The Angels' Bowls of God's Wrath

 

Monday, November 30, 2020

Then I saw in heaven another marvelous event of great significance.  Seven angels were holding the seven last plagues, which would bring God’s wrath to completion.  I saw before me what seemed to be a glass sea mixed with fire.  And on it stood all the people who had been victorious over the beast and his statue and the number representing his name.  They were all holding harps that God had given them.  And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb:
“Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty.  Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations.  Who will not fear you, Lord, and glorify your name?  For you alone are holy.  All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous deeds have been revealed.”
Then I looked and saw that the Temple in heaven, God’s Tabernacle, was thrown wide open.  The seven angels who were holding the seven plagues came out of the Temple.  They were clothed in spotless white linen with gold sashes across their chests.  Then one of the four living beings handed each of the seven angels a gold bowl filled with the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever.  The Temple was filled with smoke from God’s glory and power.  No one could enter the Temple until the seven angels had completed pouring out the seven plagues.  Revelation 15:1-8

Occasionally we get a glimpse of God’s wrath poured out on humanity, and it scares us…or should!  Reading those last few sentences about nobody being able to enter the Temple because of the plagues and the smoke of God’s glory gave me a bit of a chilling down my spine.  I couldn’t resist comparing the way our 2020 Coronavirus plague locked us out of the church for several months.

People from every generation have offered interpretation of the Revelation visions, and some of those seem to make a lot of sense.  There are two principles which I have come to understand governing any thoughts about the End Times of Apostle John’s visions:

1.     Revelation is an apocalyptic vision; some of it is literal, some metaphorical.  Deciding which is which is tricky stuff, and should be approached with respect…you’re on holy ground, here.

2.     Revelation is, literally, an unveiling, and the full title is The Revelation of Jesus Christ.  So, ultimately, everything in the book points to Him.

Among the synonym meanings for the word “apocalypse” are disaster, catastrophe, destruction, day of reckoning, Judgment Day, and end of the world.  

This certainly accounts for the “scary” part of the Bowls of God’s Wrath.  No sane person enjoys contemplating being destroyed.  On the other hand, we see there is a direct correlation of humanity’s behavior and the response of the Creator.  We eventually get what we deserve.  What we sow, God brings to fruition.  When we sow discord, we reap disaster.  When we sow harmony, we reap beauty.  When we sow hatred and war, we reap death.  These are as certain as the up and down of children riding the playground see/saw.

I would not venture to say in any conclusive or dogmatic way just what is in those bowls of God’s wrath the angels hold.  However, it’s safe to say that wrath adheres to principle #2, everything in the Book reveals, or unveils Jesus Christ.  If judgment day is filled with God’s conclusive behavior, it is also unveiling God’s righteous nature, seen in the character of Jesus Christ.  That includes mercy and grace.

Uhm….mercy and grace in wrath bowls; did we hear that right?  Well, I did say  understanding John’s visions is tricky stuff!  Mystery is still mysterious!

For You Today

So, what do we draw from this day’s problematic stuff?  The only stable ground I can offer you with such a task is to do exactly what those wrath-bearing angels did, praise God.  Hear them again^{(Revelation 15:3-4)}:

“Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty.  Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations.  Who will not fear you, Lord, and glorify your name?  For you alone are holy.  All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous deeds have been revealed.”

This is trusting God, and honoring to the purpose of all humans, to worship and enjoy God eternally.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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Title image, Pixabay.com and    W   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©

For other posts on Revelation 15 see:  Righteous and True and Blessed Enemy  

 

Dancing with Time

 

Wednesday, November 25, 2020

“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life.  They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.  “And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear my voice—the voice of the Son of God.  And those who listen will live.   John 5:24-25

I’m not much of a dancer (just ask my bride).  One of the things I do know about dancing is the unquestionable reality that the music does end…eventually...even in the mid part of the last century, when marathon dance contests were held to choose a winner (namely the last couple still standing upright after hours and even days) of “dancing”.  The record, according to Guinness set just 2 years ago is 126 hours.  One of the strategies for lasting that long is for the partners to take turns napping while the other holds him or her upright.  Dancing to outlast the clock is something of a fool’s errand; you can’t outlast time and eternity.

That is the nature of Jesus’ statement to his followers, the time is coming.  At some point, which God alone will determine, the clock switches from time TO eternity.  And that is when the judgment will be finalized.  That is where the other statement in this text becomes crucial.  Jesus said, “And those who listen will live”.  It is important to point out that the listening Jesus mentions does not begin when that moment of resurrection arrives; it (always) begins the first moment you hear the truth.  The time for salvation which is acceptable to God is always right now.

