and assurance.

EVERY DAY THE PROBATION OF SOME IS CLOSING. EVERY HOUR SOME ARE PASSING BEYOND THE REACH OF MERCY PP 140.1

"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel" (Mark 1:15).

ONE DAY WE WILL HEAR OUR LAST SERMON!!!

 

[phipps]