0912 PREPARING FOR GOD’S WRATH

SEPTEMBER 12 = REVELATION 15

PREPARING FOR THE SEVEN PLAGUES

At last, after all the waiting, we find God’s wrath being poured out on earth. 

“I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues—last, because with them God’s wrath is completed.”

If you are like me, it’s going to feel like too much, if there could be such a thing. Seems strange, after all that waiting and asking how long until you avenge our blood? But it feels over the top because we haven’t seen God doing this sort of thing very often in our lifetimes. Besides, it’s not just OUR blood he is avenging. He is ruling the nations with a rod of iron. He is doing battle against the one who rebelled against him in heaven and who is murdering and ravishing each of his children on earth for thousands of years. He is giving people what they have asked for, what they have chosen for themselves after centuries of his repeated warnings. So, be prepared. It’s going to get ugly before we get to the end of the end of the book. Ready? Here we go!

“And I saw . . . those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name. They held harps given them by God and sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb.”

They were victorious! Victorious over the beast who had come up out of the sea, the one who had been given power by the dragon and who had authority over every person on earth, even given power to conquer the saints. 

How had they been victorious? Had they taken vengeance? Had they fought back? Had they spoken like the two witnesses had, so that fire came out of their mouths and devoured their enemies? Did they have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain, and power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want? Is that how the saints are victorious over the beast?

No. Earlier in Revelation, Jesus said that he who endures to the end is the one who overcomes. Those who are faithful unto death are the ones who overcome. Persevere and endure hardship in his name, and not grow weary. Then you are victorious. Be faithful, even to the point of death. Hold on. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 

So make no mistake about it. Victory in Jesus is done by following in Jesus’ footsteps, suffering as He did, being faithful in spite of difficulty and persecution. Remember, the way up is down, and those who are first will be last. 

Do not take vengeance, but leave room for the wrath of God. Do not become bitter, but make your requests known to God. Do not be angry or anxious, jealous or impatient. Faith means that you believe there is something better than this world has to offer. So make no mistake about it, spiritual warfare does not involve fists and worldly weapons.

But now is the time for God to reveal his wrath. The saints are removed from the battle, at least for the moment. The 144,000 were with the Lamb in the last chapter, standing on Mount Zion, but even then they were not in battle. Not yet.

Here is the beginning of the end:

“Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues. . . . seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.”

In the next chapter, we will see the seven plagues as they are poured out. May we be ready to hear the tale of the coming wrath of God. Amen.