God’s Wrath or God’s Loving Hand
Sermon Notes
Today we’re continuing our teaching series on a book of the bible called Revelation. It’s a series about finding peace in our world of chaos, and the text we’re studying today is about God’s wrath and judgement. It's about God’s wrath and judgement, which is a topic none of us like talking about. I mean we’d much rather talk about God’s forgiveness than human sinfulness. We’d much rather talk about God’s grace and love, than God’s wrath and judgment. We’d much rather talk about anything other than God’s wrath and judgement, but as we study today’s text we’ll learn there’s several good reasons for God’s wrath and judgement. I think both skeptics and believers will learn there’s several good reasons for why God’s wrath and judgement is necessary. So let’s turn to Revelation ch 15 and get into it. You’ll find Revelation in the back of the bible, it’s the very last book of the bible, and we’ll be in Revelation ch 15:1 to ch 16:21. Title of the message is God’s Wrath or God’s Loving Hand, and the big idea is people can either receive God’s wrath, or receive God’s loving hand...People can either receive God’s wrath, or receive God’s loving hand...
Here’s your context. The book of revelation is about the 2nd coming of Jesus, and what will happen at the end of history when he returns. We divided this entire book into four major sections based on the four major visions Jesus gives to John the author. We’ve already studied the 1st major vision of Jesus and The Churches, today we’ll finish the 2nd major vision of Jesus and the Cosmos, and next week we’ll start the 3rd major vision of Jesus Conquering. But at this point in Revelation one of the things we’ve learned is there’s 7 stages in God’s final judgement against sin and evil, and ch’s 15-16 is where we’ll more about what this 7th stage entails. As we study this text, we’ll learn there’s 3 good reasons for why God’s wrath and judgement is necessary. Let’s check it out.
Revelation 15:1 states, “Then I saw another great and awe-inspiring sign in heaven: seven angels with the seven last plagues; for with them God’s wrath will be completed. 2 I also saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had won the victory over the beast, its image, and the number of its name, were standing on the sea of glass with harps from God. 3 They sang the song of God’s servant Moses, and the song of the Lamb: ‘Great and awe-inspiring are your works Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the nations., 4 Lord, who will not fear and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All the nations will come and worship before you, because your righteous acts have been revealed.’” Just like in ch 14 there’s a song being sung by the believers. In vs 2 it says it’s a victory song being sung by those who are victorious over the beast which is the Antichrist. It’s a victory song being sung by those who kept their faith in Jesus, despite facing persecution for refusing the mark of the beast, for refusing to give their allegiance to the Antichrist. What we’re learning is believers always have a victorious song to sing even in persecution, because of our eternal salvation in Jesus Christ. These believers are singing a victory song that isn’t focused on their own power to save, it’s focused on God’s power to save. It isn’t focused on giving themselves glory, it’s focused on giving God glory.
Vs. 5, “After this I looked and the heavenly temple, the tabernacle of testimony, was opened. 6 Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues, dressed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes wrapped around their chests. 7 One of the four living creatures gave the seven angels, seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God who lives forever and ever. 8 Then 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.” Once again the focus is on the glory and power of God. The victory song focuses on the glory and power of God to save those who put their faith in Jesus, and the plagues focus on the glory and power of God’s wrath against those who don’t. So God’s glory and power is being displayed in both salvation and wrath. His glory and power is being displayed in both those who receive his hand for salvation, and those who receive his wrath for rejecting his hand for salvation. But at this point the 7th stage of God’s final judgement is about to happen through 7 plagues. In vs 1 John calls them the last plagues, because it’ll be the end of human history. Some of these plagues are similar to the plagues against Pharoah in the book of Exodus and the plagues we’ve already studied in Revelation. The difference is these plagues will be much worse. They’ll be global plagues, since they’re the last plagues.
