A Titanic Mocking
The morning broke with color in the sky at the harbor in Southampton, England. Over the previous night there had been a few rain showers in England leaving clouds hanging around the morning sunrise. It was a cool morning, not crisp or chilly, but a lovely bright and cheery day was on hand. The band played as the early morning passengers began to embark onto the SS Titanic for its maiden voyage to New York. Considered the most luxurious and expense cruise ship ever built a lowly crewman is credited with saying, “Not even God himself could sink this ship.” The proud and haughty ownership of the White Star Line echoed the attitude of the Titanic being non-sinkable. The date was April 10, 1912. The White Star Line builders were so confident in the unsinkability of their new ship they did not install nearly enough lifeboats. The Titanic could carry 64 lifeboats but was only equipped with 20. Who needs lifeboats in a ship not even God could sink? “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Pro. 16:18 [NKJV]).
The captain of the Titanic wanted to set a new speed record from England to New York, so he ignored the warnings of icebergs from other ships as they passed south of Newfoundland. On April 14, 1912, a German steamer reported large icebergs south of Newfoundland. The band played on and the unsinkable Titanic’s engines roared with power as she sailed west to New York. 2,228 people sailed westward on the world’s largest and most luxurious passenger ship, totally unaware of the fate they were about to meet. At 11:40 P.M. on the dark and clear night of April 14, 1912, the Titanic hit an iceberg and by the morning of April 15, over 1,500 of the people on board the unsinkable ship had died.
Mocking God is not a good thing to do as it will end in disaster.
Goliath was a big fellow. Not only was he a “big fellow” he was good at killing people in war. With his great size and cruelty, he led the Philistine army against King Saul and Israel. He tormented the army of Israel and put fear into their hearts. Saul was confounded as to what to do. Daily, Goliath would shout out for Israel to send their best soldier to fight him, one on one, winner take all. Goliath was getting the best of the situation. “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Pro. 16:18). Then Goliath yelled out and mocked God. “I defy the armies of Israel this day: give me a man, that we may fight together.” (I Sam. 17:10). He was mocking God. A young shepherd named David showed up and was aghast that any pagan would mock God so openly. David took his staff, a sling and five stones and soon Goliath lay dead with a rock embedded in his forehead. Goliath mocked God and it ended in disaster for him.
Our creator and loving God gave us rules to live by. Rules when kept would mean peace and safety, love for all and good will towards men. Matthew records Jesus’s summation of the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20), “Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matt.22:37-40). When we break these rules, we are mocking God, just as Adam and Eve did. We all sin and fall short of God and in doing so we are mocking our loving creator (Rom. 3:23). Paul tells us, “For the wages of sin is death…” (Rom. 3:23b). When we mock God, it can only end in disaster for us.
A group of young boys made fun of the prophet Elisha. They mocked the prophet of God for having a lack of hair and 42 boys were ripped apart by she bears. (II Kings 22:23-25). When we mock God, it can only end in disaster.
Ananias and his lovely wife Sapphira joined up with Peter and the early church. Folks were selling their properties and giving ALL to the church for the preaching of the gospel. The devious couple of Ananias and Sapphira sold some of their property and then kept back part of the proceeds. (Acts 5:1-11). The Holy Spirit killed them on the spot. When we mock God, it can only end in disaster.
King Herod Agrippa I, grandson of King Herod killed the apostle James, brother of John. (Acts 12:2). He was proud of his actions and must have forgotten the proverb, “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Pro. 16:18). While King Herod Agrippa I was giving a speech the people shouted out to him, “This is the voice of a god, not a man!” 23 Herod did not give the glory to God. So, an angel of the Lord caused him to get sick. He was eaten by worms inside him, and he died.” (Acts 12:22-23). King Herod Agrippa I, mocked God and it ended in disaster.
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” (Gal. 6:7).
When we sin, break His commandments, we are mocking God and when we mock God, it can only lead to disaster. The passengers on the Titanic paid the price for the pride and arrogance of the ship line. They paid the price for the mocking of God. Today you can visit the Titanic graveyard in Halifax, Nova Scota and see the result of what happens when God is mocked.
Mocking God is not a good thing to do as it will end in disaster.
Mike Wallace
Photo: Titanic graveyard in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Photo credit: Mike Wallace
