As They Deserve
(Rev 16:1~11)
The best way I can describe salvation is through my husbands death. He passed away unexpectedly. To me, however, it was not a judgment but a salvation. The target of seven bowls of woes starting from todays passage is the people of the whole world, who deserve Gods judgment. Lets see why they deserve it through todays passage.
1. Its because they failed to repent during the disaster. Having the bowls of woes means that we fail to see and interpret things through Gods perspective in our trials. Lets see the five stages of the seven bowls. amp#9312 We see ugly and painful sores, a malicious woe poured out on earth. They are targeted to those who received the mark of the beast and worshiped it. The beast worshippers main agenda is earthly and physical pleasure. Thats why God strikes their body. They also have worse sores: spiritual inability to believe in anybody. They cannot be cured of the sores until they meet Jesus, who died on the cross for their sins. Their problem is spiritual apathy to Gods judgment while they are in it. amp#9313 We see the disaster of the sea turned to blood. The sea that covers 70% of the earth refers to the evil people who dont repent. relying on the great amount of their resources. Yet, environmental disruption and food shortage come from human sins. amp#9314 We see the disaster of water pollution. God polluted all the sources of the Egyptian water supply with blood lest the magicians dare to copy him. The true source of provision is only God, to whom we should return. amp#9315 We see the disaster of being seared by the sun. The sun is the source of health and life. It refers to our spouse, parents and children, whom we cherish and worship. But they cant sear us and we often forget this and fail to repent. amp#9316 We see the disaster of total darkness. It prevents those who have the beast values from discerning and repenting even though they gnaw their tongues in agony. They cant understand any testimony because theyre deafened by doubts and criticism.
2. Why do we fail to repent? The men of abundant knowledge, power, money, and self-respect are never stirred no matter what comes to them. The men of the beast values dont mind whomever around them is sick and about to die whether the person is their parent or not. The person who has worldly values, no matter how nice he looks, pays no attention to anyone to whom he has no practical reason to be good. Non-Christians values are as good as the beast values. Saul died in the war against the Philistines despite all his passionate worship even though he hated David. However, it was not the Philistines but his hatred for David that actually put him to death. No matter how hard we pray for whomever, God notices the hatred for someone at the bottom of our heart. God wont be deceived no matter how hard we praise and pray unless we actually live godly daily lives. He will say, You are cut off because you didnt inquire of me.
3. Gods judgment is what weve brought on ourselves. Gods judgment on Saul was what Saul deserved. So it is with us. Whether we believe or not, God does nothing that we dont deserve. God judges the world with his precise measure. Saul offered his own passionate worship to God, yet without repentance. On the other hand, David repented whenever he made mistakes. According to Gods measurement, I dont deserve his salvation at all. Thats why I say Its Gods grace!
4. Gods judgment is brought about by Christians prayers, which we deserve. Judgment is Gods business, yet it is brought about by Christians prayer. Thats why we need to pray for the judgment on us. Preparing for my sermon on the book of Revelation, I was blessed to understand that the worst case for us is our spiritual apathy to the trials and spiritual bankruptcy we face, thinking that theres no one around us to rely on and that they all displease me. I pray that we will accept that we deserve everything we face, watching the evil city within us pulled down. Rich or poor, we all need to look back on ourselves with the Word, accepting that we deserve our present situation. Heres a testimony from one of our church members, who is undergoing treatment for alcoholism. 'Lord, now I totally rely on you even though theres nothing so good in my life. I thank you for your sincere guidance. Ill help out someone like me after learning how to meditate on your Word.' Todays passage ends with 'they refused to repent of what they had done.' despite Gods warning and woes for them. However, we Christians, who have passed through the sea of fire need to pray for those whove not repented yet, remembering that Gods judgment is his response to Christians prayer. The book of Revelation is Gods prescription to help us live our life as if today were the last day instead of focusing on the times or dates, and inquire of God in every step of our life.
Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, 'Go, pour out the seven bowls of Gods wrath on the earth.' (Rev 16:1)
