“The woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’’” Genesis 3:2-3
Yesterday we read how Satan casts doubt on God’s word and denies it, to try to tempt us into sin. But Eve did herself no favours either. She changed God’s word – adding some words, and taking away others. Let’s see what God actually said: “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden” (Gen. 2:16) – Eve leaves out the word ‘any’. What she says sounds more like a concession from God, rather than the blessing of free choice. “But you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” – what she says is fine so far – “for when you eat of it you will surely die” (Gen. 2:17). Did you notice what she added, and what she left out? She adds, ‘and you must not touch it’. This is the first instance of what we might call Phariseeism: man adding extra rules to what God had said. (For example, concerning the Sabbath day, the Bible only says to do no work and light no fires in their dwellings. But the rabbis, over the centuries, added many more Sabbath rules, which were written down from oral traditions in the Talmud. These included things such as, you could not look at a mirror on the Sabbath (because you might see a grey hair and be tempted to pluck it out, which would be considered work), you could not wear a wooden leg on the Sabbath (because that would be carrying a burden and thus doing work), and so forth. This is why Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for their bad attitudes when He healed people on the Sabbath, because God’s intention for the Sabbath was for a blessing of rest for mankind – not an excuse to make people’s lives miserable (Mark 2:27). The initial intention behind these extra rules – and behind Eve saying ‘you must not touch it’ was to put a protective fence around the rule that God had given. But Eve had still added to God’s word, and she knew it.
Eve also left out a critical word: ‘you will not surely die’. She downplays the seriousness of the consequences of breaking God’s rule. It’s interesting to note that Satan corrects her, as he denies God’s word, saying, ‘You will not surely die’ (Gen. 3:4). Satan knew what God had said. By correcting her, he sets himself up as someone she should listen to, because after all, he knew what God really said.
The Bible speaks on several occasions about not adding to it or taking away from it (Deut. 4:2, Deut. 12:32, Prov. 30:6, Rev. 22:18-19). God is just as serious about His Word today as He was in the Garden of Eden.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Satan's tactics
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?’” Genesis 3:1
Here in Genesis 3, we see the tactics that Satan uses to tempt us into sin – and we’ll note that they really are the oldest tricks in the book. There are three things that he says to Eve, which we’ll notice that he still uses today in tempting us.
Firstly, he says, “Did God really say...?” Satan’s first tactic is to cast doubt on God’s Word. If you’ve ever been discouraged in your Christian walk, perhaps you have doubted your salvation, or the fact that God loves you no matter what, because you are His child – then you can know for certain that this is an attack from Satan. God wants us to have assurance and not doubt. This is why it’s important for us to know His Word and hide it away in our hearts. Satan knows Scripture, and he will malign it; that’s why we need to know it too.
Secondly, he says to Eve, “You will not surely die” (Gen. 3:4) – a direct denial of what God said (Gen. 2:17). He uses the same trick with us: telling us that we’re special and some aspect of the Bible doesn’t apply to us. He’ll say, “I know the Bible says this is a sin, but that was then and this is now; it’s socially acceptable – it’s right.” Again, we need to know God’s Word and resist him.
Thirdly, he says to Eve, “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Gen. 3:5). In effect, he is implying to her that God is unfair, that He is holding something good back from her. It’s interesting that Satan appealed to Eve’s desire to be more spiritual, to be more like God. He’ll make us feel the same way, like God is stopping us from reaching our true potential, that He is selfish and doesn’t want to share. But all God’s commands are for our good (Deut. 10:13). He is completely fair with us. We don’t deserve to be like God – this is a mark of a cult, that we can become ‘little gods’. We need a Biblical view on our position before God: we were sinners with nothing to offer Him. He pulled us out of the pit and made us co-heirs with His Son. This should fill us with humility; we didn’t do anything to deserve it. God does share His blessings with us. But we must always remember that He is God, and we are not.
Here in Genesis 3, we see the tactics that Satan uses to tempt us into sin – and we’ll note that they really are the oldest tricks in the book. There are three things that he says to Eve, which we’ll notice that he still uses today in tempting us.
