No doubt, some nations have seen more of the Lord’s mighty works than others. Those nations are accountable for all that they have known and experienced.
One day, the world’s hope will come to an abrupt end. Although the world (apart from Christ) derives its hope from several sources, their common ground revolves around the fact that their hope is not in God. The Bible points to the results: “the hypocrite’s hope shall perish” (Job 8:13), “all that forget God” (Job 8:13) will see their hope “cut off” (Job 8:14), and the hope of the wicked “shall be as the giving up of the ghost” (Job 11:20). Unfortunately, the world can only focus upon the here and now. They judge everything by how things are presently taking place. If they gain (riches, health, material goods, promotions), they assume that they have hope, yet they fail to see that there will be no hope when God brings judgment upon their souls (Job 27:8).
As time winds down, the need for sobriety increases. Temptations are seemingly escalating from every angle and source. Even if sin did not have the ability to lure away a believer, busyness and hobbies tug at his heart to steal away one’s time and strength. The Devil labours to keep the believer from working while it is day (John 9:4) knowing that a sober believer gets much more accomplished for the Lord. While men are spiritually asleep (Matthew 13:25), the enemy has free reign to disrupt and destroy the lives of others. The apostle Paul saw this dilemma and warned “that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed” (Romans 13:11).
The Bible admonishes believers to be stedfast and unmoveable (1 Corinthians 15:58). We are to be grounded and settled (Colossians 1:23) in the faith—much like a tree planted by the rivers of waters (Psalm 1:3). Yet, today's passage points to the dangers of a hardened heart set in rebellion. It is likened to a stone and a millstone. We should remain stedfast in our commitment to serve the Lord, yet our hearts should remain tender and pliable to Him and His will. A stony heart hinders the seed of God’s word from taking root (Matthew 13:5-6). This hardness hinders the possibility of spiritual fruit from taking root and maturing. A soft heart and a stedfast walk exhibit the godly balance that God desires for each of us.
