Thousands of men, women and children are fleeing from Iraq and Kuwait. The clouds of war hang over the heads of all in the Middle-East. Already thousands face imprisonment and death who have been apprehended as enemies of Saddam Hussein's regime. Families have been broken up; love ones have been separated. Refugees of many nations have fled with only that which they can carry, leaving men and boys detained by the enemy as hostages. Crippling fear and intense sorrow fall upon all, with no end in sight as we write these notes.

There is, however, a far greater danger hanging over the heads of all in every part of this world. Though far from the areas of impending devastation of war, there is the wrath of God abiding on all who are not subject to His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ: "He that believeth not [is not subject to] the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him" (John 3:36b). "Because there is wrath, beware lest He take thee away with His stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee," we read in Job 36:18. "Flee from the wrath to come," says John the Baptist in Matthew 3:7. Such are the divine warnings, but divine love has also provided a Refuge for all in His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

"HOW CAN YOU ESCAPE THE DAMNATION OF HELL?" is the question the Lord addressed to the Pharisees in His day (Matthew 23:33). It is a question He not only addresses to mankind today, but He also supplies the answer. Man's eternal destination is either heaven or hell. It is not a matter of chance which that destiny shall be, but rather a matter of choice whether one will or will not flee to the Refuge God has provided in His Son.

To be that Refuge, "Christ came into the world to save sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15). It is sin that has brought death and judgment upon the human race ("For the wages of sin is death," Romans 6:23, "but after this the judgment," Hebrews 9:27). In order to save sinners, Christ must bear the righteous judgment against the sinner, and pay the penalty which sin has incurred. THIS is what He did upon the Cross of Calvary! He exhausted the wrath of God when He suffered and was forsaken by God in those unspeakable three hours of darkness. He paid the penalty for sin when He bowed His head and willingly died as the Substitute for sinners. He shed His blood to satisfy the claims of a holy God against sin, and to provide cleansing and shelter from judgment for all. He triumphantly cried before he died, "IT IS FINISHED" (John 19:30). The work of providing a Refuge for sinners was done!

The proof that His work was to the satisfaction of a loving, but sin-hating God, is seen in God raising Him from the dead "the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:4), and setting Him down at His right hand on His throne in the glory. The Man Christ Jesus, the Son of God, is alive for evermore. He lives to receive all who will flee to Him for Refuge, for the eternal salvation of their immortal souls.

To flee to Him means to simply come believing to Him. Come in repentance, confessing your need as a sinner who deserves death and judgment. Come in faith, believing He is the One who died for your sins and bore the judgment in your stead. Hear Him say, "Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37b). And if He won't cast you out, He will surely take you in! The Bible says, It is "impossible for God to lie, we … have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil [the very presence of God]; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus" (Hebrews 6:18-20). Flee TO JESUS to escape the wrath of God and be sure of eternal life in Him now, and a home with Him forever in heaven, the Father's house.

But you need to flee NOW for "HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE IF WE NEGLECT SO GREAT SALVATION?" (Hebrews 2:3). "NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2).

BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND THOU SHALT BE SAVED" (Acts 16:31).