Ch. 16:1, “Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, ‘Go and pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.’ 2 The first went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and severely painful sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast, and who worshiped its image.” Notice John describes these plagues as 7 bowls of God’s wrath, and he says they’re poured out instead of gradually dripped out. The implication is God’s wrath will be poured out all at once instead of gradually, increasing the severity of these plagues. This 1st bowl will be poured out on the earth, and it’ll cause people to break out in severely painful sores. They’ll have severely painful, inflamed, infected sores that are incurable. John says it’ll be poured out only on those who gave their allegiance to the Antichrist, instead of to Jesus Christ.
Vs. 3, “The second poured out his bowl into the sea. It turned to blood like that of a dead person, and all life in the sea died.” This 2nd bowl will be poured out into the sea, and it’ll cause the sea to turn into blood. It’ll cause the sea to be polluted in a way that’ll kill all sea life. The oceans that occupy 71% of the earth won’t be a place to relax anymore, it’ll be a polluted and toxic place to avoid. The text doesn’t tell us how this will happen, but one scholar gives the example a global Red Tide algae bloom. John Phillips states, “Red tide kills millions of fish and poison those who eat contaminated shellfish. In 1949 red tide hit the coast of Florida, and the water turned yellow. But by midsummer it was thick with billions of tiny one-celled organisms. Sixty-miles of smelly fish fouled the beaches. Much marine life was wiped out, even bait used by fishermen died on the hooks...Eating fish contaminated by the tide produced severe symptoms caused by a potent nerve poison. An unchecked population explosion of these toxins, could kill all the fish in the sea.” Phillips isn’t saying this is what will happen with the 2nd bowl of God’s wrath, he’s giving us an example of what could happen. He’s saying when John has this vision of the sea turning into blood, it could be caused by something like Red Tide. Whatever it is will be so toxic, it’ll kill all sea life.
Vs. 4, “The third poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood.” This 3rdbowl will be poured out into the rivers and the springs of water, and it’ll cause them to turn into blood too. It’ll cause them to become polluted and toxic too, which will affect all our fresh water supplies and drinking water. What once happened to the Nile River in Egypt, will now happen to all our fresh water supplies causing global dehydration and panic. With our ocean and fresh waters being globally polluted like this, it’ll only be a matter of time before all wildlife dies off leaving humanity both dehydrated and hungry. We’re starting to see why these plagues are called the last plagues. It’s because humanity can’t survive this kind of destruction for long. There won’t be a president, scientist, or even Elon Musk who can save humanity from what’s coming at the end of history. It’s only Jesus, the incarnate God, who can save us from all this.
Vs. 5, “I heard the angel of the waters say, ‘You are just, the Holy One, who is and who was, because you have passed judgment on these things. 6 Because they poured out the blood of the saints and the prophets, you have given them blood to drink. They deserve it!’ 7 I heard the altar say, ‘Yes Lord God, the Almighty, true and just are your judgments.’” Once again we’re being reminded that these last plagues will be poured out only on those who give their allegiance to the Antichrist, instead of to Jesus Christ. We’re being reminded that God’s wrath and judgement is just, meaning there’s good reasons for why God’s doing this. In these verses we’re learning there’s at least two good reasons for why God’s wrath and judgement is necessary. The 1st reason is...
#1 Sin and evil makes it necessary: Sin and evil makes God’s wrath and judgement necessary. If sin and evil didn’t exist, then God’s wrath and judgement wouldn’t need to exist. But because those things exist, God’s wrath and judgement exists. We need to remember at this point in Revelation, it’s talking about a time in history when these people have given their allegiance to the Antichrist, instead of to Jesus Christ. It’ll be a time when they’ve participated in the persecution and execution of people who put their faith in Jesus. They’ve either participated in it by accepting the Antichrist’s policies to persecute and execute anyone who didn’t give their allegiance to the Antichrist, or they personally persecuted and executed believers with their own hands. Either way they have blood on their hands, and God has good reasons for his wrath and judgement against them. Vs. 6 says, “It’s because they poured out the blood of the saints and the prophets...” so they’re getting what they deserved! Their sin and evil makes God’s wrath and judgement necessary!
