Earth has a history of disastrous fires. In 1666, the Great Fire of London destroyed over 13,000 homes, leaving 100,000 homeless. In 1835, the Great Fire of New York consumed seventeen city blocks. The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 left 300 people dead and 90,000 homeless, and one-third of the city destroyed. These are just a few.
Some fires were considered accidents. Some were intentionally set for political purposes. Many people believe Hitler engineered the burning of the German Parliament building in 1933, which he blamed on his opponents, and used as an excuse to decree an emergency law to seize absolute power.
But the Bible tells us the greatest fire is yet to come… “The Day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are in it shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of people ought you to be in all holy conduct and godly living” (2 Peter 3:10,11).
This fire will be God’s wrath against an evil world. But He will remove all those who have put their trust in Christ first… Just as He removed Noah before the flood hit, and Lot before the brimstone fell. And just as Noah preached of the need for righteousness while calling people into the Ark of safety, and just as Lot warned people of the seriousness of their sins, we are to share forgiveness in Christ before “the wrath to come.”
May these calamities awaken us to the urgency of our mission. We must not let anything distract us from this ministry – keep calling people to Christ for eternal safety.
(Devotional by Lisa Cataford)
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