God's Justice and the Call to Repentance

Devotional

Day 1: The Holiness and Justice of God

God's nature is both holy and just, and this duality is essential to understanding His character. He is not merely a loving and kind deity but also a righteous judge who must address sin. This balanced view helps us appreciate the full character of God and the necessity of His judgments. In Revelation 16, the seven bowls of God's wrath are poured out as a response to the wickedness and sin of those who have taken the mark of the beast. These judgments are a testament to God's righteousness and His commitment to justice. Understanding this aspect of God's nature helps us to see the importance of living in a way that honors His holiness and justice. [46:40]

Isaiah 5:16 (ESV): "But the Lord of hosts is exalted in justice, and the Holy God shows himself holy in righteousness."

Reflection: In what ways can you honor God's holiness and justice in your daily life? Are there areas where you need to align more closely with His righteous standards?

Day 2: The Call to Repentance

The repeated refusal of the wicked to repent, despite severe judgments, highlights the hardness of the human heart. This serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of repentance in our own lives. God's judgments are not arbitrary but are responses to human actions, calling us to turn back to Him. The imagery in Revelation 16 shows that even in the face of dire consequences, some people will still refuse to repent. This should prompt us to examine our own hearts and ensure that we are quick to repent and turn back to God when we fall short. [59:47]

Ezekiel 18:30-31 (ESV): "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel?"

Reflection: Is there a specific sin or area of your life where you have been resistant to repentance? What steps can you take today to turn back to God and seek His forgiveness?

Day 3: Vindication of the Righteous

God's judgments serve to vindicate the righteous. This is a source of hope and encouragement for believers, reminding us that our faithfulness will be rewarded and that God will ultimately bring justice. The imagery in Revelation 16 shows that God's judgments are not just about punishment but also about vindicating those who have remained faithful to Him. This should encourage us to persevere in our faith, knowing that God sees our struggles and will ultimately bring justice. [57:49]

Psalm 37:28 (ESV): "For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off."

Reflection: How does the promise of God's vindication encourage you in your current struggles? In what ways can you remain faithful and trust in God's ultimate justice?

Day 4: Living Prepared Lives

The imagery of Jesus coming like a thief in the night underscores the need for constant readiness. We are called to live holy and godly lives, always prepared for His return. This preparedness is a mark of true discipleship. Revelation 16 reminds us that we do not know the day or hour of Jesus' return, so we must live in a state of readiness, continually seeking to grow in our faith and live in a way that honors God. This means being vigilant in our spiritual lives and not becoming complacent. [01:15:45]

1 Thessalonians 5:2-4 (ESV): "For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, 'There is peace and security,' then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief."

Reflection: Are there areas of your life where you have become spiritually complacent? What practical steps can you take to live in a state of readiness for Jesus' return?

Day 5: God's Patience and Desire for Repentance

God's delay in executing final judgment is a testament to His patience and desire for all to come to repentance. This period of grace is an opportunity for us to turn to Him and avoid the severe consequences described in Revelation. God's patience is not a sign of weakness but of His great love and desire for all people to come to repentance. This should motivate us to take advantage of this period of grace to turn to God and encourage others to do the same. [01:24:29]

2 Peter 3:9 (ESV): "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."

Reflection: How can you use this period of God's patience to grow closer to Him? Is there someone in your life who needs to hear about God's patience and desire for their repentance? How can you share this message with them today?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Today, we delved into Revelation chapter 16, exploring the profound and often unsettling imagery of God's final judgments upon mankind. We began by acknowledging God's goodness and faithfulness, and the importance of lifting up the name of Jesus. We then transitioned into a time of prayer for our tithes and offerings, emphasizing that giving is an extension of our worship. We also took a moment to honor Dylan, a young man from our congregation heading off to serve in the military, praying for his protection and success.

The core of our study focused on the seven bowls of God's wrath described in Revelation 16. These judgments are reminiscent of the plagues in the Exodus story, serving as a divine response to the wickedness and sin of those who have taken the mark of the beast. We discussed the importance of understanding God's nature as holy and just, which necessitates His judgment of sin. This is not a "Santa Claus theology" where God is only seen as loving and kind, but a balanced view that includes His righteousness and justice.

