Tag: divine judgment

The Coming Judgment (Revelation 11:1-14)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment

Then I was given a measuring stick, and I was told, “Go and measure the Temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers. But do not measure the outer courtyard, for it has been turned over to the nations. They will trample the holy city for 42 months. And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will be clothed in burlap and will prophesy during those 1,260 days.”

These two prophets are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of all the earth. If anyone tries to harm them, fire flashes from their mouths and consumes their enemies. This is how anyone who tries to harm them must die. They have power to shut the sky so that no rain will fall for as long as they prophesy. And they have the power to turn the rivers and oceans into blood, and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they wish.

When they complete their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the bottomless pit will declare war against them, and he will conquer them and kill them. And their bodies will lie in the main street of Jerusalem, the city that is figuratively called “Sodom” and “Egypt,” the city where their Lord was crucified. And for three and a half days, all peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will stare at their bodies. No one will be allowed to bury them. All the people who belong to this world will gloat over them and give presents to each other to celebrate the death of the two prophets who had tormented them.

But after three and a half days, God breathed life into them, and they stood up! Terror struck all who were staring at them. Then a loud voice from heaven called to the two prophets, “Come up here!” And they rose to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched.

At the same time there was a terrible earthquake that destroyed a tenth of the city. Seven thousand people died in that earthquake, and everyone else was terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

The second terror is past, but look, the third terror is coming quickly. (New Living Translation)

There are many people who look upon Christians as oppressors and persecutors in history. And they aren’t wrong. From calls to war for the Crusades, to the Spanish Inquisition, and much more, a great deal of blood has been spilled in the name of Christianity.

The Book of Revelation, however, knows nothing of that history, simply because it pre-dates all of it. Many people forget, in it’s first few hundred years, that Christianity was a persecuted religion by all sorts of people.

Christians were often the scapegoats to many a leader’s problems. From throwing Christians to the lions in the Roman Coliseum, to burning them at the stake because of their faith, many a martyr has faced a bloody death.

The Apostle John’s Apocalypse, which is known to us as the Book of Revelation, was a vision given to John in order to encourage the persecuted Christian Church that God knows their suffering; and that Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead.

John’s vision had a message of judgment on those who were persecuting Christians for their faithful witness of Jesus. The believers in Jesus who were suffering at the hands of oppressors, cried out for vindication and retribution against their persecutors.

Today’s portion of Revelation is situated between the sixth and seventh trumpets of God’s judgment (which are the second and third woes upon the earth). This interlude has to do with two godly witnesses. And the whole world is able to see them.

The space which the two witnesses occupy is in the outer courtyard of the Temple. The two of them symbolize all the faithful people of God in the world. They are attacked and killed, having carried out their witness for 1,260 days (42 months).

This is a time, related to the Old Testament prophecy of Daniel, appointed for the godless to overcome the city. But this time of suffering and woe will not last.

The two witnesses are not named or identified. The point is that whomever they are, these two maintain their prophetic witness to the Lord consistently to their martyrdom.

Like their Lord before them, the two witnesses lay dead for three days. Their bodies visible for all to see. The godless inhabitants of earth gloat over them, and celebrate their demise.

But again, like Jesus, the two are raised from death and ascend to heaven. This evokes a mass of fear throughout the world. The fact that the event causes fear and terror, instead of repentance  and penitence, speaks to how warped the people of earth have become.

Indeed, the Book of Revelation is highly symbolized reading, and John’s vision is not easy to understand. Yet, there are a few things we can reflect upon in light of this passage; and some questions we can ask of ourselves:

  1. It is important to be faithful and persevere to the very end of our lives. How will we respond to this present darkness in the world?
  2. The way in which we live our lives is the legacy we leave for others when we are gone. What will we be remembered for?
  3. Our lives speak to others about who the God of heaven is. Therefore, it is profoundly important how we go about living our current mundane daily existence. How, then, shall you and I live?
  4. Our short lives have eternal ramifications, not only for ourselves, but for future generations. In what ways will you build into the next generation and help them persevere in faith?
  5. Everything you and I see today will change. There is a Judgment Day coming, just as sure as summer will transition to autumn and then into winter. What will you do today that prepares for the final season of the earth as we know it?

Although much of John’s apocalyptic vision deals with wickedness reaching a ripeness which releases the wrath of God’s judgment; it is also simultaneously the church’s entrance into her eternal inheritance. Systemic sin, structural evil, and devilish deeds shall be no more.