#2 God’s character makes it necessary: Sin and evil makes God’s wrath and judgement necessary, but God’s character also makes it necessary. His loving, good, righteous character compels him to act against sin and evil. I mean if God is loving, he has to hate what’s unloving. If God is good, he has to hate what’s evil. If God is righteous, he has to hate what’s unrighteous. If God is just, he has to hate what’s unjust, like the unjust persecution and execution of his people. If God is loving, good, righteous in character, then it means he’s compelled to act against sin and evil since those things go against his character. I know a lot of people think a loving God should just let everybody into heaven, but a God that ignores sin and evil isn’t a loving God! I mean if a judge said to Hitler, “Well because I’m a loving judge, I’ll just ignore all the sin and evil you did.” You’d be outraged and consider them an unloving judge, because a loving judge can’t ignore sin and evil like that. So if you believe our local authorities shouldn’t govern like that, then you should also believe God shouldn’t govern like that. If you believe it’s necessary for a loving judge to hold people accountable for their sin and evil acts, then you should also believe it’s necessary for a loving God to hold people accountable for their sin and evil acts. What’s happening in this text is God’s way of holding people accountable at the end of history. So God’s wrath and judgement is necessary 1st because of sin and evil, and 2nd because of God’s loving, good, righteous character.
Vs. 8, “The fourth poured out his bowl on the sun. It was allowed to scorch people with fire, 9 and people were scorched by the intense heat. So they blasphemed the name of God, who has the power over these plagues, and they didn’t repent and give him glory.” This 4th bowl will be poured out on the sun, and it’ll cause people to be scorched from the intense heat. The heat of the sun will become unbearable, and it’ll accelerate the melting of our polar ice caps, which will cause water levels to rise to a point where entire nations will disappear. Now what’s interesting is vs 9 says the people still didn’t repent, even after these 4 plagues. It’s another reason why God is just in doing this. It’s another good reason why God’s wrath and judgement is necessary. It’s because...
#3 Refusing to repent makes it necessary: Refusing to repent makes God’s wrath and judgement necessary. The text says they keep refusing to repent, keep refusing to accept the loving hand of Jesus. Something we need to remember as we study this text is that God is very patient with humanity, giving us numerous chances to repent and turn to him all throughout history! 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord doesn’t delay his promise as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.” We need to remember this as we study these devastating events, because what we’ve seen throughout Revelation is God repeatedly giving people chances to repent and turn to him before these last plagues. In fact last week we learned it says in Ch. 14:6, “Then I saw another angel flying high overhead with the eternal gospel, to announce to the inhabitants of the earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people.” Notice it says the eternal gospel, the eternal good news of Jesus will be announced to all the inhabitants of the earth. It’ll be announced to every nation, tribe, language, and people group giving everyone a chance to repent and turn to Jesus, before these last plagues come. So as destructive as these last plagues are, God won’t send them without giving people a chance to repent and receive the loving hand of Jesus for salvation. The world can’t accuse God of not giving people chances to repent, because he’s given people chances all throughout history, and he’ll do the same at the end of history. People still have a chance to repent and turn to Jesus today, but time will eventually run out like it did for the people in the text. They’re experiencing these last plagues not because God didn’t give them chances to repent, but because they loved their sin more than the Savior and refused to repent. God’s wrath and judgement is necessary, because they’re continually refusing to repent.
Vs. 10, “The fifth poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues because of their pain 11 and blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they did not repent of their works.” This 5th bowl will be poured out on the throne of the beast, the throne of the Antichrist, and it’ll cause his demonic kingdom to crumble. So even the Antichrist will become powerless when having to face the powerful wrath of God. But notice John’s once again quick to remind us that God’s wrath and judgement is necessary, because the people still aren’t willing to repent and turn to Jesus.
