Revelation Day 41 - God's Guarantee

DAY 41
God’s Guarantee
Revelation 15:1-4
 
In Genesis 18, Abraham asked God, “Should not the judge of all the earth do what is right?” Abraham wanted to make sure God was treating people fairly. Most of us want everyone treated fairly. We want justice.

But the world is full of things that don’t seem fair. Does God care? What’s God doing about it?

Those questions are in the background of Rev. 15 and 16, which we’re looking at this week. Just like we did last week, let’s survey the big picture of what happens in these two chapters of Revelation.

Rev. 15-16 echoes God’s judgments we read about in earlier chapters. The New Testament scholar, Craig Koester, very helpfully says that Revelation is organized like a spiral: John’s visions repeat themselves but in different ways each time until we reach the end. Earlier we heard about seven seals broken to open a scroll. Now we hear about seven angels releasing seven containers with seven plagues of God’s wrath.

The entire vision echoes the Exodus of the Old Testament. Heaven celebrates liberty just like the Israelites after escaping Egypt. In both cases, God saves his people by judging oppressive evildoers with plagues.

As Rev. 15 opens, John again sees a temple in heaven. One more time, Pastor John brings us a vision of worship. The seven angels who carry God’s judgments exit the temple and head to earth. But first we see Christians who were killed by the dragon’s monsters. They’re alive and singing, celebrating God’s victory. They’re celebrating that people of every nation worship God. And they celebrate God’s justice: “Just and true are your ways.”

Rev. 16 then shows us the seven angels pouring out God’s wrath on planet Earth. These judgments affect more things than before but read carefully and you’ll see that nobody dies until the final bowl is emptied. The seventh bowl seems to be another picture of God’s final judgment against evil. It’s not the first time we’ve seen that and it won’t be the last time.

All in all, these two chapters show us one thing: God guarantees justice.

REFLECT
Do you ever wonder if life is fair? How do you normally respond to life’s unfairnesses?

PRAY
Our Father, life sometimes seems unfair. Some people despair over unfairness and injustice. Sometimes I’m not sure what to do. Teach me this week that you guarantee justice. Give me hope that stands on your guarantee. Amen.