For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.”  Indeed, the “right time” is now.  Today is the day of salvation.      2 Corinthians 6:2

There are those who reject this idea, imagining (if God does exist) that it’s automatic; you just live your life the best you can, and then God makes everything ok.  There’s nothing to do, no limits on life, no requirements for after this life. 

Those people are wrong.  Most people who reject the idea that time will run out on ignoring God have never read much Scripture.  Had they done so it would become alarmingly clear that this matter of time is crucial.  Dancing with time is a contest, and, make no mistake, time always wins.  Listen to the Psalmist:

I will hurry, without delay, to obey your commands.  Psalm 119:60

When you look at a cemetery, you know that time runs out.  People are laid to rest in places like that.  And to be sure, you have no partner in the grave to hold you upright; people are always buried laying down….the dance is over!

But, according to Jesus, the “rest” is temporary.  There is coming a time when the clock will again run out on the usefulness of graves.  At that point, the only thing that will matter is what God thinks of your life while you were still breathing.

For You Today

The old question is still a good one, and hasn’t changed, and it is particularly important when we think about this dancing with time we’re doing:

What will you say when you stand before God, and He asks you

‘WHY SHOULD I LET YOU INTO MY HEAVEN’?

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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Title image, Pixabay.com and    W   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©

For another post on John 5 see:  You Will Rest; You Will Rise   

 

Thank You!

 

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Praise the Lord!  For he has heard my cry for mercy.  The Lord is my strength and shield.  I trust him with all my heart.  He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.  I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.  The Lord gives his people strength.  He is a safe fortress for his anointed king.  Save your people!  Bless Israel, your special possession.   Lead them like a shepherd, and carry them in your arms forever.  Psalm 28:6-9

Here we are a few days before the national holiday of Thanksgiving, so you’d expect a message of being thankful.  So, here it is:

There is just something right about being thankful.

The Psalmist, King David, had plenty about which to be thankful.  He writes this prayer as a gushing sense of gratitude for God’s deliverance from powerful enemies.  The words reveal David’s relief and reasons for being so thankful; he calls the Lord my strength and shield, a safe fortress, save your people!  These are images of someone who has experienced extreme vulnerability and helplessness against almost certain destruction.

There was a story in yesterday’s news feed[1] about a Florida man whose puppy was grabbed by an alligator.  The man leaped into the pond, grabbed the gator, and forced its jaws open to release the dog.  I can imagine that puppy was one thankful hound.  That had to have been what David felt, like he was snatched from the alligator’s mouth.  Thanksgiving flows naturally and without hesitation when the heart recognizes what God has done.

It’s tempting to dwell on how unthankful we can be, especially in America, over-blessed with financial wealth and the creature comforts that go with it.  And how strange it is that, living in the land of blessing, we must focus on thankfulness.  It would seem more natural to walk in thankfulness constantly.  But we humans are a forgetful lot; we spend most of our days wanting more than we already have. 

I must confess that I look forward to Thanksgiving, perhaps more than any other holiday.  And it’s for good reasons, gathering of family (COVID notwithstanding), down time from regular activities of work, chores, and doctor’s appointments, and, lest we forget, THE MEAL…how could we forget turkey, dressing, and pies?  All those things are good (except if you dare to mention the scale). 

But, most importantly, there is that sense of sharing around the table a sense of thankfulness for so many blessings my family has received which lights my fire for this holiday.  There are trials and disappointments, as there are for every other family.  But Thanksgiving Day, and its sense of remembering God’s goodness to us in so many ways, is a benchmark of Christian living; it defines our sense of worship.  Like the puppy, we too were snatched from the jaws of sin by one who leaped into the pond of this life and stayed for the cross.  The stone trying to hold him in death’s jaws couldn’t resist the resurrection power of God.

Who could not be thankful for such a gift?

For You Today

Like your mother told you about sharing that last piece of pie with your brother, remember to share that gift of Christ with others through your thankful ways.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

GO TO VIDEO

Title image, Pixabay.com and    W   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©

For other posts on thankfulness see:  Road Rescue  and  Today We Are Thankful

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[1] Today, Florida Man Saves Puppy Dragged into Pond by Alligator

 

Gospel Unchained

 

Monday, November 23, 2020

Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead.  This is the Good News I preach.  And because I preach this Good News, I am suffering and have been chained like a criminal.  But the word of God cannot be chained.  So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.       2 Timothy 2:8-10

Paul the Apostle was chained like a common criminal, but he gladly adds the Gospel of Jesus Christ can never be imprisoned.  And so it is; there is nothing about truth that can truly be silenced.  And the center of that truth, the Good News of Jesus Christ, is that he was raised from the dead.  Even a grave cannot hold back truth.

