wrath and mercy

The above image is very familiar to me.  I have often seen it, throughout the past couple of years at least, especially, when I have studied the subject of hell.  That one picture seems to capture much--but by no means all--of what I understand about the nature of hell and of its unspeakable torments.  Still, something bothers me even more than to contemplate the realities of eternal damnation:
which is to say, it makes me almost physically sick when I think about the case of actual persons who doubtless have gone to hell.  How foolish, how utterly careless--indeed, how truly INSANE they are, who will not seriously consider the wrath of God!  I once knew a woman who, while lying feebly upon her hospital bed just hours before her death, thrust her arm out in an effort to push me to the floor--as I was leaned over beside her bed, sharing the hope of the Gospel with her.  "You get that out of here!" she spewed through gritted teeth; "I'll push you on your  _**!"

Hell did not create itself.  Hell does not sustain itself.  But God's wrath--which is every bit as complete and perfect as is His love, that wrath of God is what created and sustains hell--perpetually, forevermore.  How?  Why?  It seems to boggle the mind, trying to reconcile what appear to be polar opposites of God's attributes, namely, His mercy--and His wrath.  Yet, we know that God is holy and just--and, yes, that God is wonderful in His mercy.  None of us asked for Him to send Jesus Christ to be our Savior; that was all God's doing, it was His will.  He took the initiative to save humanity, though He was under no obligation to do so.  The suffering of death, which rightfully belonged to each and every one of us, Christ took upon Himself.  No one can imagine what suffering He endured for us.  What on earth could Christ have foreseen which caused him to pray so hard that his sweat poured out as great drops of blood?  Something more than mere physical death, I believe, provoked Jesus to plead with his Father that, if it were by any means possible, the "cup" which Jesus was about to "drink," might pass him by.

The Father set His own Son upon the throne, as the King of kings and Lord of lords, to rule and reign over all of God's Kingdom.  Hell is reserved unto those who refuse to bow their will to honor and obey God's King, Jesus Christ.  Thus they make themselves to be the enemies of God, and of all that God loves.   The older I become, the more I realize just how evil is the unregenerate heart of man.  And, Oh! how greatly we need the salvation of God in Jesus Christ!

In view of the finality of the judgment of hell, I perceive the judgments of God, during this present time, as being very serious--albeit very merciful--warnings from God.  "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth," the Scripture says.  "It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed," the prophet Jeremiah wrote.  "Before I was afflicted I went astray," the Psalmist confessed.  If God's mercies were finally exhausted, then, there would be nothing of grace to withstand against His wrath. Nevertheless, though "the LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy" (Psalm 145:8), yet, God does indeed become angry--with those who persist to refuse and to rebel against His goodness.  Although God is "slow" to anger, it is sheer madness to suppose that God's anger cannot be kindled to the point of....well, igniting the fires of hell.

There is really only one reason why people--whether churchgoers or not--go to hell, namely:

They don't take God's Word seriously.

There is a point beyond which God's judgments must no longer be intended as warnings and as correction, but as punishments.  I greatly fear for America that, thus, it is increasingly the case with this nation.  Soon, I expect, true Christians may experience for themselves the fulfilling of Psalm 91, which states:

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.  A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.  Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.  (vs 5-8)

It is surely coming; notwithstanding, it sounds like something out of a science-fiction movie, wherein superhuman heroes, against all believable odds, survive the final Apocalypse.  (In fact, Hollywood writers plagiarized such fantastic scenarios straight from the Bible.)

As we very rapidly approach the coming Day of the LORD--or what many prefer to call the Tribulation, we are going to witness increasingly great judgments from God; it must be so.  Nevertheless, true Christians shall never taste of God's wrath; though we daily suffer the wickedness of this present world.

We are promised complete victory in Jesus Christ--if we will be faithful to him.  "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid," are some of Jesus's most comforting words to his Church.  "Let not," means that I will need to resist the temptation to fear and to fret about things beyond my control.  I leave you with the promises of God, in Psalm 46:

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.  Selah [which means, 'Pause, and think about that'] .  

There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.  God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.  The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.  The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. 

Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth.  He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.  Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.  The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. 

Pause, and think about that.  It would do your soul good, to memorize those few verses and rehearse them, often....