Wrath of God
Notes
Transcript
We need to remember some of what we have seen in John’s vision:
Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:
Let’s keep this in mind as we read today’s scripture:
Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless.
Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.”
And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”
Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.
And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”
Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.
Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle, for 1,600 stadia.
For John to see the totality of reality, as he watches heavenly and earthly future events take place, must have been overwhelming. He isn't told to interpret what he sees, only record. But can we marvel for a moment at what was going through his view, thus his mind? And then the sound! Like the rushing of waters (Victoria Falls), the peal of thunder, but the comforting notes of the harp.
God’s justice and judgement are overwhelming but his providences are soothing and comforting like beautiful music.
So how about the uniqueness of the song? There is something beautiful here: Who can sing Job’s song? The one of total loss, discouragement and complete restoration? Who can sing of the grief for children lost like Job? Even tho children were given as he was restored, he still grieved those first taken. The joy of the end of his life was deepened, enriched even by the sorrow he experienced. But even in light of this, I ran across this quote Tuesday evening: No man lives to himself, Job’s life is but yours and mine, written in larger text.
So even though we sometimes feel isolated by our experiences, God wants us to let them be added to the beautiful tapestry He is weaving of the BRIDE, without spot or wrinkle. If the color of your life is blue, sometimes sadness, sometimes sorrow; can you imagine the beautiful sky in that great tapestry without your particular shade of blue?
Oh you have to listen to what the Spirit is saying today church: Even though you have struggled in ways NO ONE KNOWS...
Before we leave those marked by the Lamb in the Tribulation, let’s look at one more charactistic they hold: It is these who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. Oh what a marvelous statement! And what a call for the church even today! To follow the Lord wherever He goes is the fullest of our calling here and for eternity. If the Lord is working, moving in the children’s ministry at church, to follow Him there and see what my role is would be the most natural outflow of my relationship with Him. Maybe your role is to support that ministry by cooking for their time together. Maybe it is to offer your place for the camp out they are trying to plan. Maybe it is to teach them what God has taught you. Maybe it is to pray, faithfully and fully for them as God grows them. Maybe it is for you to offer to keep them while their parents have some time together. If God is working there, follow Him. What a beautiful idea!
Our view of the judgment comes quickly back into view. The three angels are announcing the time has come. One last call for all to worship the creator God. The proclamation that false religion is doomed. The political system is being judged in the statement ‘fallen is babylon’. And of God’s wrath poured on those who worshipped the beast.
We are presented with a call for the endurance of the saints of the tribulation as well as a promise of rest for those who do.
The chapter ends with the harvest sickle to swing across the earth. This is a harvest of judgement as is proven by the 'wine press of the wrath of God’.
Chapters 15-18 will be the plagues of the tribulation as well as the bowls of wrath poured out on earth. We’ll see how this impacts Babylon and the beast, but then we finally get to chapter 19 and the joy of heaven and all which happens for the church as the ‘last days’ are wrapped up and eternity unfolds. I cant wait to get there!
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