I’m guessing many of you have heard that old quote or proverb that goes something like this:

“Though the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceedingly small”; or maybe you heard it referred to as the ‘though the wheel of God’s justice grinds slowly...yet it still grinds...’.

It’s not an actual Bible verse, but it is an interesting observation that is made my many who over time have come to recognize a certain truth that is indeed ‘biblical’, which is found in Numbers 32:23 and states: “...take note...you have sinned against the Lord; and be sure... your sin will find you out.” You might also jot down Ecc. 8:10-13.

Listen to what God had to say about His people through the writings of the prophet Jeremiah: “My people are foolish, they have not known Me. They are silly children and have no understanding...” (4:22)...”...My people do not know the judgment of the Lord...” (8:7). Jeremiah goes on: “O Lord...You have stricken them but they have not grieved; You have consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; they have refused to return (repent)” (5:3). You might want to read those again, slowly.

And why did God say ‘His people...are destroyed’, in Hosea 4:6?

Friends...we simply have not been adequately taught what the ‘wrath of God’ is all about, and therefore this lack of understanding is why there is such a glaring void and/or absence of the ‘fear of God’ today (Jer. 2:19; Rom. 3:18). And Jeremiah pointed the finger of blame directly upon the “prophets who prophesy to you...with worthless words. They speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the Lord. They continually say to those who despise Me- ‘The Lord has said you shall have peace’ and to everyone who walks according to the dictates of his own heart, they say ‘no evil shall come upon you’...” (Jer. 23:16-17) (and for those of you who are quick to 'say' you 'love Jesus' and that He is your 'Lord'...please jot down John 14:15 and Luke 6:46)

Are you not familiar with Paul’s repeated warnings that we ‘be not deceived’ as found in Eph. 5:6 and Gal. 6:7-8? Take a moment and look those up if you would, please.

Paul also expressed concern/fear ...that we might easily be ‘deceived as Eve was by the serpent’ (2 Cor. 11:3) who after God had made clear that if they ate off that one tree, they would ‘surely die’ (Gen. 2:17). And what did the serpent tell Eve...’you surely shall not die’? (Gen. 3:4)

Many of us can be quick to quote Rom. 6:23 that begins with: “For the wages of sin is death...” but how often are we ready to also quote Rom. 8:13 that says: “If you live according to the flesh you will die...”? Or how about Paul’s repeated warning found at the end of Gal. 5:19-21, where after he gives a lengthy list of those ‘evident deeds of the flesh’...makes it clear: “Those who continue to practice these things will NOT inherit the kingdom of God”.

Again, I make the case: we simply have not understood God’s wrath - what it is, how it ‘works’ and why it continues to come/fall today. Please note in Romans 12:14-21, where Paul shares a message similar to what Jesus taught in Matt. 5:44-46 in how we are to respond to those who hate us and persecute us, etc. Paul reminds us that God is watching and knows...and that ‘He will avenge...’; but what are we to do in order for this to happen? – “Give place or make room... for wrath”(19). Remember...the ‘wheels of God’s justice may grind slowly...but they still grind...’. In other words, back off and let God take care of it.

This might be a good place to encourage any who are concerned about now for their own soul...’what must they do to be ‘saved’ (from the wrath of God- Rom. 5:9)? Repentance would be a good start (Acts 2:37-38) because ‘unless you repent, you will all likewise perish’ (Luke 13:3,5). Repentance means we ‘turn from’ and no longer live/do like that. And while we are told that God is ‘slow to anger’ (Nahum 1:2-8), we also know that God is merciful and ‘not willing that any perish but all would come to repentance’ (2 Pet. 3:9).

Do you recall what Peter had to say about ‘the time has come for judgement to being...’; and where did he say it would ‘begin first’, in 1 Peter 4:17? You might want to read through the short chapter 9 in Ezekiel, and be sure to underline vs.6.

Friends...this is where I was going yesterday with my word picture making reference to ‘spiritual termites’. Don’t let others kid you, let alone you deceive yourself as well. Sin ‘gives place to the devil’ (Eph. 4:27). When Jesus told that man to ‘go and sin no more’ in John 5:14, He also warned him that if he did continue to practice sin...’something worse might come upon him’. Why did Jesus say that? Because He understood full well what happens when a man fails to repent and turn their hearts over completely to Him. They. Will. Perish. (Luke 13:3,8; Acts 3:22-23)

This is how God’s law was set up and designed to operate, and we know the law ‘brings wrath and a curse’ (Rom. 4:15; Gal. 3:10). That is what was stressed over and over in the Book of Deut. and let’s not forget that Jesus made it clear...He did not come to ‘do away with the law’ (Matt. 5:17). He came to lead us to fulfill it just as He did; but unless we surrender to His Lordship and do the things He tells us to do (Luke 6:46; John 10:27), we will remain ‘under the law’...and NOT grace (Rom. 6:14; Gal. 5:18). And those who do follow His leading, which begins with ‘putting to death the deeds of the flesh’ (Rom.8:13-14) will meet all the ‘righteous requirements of the law’ provide they are living according to the Spirit and not the flesh (Rom. 8:4). Now take a look at Rom. 2:13 and 3:31.

You see...as I have shared repeatedly here... we have not understood the Law, which ties right in to those other two areas that I believe we have failed to understand which relates to ‘the flesh’ and ‘the enemy’. Do you realize yet...what the ‘food source’ is for those ‘spiritual termites’ I spoke of yesterday? It is the powers of darkness, our spiritual enemy who goes about like a ‘roaring lion’ (termites maybe?) seeking to devour. And what did we learn back in Genesis 3 after the fall of man into sin? There was a curse placed on the ‘serpent’ that he would ‘eat dust all the days of his life’ (Gen. 3:14); and what is man’s ‘flesh’ made of? – Dust (Gen. 3:19). See you tomorrow? (Romans 1:18)