Firstly, he says, “Did God really say...?” Satan’s first tactic is to cast doubt on God’s Word. If you’ve ever been discouraged in your Christian walk, perhaps you have doubted your salvation, or the fact that God loves you no matter what, because you are His child – then you can know for certain that this is an attack from Satan. God wants us to have assurance and not doubt. This is why it’s important for us to know His Word and hide it away in our hearts. Satan knows Scripture, and he will malign it; that’s why we need to know it too.
Secondly, he says to Eve, “You will not surely die” (Gen. 3:4) – a direct denial of what God said (Gen. 2:17). He uses the same trick with us: telling us that we’re special and some aspect of the Bible doesn’t apply to us. He’ll say, “I know the Bible says this is a sin, but that was then and this is now; it’s socially acceptable – it’s right.” Again, we need to know God’s Word and resist him.
Thirdly, he says to Eve, “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Gen. 3:5). In effect, he is implying to her that God is unfair, that He is holding something good back from her. It’s interesting that Satan appealed to Eve’s desire to be more spiritual, to be more like God. He’ll make us feel the same way, like God is stopping us from reaching our true potential, that He is selfish and doesn’t want to share. But all God’s commands are for our good (Deut. 10:13). He is completely fair with us. We don’t deserve to be like God – this is a mark of a cult, that we can become ‘little gods’. We need a Biblical view on our position before God: we were sinners with nothing to offer Him. He pulled us out of the pit and made us co-heirs with His Son. This should fill us with humility; we didn’t do anything to deserve it. God does share His blessings with us. But we must always remember that He is God, and we are not.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
The name Jesus
“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21
Several people were told by God what their children’s names were to be (e.g. Ishmael, Gen. 16:11; Isaac, Gen. 17:19; Solomon, 1 Chr. 22:9 (who was also called by God Jedidiah, 2 Sam. 12:25); Isaiah’s son, Isa. 8:3; Hosea’s three children, Hos. 1:4, 6, 9, and John the Baptist, Luke 1:13).
Names in the Hebrew culture are not chosen for their phonetics or aesthetics. They are chosen because of their meaning. Often, children were named because of some event that happened when they were born (e.g. Esau, means ‘hairy’, because when he was born he was covered with thick hair; while Jacob, ‘heel-catcher’ or, figuratively, ‘deceiver’, who was born holding onto Esau’s heel – Gen. 25:25-26). But the times when God announces what a child’s name should be, it is always prophetic of what they would become. The name Jesus, or in Hebrew, Jehoshua, a variation of ‘Joshua’, means ‘The Lord is salvation’. It was actually a very common name in Israel at the time Jesus was born, because every Jewish mother longed for her son to be the Messiah who would deliver Israel. (We read of another man called Jesus in Col. 4:11.) But what a fitting name that God would give His own Son, so that we might know Him. We read, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him” (John 3:17). Jesus Himself said, “I did not come to judge the world, but to save it” (John 12:47). The name ‘Jesus’ means ‘The Lord is salvation’. And in Him we find that salvation. Do you know Him personally today?
Several people were told by God what their children’s names were to be (e.g. Ishmael, Gen. 16:11; Isaac, Gen. 17:19; Solomon, 1 Chr. 22:9 (who was also called by God Jedidiah, 2 Sam. 12:25); Isaiah’s son, Isa. 8:3; Hosea’s three children, Hos. 1:4, 6, 9, and John the Baptist, Luke 1:13).
Names in the Hebrew culture are not chosen for their phonetics or aesthetics. They are chosen because of their meaning. Often, children were named because of some event that happened when they were born (e.g. Esau, means ‘hairy’, because when he was born he was covered with thick hair; while Jacob, ‘heel-catcher’ or, figuratively, ‘deceiver’, who was born holding onto Esau’s heel – Gen. 25:25-26). But the times when God announces what a child’s name should be, it is always prophetic of what they would become. The name Jesus, or in Hebrew, Jehoshua, a variation of ‘Joshua’, means ‘The Lord is salvation’. It was actually a very common name in Israel at the time Jesus was born, because every Jewish mother longed for her son to be the Messiah who would deliver Israel. (We read of another man called Jesus in Col. 4:11.) But what a fitting name that God would give His own Son, so that we might know Him. We read, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him” (John 3:17). Jesus Himself said, “I did not come to judge the world, but to save it” (John 12:47). The name ‘Jesus’ means ‘The Lord is salvation’. And in Him we find that salvation. Do you know Him personally today?
