Day 362

God Punishes a Sinful World

Read: Revelation 8-11

The world dared to persecute faithful Christians. God in heaven will not let this go on forever. He will pour out his wrath upon such a world. When the seventh seal of the scroll that only Christ can open is loosened, seven angels blow their trumpets, and as they do God punishes the world in ways similar to the plagues on Egypt. The message is: although it seems prudent to deny your faith to save yourself from persecution, that denial will put you on the losing side. Temporarily wrong seems strong, but God is the ruler, and wrong will be punished.

Revelation picks up many figures of speech from the Old Testament, especially from the apocalyptic sections. As God made measurements in the days of Ezekiel to separate those who were his own from their adversaries, so he continues to do here (11:1-2). As Zechariah has a vision of a lampstand supplied with oil by olive trees, so also here. Those who are faithful witnesses, though they suffer much (vv. 7-8) will in the end be victorious (v. 11). This is God’s way of working. He does not promise that we will not suffer, but he does promise that in the end we will be victorious.

There is a song in heaven (11:17-18), a song of thanks to God. Although the sinful world is able to hurt Christians, the final word is judgment for the world and reward for God’s servants.

PRAYER
Father, give us the faith to believe that “although the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.” Amen.