GOD’S GLORY IN JUDGMENT

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Revelation 15:5-16:21

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P.C. Edwards

Introduction

“I do not suffer fools gladly.” This phrase is a particular favorite of mine that I find myself using from time to time. It comes from the William Tyndale translation of the New

Testament in the mid-sixteenth century, where Paul accuses the Corinthians of tolerating and even indulging teaching that contradicts the message of the Gospel (:13). Of course, over time we’ve come to use this phrase as a way of saying someone will not tolerate those who are consider dumber or beneath them. Again, I confess to sometime saying this when I get particularly frustrated with someone, using it as justification for ignoring them altogether.

But when you think about it this is a terribly arrogant and condescending thing to think let alone say out loud. What this sentiment expresses is that there are people “beneath” me and, thus, are not worthy of a hearing or of my consideration. Again, what a terribly godless sentiment. Right, because consider how the describes God’s attitude:

“The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,” (Exodus 34:6).

“But you, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and abundant in mercy and truth,” (Psalm 86:13).

“And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation;” (2 Peter 3:15).

God, who has every right in the universe to look down His nose at all people, God, who is clearly higher and greater and surpassing all in intellect, this God doesn’t refuse to suffer fools.

Rather, He is longsuffering; He is slow to anger. And why? Peter says it is that we would recognize our foolishness and repent and be saved. As Paul wrote to the Romans, “Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?” (Romans 2:4)

P.C. Edwards 1 I say all of this, this morning, to help us see the heart of God. As we’ve talked about over the last couple of weeks God doesn’t want anyone to experience His wrath. He desires all to be saved. This is why He is long-suffering, why He is so patient with us, because He wants us to recognize the folly of our ways. But at the same time, He knows that if He just lets us completely go about our ways, we will never turn to Him. In other words, it’s as if we need a wake-up call, a slap in the face, if you will, to say, ‘Hey! This is not the way it’s supposed to be! This is not who you were meant to be! Come back to me!’

Right? Judgment, discipline, God’s showing of wrath is meant to lead to repentance. It’s meant, as we saw beginning back in chapter 6 with the seven seals, it’s meant to lead us away from the City of Man to the City of God; it’s meant to lead us away from the dragon and the beast and to the Lamb instead. And because God is so slow to anger and so patient, because He gives so many opportunities for repentance, He is, thus, completely just and good when a person or system continues to reject Him and He judges them. Right? Who would say that a parent is unjust for reasonably punishing their child after repeatedly warning them and saying ‘Don’t do that,’? None would. We would say the child chose their fate. And so it is with God.

As we enter into the fifth cycle of visions in Revelation this morning we see now a much more in depth and progressively heightened picture of the judgment of God against the sin of humanity. We see how God will not, has not, and does not abandon His world to the forces of evil, but sends plagues upon the wicked to liberate His people. And so, we see the justice of God on full display. But, again, we see God’s offer of mercy if there is repentance. The plagues upon

Babylon are like the plagues upon Egypt, that all would come to know the Lord and surrender to

His kingship. And that call is for us as well. Each week we’ve been shown the true character of

P.C. Edwards 2 the City of Man in order that we would cling to Christ, we would persevere in our confession, and we would overcome and conquer.

Thus, we see in all this morning that God demonstrates His glory through acts of judgment intended to demonstrate both His holiness but also His mercy to forgive. All must repent now and live with anticipation of the return of Christ.

1. God reveals Himself through His judgment 15:5-8

We ended last week, at the beginning of chapter 15, with the vindication, or final victory, of the church. Liberated from the City of Man they arrived in the Promised Land with the

Promised One, singing a triumphant new song to the Lamb. And the next cycle picks up right there, in the heavenly temple, this language of tabernacle again connecting us back to the

Exodus.1 But whereas earlier the living creatures brought the prayers to the Lamb in the throne room (5:8) now they carry bowls of wrath from the Lamb.

You see the pattern of judgments to follow align with those with saw with the trumpets in chapters 8 and 9. The first four trumpets and first four bowls bring plagues upon the earth, sea, inland waters, and sun (8:7-12; 16:2-9). The fifth trumpet and bowl deal with the destroyer and beast (9:1-11; 16:10-11). The sixth trumpet and bowl portray hostile armies massing at the

Euphrates. In other words, as Greg Beale observes, “The bowls go back in time and explain in greater detail the woes throughout the ages which culminate in the final judgment,” (G. K.