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Rahab and Ruth
“Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth...” Matthew 1:5
Matthew’s gospel begins with a genealogy of Jesus Christ, showing how He was descended from Abraham, through the royal line of David, from the tribe of Judah, all as prophesied (Gen. 49:10, 2 Sam. 7:12). It’s interesting to note, in this, the most Jewish of the four gospels, the mention of two Gentile women. (Tamar is also mentioned (Matt. 1:3), and ‘Uriah’s wife’ whome we know as Bathsheba, Matt. 1:6).
We encountered Rahab in Joshua 2. She was a prostitute living in Jericho (and thus a Canaanite), who sheltered the spies when they came to the city. She was spared for her kindness, and included in the ‘hall of faith’ (Heb. 11:31). She made a profession of faith in Josh. 2:11 – “for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.”
Ruth was also a Gentile, from Moab (Ruth 1:4). She too, made a profession of faith: “Your people will be my people and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16). As we know, Boaz the kinsman-redeemer married her and redeemed the land for Naomi.
God used both of these women in the human genealogy of Jesus – He doesn’t hide them away as skeletons in the closet. He isn’t ashamed of them because of their backgrounds, or the fact that they were born outside the covenant – rather, He is greatly pleased because they came to faith. The inclusion of Rahab and Ruth speaks hope to all of us. If God could use them in this way, He can use any of us. None of us are too low that God will not use us as His instrument, if we come to faith and dedicate our lives to Him.
Matthew’s gospel begins with a genealogy of Jesus Christ, showing how He was descended from Abraham, through the royal line of David, from the tribe of Judah, all as prophesied (Gen. 49:10, 2 Sam. 7:12). It’s interesting to note, in this, the most Jewish of the four gospels, the mention of two Gentile women. (Tamar is also mentioned (Matt. 1:3), and ‘Uriah’s wife’ whome we know as Bathsheba, Matt. 1:6).
We encountered Rahab in Joshua 2. She was a prostitute living in Jericho (and thus a Canaanite), who sheltered the spies when they came to the city. She was spared for her kindness, and included in the ‘hall of faith’ (Heb. 11:31). She made a profession of faith in Josh. 2:11 – “for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.”
Ruth was also a Gentile, from Moab (Ruth 1:4). She too, made a profession of faith: “Your people will be my people and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16). As we know, Boaz the kinsman-redeemer married her and redeemed the land for Naomi.
God used both of these women in the human genealogy of Jesus – He doesn’t hide them away as skeletons in the closet. He isn’t ashamed of them because of their backgrounds, or the fact that they were born outside the covenant – rather, He is greatly pleased because they came to faith. The inclusion of Rahab and Ruth speaks hope to all of us. If God could use them in this way, He can use any of us. None of us are too low that God will not use us as His instrument, if we come to faith and dedicate our lives to Him.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Being like a tree
“He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” Psalm 1:3
Here in New Zealand we are just starting to move into spring. I live quite close to a river, and noticed yesterday that the trees alongside the river are starting to get their leaves. It’s a sign that winter is over and summer is coming.
Like all living things, trees need water to survive. Being planted by a stream means that they will have a constant supply of water. The Bible talks about ‘living water’, referring to the Holy Spirit (John 7:37-39). A tree that only gets watered once a month or once a year, is not going to be as healthy as a tree that has a continual supply of water. Similarly, a believer who only communes with God occasionally, is not going to be as spiritually healthy as one who is constant communion and fellowship with God.
Our Christian life should be our whole life. It should determine how we live. This is why we read, “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night” (Ps. 1:2). Does this describe you? Are you like the tree planted by the streams of water?
Here in New Zealand we are just starting to move into spring. I live quite close to a river, and noticed yesterday that the trees alongside the river are starting to get their leaves. It’s a sign that winter is over and summer is coming.
Like all living things, trees need water to survive. Being planted by a stream means that they will have a constant supply of water. The Bible talks about ‘living water’, referring to the Holy Spirit (John 7:37-39). A tree that only gets watered once a month or once a year, is not going to be as healthy as a tree that has a continual supply of water. Similarly, a believer who only communes with God occasionally, is not going to be as spiritually healthy as one who is constant communion and fellowship with God.
Our Christian life should be our whole life. It should determine how we live. This is why we read, “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night” (Ps. 1:2). Does this describe you? Are you like the tree planted by the streams of water?
