Romans 1:21,22,24-32; Ecclesiastes 1:9-11
When they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools…Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. There is no remembrance of former things.
JOHN GILL (1697-1771): The same vices and virtues are now as ever, and ever were as they are; men in every age were born in sin, and were transgressors from the womb; from their infancy corrupt, and in all the stages of life; there were the same luxury and intemperance, and unnatural lusts, rapine and violence, in the days of Noah and Lot, as now; in Sodom and Gomorrah, and in the old world, as in the present age.
MATTHEW HENRY (1662-1714): Observe how it was with sinners formerly, and in what posture the judgments of God, of which they had been fairly warned, did at length find them. Look as far back as the “old world,” when all flesh had “corrupted their way,” and “the earth was filled with violence.” Then think how it was with the men of Sodom, who were “wicked, and sinners before the Lord exceedingly.” Now observe concerning both these, that they had fair warning given them of the ruin that was coming upon them for their sins. Noah was a “preacher of righteousness” to the old world; so was Lot to the Sodomites. They gave them timely notice of what would be in the end of their wicked ways, and that it was not far off. They did not regard the warning given them, and gave no credit, no heed to it. They were very secure, went on in their business as unconcerned as you could imagine; “they did eat, they drank,” indulged themselves in their pleasures, and took no care of any thing else, but to “make provision for the flesh.”
JOHN CALVIN (1509-1564): There are always wanton persons who, while they fearlessly despise God, treat with ridicule all threatenings of His judgment, and at the same time hold in derision all injunctions as to a holy and pious life—they insolently persecute those who serve Him. We see what happened to the Sodomites and to others; yea, the abuse of God’s forbearance has ever been the cause of destruction…See how Sodom rushed forward to that degree of licentiousness so as to be horrified by no enormity. God says that they began by pride, and surely pride is the mother of all contempt of God.
EDWARD PAYSON (1783-1827): Though they had disbelieved God’s threatenings, they soon found, as sooner or later all sinners will find, that their unbelief did not render them false, nor prevent their fulfilment.
A. W. PINK (1886-1952): “There is no remembrance of former things.” That is the trouble with our present age. Conditions in the past are largely unknown today. A generation has arisen which does little or no serious reading, which are largely unacquainted with history, and unaware of the fact that present conditions are but a reduplication of those which have frequently occurred before.
CHARLES BRIDGES (1794-1869): Now contrast this oblivion of former things, with the great miracle of Providence—the preservation of the Bible, God’s own Book—and therefore under His special protection. Here is indeed the remembrance of former things—free from the injury of time—free from the mists of uncertainty—still full and clear, as from the beginning.
JOHN BUNYAN (1628-1688): Dost thou believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God? Then thou standest in awe of, and dost much reverence them. Why, they are the Word of God, the true sayings of God.
D. L. MOODY (1837-1899): This Bible tells us what is about to take place. We have the news here in this Book—it tells us of the things that will surely come to pass; and that is a great deal newer than anything in the newspapers.
A. W. PINK: The sands in the hour glass of this Day of Salvation have almost run out. The signs of the times demonstrate it. “But,” it may be asked, “Have not other ages, as well as the present, been crowded with signs of distress?” Undoubtedly—yet, today, they shine out more clearly and more prominently than ever before.
JOHN GILL: “The show of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves,” Isaiah 3:9. They commit it openly, without fear or shame; glory in it, and boast of it.
THE EDITOR: They have misappropriated the rainbow, the symbol of God’s merciful promise, Genesis 9:12-17, to make it a banner of their arrogant pride, publicly parading their perverse abominations before His face. Surely, as happened in Sodom, the cry of such wickedness rises up to heaven, Genesis 18:20,21.
ROBERT HALDANE (1764-1842): What they esteemed as their wisdom was truly their folly—in a moral sense, or as respects the things of God, they were unintelligent and stupid.
A. W. PINK: “But,” it may be objected, “Have there not always been pessimists who interpreted gloomily the events of their day? Have not others, again and again, written in a similar strain, only to be shamed and discredited?” Be it so. But were they not wise men who took the earliest alarm, even though their fears were not immediately realized! They read evil in the signs of their times and gave utterance to their convictions so that men might be aroused; surely that was not folly. They erred in their calculations, yet it cannot be denied that their warning was beneficial in its results, even though it was premature. But today, the signs are so plain they cannot be misread, though the foolish may close their eyes and refuse to examine them.
CHARLES BRIDGES: Contrast, again, this want of remembrance, with the recollection that with God nothing is blotted out—nothing forgotten.
JAMES HERVEY (1713-1758): He remembereth His threatenings, as well as His promises, to a thousand generations.
THOMAS COKE (1747-1814): “Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him,” Isaiah 3:10,11. This is an admirable sentence to support the souls of the pious, amidst all the troubles of this life; God will not forsake those who truly love and serve Him. This reason teaches us, and the experience of all times confirms it.
JONATHAN EDWARDS (1703-1758): And wicked men who now doubt His truth and dare not trust His Word, will hereafter, in the most convincing, affecting manner, find His Word to be true in all that He has threatened, and will see that He is faithful to His promises in rewarding His saints.
C. H. SPURGEON (1834-1892): Let us not make any mistake about the matter—the devil is the devil, the world is the world, and the flesh is the flesh. None of these things have changed, and the mercy is, that God has not changed. Let us joyfully remember that the Lord our God has not changed, no, not in one jot or tittle. He is “the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
HUDSON TAYLOR (1832-1905): There is a living God. He has spoken in His Word. He means just what He says.
WILLIAM ARNOT (1808-1875): His promises are sure as the ordinances of heaven, and His threatenings too. Those who cast themselves on revealed wrath are their own destroyers.