Beale).2 Right, in the previous cycle in Revelation, chapters 12-14, we watched the course of history between the first and second coming of . The main message was of how the forces of evil seek to draw the church away from Christ, but why we should fight those temptations

1 Fee writes, “There can be little question that with the final set of seven which occurs next, John has deliberately chosen to echo both Israel’s first and second exodus –– the original one from Egypt and the second one from Babylon,” (Fee, Revelation, 215). 2 Beale, Revelation, 327.

P.C. Edwards 3 knowing the destruction that the City of Man will face. The cycle ended in victory with the triumph of Christ and the judgment of evil. Here now in chapters 15ff we circle back to explore that judgment in greater depth, seeing how it unfolds over time and culminates in the return of

Christ and final judgment.3

Why, though? Why this style of repeating visions and cycles? Well, as Craig Koester argues, “The visions are not simple descriptions of future events, but warnings that are designed to move the readers of Revelation to repentance and renewed commitment to the ways of God and the Lamb,” (Craig R. Koester).4 In other words, each series focuses on the issue of whether people will repent or refuse to repent in face of God’s judgment. Our text this morning, and the whole book, asks where our deepest loyalties lie. That’s why these next few chapters will focus so much on Babylon, the quintessential City of Man. Up to this point the leaders of the forces of evil have been Satan the dragon, the beast from the sea, and the false prophet, but they are joined in this cycle by Babylon the great harlot. Right, these chapters show us more specifically now how the world around you is being used by the evil one to seduce you away from Christ.

2. God judges wicked people for their rejection of Him 16:1-11

And so, jumping into chapter 16 and the bowls themselves we see that God judges wicked people for their rejection of Him. And I know that I’m beating a dead horse here, but

3 Koester writes, “Revelation’s scenes of celebration and warning encircle each other like links on a chain. The festive vision of the saints singing praises to God and the Lamb (15:2-4), which concluded the previous cycles of visions, is bracketed by the specter of seven angels preparing to bring seven final plagues upon the earth,” (Koester, Revelation and the End of All Things, 147). We see the hardness of the hearts of the lost, God’s righteous judgment against evil, and God’s answer to pleas of the saints (16:2, 9, 11, 6). The world gets “worse” over time. As we’ve seen throughout this book, evil attacks the church, God demonstrates His wrath against evil, but it will ultimately be the suffering of the church which will lead to the salvation of many and will precede the return of Jesus. As Dennis Johnson points out, “The vindication and relief of the suffering church will coincide with the completion of its enemies’ violent aggression in the slaughter of the last martyr,” (Dennis Johnson, Triumph of the Lamb, 222). Greg Beale adds, “The result and goal of all seven bowl judgments is not only to demonstrate God’s incomparability and the just judgment of sinners, but ultimately the glory of God,” (Beale, Revelation, 328). 4 Koester, Revelation and the End of All Things, 148.

P.C. Edwards 4 these bowls picture God’s activity on earth throughout the entirety of history in between the first and second coming of Jesus. In other words, these aren’t seven singular events to happen right before the return of Christ, but illustrate God’s withdrawing of earthly security from the ungodly because of their idolatry and persecution of the church.5

The first bowl is poured on those who worship the image of the beast. What we have is a picture of divine anger toward God’s adversaries. You remember how earlier those who did not worship the beast were killed but then vindicated in heaven (13:15; 15:2). Likewise, now those who did worship the beast will be judged. But not through death like believers were, but through painful marks, sores like that which fell upon the Egyptians (Exod. 9:10-11). The goal of this plague, however, is not purely penal but restorative. In other words, just as God performed signs in Egypt that Pharaoh would repent and know Him, so it is the same here.

Of course, as we’ll see in chapter 18, though this call is extended to all, it is mostly heard by believers. Right, in the Exodus there were Egyptians and other nationalities that left Egypt, but the overwhelming majority of those who left were Israelite. In this same way, this first bowl calls all humanity to repent, but is heard most clearly by believers who face the constant temptation to submit to the beast and become complicit in the ways of Babylon. Or as Gordon

Fee puts it, “This, of course, functions not as a warning to the Empire itself, but to those believers who might be tempted to accommodate to it in order to survive,” (Gordon Fee).6

The second bowl raises questions of God’s justice as He destroys seemingly innocent creatures as a part of this act. Moreover, it would seem as if the ungodly are unaffected by this plague. In other words, the second bowl raises the timeless question of why do the innocent suffer and the wicked thrive? And yet, this picture of water turning to blood ought to remind you

5 Beale, Revelation, 329. 6 Fee, Revelation, 217.

P.C. Edwards 5 of God’s first sign in Egypt, when the Nile was turned to blood. You see, those who have spilled the blood of the faithful now watch that blood wash up on shore. Judgment is coming, this bowl reveals. God’s justice will prevail and so be warned and repent now while there is time.