Sunday, September 25, 2011
One rule for Adam
“And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.’” Genesis 2:16-17
I think it’s interesting to contemplate on this single rule that God gave Adam when He created him and placed him in the Garden of Eden. Adam was commanded not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This raises a couple of questions.
One question is, why did God put the tree there in the first place? Let’s think about what would have happened if God hadn’t created the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve would have been happy, always enjoying fellowship with God – and never having to make their own choice about whether to obey Him or not, since where there is no law, there is no wrongdoing, because the law defines what is right and wrong (Rom. 4:15, Rom. 5:13). Thus, this single command, was an integral part of God giving man free choice – the choice to obey or to disobey Him. God didn’t create mankind as robots who will automatically love Him. He wants our love for Him to be voluntarily given; it means much more to Him this way.
A second question is, God knew that Satan would try to tempt Adam and Eve, so why didn’t He say, ‘Don’t listen to the serpent’ instead? The answer is simple: Because then, Satan would have used something else. It’s the same with us – the temptations that he tempts me with will most likely be different to those he uses to tempt you, and vice versa. Rather than telling us what to avoid, God tells us proactively what to do and not do. Remember, Satan knows Scripture. He masquerades as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14). He will appear to be good and offer us pleasurable things, but underneath there is a temptation to go against God and His word. This is why knowing God’s word is so important.
I think it’s interesting to contemplate on this single rule that God gave Adam when He created him and placed him in the Garden of Eden. Adam was commanded not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This raises a couple of questions.
One question is, why did God put the tree there in the first place? Let’s think about what would have happened if God hadn’t created the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve would have been happy, always enjoying fellowship with God – and never having to make their own choice about whether to obey Him or not, since where there is no law, there is no wrongdoing, because the law defines what is right and wrong (Rom. 4:15, Rom. 5:13). Thus, this single command, was an integral part of God giving man free choice – the choice to obey or to disobey Him. God didn’t create mankind as robots who will automatically love Him. He wants our love for Him to be voluntarily given; it means much more to Him this way.
A second question is, God knew that Satan would try to tempt Adam and Eve, so why didn’t He say, ‘Don’t listen to the serpent’ instead? The answer is simple: Because then, Satan would have used something else. It’s the same with us – the temptations that he tempts me with will most likely be different to those he uses to tempt you, and vice versa. Rather than telling us what to avoid, God tells us proactively what to do and not do. Remember, Satan knows Scripture. He masquerades as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14). He will appear to be good and offer us pleasurable things, but underneath there is a temptation to go against God and His word. This is why knowing God’s word is so important.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
The six days of creation
“God saw all that He had made, and it was very good. And there was evening , and there was morning – the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.” Genesis 1:31-2:1
The first chapter of Genesis is one that many people try to ignore or allegorise. They do this to try and make the Biblical account marry up with the theory of macro-evolution and the idea that the earth and everything in it must have been formed over millions of years. But there is really no need to do this at all – and those who try end up contradicting both the Bible and evolutionary theory (plants being created before the sun, birds being created before reptiles, etc.). Also, a proper understanding of the Hebrew text reveals that these ‘days’ are to be interpreted as literal, 24-hour periods, not ‘geological ages’ or thousands of years (a la 2 Pet. 3:8). This is because of the construction: the Hebrew does not say ‘first day’, ‘second day’ etc. It says ‘day one’, and every other place in the Scripture, it is clear that this construction refers to a literal 24-hour day. Then we also have Ex. 20:11, where God says the Sabbath (resting on the seventh day) is because God rested on the seventh day – and the same word is used in both cases.
When it all boils down, it’s not hard at all to believe that God could do it. After all, He can do anything. So why not create the entire universe from nothing, in just under a week? It may interest you to note that the early church fathers also struggled with the idea of a six-day creation. They couldn’t understand why God would take so long.
