Every Eye # 2

Every Eye # 2

1. Is not the eye frequently the inlet of the greatest possible display, alarm, terror, and distress? Imagine the men of the old world as they saw the door of the Ark close, and then by and by saw the huge raindrops descend, and watched the rising waters until every ray of hope was quenched.

Imagine the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah as they saw the words of Lot fulfilled, and the fire descend from above on the doomed cities.

Imagine the company of Korah as the ground began to heave beneath their feet and the vast chasm open its mouth to receive them.

Imagine the conscience-stricken Ahab as he saw the prophet Elijah standing in the field of Naboth - the very sight of the faithful servant of Jehovah awakening him to all the judgments which his sin was bringing upon him.

Imagine a man coming home from Australia with the earnings of a life's labor, and seeing the vessel with it all sinking in the depths.

Or imagine the parent watching by the deathbed of the child in whom all his hopes were centered, who had been the idol of his home and the one object for whom he lived.

Now think what will the sight of Christ be to the unsaved man. In that sight will be every possible element of grief and distress.

Every idol of his heart will be dashed to pieces in a moment. Whether it be home or wife, or child, a high position or a store of wealth, the fruit of a life's work or the usual enjoyment of some gift of Divine Providence - whatever it may be, it becomes a thing of the past. The stream is dried up; time is no more, and time's possessions have passed out of his hand.

From that sight will arise the shame of discovery. However cleverly the plot has been laid or the deed of evil hidden from the eyes of men, there will be no more possibility of concealment.  The eyes which are as a flame of fire see through every disguise. The impenitent sinner must stand naked and confounded, with his sin open and known to all.

Then, too, conscience will speak out, and can no longer be silenced. As the sight of Elijah brought the sin of Ahab to his remembrance, what will it be when men see Him against whom they have sinned, and who knows them altogether? Ah! the reproach, the remorse, the sting of conscience on that day! Too often conscience slumbers now - it is drugged by the devil's opiates. It sleeps on, silenced by false hopes, by low views of sin, by promises of future amendment, or by the idea of mercy in God, even where that mercy has been despised and rejected!

But then it will sleep no more. The sight of a coming Judge will effectually and forever dispel all its delusions. In no uncertain tone will the voice be heard: "You are the man! What have you done?" Moreover, that sight will be to the sinner, the token of the coming day of wrath.

We have a glimpse given of the scene that we may look for. "The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks: Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?~ (Revelation 6:14-17).

Yes, every eye shall see Him! For through rock and mountain and cave, that eye shall still behold him. No hiding-place will be deep enough or dark enough to cover him from sight.

Think of it, friend, you who are yet in your sins. Think of it, friend, who are yet back from Him by the shadows of earth. Would it not be well to seek a hiding place now? Would it not be well, even this very day, to flee from the anticipation of His wrath - to the arms of His mercy? Would it not be well now to fix your eye on Him, in deep self-abasement and humble trust? Hidden in Him, covered with His all-sufficient merit, and arrayed in His snow while robe of righteousness - what then shall you fear? What then will the presence of His glory be to you, but the most blissful sight that every you have seen!

2. The brighter side of this subject, must not be forgotten.

If the eye is the inlet of fear and dismay - it is no less the inlet of joy, too deep for words to express.

Imagine the joy of Abraham and Sarah in the sight of the child so long promised and so long waited for!

Remember the old patriarch Jacob and the gladness he must have experienced when again he saw his long-lost son, and saw him as ruler of the land of Egypt?

Think of the delight of the shepherds as they beheld the infant Jesus, in whom they had learned to recognize the Saviour of the world; or of the Eastern Magi, as with exceeding great joy they again beheld the ship which brings her husband home to her after a long voyage.

~George Everard~

(continued with # 3)