Even so, come Lord Jesus. May peace soon come to this world, and within our hearts. Amen.

Accountability Is Real, and It Matters (Ezekiel 14:12-23)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, if a country sins against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply and send famine upon it and kill its people and their animals, even if these three men—Noah, Daniel and Job—were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness, declares the Sovereign Lord.

“Or if I send wild beasts through that country and they leave it childless and it becomes desolate so that no one can pass through it because of the beasts, as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved, but the land would be desolate.

“Or if I bring a sword against that country and say, ‘Let the sword pass throughout the land,’ and I kill its people and their animals, as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved.

“Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out my wrath on it through bloodshed, killing its people and their animals, as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, they could save neither son nor daughter. They would save only themselves by their righteousness.

“For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem my four dreadful judgments—sword and famine and wild beasts and plague—to kill its men and their animals! 

“Yet there will be some survivors—sons and daughters who will be brought out of it. They will come to you, and when you see their conduct and their actions, you will be consoled regarding the disaster I have brought on Jerusalem—every disaster I have brought on it. You will be consoled when you see their conduct and their actions, for you will know that I have done nothing in it without cause, declares the Sovereign Lord.” (New International Version)

Stained glass of the three righteous men: Daniel, Job, and Noah

No person, group, institution, or nation can act unjustly forever. The prophet Ezekiel made it clear that everyone will be held accountable for injustice and wickedness, for crimes against humanity and against God.

Furthermore, there is no nation or group which can rely on a few persons who do right, while the rest of the people swim in injustice and unrighteousness. Righteous persons save only themselves; they cannot make decisions and take over the life of another person.

Ezekiel wanted to make sure his listeners got the message of individuals only saving themselves, and not riding on the coattails of others. The prophet went out of his way to communicate that each individual person will be held responsible for their own actions; they will be judged on what they themselves have done, and not what another has or has not done.

Even the family of a righteous person will not be spared divine judgment because of that individual’s righteousness. One shall be held accountable for what that one has done, period.

Specifically, in the text, God was ready to execute judgment on Jerusalem. War, wild animals, famine, and disease would come upon them because of unfaithfulness, injustice, and unrighteousness.

Just because the city had the temple, this would not save them. Just because there are a few righteous persons in the city, they would not save it. Just because a close loved one is faithful and righteous, will not mean that God would spare the city.

A few good works of a few people, do not cancel out pervasive and consistent evil which is perpetrated by many people. Each person is responsible for their own behavior. No one gets a pass, simply because they know certain people and are well-connected.

Evil is evil, no matter whether it is perpetrated by believers or unbelievers. No nation, and no person, is off the hook; all persons will be held accountable for doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God.

Even if three of the most righteous persons show up – Noah, Daniel, and Job, who were famous for their moral integrity – their combined righteousness and faithfulness would not keep away divine judgment from happening in an immoral and unethical society. Only those three alone would be delivered.

There is no such thing as salvation by proxy. Each individual person must work on themselves, without blaming others, inordinately depending on others, nor ignoring God and wishing God did not see, or does not exist at all.

Evil persons do not get any preferential treatment from God, just because they have a prominent position or are famous. The Lord, as Sovereign of the universe, has every right to exact divine retribution. And God will do it without showing favoritism.

Just as God shows mercy without prejudice, so will God extend judgment without any prejudice.

The presence of great light means that there is also the presence of great darkness. If we want a great God of love and mercy, then we must also accept the God of wrath and judgment; and vice versa.

We are made in God’s image, and not the other way around. It is our task to submit to the high, holy, and sovereign Lord of all. It is not God’s job to be the divine Santa Claus who submits to us. The Lord is no divine genie who we can keep in a bottle, and summon whenever we so desire.

No matter one’s theology or spirituality, everyone discerns that they are to be responsible in this life, and are accountable to forces greater than themselves.

This is one of those universal realities that all of us need to sync our lives with – or suffer the consequences.

Almighty God and Sovereign Lord of all, I embrace my accountability to you. Forgive me for when I live as though I need not give an account of what I said and did. I affirm that I am accountable for how I treat others; and I realize that what I do to others, positive or negative, I am doing to you, their Creator. Sustain me in faith and patience, I pray. Amen.

Mercy and Judgment (Revelation 8:1-5)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
Seven angels with seven trumpets, and the angel with a censer, from the Bamberg Apocalypse, c.1020 C.E.