The first chapter of Genesis is one that many people try to ignore or allegorise. They do this to try and make the Biblical account marry up with the theory of macro-evolution and the idea that the earth and everything in it must have been formed over millions of years. But there is really no need to do this at all – and those who try end up contradicting both the Bible and evolutionary theory (plants being created before the sun, birds being created before reptiles, etc.). Also, a proper understanding of the Hebrew text reveals that these ‘days’ are to be interpreted as literal, 24-hour periods, not ‘geological ages’ or thousands of years (a la 2 Pet. 3:8). This is because of the construction: the Hebrew does not say ‘first day’, ‘second day’ etc. It says ‘day one’, and every other place in the Scripture, it is clear that this construction refers to a literal 24-hour day. Then we also have Ex. 20:11, where God says the Sabbath (resting on the seventh day) is because God rested on the seventh day – and the same word is used in both cases.
When it all boils down, it’s not hard at all to believe that God could do it. After all, He can do anything. So why not create the entire universe from nothing, in just under a week? It may interest you to note that the early church fathers also struggled with the idea of a six-day creation. They couldn’t understand why God would take so long.
Friday, September 23, 2011
The unsealed book
“Then he told me, ‘Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near. Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy.’” Revelation 22:10-11
As stated when referring to Rev. 1:3, many people tend to shy away from reading the book of Revelation, because they think it’s too hard to understand. But here, at the end of the book, we see an angel telling John not to seal up the words of the prophecy. This is in contrast to what Daniel was told, that the words of prophecy he had been given were to be sealed until the time of the end (Dan. 12:4, Dan. 12:9). If John, therefore, was in the ‘end times’, how much closer are we! In no previous generation have all the pieces been in place for Revelation to be able to be fulfilled – Israel is back in the land as a nation, the world is crying out for a one-world government with a Messiah-like leader, a cashless society and the technology to implement it, and so forth.
But the following verse is equally interesting. It is divided in two: him who does wrong, him who is vile; him who does right, him who is holy. I’ve been told that the construction of this sentence implies that the wickedness of the wicked will increase, but on the same token the righteousness of the righteous will increase. That is, right and wrong will become more and more polarised. There won’t be anybody sitting on the fence. It’s easy for us to look around and see wickedness on the rise. But are we also seeing righteousness on the rise, in our own lives? Jesus said that in the last days, the love of many would grow cold because of this increase in wickedness (Matt. 24:12). But He also said that our love for each other would be a sign by which people would know that we belong to Him (John 13:35). Are you doing right today? Are you being holy – set apart for God’s purposes? Or is your love growing cold? I would encourage you to pray to God about this, and ask Him to show you where you are at.
As stated when referring to Rev. 1:3, many people tend to shy away from reading the book of Revelation, because they think it’s too hard to understand. But here, at the end of the book, we see an angel telling John not to seal up the words of the prophecy. This is in contrast to what Daniel was told, that the words of prophecy he had been given were to be sealed until the time of the end (Dan. 12:4, Dan. 12:9). If John, therefore, was in the ‘end times’, how much closer are we! In no previous generation have all the pieces been in place for Revelation to be able to be fulfilled – Israel is back in the land as a nation, the world is crying out for a one-world government with a Messiah-like leader, a cashless society and the technology to implement it, and so forth.
But the following verse is equally interesting. It is divided in two: him who does wrong, him who is vile; him who does right, him who is holy. I’ve been told that the construction of this sentence implies that the wickedness of the wicked will increase, but on the same token the righteousness of the righteous will increase. That is, right and wrong will become more and more polarised. There won’t be anybody sitting on the fence. It’s easy for us to look around and see wickedness on the rise. But are we also seeing righteousness on the rise, in our own lives? Jesus said that in the last days, the love of many would grow cold because of this increase in wickedness (Matt. 24:12). But He also said that our love for each other would be a sign by which people would know that we belong to Him (John 13:35). Are you doing right today? Are you being holy – set apart for God’s purposes? Or is your love growing cold? I would encourage you to pray to God about this, and ask Him to show you where you are at.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
The new Jerusalem
“I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.” Revelation 21:22-23
Chapter 21 of the book of Revelation gives us a description of the city of the new Jerusalem. We are told it is 12,000 stadia on each side, as wide and long as it is high (Rev. 21:16), which makes it about the size of the moon! It has the brilliance of a clear gemstone (Rev. 21:11), possibly a diamond. It has twelve gates of pearls (Rev. 21:21) and twelve foundations of gemstones (Rev. 21:19-20), the wall is made of jasper, about 200 feet thick (Rev. 21:17-18), the streets are made of glassy gold (Rev. 21:21). There is no day or night (Rev. 21:25), no sun or moon (Rev. 21:23), instead it is the glory of God that gives it light.