When this truth gripped Paul, he became willing to endure the harshest of conditions and treatment to proclaim it.  Paul’s list[1] of what he had to endure to continue telling people about the resurrected Jesus is a grueling testament of the strength God continually gave him:

      Often, he had little food or the means to buy it
He was beaten with rods by the religious leaders
He suffered three different shipwrecks
He was whipped 5 times for preaching (39 lashes each)
He was stoned and left for dead
He endured violent river upheavals that threatened
He endured sleepless nights
He was also robbed on the road more than once

On the other side of all that hardship Paul  would rather still talk about how kind Christ had been to him, and the supremacy of the Kingdom of God, and how it is our glorious task to proclaim that kingdom with everything we’ve got.

If you made it to church yesterday, you probably drove in an automobile that has a heater for when you’re cold, and an air conditioner when it’s hot.  You rode; you didn’t hoof it 3 miles.  You probably showered (one can only hope), and the water was warmed by an electric or gas heater.  You might have dumped something from the freezer into the crock pot so it would be ready when you got home from church.  Or, you may have ridden in that heated/air-conditioned car to a restaurant that has the banana pudding you like so well.

In all of that there is little “suffering” for the unchained Gospel.

Now, don’t get me wrong here; I’m not advocating for going on the hunt for some persecution so you can have a list like Paul’s.  I’m just pointing out that, for most of us, our Sundays are relatively “ho-hum” – we live in comfort compared to what Paul endured to proclaim Jesus resurrected.  And with that focus (which Paul also said to always remember) we are somewhat humbled by the ease we have, and the corresponding ineffectiveness we exhibit in sharing that Gospel.

When Jesus told his disciples what their job would be, going into all the world to preach the Good News, baptizing, and making disciples of many, Jesus never mentioned crock pots or other comfort-giving conveniences.  Yet, we tend to have a focus these days on convenience, preference, and our rights to choose.  Sometimes, I think, all these conveniences and choices have not led to discipleship, but disablement.

For You Today

Jesus’ offer has always been to pick up our cross and follow Him[2].  Anywhere you read in God’s Word, it is just that – an offer; to accept, we must choose to do the picking up of that cross, but it’s hard to reach from the easy chair.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

GO TO VIDEO

Title image, Pixabay.com and    W   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©

For other posts on becoming Jesus’ disciple see:  Pedigree or Passion?  and  Some Assembly Required

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[1] Read 2 Corinthians 11 to see all this in Paul’s own words

[2] Luke 9:23

 

When the Grass Withers

 

Friday, November 20, 2020

A voice said, “Shout!”  I asked, “What should I shout?”  “Shout that people are like the grass.  Their beauty fades as quickly as the flowers in a field.  The grass withers and the flowers fade beneath the breath of the Lord.  And so it is with people.  The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.”  O Zion, messenger of good news, shout from the mountaintops!  Shout it louder, O Jerusalem.  Shout, and do not be afraid.  Tell the towns of Judah, “Your God is coming!”  Yes, the Sovereign Lord is coming in power.  He will rule with a powerful arm.  See, he brings his reward with him as he comes.  He will feed his flock like a shepherd.  He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart.  He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.  Isaiah 40:6-11

One of the reasons I like working in our yard, perhaps the strongest one, is the cycle that manifests itself year after year.  If something is going to bloom, there is going to be a bud.  The bud will open and, even if you’ve seen it a thousand times before, the bloom will have its own surprises.  It may just be a slight variation, a nuance, but every bloom has its own character.  They’re something like children, or fingerprints, they’re the same, but different, unique.

Isaiah said people are like the grass and flowers.  His meaning is tied to our mortality.  We are born for a season, blossom with the unfolding of our personality, develop blossoms of character (some more character than others), and, in due course, we begin to wither.

No sooner does Isaiah’s grass and flower metaphor for God’s people end, that a voice tells him to shout over the withering that God is coming for his lambs.  The metaphor changes from flowers and grass to sheep who long for a shepherd. 

Sheep are certainly as vulnerable as the flowers of the field, needing a protective hand against predators and the harsh forces of the elements.  At the beginning of this chapter Isaiah is told to comfort God’s people with the assurance that the Word of God, which never wilts and withers, is that promise which is the cycle of buds and blossoms.  In all the withering of we grasses and flowers, there is the promise of rebirth in a new season.