Then, when the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. Another angel came and stood at the altar, and he held a gold bowl for burning incense. He was given a large amount of incense, in order to offer it on behalf of the prayers of all the saints on the gold altar in front of the throne. 

The smoke of the incense offered for the prayers of the saints rose up before God from the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the incense container and filled it with fire from the altar. He threw it down to the earth, and there were thunder, voices, lightning, and an earthquake. (Common English Bible)

When I was kid, growing up on a Midwest American farm, I remember times when severe weather was coming. I knew it was going to be bad whenever everything became still and there was complete silence: No wind, no birds singing, no insects chirping, nothing moving whatsoever. It was the eerie silence which precedes something big coming.

That is the way it will be in heaven when the seventh seal is opened. The silence is so quiet that you know a lot of noise and movement are about to happen. It’s not serene silence; it’s scary silent.

With the opening of the seventh seal, a climactic moment is reached. The silence is not only an anticipation of the coming drama, but is also a sign of reverence and awe.

The seventh seal initiates a series of woes: The seven trumpets. But before the trumpets begin, an angel appears. Standing before a heavenly altar, the angel mixes incense along with prayers from the people, then offers them on the altar.

These prayers of the people are for justice, and a longing for the kingdom to come, and God’s will to be done, on earth, as it is always done in heaven.

The imagery relates to us that God hears the prayers, and will act, according to the divine character and will.

The angel takes fire from the altar and hurls it down to earth, causing thunder and lightning, and an earthquake. In other words, the prayers are being answered; they are having an effect. Judgment on the earth begins with the blowing of the seven trumpets.

As we may expect, the incredible silence gives way to an equally incredible noise of weather and the earth moving. And the angel, serving as a quiet and contemplative high priest, now moves to becoming a judge upon the earth.

It turns out that mercy and judgment are not two contrasting concepts and actions; they are two sides of the very same coin. The altar of mercy becomes the source of judgment.

Whenever there is an injustice, we want (and expect) to have that act acknowledged and taken care of by a proper authority. To have a judge simply say that he/she is merciful and will acquit the guilty, does not work in every situation. Mercy only exists because of the presence of guilt and judgment.

God takes care of sin because God loves. An unloving deity would be unconcerned, random, and capricious in handling injustice. But not the God of the Bible. God shows mercy to the righteous, and will judge the wicked.

God’s mercy extends to the point of acquitting the guilty, if God so desires to do so. And everyone needs mercy, because we all have committed injustices in our lives.

Yet, by means of humble contrition and faith, we can mercifully discover gracious amnesty. This is why Jesus came, to take care of the sin issue once for all through the Cross.

We have been made holy by God’s will through the offering of Jesus Christ’s body once for all. (Hebrews 10:10, CEB)

In the time of the Apostle John’s vision, which is the Book of Revelation, Christians were facing persecution and martyrdom. The prayers of the suffering believers rose to heaven:

They cried out with a loud voice, “Holy and true Master, how long will you wait before you pass judgment? How long before you require justice for our blood, which was shed by those who live on earth?” (Revelation 6:10, CEB)

God’s response to the prayers of the saints is to send judgmental fire against the earth by the hand of the angel. In John’s apocalyptic vision, not only are the believers in Christ facing trials and tribulations for their faith, but the unbelieving persecutors who victimize the saints will be punished, as well.

If the persecutors use fiery elements against the believers, God can (and will) turn that fire back on the them. This is similar to the Book of Exodus, in which the plagues that struck and judged the Egyptians were, at the same time, a means of protecting and preserving the Israelites.

The Book of Revelation included in the Christian canon of scripture, not for the purpose of predicting the time or the season in which Jesus Christ will come back to judge the living and the dead. Rather, John’s Apocalypse is meant to encourage the followers of Christ that their suffering will not last forever; and neither will the arrogance of the wicked.

We don’t know when all of this end-of-the-age stuff is going to shake out. Which is why it is so important we learn to persevere through suffering. Because we might have to wait awhile.

Prayer for us then becomes not simply something we do if we have a bit of discretionary time; it becomes vital for us. We discern that we must speak with God. We are compelled to offer our prayers. We feel the great need to cry out and petition God for justice and righteousness.

It seems, if I don’t pray, I won’t make it. Therefore, I must pray. I will pray with all of my heart and soul, till I cannot pray anymore. And then I will pray some more, because I need God.

