"Truth or Consequences!"

Beyond a long running radio and then “TV” game show in America (1950--1988), the title bespeaks a sobering fact.  When confronted with truth one does not have the luxury to make up his/her mind about its acceptance.  A decision must be made at the moment. This issue came sharply to the fore in the last days of his life when Jesus was ministering in Jerusalem.  It was when He wept over Jerusalem.  The passage of Scripture that tells of His weeping also tells of two things that make it clear why He wept (Luke 19:41-44).  First, He said, “If you had known even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace!  But now they are hidden from your eyes” (19:42).  Second, He said, the very difficult things that are going to happen to you will do so, “because you did not know the time of your visitation” (19:44).

History lets us know exactly what happened with these two warnings:  absolute and total destruction of Jerusalem with massive loss of life and catching away into captivity of those left.

Truth personified had walked into Jerusalem’s midst and most of the official leadership and many of Jerusalem’s people refused to acknowledge it or, Him, Jesus.

Israel’s privilege, or, burden, depending on one’s perspective, from her founding to the present was to be “captive to the Truth”.  This could be said of no other peoples or nation, because their God was the only one, true, living God and Jesus is His Son.  In fact, Jesus boldly said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except by Me” (John 14:6).

The peril of rejection of “the truth” is further highlighted in the “Sending Out of the Twelve” (Matthew Chpt. 10), on sort of like a “test journey”. Amongst other instructions Jesus said, “And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.  Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!” (vss. 14 & 15).  Sodom could plead some degree of ignorance, not so the cities of Israel.  Heavy would be God’s judgment upon them.

So immediately it has to be concluded that there are consequences to turning away from the “truth”.  Those consequences may not show up within 24 hours, but be sure what “light” may have been presented with the truth to you, will begin to turn to darkness.  And, if not repented of, gross darkness will overtake you.

Exhibit “A” of this whole process is the Jews.  From the time of Christ to the present theirs has been a hard walk, never knowing when a given host country might turn upon them.  However, word is coming in from many quarters that Jews world-round are embracing Jesus as their Messiah in unprecedented numbers, coming to “the Truth”.  But, for the nation, as a whole, they will not know peace until they say, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Luke 13:35b).

Would you walk in “truth”?  You can, but it’s not of yourself.  It’s in Him Who is Truth. You trifle with this only in peril of your soul.