We also highlighted the repeated call for repentance throughout the chapter. Despite the severe judgments, the wicked refuse to repent, illustrating the hardness of their hearts. This serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of unrepentant sin and the importance of turning back to God.

Finally, we emphasized that God's judgments serve two main purposes: to vindicate the righteous and to give people an opportunity to repent. This is a call to live holy and godly lives, always prepared for the return of Jesus, who will come like a thief in the night. For those who have placed their faith in Jesus, there is the promise of a new heaven and a new earth, free from the judgments described.

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Key Takeaways

1. God's Nature and Justice: Understanding God's nature as holy and just is crucial. He is not just a loving and kind deity but also a righteous judge who must address sin. This balanced view helps us appreciate the full character of God and the necessity of His judgments. [46:40]
2. The Call to Repentance: The repeated refusal of the wicked to repent, despite severe judgments, highlights the hardness of the human heart. This serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of repentance in our own lives. God’s judgments are not arbitrary but are responses to human actions, calling us to turn back to Him. [59:47]
3. Vindication of the Righteous: God's judgments serve to vindicate the righteous. This is a source of hope and encouragement for believers, reminding us that our faithfulness will be rewarded and that God will ultimately bring justice. [57:49]
4. Living Prepared Lives: The imagery of Jesus coming like a thief in the night underscores the need for constant readiness. We are called to live holy and godly lives, always prepared for His return. This preparedness is a mark of true discipleship. [75:45]
5. God's Patience and Desire for Repentance: God's delay in executing final judgment is a testament to His patience and desire for all to come to repentance. This period of grace is an opportunity for us to turn to Him and avoid the severe consequences described in Revelation. [01:24:29]
### [84:29]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[36:10] - Opening Prayer and Introduction
[37:18] - Prayer for Tithes and Offerings
[38:02] - Honoring Dylan's Military Service
[38:53] - Announcement: Foundations of Hope Class
[39:44] - Importance of a Solid Foundation
[46:40] - Introduction to Revelation 16
[48:11] - Santa Claus Theology vs. Biblical View of God
[50:10] - The Seven Bowls of God's Wrath
[51:54] - The First Bowl: Painful Sores
[53:49] - The Second and Third Bowls: Water Turns to Blood
[55:09] - The Fourth Bowl: Scorching Heat
[59:47] - The Fifth Bowl: Darkness and Agony
[67:18] - The Sixth Bowl: Drying of the Euphrates
[70:16] - The Frogs and the False Trinity
[75:45] - Behold, I Come Like a Thief
[77:34] - The Seventh Bowl: It Is Done
[84:29] - God's Patience and Call to Repentance
[85:15] - Closing Prayer and Invitation to Repent

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What are the seven bowls of God's wrath described in Revelation 16, and how do they compare to the plagues in the Exodus story? ([50:52])
How does the sermon describe the nature of God in relation to His judgments? ([48:11])
What is the significance of the repeated refusal of the wicked to repent in Revelation 16? ([59:47])
According to the sermon, what are the two main purposes of God's judgments? ([01:22:27])

Interpretation Questions

How does understanding God's nature as both loving and just affect our view of His judgments? ([48:11])
Why is the call to repentance so crucial in the context of Revelation 16, and what does it reveal about the human heart? ([59:47])
How does the imagery of Jesus coming like a thief in the night influence the way believers should live their lives? ([01:15:45])
What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between God's patience and His desire for repentance? ([01:24:29])

Application Questions

Reflect on your understanding of God's nature. How does recognizing God as both loving and just change the way you approach your faith and daily life? ([48:11])
Have there been moments in your life where you felt God was trying to get your attention? How did you respond, and what can you learn from those experiences? ([01:23:03])
The sermon emphasizes the importance of living a prepared life. What specific steps can you take to ensure you are always ready for Jesus' return? ([01:15:45])
In what ways can you cultivate a heart of repentance in your daily walk with God? Are there specific areas in your life where you need to turn back to Him? ([59:47])
How can you encourage others in your community to understand the full character of God, including His justice and righteousness? ([48:11])
Think about someone in your life who may be struggling with the concept of God's judgment. How can you lovingly share the message of repentance and hope with them? ([01:24:29])
The sermon mentions the vindication of the righteous as a purpose of God's judgments. How does this promise of vindication provide hope and encouragement in your current circumstances? ([01:22:27])

