Adventure Day 46 - 4/8/09

In this past Sunday's message, I mentioned in my sermon how God's grace always precedes judgment - his love precedes his wrath. I find this one of the most hopeful and encouraging truths of the Gospel story woven throughout Genesis to Revelation. However, there comes a moment when grace rejected ultimately summons judgment, and the holy wrath of God is let loose. Today's Adventure Bible reading [Read Revelation 15:1-16:21] describes in horrific forecast the culmination of human history, a time when God's wrath will be fully "completed" (see v. 1). Here seven plagues are brought upon the earth and all it's inhabitants...so terrible that people curse God (see vv. 9,11&21), yet refuse to repent and surrender to him. The six and seventh "bowls of God's wrath" set up the final stage for the great Day of the Lord (or Second Coming of Christ) - The Battle of Armageddon (v. 16). Then, as the Revelation chapter 16 comes to a close, we hear a great voice from Heaven's throne, saying, "It is finished!"...and into the darkness and evil of this world all heaven breaks loose (literally...just read Revelation 19:11ff). This, my friends, is fascinating reading... it ought to motivate/energize us, for the Day is drawing near.

It reminds me of another day of darkness in this world's history, a day when all of God's wrath was directed at his Son, who bore upon himself the consequence of humankind's sin and rebellion. There from the cross this same Lord used these identical words... "It is finished." We celebrate that Day this week, and call it Good Friday. It was/is "good", because the crucifixion of Jesus Christ is the very foundation of God's grace for all those who repent and surrender, before it's too late. The Apostle John summarizes this in his Gospel, saying...

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. - John 3:16-18

Friends, let us be motivated by God's grace... and marvel at his holy wrath and justice.

Maranatha...the Lord is Coming Soon!
Pastor Paul