What an amazing place! – and this description is only of the basic structural things: the wall, the gates, and the roads. John doesn’t tell us what else is inside the city; for that, we’ll have to wait until we get there. And what is the purpose of the new Jerusalem? It is the house that Jesus as the bridegroom has been preparing for His bride, the church. This magnificent city will be our new home, where God will dwell among us. We will be living there!
Chapter 21 of the book of Revelation gives us a description of the city of the new Jerusalem. We are told it is 12,000 stadia on each side, as wide and long as it is high (Rev. 21:16), which makes it about the size of the moon! It has the brilliance of a clear gemstone (Rev. 21:11), possibly a diamond. It has twelve gates of pearls (Rev. 21:21) and twelve foundations of gemstones (Rev. 21:19-20), the wall is made of jasper, about 200 feet thick (Rev. 21:17-18), the streets are made of glassy gold (Rev. 21:21). There is no day or night (Rev. 21:25), no sun or moon (Rev. 21:23), instead it is the glory of God that gives it light.
What an amazing place! – and this description is only of the basic structural things: the wall, the gates, and the roads. John doesn’t tell us what else is inside the city; for that, we’ll have to wait until we get there. And what is the purpose of the new Jerusalem? It is the house that Jesus as the bridegroom has been preparing for His bride, the church. This magnificent city will be our new home, where God will dwell among us. We will be living there!
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Cursing God
“They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify Him.” Revelation 16:9
Revelation 16 tells us about the seven final judgements that God pours out on the earth, the climax of the Great Tribulation, the bowl judgements. By this point, everyone will have chosen a side – they will have either come to faith in Christ and be living in intense persecution, under the threat of death for not worshipping the Antichrist (Rev. 13:15); or they will have bowed down before the Antichrist and taken his mark. There will be nobody sitting on the fence.
Several times in the book of Revelation, we see this happen: God brings a judgement, the people know it is from Him, but they refuse to repent and instead they curse Him (Rev. 6:16, 9:20-21, 16:9, 16:11, 16:21). But this is nothing unique to the Tribulation period – people do this today!
Here’s the thing – God is always right. If anyone is in the wrong, it is us. We can get angry with God for allowing something to happen, or for not giving us what we want. This is what David felt when God struck down Uzzah for irreverently touching the ark of the covenant (2 Sam. 6:8). But his anger was quickly replaced by fear and reverence for God (2 Sam. 6:9). We need to keep a right perspective on things. God can see all things; when we get angry with Him, it’s about as becoming as a toddler throwing a tantrum.
All through the Tribulation, God is giving people chance after chance to repent. And many do – there will be a great harvest of souls during this time (Rev. 7:9, 14). But those who refuse to repent, even go so far as to curse the one who has extended His grace to them. What an affront to God. Let us never be guilty of cursing Him.
Revelation 16 tells us about the seven final judgements that God pours out on the earth, the climax of the Great Tribulation, the bowl judgements. By this point, everyone will have chosen a side – they will have either come to faith in Christ and be living in intense persecution, under the threat of death for not worshipping the Antichrist (Rev. 13:15); or they will have bowed down before the Antichrist and taken his mark. There will be nobody sitting on the fence.
Several times in the book of Revelation, we see this happen: God brings a judgement, the people know it is from Him, but they refuse to repent and instead they curse Him (Rev. 6:16, 9:20-21, 16:9, 16:11, 16:21). But this is nothing unique to the Tribulation period – people do this today!
Here’s the thing – God is always right. If anyone is in the wrong, it is us. We can get angry with God for allowing something to happen, or for not giving us what we want. This is what David felt when God struck down Uzzah for irreverently touching the ark of the covenant (2 Sam. 6:8). But his anger was quickly replaced by fear and reverence for God (2 Sam. 6:9). We need to keep a right perspective on things. God can see all things; when we get angry with Him, it’s about as becoming as a toddler throwing a tantrum.
All through the Tribulation, God is giving people chance after chance to repent. And many do – there will be a great harvest of souls during this time (Rev. 7:9, 14). But those who refuse to repent, even go so far as to curse the one who has extended His grace to them. What an affront to God. Let us never be guilty of cursing Him.
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