Themes Coming Judgment

"FIRE!"

On May 28, 1977, thousands of people ignored an important warning. Four thousand people were eating in a fancy restaurant in Southgate, Kentucky. Many of the people had come to watch famous actors perform on stage. Other people came only to eat a delicious supper in the restaurant's dining room.

In one of the rooms, people were laughing at an actor who was telling funny stories. At nine o'clock, a young boy interrupted the actor's show. He came onto the stage and announced that a small fire was burning in the kitchen. "Everyone get out of the building as quickly as possible he shouted!" The people just laughed at the boy. They thought that he was part of the show.

But the boy was serious! He tried to warn the people again. "Get out of the building!" he yelled, "You're wasting valuable time!" They only laughed at him even more. The boy seemed like a good actor to them. As the audience laughed, the boy ran off stage and escaped out of the building.

The boy's warnings seemed funny until someone caught the scent of smoke. Then everyone suddenly stopped laughing. In that serious moment, they could hear loud noises coming from the kitchen. The fire was roaring. Thick black smoke poured into the room. People screamed, "Fire!" Then the whole building exploded into flames.

Everyone was racing to get outside as the scorching flames began to encircle them. The roof caught fire. Huge beams burned and the roof fell in. Many escaped but 162 people died. These people were warned about the fire, but they did not want to listen. Instead, they died in the flames.

In our Bible story, the people in Egypt refused to listen to God's warnings. The Egyptians would not believe the warnings about the plagues. Some people went outside and were killed by hailstones which was one of the plagues God promised. Pharaoh, like his people, stubbornly refused to believe God. God has sent messengers to warn you about escaping from Hell. The Bible says you must be saved (Acts 4:12). Jesus said, "He that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:16). "Whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire" (Revelation 20:15). Do not ignore God!

Related Items:

• Trust in Time
• Saved from the Fire
• Scarred but Beautiful
• Warning!
• He has done me nothing but good