They Will Not Believe It Until They Feel It!
The coming wrath is a reality that should motivate us to flee to Christ, who alone can save us from it.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes the urgency of fleeing from the coming wrath of God, which is the greatest evil that can befall a soul. He warns that many will not believe in this wrath until they experience it, highlighting that it is both treasured-up and pure, with no mercy for the impenitent. Brooks describes the everlasting nature of this wrath, illustrating the folly of choosing temporary pleasures over eternal torment. He calls sinners to recognize the severity of their situation and to seek refuge in Christ, who alone can save them from this impending judgment.
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"Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?" Luke 3:7
"Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath." 1 Th. 1:10
1. The coming wrath is the greatest wrath. It is the greatest
evil which can befall a soul. "Who knows the power of Your wrath?"
Psalm 19:11. The coming wrath is such wrath as no unsaved man
can either avoid or abide. And yet such is most men's stupidity,
that they will not believe it until they feel it!
As God is a great God--so His wrath is a great wrath. If the
wrath of an earthly king is so terrible--oh how dreadful must
the wrath of the King of kings then be!
The greater the evil is, the more cause we have to flee from
it. Now the coming wrath is the greatest evil, and therefore
the more it concerns us to flee from it!
2. The coming wrath is treasured-up wrath. Sinners are still
"a-treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath," Romans 2:5.
While wicked men are following their own lusts, they think that
they are still adding to their own happiness. But alas, they do
but add wrath to wrath! They do but heap up judgment upon
judgment, and punishment upon punishment! Look! as men
are daily adding to their treasure more and more, so impenitent
sinners are daily increasing the treasury of wrath against their
own souls.
3. The coming wrath is pure wrath. It is "judgment without
mercy." The cup of wrath which God will put into sinners' hands
at last, will be a cup of pure wrath--all wrath--nothing but wrath.
"They must drink the wine of God's wrath. It is poured out
undiluted into God's cup of wrath. And they will be tormented
with fire and burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels
and the Lamb." Revelation 14:10.
Look! as there is nothing but the pure glory of God--which can
make a man perfectly and fully happy; just so, there is nothing
but the pure wrath of God--which can make a man fully and
perfectly miserable. Reprobates shall not only sip of the top of
God's cup--but they shall drink the dregs of His cup! They shall
not have one drop of mercy, nor one crumb of comfort! They
have filled up their lifetime with sin--and God will fill up their
eternity with torments!
4. The coming wrath is everlasting wrath. "And the smoke
of their torment ascends up forever and ever!" Rev. 14:11.
"They shall have . . .
punishment without pity,
misery without mercy,
sorrow without support,
crying without comfort,
mischief without measure,
torment without ease--
where the worm dies not, and the fire is never quenched."
The torments of the damned shall continue as many eternities
--as there are stars in the skies, as there are grains of sand on
the sea-shore, and as there are drops of water found in the sea!
When the present worlds are ended, the pains and torments of
hell shall not cease--but begin afresh, and thus this wheel shall
turn round and round, without end.
Oh the folly and vanity, the madness and baseness of poor
wretched sinners--who expose themselves to everlasting
torments--for a few fleshly momentary pleasures!
O sirs! "Who can stand before His fierce anger? Who can survive
His burning fury? His rage blazes forth like fire, and the mountains
crumble to dust in His presence!" Nahum 1:6.
How should these things work poor sinners to flee to Christ,
who alone is able to save them from the coming wrath.
1 Thessalonians 1:10
Sermon Outline
- The Coming Wrath is the Greatest Wrath points: - It is the greatest evil which can befall a soul - No unsaved man can avoid or abide it
- The Coming Wrath is Treasured-Up Wrath points: - Sinners are adding to their own wrath daily - They are increasing the treasury of wrath against their souls
- The Coming Wrath is Pure Wrath points: - It is judgment without mercy - It is a cup of pure wrath, undiluted and unrelenting
- The Coming Wrath is Everlasting Wrath points: - The torments of the damned shall continue forever - There is no end to the pain and torment in hell
Key Quotes
“Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?” — Thomas Brooks
“They must drink the wine of God's wrath. It is poured out undiluted into God's cup of wrath.” — Thomas Brooks
“And the smoke of their torment ascends up forever and ever!” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- We should flee to Christ to escape the coming wrath.
- The coming wrath is a reminder of the importance of living a life of repentance and faith.
- Those who are not saved will face eternal torment and suffering in hell.