Hosea 4:6-7 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.”
Psalm 81:11-13 “But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me. So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels. Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!”
Harry R. Truman (not President Harry S. Truman) lived at the base of Mount St Helens, and was the owner of a lodge that bore the name of that famous mountain. In the lead-up to the massive eruption on May 18th, 1980, residents all around the rumbling volcano were evacuated to prepare for the impending and looming danger. Truman refused to heed these ominous warnings. In fact, he scoffed at the earnest officials who demanded that he leave, saying such things as:
- “You couldn’t pull me out with a mule team. That mountain’s part of Truman and Truman’s part of that mountain.”
- “If the mountain goes, I’m going with it.”
- “The mountain ain’t gonna hurt me.”
At 8:32:17 am on Sunday May 18th, Mount St Helens erupted with a force so violent that it created the largest-ever landslide and sent a cloud of ash 80,000 feet into the air. In a moment, Truman was covered with 150 feet of volcanic debris. He rejected the warnings of the experts and perished immediately. He was prophetic in his arrogance as he walked in his own counsels – Truman is indeed a part of that mountain forever.
As individuals, as society, and as a nation, we must never scoff at those who earnestly warn us of the impending and looming danger. We must never refuse to heed the ominous warnings. Instead, we must embrace His knowledge and hearken unto to His voice. We must never allow our glory to be changed into shame.
PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERCIAN CHRISTIANS TO HEED THE WARNINGS OF OUR LOVING GOD. God yearns for us to hearken unto him and walk in His ways. Don’t make God pull us out of our disobedience with a mule team.