The third bowl is poured out specifically because of the killing of the saints. Right, back in chapter six the elect asked God “How long until you judge those who live on earth and avenge our blood?” (Revelation 6:10) Well here God answers. God will judge and His judgment will be perfect because,

Yes, Lord God, the Almighty, true and just are your judgments, (Revelation 16:7).

You see, God’s wrath cannot be questioned; we are not fit to judge Him. All that He does is right; moreover, He announces these things now that the wicked would repent, which we see proves not to be the case with the remaining bowls.

As we turn to the fourth bowl we see humanity’s response to the plagues. Right, let’s keep it simple. With both the fourth and fifth bowls we read that those affected by the plagues,

“did not repent of their works,” (Revelation 16:9, 11). The earlier plagues had made it clear that

God wants people of all nations to fear him and give him glory (11:13; 14:7), but their afflictions do not lead to worship. This is the same thing we saw with the seven visions that accompanies the seven seals in the first half of this book. Judgment did not lead to faith and repentance.

And this is human nature, right? When things don’t go our way, we blame God. Consider the blasphemy of the ungodly as just that, thinking God has wronged them when they are the creatures in wicked rebellion. And so, these bowls give us another choice: will we blame God and resent His kingship or will we recognize who He is and surrender to Him. Clearly there are many who do not, but that doesn’t change the application for you and me. We are to see these warnings and draw closer to Jesus when hardships come.

P.C. Edwards 6 Every individual is given a choice; every man and woman are accountable. God reveals

His purposes and His promises; how then do we interpret them and respond? For example, do you remember how packed churches were after 9/11? We all felt a profound sense of vulnerability and fled to the church for comfort. Now, here me very clearly. I am not saying 9/11 was God’s judgment on America or New York or whatever. What I am saying is that Revelation has shown us that throughout humanity history God sometimes sends and other times allows

“plagues” to beckon people back to Himself. Right, we saw on 9/11 a profound glimpse into the evil of the human heart. That should’ve led us to return to Him. Twenty years later far fewer people in our country follow Christ.

Let’s just look back a year, even. How much I thought the pandemic would lead to revival in the church, how much I thought the race protests would lead us to wake up and recognize systemic evil in our country. 2020 showed us again the reality of sin throughout this world from disease to hatred. How much would you say people have repented this past year?

God is constantly calling us to Himself, showing us the evil and deficiency of this world and offering us healing and salvation? What is your response?

3. God judges wicked nations and systems for their rebellion against Him. 16:12-22

Now as we get to the sixth and seventh bowls our focus shifts, though, away from the individual to now wicked governments and systems in rebellion against God. Right? Think about it, individuals are in rebellion against God but so, too, are systems, institutions, governments themselves inherently evil and unjust. We saw this in chapter 13 that the dragon and the beast work through institutions to attack God’s creation and His people. But these bowls make clear

God’s triumph over them.

P.C. Edwards 7 And there’s clearly a sense in the text that we’re getting a glimpse into the final battle or at least a prelude to the final battle here. Now again, let’s remember we’re reading prophetic, apocalyptic literature here and so when we talk about a final battle between good and evil, I’m not sure we should assume that this will be an event where Jesus and His army will line up on one side of the battle field and the dragon and his army line up on the other and then they just go running at each other. First off, chapters 19 and 20 will make it clear that there is no final battle, per se, because it’s not a competition. Jesus easily wins the victory by the words of His mouth.

But second, consider again this is a first century document. If you were trying to picture a final conflict between two sides that would’ve been understood by the first church a final battle scene would’ve made a lot of sense. And so, let’s get less hung up on the details here trying to figure out exactly what this “battle” will look like and let’s focus more on the main theme of this revelation: God’s victory and execution of justice.

We read that with the pouring of the sixth bowl the waters of the Euphrates river are dried. And think about for a second of God’s history when it comes to drying the waters. He dries the flood waters to bring the remnant of His people out of the ark. He dries the sea to bring them out of Egypt. He dries the Jordan to bring His people into the Promised Land. The

Scriptures show this repeated them of God drying the waters to bring judgment against His enemies and salvation for His people.

