Why reject His gift?

“Thus says the Lord God: This is Jerusalem. I have set her in the center of the nations, with countries all around her. And she has rebelled against my rules by doing wickedness more than the nations, and against my statutes more than the countries all around her; for they have rejected my rules and have not walked in my statutes. Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you are more turbulent than the nations that are all around you, and have not walked in my statutes or obeyed my rules, and have not even acted according to the rules of the nations that are all around you, therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, even I, am against you. And I will execute judgments in your midst in the sight of the nations. And because of all your abominations I will do with you what I have never yet done, and the like of which I will never do again. Therefore fathers shall eat their sons in your midst, and sons shall eat their fathers. And I will execute judgments on you, and any of you who survive I will scatter to all the winds. Therefore, as I live, declares the Lord God, surely, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable things and with all your abominations, therefore I will withdraw. My eye will not spare, and I will have no pity. A third part of you shall die of pestilence and be consumed with famine in your midst; a third part shall fall by the sword all around you; and a third part I will scatter to all the winds and will unsheathe the sword after them. (Ezekiel 5:5–12)

In those days the wrath of God on idolatry was expressed in pestilence and famine, war and death, and being displaced — also with death. The news these days tells of famine, wars, and God's people fleeing to safer places as immigrants. Is the reason for these events rooted in God's anger with human idolatry?

It could be. However, His wrath on sin was borne by Jesus Christ. No one has to experience these horrors, or at least not as judgement for sin because the Lamb of God suffered and died for all of it. “No condemnation” is fully available to those who put their faith in Him.
Therein is the issue — lack of faith in the One who said:

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

To reject freely offered pardon makes no sense. Why say NO to the grace of God? Why face judgement without mercy? Why risk the horror of famine so severe that people eat people? Or go to war that slays those who say NO? Why be scattered from home and safety just for the desire to worship self and money and whatever else but the Lord who loved us enough to become one of us and take our place on the judgement seat?

The Bible calls the fruit of such a choice “hell” because there is no God, no grace, no peace or joy in such a destiny. While the modern church does not usually preach a ‘turn or burn’ message, maybe we should. Telling people that God loves them seems to have made far too many decide that such love gives license to do whatever they desire rather than worship the only One who can free them from the bondage of such an attitude.

Jesus, in the past two weeks You have put me among hundreds of people. I can say most of them are ‘nice’ and friendly, but only a handful declare and demonstrate faith in You. The future looks scary for a world so full of people who ignore or reject Your offer of forgiveness and freedom by faith. May Your Spirit keep working to convince them otherwise.