The red flag has been a part of the trade industry for centuries. Whether by sea or by rail, vessels in the trade industry would use different colored flags to send messages to one another and the red flag was always a warning flag. It was such a common part of everyday life, that it became a metaphor that is still frequently used till this day. When someone feels uneasy about something, they refer to it as a red flag waving.
One of the aspects of the nature and Character of God is to warn His people of impending danger, failure or punishment. We see that all through the Bible, Old and New Testament alike. God has promised to lead and guide His people and one of the ways He does that is by sending us warnings. You might say He waves a red flag for us!
God primarily waves the red flag in one of four ways. First and foremost, He warns us through His Word. God's Word is not only filled with promises, it is also filled with instruction and with warning about what happens if we fail to comply with that instruction. Secondly, God warns us through the inward witness of His Holy Spirit. When we are engaged in behavior that grieves the heart of God or when we're about to make a decision that will contridict God's Will, His Spirit will provide a strong witness against these things. Thirdly, God warns us through wisdom. Every believer has access to a wisdom that is not of this world. It is a godly wisdom that makes right and wrong as clear and comprehendable to us as day and night. Lastly, God warns us through people. If we allow Him to, God will surround us with people who will speak prophetically into our lives to help us avoid the mistakes and keep us from having to suffer the consequences we might otherwise experience.
The important thing is to consistantly look for and respond to these warnings. What we read about in Scripture a year ago, something the Holy Spirit impressed upon on months ago, the wisdom we once walked in and the relationships we used to have do us very little good today.
In the early days of the American railroad and it's part in the trade industry, a large locomotive used primarily for freight ran through the midwest on a daily route. Another smaller, passenger train used a section of that same route to transports students to a school. One day the passenger train had broke down and the mechanics were attempting to repair it. Dozens of students were onboard completely unaware that the large freight train was moving toward them at a rapid speed. A flagman had been sent miles down the tracks to warn the freight train, but despite the flagman waving the red flag the large freight train continued on it's course ultimately colliding with the passenger train, killing everyone onboard. The only survivor was the conductor of the freight train who had jumped off the train just before impact. He was immediately taken into custody and a hearing was held to determine what had happen. The conductor and the flagman's stories contradicted one another. The flagman said he had waved a red flag, signaling the train to stop and the conductor said he had waved a yellow flag, signaling him to proceed with caution. The conductor reported that he slowed down, but by the time he saw the passenger train it was too late and the accident was unavoidable. The flagman was instructed to bring the flag he'd used and when he presented the flag it was clear what had happened. The flag indeed was once a red flag. The corners of the material clearly demonstrated that. But over time the flag had faded and was nearly white in the center. Because of the dirt and grime of daily use the white portion of the material had become yellow looking, creating the confusion on the part of the conductor.
The same thing can happen to us on spiritual terms if we do not keep the warning of God's Word, God's Wisdom, God's Spirit and God's people fresh in our lives. Over time, their influence will fade and disaster will be inevitable!
