Rev. Don Campbell
Revelation 6-11
THOUGHT FOR TODAY, DECEMBER 29, 2019
“THE WRATH OF THE LAMB WILL COME”
As Jesus opened the first four seals, riders went forth executing temporal judgment on the earth’s inhabitants. With the opening of the fifth seal, the vision shifts from earth to heaven, and what might be called the eternal “Why” is answered: “If God reigns, why is there evil?” Martyred saints asked similar questions: “How long, 0 Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” (Revelation 6:10). God’s delay is a delay of mercy as every effort is exerted to bring sinners to their knees in repentance. God’s word and God’s providence are at work to bring men repentance. When these become ineffective, the end shall come without respect of persons (Revelation 6:15). Every war, famine, and calamity that heaven’s horsemen bring is a warning of the day of the wrath of God and of the Lamb (Revelation 6:17).
Upon reading about all these calamities, one might despair that the salvation of man might be hindered by them. Not so. Nothing will be allowed to disturb so much as a tree if that will interfere with the sealing of God’s servants (Revelation 7:3). Not even suffering and dying prevent the sealing, for “blessed are the dead who die in the Lord” (Revelation 14:13). God’s delay is a delay of mercy, not indifference. He does not desire that any be lost but that all come to repentance.
Often people will ask, “If God is on his throne and he is a good God, why doesn’t he do something about the wickedness of the world?” Are we sure we want him to do something about all wickedness or is it just the wickedness in those who are removed from us? If God suddenly struck every sinner dead, many would curse him saying, for example, “How could a good God strike down this young mother, leaving her children orphans? If he pulled back the curtain and allowed us to see that she was an adulteress, would it make any difference? Probably not, if she were our daughter or granddaughter. We must trust God that he is acting in such a way that the greatest number possible will be saved with the least amount of suffering possible.
CONNECTIONS
1. When we selective condemn sin in some and excuse it in others, whether it is in our family, our church, or our political party, what are we betraying about ourselves?
2. Peter said that the world is going to up in flames. If we knew it was going to happen before midnight, December 31, what would we do differently than what we now plan to do?