There is nothing easy about moving through suffering. It’s hard to persevere. It hurts to be the brunt of another’s violent tongue and/or hand. Yet, we do not experience this alone. The divine presence is with us. And that makes all the difference.

Oh God:
Give me strength to live another day;
Let me not turn coward before its difficulties, or fail in its duties;
Let me not lose faith in other people;
Keep me sweet and sound of heart, in spite of ingratitude, treachery, or meanness;
Preserve me from minding little stings, or giving them;
Help me to keep my heart clean, and to live so honestly and fearlessly that no outward failure can dishearten me, or take away the joy of conscious integrity;
Open wide the eyes of my soul that I may see good in all things;
Grant me this day some new vision of your truth;
Inspire me with the spirit of joy and gladness and make me the cup of strength to suffering souls; in the name of the strong Deliverer, our only Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Coming Divine Judgment (Revelation 20:7-15)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
Lake of Fire, by David Howard Hitchcock, 1888

When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Then I saw a great white throne, and he who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. (New International Version)

Almost everything is temporary. All things temporal must come to an end. Therefore, it is foolish to live as if everything we have will last forever.

Conversely, there are a few things which are permanent, namely, God and relationships. So, it only makes sense that we exist for values that will last, while holding very loosely the temporal things. Jesus put the matter like this:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21, NIV)

Yet, despite knowing this, people struggle with their espoused values. Many times, we succumb to the temporal as if it were permanent; and with permanence the things which are temporary. This situation speaks to the power of evil; and evil is not something to trifle with.

The Judgment of Satan

Just when we might evil is contained, it isn’t. In today’s lesson, Satan is loosed from his imprisonment, still a threat. That is the nature of evil amongst us; it has the sinister capacity to rebound and wreak havoc in people’s lives.

In the Apostle John’s apocalyptic vision, Satan is joined by Gog and Magog, who represent the nations of the earth. This hearkens back to the prophecy of Ezekiel in the Old Testament (Ezekiel 38-39) in which Gog – the leader of the land of Magog – leads an attack on Jerusalem. In other words, evil comes together and focuses its energies on the people of God in order to destroy them.

However, God intervenes; the destruction the nations intended on God’s people comes upon them. Evil is finally done for, once and for all; it is thoroughly purged from the presence of the righteous.

The Judgment of the Dead

With evil put in its place, there is nowhere for the old rebellious systems and order of things to exist anymore. A new heaven and a new earth is needed – not just a reconstituted heaven and earth – because that’s how nasty evil really is, that it must be completely purged. New systems are put in place which can accommodate righteousness. Jesus predicted this new reality:

And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins.  (Luke 5:37-38, NIV)

When the time comes, all persons will stand as they truly are before the Lord. There can be no making oneself look better than they are, or presenting a particular optic that spins a good look in order to impress. All the actions and deeds of people are laid bare.

God’s grace, along with and human actions, are held together in tension. God grants salvation; and what we humans do with that gift matters a great deal.

Humanity’s works in this life demonstrate what sort of person they actually are. So, if those works are inconsistent and incongruent with how one’s life has been lived, it demonstrates where their hearts truly are; and where their final destination will be.

There is a coming judgment in which death and hell are done away with forever. Anyone whose name is not found in the Book of Life goes the way of death and hell, because when they had the chance to use their temporal life to give permanent life for others, they did not.

Conclusion

The point is not to try and determine who Gog and Magog are; or when in the future this all will happen. The sage person remains far away from such useless folly.

The aim of the Apostle John, for which we must pay attention, is twofold: encourage the faithful; and warn the unfaithful.

The Book of Revelation was given to believers in Jesus, to help them see that suffering, persecution, and hardship is temporary; remain faithful, persevere in faith, and you will see your name written in the Book of Life.

Revelation was also given as great warning sign to those who have put so much stock into power politics, jostling for authority, and oppressing others to get what they want. The positions they hold now are temporary. The oppression they give in this life will be what they receive in the next.

In the end, all things shall be judged rightly. In this, I take great comfort and hope.

Lord Jesus Christ, by your patience in suffering you hallowed earthly pain and gave us the example of obedience to your Father’s will: Be near me in my time of weakness and pain; sustain me by your grace, that my strength and courage may not fail; heal me according to you will; and help me always to believe that what happens to me here is of little account if you hold me in eternal life, my Lord and my God. Amen.