Seeing The Elephant

TITLE: Seeing The Elephant
DATE: November 8, 2018
TEXT: Revelation 22:10-13 (ESV) 10  And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11  Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.” 12  “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

In the early part of the 19th century there was a familiar song about a farmer who went to town to sell some produce. Before he left, he said to his wife, “I hear the circus is coming to town, and if I'm lucky, I’m going to see an elephant."
The farmer did go to town and he did see that elephant… and so did his horses.

Those horses took one look at the elephant and they ran. The farmer was thrown off the wagon, the wagon itself was busted up and the produce was lost. The farmer walked home without horses, without wagon, without produce, without money. His wife, took stock of her battered spouse asked, “What happened to you.” He replied: “I saw the elephant.”

For some reason, that song about seeing the elephant stuck with Americans.

When someone decided to go west, he would tell his friends he was going to go and ‘see the elephant.’ Those that didn’t make it to their destination came back and said they had seen the ‘elephant’s tracks’ or the ‘elephant’s tail’ and that was more than enough. Those who managed to make it to their goal proudly boasted, “I have seen the elephant.’ ‘

Seeing the elephant.’ For some it is a wonderful experience, for others it is terrifying.

The same can be said in regard to the Christ.

Scripture is clear there is a day of judgment coming for this world. Many have guessed at the day and year, but its arrival is still unknown. What we do know is this: the day of judgment is coming and on that day we will not see any imaginary elephant… no, we will see the real Savior.

The problem is… on that day the time to believe in Jesus as Savior will be at an end.
​
Those in whom the Holy Spirit has implanted faith will welcome the sight of God’s Son who lived, suffered, died and rose for them; Who has forgiven their sins and opened the doors to heaven. They will shout “Hallelujahs” in praise of Him Who has changed their eternal destinies. In Revelation Jesus says these are the righteous and He will find them living out their faith.
​
But there will be others that day…

There will be many others who have no faith in the Lamb of God Who has taken away the sins of the world. For them Judgment Day will be Too Late Day. It will be too late for them to repent; too late for them to hear the Holy Spirit’s calling; too late for them to believe. Jesus spoke about this group, too. He says He will find the evildoer still doing that which is wrong; and the dirty soul will still be filthy.

For them Jesus will come not as beloved Savior and Lord, but as their Divinely appointed Judge.

Their everlasting punishment will be both sad and sorrowful …and so unnecessary. Unnecessary because they still have time now to believe in Jesus and, my friends, we still have time to tell them.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, grant that souls which are lost this day may see the Savior’s sacrifice and His story of love. While there is yet time, turn them so they may believe and be saved. In the Redeemer’s Name we pray. Amen.