I have no desire to teach Revelation. Even after all these years, the symbolism is confusing to me. Thankfully, the early part that deals with the churches seems clear. And the end is also clear: Jesus wins! But today, as I was reading chapter 16, it was as though I heard a shout from Heaven, “Marlon, look at the arrogance and pride of man.”
The entire chapter highlights God’s wrath. First, He inflicts a painful plague on those who have received the mark of the beast (mentioned earlier). Then all sea life dies off and the drinking water is polluted. Instead of global warming, there is a global furnace as the sun’s heat is intensified.
You’d think that this would bring people to their knees, but it says, “they cursed God and refused to repent.” (Revelation 16:9,11) At the end of all this, there is an earthquake so severe that all the major cities of the world fall and hailstones weighing 100 pounds crash to the earth. Even with all this, the result is that people “curse God.” (Revelation 16:21)
What to me is the height of arrogance (and, foolishness) is to gather your forces together to fight against the Lord as He returns. But that is what will take place. “Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the Rider [Jesus] on the horse and His army.” (Revelation 19:19) Jesus is hovering mid-air, poised to attack, followed by myriads of angels and saints, and the armies of earth think they will defeat Him?!
Here’s what will happen once the battle begins. “The kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!’” (Revelation 6:15–16) At that moment they will realize that their attempt to overthrow the Lord was the dumbest thing they ever did.
We have an affinity for movies like Rocky. We applaud a man who refuses to give up no matter how many times he’s hit, someone who digs deep to stand tall and overcome the odds. But when you try fighting against God, it makes more sense to give in and surrender.
There is no need to be on the receiving end of the wrath of God. Maintaining His justice and righteousness, His wrath toward sin was already satisfied when Jesus died as our Substitute. As a result, God offers us forgiveness and eternal life. “For the WAGES of sin is death, but the GIFT of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) What we DESERVE is punishment. But what God wants to GIVE us is eternal life.
Jesus said, “Unless you repent, you too will all perish.” (Luke 13:3) Don’t refuse God’s terms of surrender. Accept Christ and enjoy His presence in your life. The alternative, if you refuse to bow your knee to Jesus as the One who died for your sin, is that you’ll have to pay yourself. That will be the worst decision of your life.
For those who have already surrendered to Jesus and asked Him into your life, the end of Revelation is also very clear. JESUS WINS!
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