Why so long? Was it necessary for the Almighty to wait for mankind to develop the technology of microchips so that the Scriptures would be fulfilled. “And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” (Rev. 13:17) Is it so that Satan would have time to bring to mind the necessary items to fulfill his own plans of conquest. Perhaps it is the ridiculous notion that man needed to perfect the armaments necessary to destroy the world several times over so that He could use them to His own advantage. Why allow two thousand years of suffering and sorrow, one generation after another of pain and anguish, why let us go on century after century when the majority of human beings despise and reject Him, when their assured end is eternal damnation, why put up with any of us for any length of time, much less twenty plus centuries when you can make sons of Abraham out of rocks, (Matt. 3:9) when there is plenty of dust and dirt to start over. Why so long?
Some might like to think it is love, but did He not love the generation before us, all those who are now dead and gone as much as He loves us, was He hoping that perhaps this generation would turn to Him, that we would serve Him as Lord and Master instead of us continuously asking Him to serve us, to give us all the world and then heaven also.
The longer man remains on this planet, the more of us there are, the more we draw away from the Lord, the more we hear, “Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” (2 Peter 3:4) “There is none righteous,” (Romans 3:10) and the longer we are here, the less there are that are even seeking to be pleasing in His eyes, they want more than they are willing to give.
I do not believe that most Christians truly understand just what it is that this age of grace is all about, this time of unmerited favor. We are deserving of much more punishment from the Lord than any of those in the time of law, or even those before it was given, “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” (Romans 3:20) We not only have the knowledge of the law, but also the ability to comprehend and to live in His grace, and yet we still continue to seek our own ways. “When the cat is away, the mice will play.” The Lord of the vineyard, the One who sent servants they beat and tortured, the One who sent His only Son, that they killed, is preparing to return, and then my friends, it will not matter how long it has been, it will make no difference as to why He tarried so long, grace will be replaced that day with vengeful wrath, “But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap.” (Malachi 3:2)
We are in the time of the gentiles, and if you think that the children of Israel were hard hearted and stiff-necked, go and look upon the gentiles, they are mean, evil, carnal, self-centered, and self-serving, their pride allows them nothing but concern for their own well-being, they are hateful and spiteful, and will only serve a god that serves them first. Why so long? I really do not have an answer for you, I know that most people have no faith in Jesus Christ and in Him alone for their salvation, for the path is wide, and I also know that many more will die in their sins than those that there are that will be saved, “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matt. 7:14)
I know that every one that serves the traditions and obligations put upon them by the religious organizations that they attend more than on the truths of the Scriptures, will not enter into the kingdom of God. I know for a fact that serving Christ means more than just attending church, more than just feeling good about Jesus, I know that the only way that it is possible to see who the servants of the Most High are is by the fruits of the Spirit, seven days a week, by their words and their actions. (Matt. 7:20) I know that many people who think they are saved are not, even when they cast demons out, because their hearts are far from the Lord. But I do not know why He has decided to allow this age of grace to continue for so long, I know only that it will come to a close one day.
