Urgency of God's Calling; His Patience Doesn't Last Forever

God chose Noah, who for 120 years (Genesis 6), while building the Ark he’d been instructed by God to build, preached repentance, turning from sin and putting faith and trust in the true Living God. God says I will not always strive with man and announced a judgement, that drowned the human race save 8 people in Noah’s family.

And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. 

* Genesis 6:3

And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

• Genesis 6:5-8

In the New Testament Noah is referred to as a preacher of righteousness to warn the world of coming judgement.

And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

• 2 Peter 2:5

God told Abraham he’d be bringing judgement on the Canaanites, but that it would be delayed because their iniquity had not yet reached completion, this warning of imminent judgement was fulfilled centuries later during the conquest under Joshua and Israel's settlement in the promised land.

But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.

* Genesis 15:16

In Isaiah 13, he prophesied of the Babylonian's downfall for wickedness, its eventual destruction by the Medes, and fulfilled with Persia's conquest.

And in Isaiah 39, he tells King Hezekiah to hear the word of the LORD, that Babylon will take his treasures and people into captivity.

Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD. And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.

* Isaiah 39:6-7

And Jerimiah spoke of the word of the Lord, warning the people of Judah and Jerusalem of the judgement facing Israel - the Babylonian conquest, the Israelites exodus and captivity in Babylon lasting for 70 years, and that after Babylon itself also would be desolated for its sins.

And the LORD hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising early and sending them; but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear. They said, Turn ye again now every one from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that the LORD hath given unto you and to your fathers for ever and ever:

And go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt. Yet ye have not hearkened unto me, saith the LORD; that ye might provoke me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt. Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Because ye have not heard my words,

Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations.

Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle. And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations.

• Jeremiah 25:4-12

In the New Testament, Luke writes of the parable Jesus speaks; 

He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

• Luke 13:6-9

God is patient with nations, and individuals, but it does not last forever.

Paul says;

And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

• 1 Timothy 1:15-16

Peter writes; 

In Jesus' last week before his crucifixion, he gave a final invitation to Israel.  He had preached for around 3 years in the region. They knew him, his works, yet would not believe in him.

Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them. But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

• John 12:35-40

This was the final call to unbelief, and resultant judgement (stubborn will of man, sovereign judgment of God). The light had been extinguished to them. 

As referenced in John, Isaiah had prophesied this, their hearts hardened so as not to be converted, the time had passed for them.

Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

• Isaiah 6:10

Jesus never again made a public appearance to teach and instruct prior to his crucifixion. After his resurrection he appeared only to believers.

The following are excerpts from the Introduction, in the book Called To Faith: An Illustrative Journey.

We either come to and follow Christ and be part of his Kingdom, or we follow the world and a self-directed path. 

The Apostle Paul writes;

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

* Romans 10:9-10

If you have a desire to learn more about God and his son Jesus, the light of the world, through whom exists the only path to your salvation, believe in and follow Jesus, make him your Lord and Savior, and be saved in him by the glory and grace of him who sent him.

We are created in God's image, with an eternal soul. When we die, we face him.

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

* Hebrews 9:27

In accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior and following him, we are given the gift of eternal life.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

* John 10:27-28

Or, for non-believers, those who reject him, they will face God's wrath.

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

* John 3:36

Jesus makes it clear he came to separate his followers from those who choose the world and its ways over him.

Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:

* Luke 12:51

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

* Mathew 7:13-14

Start your journey of faith, and let God's desire to save you draw you to him, to salvation, to an eternity with him beginning right now in this life. You are not guaranteed tomorrow, so come to Christ while you still have time. What a gift it is to be part of his kingdom now and forever.