The Great Judgement Morning

The Great Judgement Morning

2 Corinthians 6:2

King James Version (KJV)

² (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

Today’s offering comes once more from a song, seldom heard these days, and from scripture of vital importance to an increasingly deaf world, one deaf by choice only.

Over the years, many “artists” included this song in their repertoire, each and all of them made far more popular by secular offerings rather than the hymns sung in warning and promise.

Most of these “artists” have now passed, their contributions to a style of secular music, lauded and copied, resonating through new voices that choose to maintain the purity of the music they wrote, sang and inspired in others.

Offerings such as the one chosen are neglected, because it is unpopular to remind any of the cost that must be paid by each at the end of a journey taken by all, to include these “artists” who at least recognized the need to affirm the reality of their mortality, and the reality of eternity that exists for each as well.

The Great Judgement Morning

I dreamed that the great judgement morning
Had dawned, and the trumpet had blown
I dreamed that all nations had gathered
To judgement before the white throne
From the throne came a bright shining angel
And he stood on the land and the sea
And swore with his hand raised to heaven
That time was no longer to be

And oh what weeping and wailing
As the lost were told of their fate
They cried for the rocks and the mountains
They prayed, but their prayers were too late

The rich man was there but his money
Had melted and vanished away
A pauper stood there in the judgement
His debts were too many to pay
The great man was there, but his greatness
When death came, was left far behind
The angel that opened the records
No trace of his greatness could find

And oh what weeping and wailing
As the lost were told of their fate
They cried for the rocks and the mountains
They prayed, but their prayers were too late

The widow was there and the orphan
God heard and remembered their cries
No sorrow in heaven forever
God wiped all the tears from their eyes
The gambler was there and the drunkard
And they who had sold them the drink
With people who gave them the license
Together in hell they did sink

And oh what weeping and wailing
As the lost were told of their fate
They cried for the rocks and the mountains
They prayed, but their prayers were too late

The moral man to the judgement
But self rightousness would not do
For the men who had crucified jesus
Had passed off as moral men too
And the souls that had put off salvation
Not tonight I'll get saved by and by
No time now to think of salvation
At last they had found time to die

And oh what weeping and wailing
As the lost were told of their fate
They cried for the rocks and the mountains
They prayed, but their prayers were too late

The author of this piece of music, to the best of my ability to determine, was the same young man who wrote “Lonely Tombs”.

His life was tragically short, his lifestyle and habits well known, as were others along through the years who also chose to record this song.

Perhaps, each of them was waiting for a more “conveient time” to make change to their lifestyles and choices that were made.

What is convenient and expedient to youth holds no meaning for what is convenient and expedient to God.

Acts 24:14-25

¹⁴ But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:

¹⁵ And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

¹⁶ And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void to offence toward God, and toward men.

¹⁷ Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings.

¹⁸ Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult.

¹⁹ Who ought to have been here before thee, and object, if they had ought against me.

²⁰ Or else let these same here say, if they have found any evil doing in me, while I stood before the council,

²¹ Except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day.

²² And when Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge of that way, he deferred them, and said, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter.

²³ And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him.

²⁴ And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.

²⁵ And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.

The reasoning of righteousness, temperance and judgement to come is to be found from the first pages of our bible through the final pages it contains.

Fear and trembling, such as that given by Felix are expected, and yet in and of themselves, unacceptable… there is no more convenient season to come than the season in which warning is heard and heeded, and promise accepted, or rejected in anticipation of that more convenient time that will never exist.

There is an old saying that you cannot have your cake and eat it too.

Decision must be made whether immediacy and temporary want outweigh eternal and abiding need.

The prophets made mention of the GREAT and TERRIBLE day of the LORD.

Choice as to whether it is anticipated with joy for its greatness, or whether it is anticipated with fear and cringing in the expectation of its terror remains one of free will, to be exercised by each and all, either in faith in the promise delivered by Christ Jesus, and abiding in that faith, or denial of that faith while awaiting a more convenient time that is most inconvenient indeed for those choosing to make it so.

As for myself:

2 Timothy 1:12 King James Version (KJV)

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

My sincerest prayer for all, remains that they too may make this statement, having found the convenience of the fierce urgency of now, the same urgency that was shown by Jesus, and continues to be shown by him for each willing to comprehend that urgency.

Amen and Amen

CMc