Dave's Diary

Daily Readings: Revelation 15-16 and Psalm 60

In chapters 15-16, John sees a different depiction of God’s will for the progression of the Age of the End, this time symbolised in the seven bowls of God’s wrath. Wrath means God’s settled anger against sin (i.e. rebellion against His love and His will), and I marvel that this wrath is born not out of hatred for humanity, but in fact out of God’s love for humanity and out of His anger at how sin destroys life. In this vision, John yet again sees how God’s wrath allows humanity to experience the inevitable consequences of sin and thereby grants a final opportunity for humanity to turn to Him and be saved. But John sees that, yet again, “they refused to repent and glorify Him” (16:9) … and “they refused to repent of what they had done” (16:11).

Humanity’s rebellious refusal to repent finds its climax in the sixth bowl, when, in John’s vision, the nations of the world are demonically inspired to put a final nail in the coffin of their rebellion against God by mustering all their military power together to wage war against God. As if that could ever succeed! Instead in one single act of power, God utterly defeats this futile coalition of human “power”.

Life application: And so, yet again, the question is subtly put to us: Will I be among those who rebelliously refuse to repent and be saved and hence receive the full consequences of my own sin? Will I be among those who turn back from following Christ because this world’s pressure to conform is so great? Or will I surrender to the Lordship of Christ, live as His faithful disciple and as a beloved child of God and therefore be brought home to His heavenly presence to worship Him forever, singing songs like 15:3-4:

‘Great and marvellous are Your deeds,
    Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are Your ways,
    King of the nations.
⁴ Who will not fear You, Lord,
    and bring glory to Your name?
For You alone are holy.
All nations will come
    and worship before You,
for Your righteous acts have been revealed.’

You decide …