The painting, “The Flood” by the French artist Nicolas... - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2023

The kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of his wrath has come, and who is able to stand?
Revelation 6:15-17.

The painting, “The Flood” by the French artist Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665) depicts profound hopelessness and despair.

In the centre of the picture a boat capsizes before a waterfall with a man desperately holding his hands towards heaven. In the foreground people are trying to save themselves by holding on to a piece of wood or an animal that is swimming.

But nothing is more tragic than the fate of a small family on the right-hand side: a young woman is trying to lift her small child into the supposedly protective arms of the father. It is heart-breaking, for one senses the futility! Death and doom dominate.

Was there no chance of rescue? Certainly! Far away in the distance a ship – the ark – is adrift silent and motionless. But it is locked. Whoever wished to be rescued needed to be inside beforehand. No-one will be able to enter until the catastrophe is over. The place of refuge was there, but is now barred.

God exercised judgment then, but He had provided a way of salvation, in sufficient time and over a long period. The same applies to the future, when He will again judge the world. But there is a way and place of refuge: in and through Jesus Christ. Whoever receives Him now is rescued. Whoever rejects Him will one day find himself in the hopeless, desperate situation presented so impressively in that gloomy painting.

Today’s reading: The Song of Solomon 6:1-13 · Mark 9:14-29