In this promise there are two certainties:

1.     It happens constantly in what God has already created in the earth and heavens…all things cycle; it is the way of all creation in God’s will. 

2.     We find in our withering years the promise is our only choice if there is to be hope against insanity.

The plain way of saying this is, we are created by God, and for fellowship with God, and we are His.  When people reject that they also reject eternity and are alone.  And, in the final analysis, to be alone, when you are created for fellowship, is to exist without hope; all that exists for the unbeliever is this fleeting season of threescore and ten years.  We find ourselves summer flowers and grass, with no understanding or knowledge of another season to come.  We are sheep without a shepherd, so we grieve without hope; we die in madness.

The apostle Paul showed us the hope that secures our sanity in this life

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.   1 Corinthians 15:19
And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope.  For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.  1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

For You Today

Isaiah comforted the people of his day with the knowledge that the Shepherd of Life was coming for them, and that the pastures He has in mind are way beyond withering and fading!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

GO TO VIDEO

Title image, Pixabay.com and    W   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©

For other posts on Isaiah 40 see:  Finding Truth  and  When Mercy Outweighs Justice

 

The Second Fall

 

Thursday, November 19, 2020

Then another angel followed him through the sky, shouting, “Babylon is fallen—that great city is fallen—because she made all the nations of the world drink the wine of her passionate immorality.”  Then a third angel followed them, shouting, “Anyone who worships the beast and his statue or who accepts his mark on the forehead or on the hand must drink the wine of God’s anger.  It has been poured full strength into God’s cup of wrath.  And they will be tormented with fire and burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb.  The smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever, and they will have no relief day or night, for they have worshiped the beast and his statue and have accepted the mark of his name.”                    Revelation 14:8-11

In Revelation so much is in apocalyptic language, messages of the end of times, and the completion of the Bible’s prophecies, and God’s final judgment over evil.  It’s easy to get lost in the imagery and shadows.  Generally accepted scholarship is that “Babylon” stands for the worldly system which opposes God’s will, including everything from elevating human power to greedily control people and governments, all the way to the basest of ignoring the basic human needs of food and shelter for the poor.  In the end all the grandiose schemes and manipulations of the powerful, controlled by Lucifer’s darkness, will be exposed, humiliated, and defeated.  The image of sulfur, fire, and smoke of torment forever is not lost on our internal compass of God as final justice, and recompense for transgressions.  

This image of the moon passing in front of planet earth is part of a NASA animation of an event which does happen in real life, when the “dark side” of the moon is illuminated by the sun.  You still can’t see it from earth, but the position of the “EPIC” telescope onboard the DISCOVR satellite a million miles into space captures it!  ^(NASA/NOAA) 

Exposing the dark side of this world’s systematic error is Revelation’s purpose in unveiling the Son of Man, Jesus, the one who will stand in judgment of those who give worship to anyone or anything other than the one, true, living God, Jehovah.  The righteous Son of God is alone worthy to judge the nations of all times. 

So, when Babylon is the label, it is evil that is exposed to the light.  It is a picture of an event I once heard (and cannot forget) described by evangelist Vance Havner in a sermon delivered to about 1200 students at New Orleans Baptist Seminary.  He was picturing the classic struggle between light and darkness, or good and evil.  He asked us to imagine a dark room behind the door.  The room is filled with little creatures, roaches.  When you open the door, they’re on high alert; you switch on the light and you know what happens, the creepy, crawly critters scatter!  Light does have that effect.   

As our first parents, Adam and Eve fell from innocence in Eden, so we all follow this inherited nature of sin.  The grace of God was offered to all of us as forgiveness, a gift of Christ’s blood on the cross.  In the end, as Revelation so dramatically depicts, those who reject that grace by clinging to this world’s evil system of power, greed, and estrangement from God, will fall a second time…this time, eternally…into a judgment of suffering, too terrible, unending and unquenchable to imagine.  That suffering has little to do with the fire; it has everything to do with being separated from God our Creator forever.  No light…only dark side.

For You Today

There is not a prophecy of Scripture that has missed the mark…they all come true.  Even this promise of judgment on the darkness.  But God has offered us the choice to reject the darkness and move into the light:

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  Romans 10:9

Don’t delay; accept Christ and be saved from the darkness of the second fall.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

GO TO VIDEO

Title image, Pixabay.com and    W   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©

For other posts on God’s Judgment see:  Harvest of the Earth  and  Creator Savior Judge