|
Themes The Sufferings of Christ DEADLY DARKNESS Montserrat is an island in the West Indies. It is 40 square miles in size and has a population today of about 4,500 people. My only "visit" to that island has been by way of video tape and I want you to come with me on that drive. It's a beautiful Caribbean island day. The camera scans through the windshield of david and Clover Lea's vehicle as we drive the southern area of the island. There are other vehicles ahead of us and behind us. Suddenly, we realize, something terrible and frightening is happening! Soufriere Hills is a stratovolcano in southern Montserrat. This volcano began erupting on July 18, 1995. It had never been known to be active before. By the beginning of August, evacuation had begun. On August 21, Plymouth, the capital city, was plunged into darkness for half an hour. A strong burst of steam from the volcano spewed ashes 7,000 feet high. The sun was blocked. People feared the sudden darkness! December, 1996. David Lea is driving in the area of Montserrat's airport. He is interested in seeing and reporting any changes in the volcano. Daylight disappears. Something begins falling on the roof and hood of the vehicle. "Let's get going!" Clover shouts to her husband. The crashing sound of the ash and hot cinder is almost deafening. The wipers try desperately to clean the windshield. But the darkness! Bright daylight is now inky blackness! Headlights of cars hardly seem able to pierce the awful, thick darkness. Little is said. Minutes drag by. David tries hard to stay on the road. Slowly ... slowly, the noise lessens. The darkness brightens. We drive out of the desperate darkness and sigh with relief. I do not like darkness, especially like that. Nobody does. When jesus was here, He knew He would face terrible darkness when He went to the cross. He knew he would not like it, but He went anyway. Psalm 88 speaks of Jesus at that time and says (vs. 6) "Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps." Verse 12 says "Shall Thy wonders be known in the dark?" He Who is the Light of the world entered the darkness of God's judgment. That darkness ended for Him after three hours. Jesus cried, "It is finished" (John 19:30)! He paid the penalty for sins completely. Judgment was gone! Therefore, there is no darkness for me. But what about you? Can I warn you? The darkness is coming!! It will be sudden; it will be final. In that darkness you will face the punishment for your sins if you will not trust the Lord Jesus to save you from the darkness and judgment. The choice to trust Him is yours. Remember, for the Lord Jesus, it was three hours. For you? "The blackness of darkness for ever" (Jude 1:13)!
No one has commented on this article.
Related Items:
|
Baptism
