PROFITING FROM PROVERBS

“And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof” (Proverbs 5:11-12 KJV).

A truly sad story from history is when Voltaire felt the stroke—which he knew was going to terminate in his own death—he was overpowered with remorse. He at once sent for a priest (wrong church) and wanted to be reconciled to the church (wrong reconciliation), his infidel flatterers at once hastened to his chambers to prevent his recantation, but it was only to witness his ignominious end. That is not the way to want to go. He cursed them to their faces, and since his distress was increased by their presence, loudly exclaimed, “Be gone! It is you that brought me to my present condition. Leave me, I say, be gone! What a wretched glory is this which you have produced for me.”

Hoping to allay his anguish by a written recantation, he had it written, signed it, and sought witnesses, but it was all to no avail. For two months he was tortured with such an agony that led him at times to gnash his teeth in an impotent rage against God and man. At other times, he in plaintiff accents he would plead, “Oh Christ! Oh Lord Jesus!” And then, turning his face he would cry out, “I must die! Abandoned of God and man.”

As his end drew near his condition became so frightful that his infidel associates were afraid to approach his bedside. They guarded his door so that others might not know how awful an infidel was compelled to die. Even his nurse repeatedly said afterwards, that for all the wealth of Europe she would never watch another infidel die. It was a scene of horror that lies beyond all exaggeration. Such was the well-attested end of this man that had a natural sovereignty of intellect, education, great wealth and much earthly honor. But that is not the way he went out.

“And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof.”

You know what the sad part of a wicked life is? It is when you get down to the end of it, God is going to show you the whole mess. He is going to open your eyes. That is when you are going to clearly see the light, but it will be too late then. Too late. Too late. Too late!

It isn't too late, today.

"(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation)" (2 Corinthians 6:2).

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