Sermon Clips

1. "The reason why it's so important to kind of do a deep dive in the book of Revelation is because many people don't want to hear the book of Revelation. Or many people don't want to read the book of Revelation. There's not many churches around that are going to do a deep dive in the book of Revelation. And it's because the people that we're communicating to, they don't want to hear it because it's hard to reconcile this idea of God's divine judgment." [46:40] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Many believers adopt a Santa Claus theology. They have a viewpoint of God who's always good, who's always good. That he's always kind and he's never firm. That he's always just about love and never about holding us accountable for our behavior or, in Scripture, the word is sin, according to our sin. And so we'd rather have a God made up in our minds who's just sitting in heaven, sitting on his throne, waiting for our wish list so that he can make us happy." [47:20] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "The God that we read about in Scripture is a holy God. And to have God viewed as this central God. The Santa Claus being who's just there to serve mankind and to answer our prayers and our requests negates who God is in his very nature. That God is omniscient, meaning he is all-knowing. That God is omnipotent, that he's all-powerful. That God is sovereign, meaning that he is Lord over all the earth." [48:11] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "The original audience was the first century believers, specifically those in the seven churches in the province of Asia. And the reason why John receives this revelation and writes to the seven churches in Asia is to encourage them to remain faithful, to encourage them that in the face of persecution and oppression, in the face of the temptation to compromise their faith by the ways of the world, to remain faithful. Why? Because God's divine judgment is coming." [49:22] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "Because God is holy, he has to judge sin. Because God is holy, he has to punish the wicked. And so the angel announces God because, and he uses this word, because you are just. And that word just means because you are morally right and fair. That's what that word just means. God, because you're holy. God, because you're righteous. You have to do what's morally right and fair. And what's morally right and fair for a holy and righteous God is to judge evil. It's to judge sin. It's to judge wickedness." [55:09] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "Every time we read in Scripture, because God is just, and every time God had to bring infliction, not just on the opposing nations, but even on the nation of Israel, every time God brought punishment, per se, or God had to bring his divine judgment in, on the nation of Israel, the main purpose of God inflicting the nation of Israel was to get their attention in hopes that they would repent and turn back to him." [01:01:53] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "Repentance is the key for a peaceful eternity. This is our future. To those of us who repent, we're not going to experience the sores, we're not going to be experiencing gnawing on our tongues and gnashing our teeth. We're going to be in a heavenly bliss in perfect peace, continuing to worship Jesus. So don't miss this point, hopesters. Every time in scripture, from Old Testament to New Testament to even now in the book of Revelation during these end times, when God brings his divine judgment, it's for two main purposes. One, to vindicate the righteous, and two, to give people an opportunity to repent." [01:21:54] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "Whenever God brings his divine judgment on the earth, it is to vindicate the righteous and to give people an opportunity to repent. It's how God gets our attention. Now, I don't know everyone's faith journey here in this room, and I don't know what maybe even currently today God is using to get your attention. But if you're here today or you're watching online and maybe you're going through a trial, maybe you're going through a hardship, maybe, maybe, just maybe, God is trying to get your attention. And the reason why he's getting your attention is to give you an opportunity to repent and to turn back in his direction." [01:22:27] (48 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise as some understanding slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. Peter's saying, man, God in this season, why hasn't the second coming of Jesus happened yet? Because God is a patient God, and God is waiting and getting people's attention so that not one person will perish, not one person will experience what we just read, but that all, everybody will come to repentance." [01:23:57] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives. Again, it's that same call to always be ready, that the righteous must remain righteous. Why? Because he's gonna come like a thief in the night. But the good news for you and I is that he hasn't come yet. Why? Because he's patient, and he's trying to get your attention so that you repent and turn back to him." [01:24:50] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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