I hate to say it...

June 18 (Thursday)

    I’ve always wondered, where are the Christians when Jesus is blasphemed and God is mocked? I see people marching in the street for “racial equality” but have yet to see a demonstration for people’s eternal destiny. The reason for our problems is not skin, it is sin. None of this chaos would be happening if our country would humble itself before God. I hate to say it but nothing will be solved until we humble ourselves as individuals and as a nation before God.

    Why? The hour of judgement has come. This may not be the specific hour in Revelation 14:7, but this is a critical hour in our nation’s history. Revelation 14:7 is talking about a SPECIFIC SET TIME. Hebrews 9:27 reminds us everyone has a set appointment (predetermined and unchangeable) with death and judgement. Hebrews 9:28 conveys the parallel idea: Jesus has been offered to bear our sin and will return to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

    In Matthew 25 Jesus tells the “parable of the 10 virgins” waiting for the wedding feast. Five prepared, five did not. Hebrews 3:19 tells us that God’s chosen people failed to enter the Promised Land because of their unbelief. Psalm 95:10 gives us a shocking image, “for 40 years I loathed  that generation.” [ESV] Another way to put that would be “despised.” Get it? God despised His own people because of their unbelief.

    "Then another angel followed him through the sky, shouting, “Babylon is fallen—that great city is fallen—because she made all the nations of the world drink the wine of her passionate immorality." [Revelation 14:8 NLT] This is a plot twist. So far everything seems to be going Satan’s way.

    Babylon is a word picture of Satan’s kingdom. Jerusalem is the word picture of God’s kingdom. Sequentially Babylon has not yet fallen (Revelation 18). Here God gives us the “already but not yet” feeling. Same is true of salvation. The present verb tense “being saved” is found in 1 Corinthians 1:18, 1 Corinthians 15:2. We are in process. PROBLEM: We tend to think of salvation as the destination.

    “The smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever, and they will have no relief day or night, for they have worshiped the beast and his statue and have accepted the mark of his name.” [Revelation 14:11 NLT] Torment is forever and ever. This is why the “gospel” (good news) is so compelling. Separated from Jesus there is eternal torment. Biblically speaking, torment implies justice.                    

    Judgement will happen as described in verses 14 – 20. There is a point called “justice.” A point where God cannot allow events to continue. You know this time. It is when the parent has to step in to separate the fighting children. It is the point where a police officer must be called in to change the direction of events. It is the point where a judge removes free will in an issue.

    What is our response? Our response in present time of crisis and our response in future events. “This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently, obeying his commands and maintaining their faith in Jesus.” [Revelation 14:12 NLT] First, we are called to endurance. I hate to say this but endurance only happens under pressure. Second we are charged to keep the commandments of God. I hate to say it, but obedience happens only in context to the choice to sin. Finally we are challenged to keep the faith in Jesus. I hate to say this but I doubt few think of maintaining (or keeping) our faith, let alone our relationship with Jesus alive.