Vs. 12, “The sixth poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the east. 13 Then I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming from the dragon’s mouth, from the beast’s mouth, and from the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are demonic spirits performing signs, who travel to the kings of the whole world to assemble them for the battle on the great day of God, the Almighty. 15 ‘Look, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who is alert and remains clothed, so he may not go around naked and people see his shame.’ 16 So they assembled the kings at the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.” This 6th bowl will be poured out on the great river Euphrates, and it’ll cause its water to be dried up. The Euphrates River is the longest and most significant river in the Middle East. It’s still a great source of life and vitality for many in the Middle East, but at this point in history it’ll be dried up. What’s interesting is NC State University put an article out last year stating the Euphrates River is actually starting to dry up at a rate that’s concerning many people. NC State University writes, “The average annual flow of the river has decreased to half its original amount! Based on satellite images, the Euphrates River basin has lost 34 cubic miles of freshwater, from 2003 to 2013.” Now this isn’t a fulfillment of this 6th plague, but it could possibly be preparation for its fulfillment. Vs. 16 tells us part of the reason the river will be dried up is for Satan, the Antichrist, and the Anti-prophet to assemble their demonic and human armies for a final battle at a place called Armageddon. There’s been over 200 battles fought in this region already, and this will be the final battle that’ll end all battles. It’ll be a final catastrophic world war that’ll lead to the end of history. Vs 15 gives hope for believers teaching us Jesus will return like a thief, meaning when we least expect it. He’ll come to defeat these evil armies and rescue his people. It’s a promise from Jesus that he won’t forget us, he won’t forsake us during this horrific time in history.
Vs. 17, “Then the seventh poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, ‘It is done!’ 18 There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. And a severe earthquake occurred like no other since people have been on the earth. 19 The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the Great was remembered in God’s presence; he gave her the cup filled with the wine of his fierce anger. 20 Every island fled, and the mountains disappeared. 21 Enormous hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds, fell from the sky on people, and they blasphemed God for the plague of hail, because that plague was extremely severe.” This 7th bowl will be poured out into the air, and it’ll cause damage to the earth’s atmosphere. The text says it’ll cause things like earthquakes and great hailstones unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. It says the great city will be split into 3 parts, and scholars think this is either a reference to Babylon, Rome, or Jerusalem. Either way this great city will be split because of the great destruction that’ll come from this 7th bowl of God’s wrath. The enormous hailstones that’ll form from the atmospheric shifts will destroy what little remains, and vs 21 says the people still curse God’s name. Despite all this the people still curse God’s name, even in their final dying breaths. So God eventually gives them what they want, which is eternal life in hell without him, instead of eternal life in heaven with him. In the words of C.S. Lewis,“To those who object to the doctrine of hell, what are you asking God to do? To wipe out their past sins and at all costs give them a fresh start? He did that, when Jesus died on the cross...You want God to forgive them? But they don’t ask for forgiveness...You want God to leave them alone? That’s what hell is!..Look there’s only two kinds of people in the end. Those who say to God ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says in the end ‘Thy will be done.’ All who are in Hell, choose it.” They choose it just like the people in the text choose to curse God, even in their final dying breaths. They’ve chosen God’s wrath, instead of the loving hand of the Savior. So God’s wrath and judgment is necessary, because of sin and evil, God’s character, and refusing to repent.
The big idea of the message is people can either receive God’s wrath, or receive God’s loving hand...People can either receive God’s wrath, or receive God’s loving hand...Revelation 15-16 is describing a time in history when God will not only punish sin and evil, he’ll also put an end to it through these last plagues. The good news of the eternal gospel, is that Jesus suffered God’s wrath for our sins on the cross so we don’t have to suffer God’s wrath in hell. So even though God’s wrath and judgment is necessary, the good news is anybody can be saved from God’s wrath through faith in Jesus. The good news is Psalm 51:17 says, “A broken and contrite heart O God, you won’t despise.” God won’t ever turn down a broken and contrite heart that repents and turns to him. So if you’re a skeptic instead of receiving God’s wrath, receive his loving hand by repenting for your sins and turning to Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins. If you’re a believer don’t yawn at any of this, instead thank Jesus for saving you from God’s wrath, and for giving you his loving hand. Thank and praise Jesus, for giving you an eternal friendship with him.