Interestingly, the prophets talked about Him drying the Euphrates and history tells us this is precisely what happened to the Babylonian Empire (Isa. 11:15; 44:27-28; Jer. 50:38; 51:36; cf.

Zech. 10:11 and fulfilled in Isa. 44:27-28). God raised up Cyrus and the Persians to judge and destroy the Babylonians. When Cyrus came to invade the Euphrates dried up and allowed the

Persian army to cross. You see, the Babylonians had destroyed and taken the people

P.C. Edwards 8 captive. The Persians were God’s means of setting the people free. John warns that just as God delivered His people in the past He would do it again.

And just as the people laughed in Noah’s day, just as they mocked God in Egypt, how they mocked and rejected Him in the days of Joshua and the conquest, just as Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians refused God, so will be the case on this day. Frogs and demonic spirits deceive the nations into fighting against God and His people. They approach the battle field expecting victory where in reality God gathers His enemies together for judgment. The people aren’t ready we find out. They think all is well. This is what Jesus meant when He said the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. Thinking themselves invincible the leaders of the nations and world systems try to lure every ally, every person of power and influence to their side to a place called Armageddon. Of course, I know what comes to mind for you when you hear the word ‘Armageddon’ … naturally, the Bruce Willis/Ben Affleck asteroid movie from the late 90s! In all seriousness, of course this word has come to represent nuclear holocaust and the annihilation of civilization, and the details of this “battle” won’t come for three more chapters.

For now, what can we say about this term? In the Old Testament, Armageddon, or

Megeddon or Megiddo, is associated with the coming destruction of the adversaries of God

(Judges 5:19; 2 Chron. 35:22; c.f. 2 Kings 9:27, Zech. 12:11). In other words, as these world powers fight against God, He plans His final justice. Consider what the psalmist says centuries prior to John’s writing,

Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand, and the rulers conspire together against the Lord and his Anointed One: “Let’s tear off their chains and throw their ropes off of us.”

P.C. Edwards 9 The one enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord ridicules them. Then he speaks to them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath: “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.”

I will declare the Lord’s decree. He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance and the ends of the earth your possession. You will break them with an iron scepter; you will shatter them like pottery.”

So now, kings, be wise; receive instruction, you judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with reverential awe and rejoice with trembling. Pay homage to the Son or he will be angry and you will perish in your rebellion, for his anger may ignite at any moment. All who take refuge in him are happy, (Psalm 2).

Right, this is why God makes the definitive decree at the seventh bowl that, “It is done!”

(Revelation 16:17). The verdict is rendered; Babylon’s defeat is already guaranteed. This makes her refusal to repent all the more foolish and all the more just on the part of God. It’s clear by this passage who God is, what character He requires, but what mercy He desires to extend. And yet, what rejection is still uttered from the lips of humanity and the institutions she’s built.

In chapters 17 and 18 John will probe the mystery of humanity’s peculiar resistance to

God and the nature of God’s judgment by focusing on the city of “Babylon”. He will describe the grandeur of Babylon in a personified form, depict her destruction and then give further reasons for her downfall in chapter 18 (arrogance, violence, and wealth). But chapter 16 is clear: God is justified in destroying the wicked city and, moreover, His glory and His beauty of character is demonstrated all the more through it.

P.C. Edwards 10 God does suffer fools gladly, in a way. He looks at the utter foolishness of you and me, at the utter foolishness of governments, at the utter foolishness of economic systems and He calls for repentance. That the world thinks it can do whatever it please, that it can resist God, in fact will have the victory over God, proves how doomed it is to fail.

Just leaves one question: Will we cast our lot with it or with God? And I know it’s really easy and almost automatic for us to say, ‘With God, of course?’ Chapters 17 and 18 will question that, though? Because they, and the whole book of Revelation, aren’t concerned with what you say but with what your actions point to. How much do you and I go through our days thinking we can do whatever we like? Where might you already be compromising your faith to the City of

Man? That’s what these next few chapters will help us diagnose but first chapter 16 has simply shown us where our loyalties better lie. When face with two choices, regardless of the earthly cost, you better choose the Kingdom of God. He will make His glory known and He shall reign forevermore. Will you reign with Him in His Kingdom?

P.C. Edwards 11