Sermon Devotional: The High Cost of Rebellion
Sermon Title: The High Cost of Rebellion
Scripture: Revelation 15-16 (ESV)
“Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!” Revelation 16:7
Since the beginning of John’s Revelation, we’ve been given glimpses into the heavenly throne room and into the days before heaven and earth become finally one. Most recently, chapters 12-14 revealed the seven histories that explored the themes of God’s glory and God’s judgment. Today chapter 15 reveals another moment of Glory before chapter 16 and the seven golden bowls of wrath (15:7) add details to the judgment theme. Each of these, and all of them together, bring us ever closer to the New Jerusalem we long for in chapters 21 and 22. People of God: “Be anxious for nothing” for “the Lord is near” and “he is coming soon” (Phil 4:4-5 and Rev 22:20).
John begins chapter 15 saying, “Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished” (15:1). With this – another great and amazing vision – we are coming to the end! The beast has been conquered (15:2) and the conquerors are “standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. And they sing the song of Moses . . . and the song of the Lamb” (15:2-3). In chapter 14, those who had God’s name written on their foreheads were singing a new song that no one could learn except the redeemed in heaven (14:1-3). Now John reveals the complete lyrics of the song ringing out in heaven. It is a hymn of praise and a song of worship to our holy God and the Lamb of righteousness.
Enter the seven angels with their seven bowls of God’s wrath. Reading chapter 16 and envisioning the seven bowls of wrath being poured out on those who have rejected the Living God and received the Dragon and the Beast, is difficult and the stuff of bad horror movies. But these final judgments need to be reframed for us.
God’s fierce wrath is poured out because of God’s unshakable and steadfast love. God’s judgments, fierce and frightening to imagine, are evidence of God’s remarkable and magnificent mercy.
Remember the martyrs who are beneath the altar? Back in Revelation 6 when the seven seals were opened, John tells us that when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, John saw “under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, ‘O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’” (6:9-10). Each one was given “a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants” should be complete (6:11). “Rest a little longer, dear children of God. God’s justice is coming soon.” In chapter 16, with the pouring out of the seven bowls of God’s wrath, these martyrs are avenged and the judgment of God is complete. With the pouring out of the third bowl of God’s wrath, the angel cries: “You are just in these judgments, O Holy One, you who are and who were; for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve” (16:5-6).
Then “the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, ‘It is done!’” (16:17). All rebellion against the goodness and the righteousness of God that began in the Garden and continued throughout salvation history, has been finally and completely judged with holy justice. The mercy of God, made available through the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Christ the Lamb, was rejected by the rebellious and they are judged. It is finished!
God’s wrath is an expression of his love. God’s justice and his fearful judgments declare what has been known from the beginning: “The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deut 6:4) and “there is none like you among the gods, O Lord.” (Ps 86:8). “Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!” (Rev 16:7).
Consider—
╬ We may wonder about the fierceness of God’s wrath; however, his wrath reveals his great love. Remember and rehearse the dimensions of God’s love for you: “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ro 8:38-39).
╬ With the name of God written on our hearts and our foreheads, we know that we belong to Him and remain in his care. Remember and rehearse your present and eternal security and safety: “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Ro 8:31-32).
╬ Almighty God, you are righteous and holy, just and merciful. Your love knows no end. Lead us on to the day of your final redemption and your great glory. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Scripture: Revelation 15-16 (ESV)
“Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!” Revelation 16:7
Since the beginning of John’s Revelation, we’ve been given glimpses into the heavenly throne room and into the days before heaven and earth become finally one. Most recently, chapters 12-14 revealed the seven histories that explored the themes of God’s glory and God’s judgment. Today chapter 15 reveals another moment of Glory before chapter 16 and the seven golden bowls of wrath (15:7) add details to the judgment theme. Each of these, and all of them together, bring us ever closer to the New Jerusalem we long for in chapters 21 and 22. People of God: “Be anxious for nothing” for “the Lord is near” and “he is coming soon” (Phil 4:4-5 and Rev 22:20).
John begins chapter 15 saying, “Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished” (15:1). With this – another great and amazing vision – we are coming to the end! The beast has been conquered (15:2) and the conquerors are “standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. And they sing the song of Moses . . . and the song of the Lamb” (15:2-3). In chapter 14, those who had God’s name written on their foreheads were singing a new song that no one could learn except the redeemed in heaven (14:1-3). Now John reveals the complete lyrics of the song ringing out in heaven. It is a hymn of praise and a song of worship to our holy God and the Lamb of righteousness.
“Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty!
Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!
Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.” (15:3-4)
Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!
Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.” (15:3-4)
Enter the seven angels with their seven bowls of God’s wrath. Reading chapter 16 and envisioning the seven bowls of wrath being poured out on those who have rejected the Living God and received the Dragon and the Beast, is difficult and the stuff of bad horror movies. But these final judgments need to be reframed for us.
God’s fierce wrath is poured out because of God’s unshakable and steadfast love. God’s judgments, fierce and frightening to imagine, are evidence of God’s remarkable and magnificent mercy.
Remember the martyrs who are beneath the altar? Back in Revelation 6 when the seven seals were opened, John tells us that when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, John saw “under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, ‘O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’” (6:9-10). Each one was given “a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants” should be complete (6:11). “Rest a little longer, dear children of God. God’s justice is coming soon.” In chapter 16, with the pouring out of the seven bowls of God’s wrath, these martyrs are avenged and the judgment of God is complete. With the pouring out of the third bowl of God’s wrath, the angel cries: “You are just in these judgments, O Holy One, you who are and who were; for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve” (16:5-6).
Then “the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, ‘It is done!’” (16:17). All rebellion against the goodness and the righteousness of God that began in the Garden and continued throughout salvation history, has been finally and completely judged with holy justice. The mercy of God, made available through the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Christ the Lamb, was rejected by the rebellious and they are judged. It is finished!
God’s wrath is an expression of his love. God’s justice and his fearful judgments declare what has been known from the beginning: “The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deut 6:4) and “there is none like you among the gods, O Lord.” (Ps 86:8). “Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!” (Rev 16:7).
Consider—
╬ We may wonder about the fierceness of God’s wrath; however, his wrath reveals his great love. Remember and rehearse the dimensions of God’s love for you: “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ro 8:38-39).
╬ With the name of God written on our hearts and our foreheads, we know that we belong to Him and remain in his care. Remember and rehearse your present and eternal security and safety: “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Ro 8:31-32).
╬ Almighty God, you are righteous and holy, just and merciful. Your love knows no end. Lead us on to the day of your final redemption and your great glory. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.