GLMX: The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict and the Fair Warning of God to All People

The current ongoing flare-up in violence between Israel and Gaza reminds us of how dangerous and fragile our world is. Our hearts go out for the innocent men, women, and children who are caught in the crossfire on both the Israeli and Palestinian sides, and we hope and pray that the fighting will end swiftly so that peace and normalcy will return.

One of the tactics that the Israeli military has used throughout the conflict in order to help save lives is by sending warnings to residents who live in areas close to targets the military is going to strike. These warnings to evacuate have been issued via automated phone calls, text messages, and leaflets dropped from planes. Those who take heed to the fair warnings stand a better chance of surviving the warfare. Those who don't put their own lives at risk.

In our society, we value the benefits of a fair warning. We have tornado warning systems that sound off telling people that they need to get to shelter as quickly as possible. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center monitors the effects of earthquakes around the Ring of Fire and lets communities know when they need to warn people to move to higher ground. We rely on weather forecasts in order to determine how we need to prepare for the next day or the next week. If we take heed to the fair warnings that we receive, we can stay out of a lot of trouble and avoid many tragic situations. 

Thankfully, we have also been given fair warning about the greatest tragedy that can befall any one of us. That tragedy is the eternal consequences of our sins and the rejection of a free gift that can deliver us from those consequences. When a group of religious people came to John the Baptist to be baptized, John asked them, "Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" 

...

MUSICAL SELECTION: "Jesus is Lord" by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend