49. Меч, висящий над головой

If someone was sitting or standing in any place, and a sharp sword on a thin thread hung over his head, everyone would judge him that he was in great danger, for in this case obvious death would hang over him. And anyone, seeing a person in such danger, would call him from that place. Thus, the sword of justice and the wrath of God hangs over every unrepentant sinner. Hangs over the fornicator and adulterer. Hangs over the thief and kidnapper. Hangs over the slanderer and the scolder. Hangs over the ruler, who seeks his own nasty self-interest, and not the common good. Hangs over the shepherd, who does not care about the verbal sheep, redeemed by the blood of Christ, perishing. Hangs over the bribe-taking judge, who judges by bribes and by persons, and not by deeds. Hangs over the master, who either torments his peasants like an animal, or burdens them with excessive taxes or work. It hangs over parents who do not teach their children the fear of God, but seduce and corrupt their children with their lawless lives, and pave the way for them, having been washed and saved by the bath of rebirth. Finally, it hangs over every lawless person who arbitrarily and fearlessly dares to violate the law of God. “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men” (Rom 1:18). He hangs, I say, and as soon as he falls, nothing less than eternal death will follow that poor sinner. So the wrath of God fell on the Sodomites - and they perished. He fell on the fierce pharaoh - and drowned in the sea like tin with all his army. He fell on the lawless Israelites in the desert and killed them. “The wrath of God came upon them and killed very many of them” * (Ps. 77:31). Ah, poor sinner! A sharp sword hangs over you, and threatens you with nothing less than death. And if you do not move from your place, he will fall on you. Come down, please, come down - lest he fall and strike you, and “cut you in pieces, and expose you to the same fate as the hypocrites” (Matthew 24:51). God is still patient with you because of His goodness, so correct yourself while He is patient! I tolerated it until this time, but whether I will tolerate it in the future, I don’t know. Jump off, beloved, please, quickly jump off the path of the wicked, over whom the sword of God’s wrath hangs, until it strikes you with them! “O man! Or do you neglect the riches of His goodness, meekness and long-suffering,... not realizing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? (Rom 2:4) and so on. “Blessed is the man who did not walk in the counsel of the wicked, and did not stand in the way of sinners, and did not sit in the company of destroyers” (Ps. 1:1). When a person avoids the above danger, he walks safely and freely. So, when a sinner turns to God with all his heart, and leaves the path of the wicked, and begins to live in true repentance, then he is already free from the proper wrath of God and, instead of the wrath of God, he hopes for and awaits the mercy of God. The judgment and wrath of God does not fall on sinners who repent, for this is what God wants and expects from us, so that we turn to Him and repent. So the wrath of God hung over the Ninevites, but when they turned and repented, the wrath of God did not fall on them, but instead of anger they knew the mercy of God. “And God saw their works, that they turned from their wicked ways; and God regretted the evil which He said He would bring upon them, but did not bring” (Jonah 3:10). “I will hear what the Lord my God will say in me, how He will speak peace on His people, and on His saints, and on those who turn their hearts to Him” (Ps. 84:9). Every repentant heart will receive this peaceful answer from the goodness of God. Oh, truly blessed is the person who, having left the path of the wicked, is in true repentance. Over such things “there is joy among the angels of God” in heaven (Luke 15:10). If by the grace of God you are moved to this good deed, Christian, stand and be strong, beloved, in that to the end, and even in that century you will dwell with the Angels, and with them you will glorify the Most Good God forever and ever. It is not the beginning, but the end that is praised. Start well, finish well, and you will be happy. “His salvation is near to those who fear Him (God)” (Ps. 84:10). “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life,” says the Lord to you (Rev. 2:10). Translation by P. Yungerov – Editorial office of “The ABC of Faith” You might be interested in: