Thus says the Lord: “Behold, waters are going to rise from the north
And become an overflowing torrent,
And overflow the land and all its fullness,
The city and those who live in it;
And the men will cry out,
And every inhabitant of the land will wail, (47:2).
Now it is the Philistines to whom God’s message is addressed. Only seven brief verses, but seven verses brimming over with the frightening future rushing towards them with waters rising and an overflowing torrent that will overflow the land. His Judgment was coming, Like a Flood, and there would be no stopping it. And they would be engulfed in wailing and distress, in a deluge of despair and shame when His Judgment Like a Flood was released.
Consider His Judgment Like a Flood
Floods are terrifying, especially when they come at the hand of God’s wrath. And this short chapter describes a tsunami that would not be quieted, for the Lord had ordered it so.
“Ah, sword of the Lord,
How long will you not be quiet?
Withdraw into your sheath;
Be at rest and stay still.
7 “How can it be quiet,
When the Lord has given it an order?
Against Ashkelon and against the seacoast—
There He has assigned it,” (47:6-7).
I was reminded of that sorrowful time in history when He ordered it so upon the whole earth because of the continually great wickedness among the people; so great that the Lord was sorry He had made man; so grieved that His Judgment Like a Flood of Fury would eradicate all the evil from the face of the land.
Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 The Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them,” (Genesis 6:5-7).
But there was one.
But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord, (Genesis 6:8).
And His Judgment Like a Flood of Favor was poured out on the one who trusted Him for salvation, sparing Noah and his family from destruction,
Then the Lord said to Noah, “Enter the ark, you and all your household, for you alone I have seen to be righteous before Me in this time,” (Genesis 7:1).
How do we respond to His Judgment Like a Flood?
The day is coming when His Judgment Like a Flood will be poured out. The question is, will we be found under the Flood of His wrath or will we come under the Flood of the blood of the One Who took His wrath in our place?
It is a choice that is offered: His Judgment Like a Flood of Fury or His Judgment Like a Flood of Favor. It is a choice we all must make, and it can only be one way or the other, for His Favor is found in the Way of only One, the One Who died for us that we might come to the Father for eternal life.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me,” (John 14:6).
And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son, (1 John 5:11).
I pray for each of you that happen upon this writing, that you will stop to seriously consider which Flood you will one day face. If you do not know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, today can be the day that you place yourself beneath His Flood of Favor. Simply call on Him in faith, confess your sins and your need for His salvation; He promises He will hear you and you will be saved.
For He says, “In the time of My favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation, (2 Corinthians 6:2).
In closing, let us contemplate His Judgment Like a Flood of Favor. I pray we would each be so encouraged in our gratitude and worship by the lyrics of an old, treasured hymn, There is a Fountain, published in 1772, and written by William Cowper, who wrestled with depression.
And while depression may flood our soul, it cannot overturn His Judgment Like a Flood of Favor, drawn from Immanuel’s veins.
Today, let’s spend time meditating on the truths of this song. Perhaps, pull it up on YouTube, and let the tears of gratitude Flood our eyes and souls for His Judgment Like a Flood through Jesus Christ Whose redeeming love washes all our sins away and grants us forgiveness from sin in His Flood of Favor poured out in His precious blood.
And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness, (Hebrews 9:22).
There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel’s veins;
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
Lose all their guilty stains:
Lose all their guilty stains,
Lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
Lose all their guilty stains.The dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in his day;
And there may I, though vile as he,
Wash all my sins away:
Wash all my sins away,
Wash all my sins away;
And there may I, though vile as he,
Wash all my sins away.Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood
Shall never lose its pow’r,
Till all the ransomed Church of God
Be saved, to sin no more:
Be saved, to sin no more,
Be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed Church of God
Be saved to sin no more.E’er since by faith I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die:
And shall be till I die,
And shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die.