Lesson 27
Revelation 11: 18 |
In Revelation 11:18 we read that there are some very angry people in the world. The question that should be asked is WHY are they angry? This anger that they are showing, is what we see in many folks in these current days. As we observe this anger, more questions come to mind: Could these nations do something about their condition? If so, why did they not do something about it? Is it that they think they are not deserving of punishment and suffering? Do they think that it is up to someone else to take care of them so that they can keep on doing whatever they want to do? This is very much like the thinking of many people today - the idea that someone else will take care of me so that I can do whatever I want to do. The sad part of this is that we have many Christians with this attitude too; not knowing and understanding that they are called to be the light and salt in this dark world. With these questions in mind let us read verses 17 and 18 again so that we have the correct context.
Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward to thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
Could it be that these angry people of the nations are saying the following? "It is not my fault that I am this way. You made me this way and I did not have any way to fix it. So why are you punishing me for the way You made me." No! God is not to blame for their end. God did not make us this way because He made us in the image and the likeness of God (Elohim) (Genesis 1:26). Also in Luke 19:9 - 10, God's Son says these words "And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost." In addition, you have John 3:16, that directs us to salvation by believing in His Son. The unbelievers were given a choice for salvation as Joshua said it best:
"Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:14 -15)
You see, it has always been about the choices that we make in life. With every choice comes consequences. In fact, there is a saying, "play now, pay later". Indeed, we all know that there are consequences for every decision and choice that we make.
We have looked at verse 18 on the surface, but let us go deeper in our examination now.
And the nations (people) were angry (provoked to fight), and thy wrath (punishment, vengeance) is come (arrived),
This is the time that those who would not accept God's love through His son, Jesus Christ, are to be punished. However, they do not think it is right for them to be punished so they will try to fight against it with all that they have. This will include using the antichrist and all the resources at his disposal. Yet, the amazingly wild thing is that he only has the resources that God and His Son Jesus have given to him. This means that God knows his strengths and weaknesses. So how can he possibly think that he can win? Also man was made by God; so again, He knows mankind's strengths and weaknesses. Here is a very important point to remember. All that has happened up to this point serves as WARNINGS to get the people to say YES to GOD and accept His love for them.
and the time (period) of the dead, that they should be judged (condemned, punished),
This is the period when those who died without God (unbelievers) will be condemned. That would be everybody except the saints. Remember, saints are those who have made Jesus Christ their SAVIOR and LORD. Yes, that would include those that are living during the tribulation and great tribulation. One is either a saint or an unbeliever, there is no gray area. So do not think you can choose to live any way that you want and get a second chance when your life is over on this earth.
and that thou shouldest give (deliver) reward (wages) to thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear(reverence) thy name, small and great;
For the saints that keep His word and live it, there are rewards. This is so important that we live that which we say we believe. When we do this, it does not matter if we are small or great, the wages for our lives will be the same. It is so important that we know that we cannot buy our way into heaven.
and shouldest destroy (retribution, punish) them which destroy (corrupted) the earth.
The retribution is awaiting them that have corrupted this earth. This will include Satan and ALL of his agents that have corrupted what God had planned for the earth. Reading the scriptures, Daniel 7:14-18; Luke 19:26 -27, show that God's plans for salvation and His kingdom have been laid out and the enemy could not comprehend them.
