Revelation (Written)

Saturday, 17 July 2021

And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. Revelation 19:19

The “supper of the great God,” meaning the great banquet of the birds proclaimed in the previous two verses, has been prophesied. Now the battle that precedes that supper begins to be described. John says, “And I saw the beast.”

This is most probably referring to the beast out of the sea that started to be described in verse 13:1. John next refers to “the kings of the earth, and their armies.” This is referring to those just mentioned in the previous verse, noted as “the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great.”

This great coalition of people, united in battle array, has come into the Valley of Armageddon. It is “the battle of that great day of God Almighty” mentioned in verse 16:14. Of this vast hoard, John says they are “gathered together.”

Something has brought all the nations of this great coalition together into the land of Israel. It could be a vast amount of oil or other natural resources, a desire to simply exterminate the Jews once and for all, or for whatever reason. They have been brought into this tiny sliver of land to make war there. Because this is so, and because the Lord has covenanted with Israel to defend them, they are not only threatening Israel, but their actions are implicitly an attack against the Lord. Thus, they have come “to make war against Him who sat on the horse.”

Though not included in translations, there is an article before “war.” It is “to make the war against Him who sat on the horse.” Of this, the Pulpit Commentary says, “viz. that war which is perpetually waged between the powers of light and darkness, and which will not be terminated until the great judgment.” This appears to be a sound analysis. There is a war coming that will be the culmination of a war that has been waged since the beginning.

It is an ongoing battle that has been conducted while God has allowed the various dispensations to run their course. As Israel is a central part of the redemptive narrative, and as they are now threatened with total annihilation, the Lord will personally intervene in order to keep His covenant promises. The Messiah is returning to set things right. The armies arrayed against Israel are actually arrayed against Him, “and against His army.”

These are the saints, “the armies in heaven,” mentioned in verse 19:14. They will accompany the Lord as He returns to earth to bring His judgment upon this great force arrayed in the land of Israel.

Life application: This is one of those surprising verses that pops up and can be read over quickly, but if one thinks it through, it is rather hard to fathom. Jesus Christ promised to return two thousand years ago, and this has been the proclamation and call of faithful Christians since then.

The Lord’s Supper taken by the faithful is a proclamation of this fact. Paul says that in taking it, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26). The words, “till He comes,” are to be a constant reminder that He is coming again.

It is understood by anyone who has heard about Christianity that they believe Christ is returning. Further, although less known and often misunderstood, is the concept of the rapture of the church. It will happen. When it does, it will take a “strong delusion” to keep people from realizing the significance of it. But, at the end of the tribulation period, Jesus will come – openly and visibly. And with Him will be the armies in heaven.

The premise of secular humanism, false religions, and many Christian denominations, is that the world is moving forward toward peace and stability. A wrongly held view by many Christians is that the church is going to continue to grow and overcome the evil in the world until we have “ushered in” the kingdom age. It is supposed that when we have done this, Christ will then return, and all will be a state of happiness that permeates the world. But the Bible clearly teaches that this is wrong.

The world will continue to get more divided and aggressive against moral goodness, not the opposite. In the end, it will be a place of such desperate wickedness that very little will be left except destruction, disease, famine, and war. At this point, after seven horrifying years of upheaval, Jesus will return at the time of the great battle spoken of here in Revelation.

Little does the world know that the Lord isn’t just a tame Lamb, but He is also a great Warrior. He will return to slay the enemies and usher in a time of wonder and delight on the earth. He is great. He is glorious. He is JESUS.

Lord God, we only delude ourselves if we think that anything good can come of our fallen state. Without You and Your Spirit upon us, we are at war with goodness, and we are headed for destruction. Help us to understand that only through You comes true peace and harmony. Help us to share the message of restoration found in Jesus! Amen.

Friday, 16 July 2021

that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great.” Revelation 19:18

The words here are part of one long thought. Taken with the previous verse, they read –

“Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, ‘Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, ¹⁸ that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great.’”

With the context given, this verse begins with, “that you may eat the flesh of kings.” These would be the kings previously mentioned in Revelation 16:14 –

^“For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.”

These kings will now become the main course of a banquet for the vultures to dine on. Next is mentioned, “the flesh of captains.”

The Greek word, chiliarchos, is now used for the twenty-second and last time in the Bible. It signifies one who commands a thousand men. In modern terms, it might be equal to someone around the rank of full bird colonel. For the continued feast of the ravenous birds, these will add supplemental nutrition. But there is more to come. It next mentions “the flesh of mighty men.”

The ischuros, or “mighty,” are mentioned now for the last of twenty-nine times. It signifies those who have combative strength. Their flesh will be lean and delicious to the birds gathered for a meal. Along with them would be “the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them.”

These are the cavalry. Though modern cavalries have tanks and the like, it can be expected that there will be real animals brought to the battle as well. The horses will be fit and fighting ready, and their riders will be strong men of war. They will fall in battle though, and they will be another part of the great banquet set forth for the ever-increasing number of birds that join the feast. Finally, it mentions “the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great.”

This includes all others who were caught up in the battle – the free and slaves, the nurses and corpsmen, civilian contractors and civilian bystanders, and so on. The numbers will be immense and the bounty for the birds will seem endless. The small and great alike will become a feast exposed to the open skies of the Middle East. The words are not unlike those of Ezekiel 39 and the great battle of Gog and Magog –

“And as for you, son of man, thus says the Lord God, ‘Speak to every sort of bird and to every beast of the field:
‘Assemble yourselves and come;
Gather together from all sides to My sacrificial meal
Which I am sacrificing for you,
A great sacrificial meal on the mountains of Israel,
That you may eat flesh and drink blood.
¹⁸ You shall eat the flesh of the mighty,
Drink the blood of the princes of the earth,
Of rams and lambs,
Of goats and bulls,
All of them fatlings of Bashan.
¹⁹ You shall eat fat till you are full,
And drink blood till you are drunk,
At My sacrificial meal
Which I am sacrificing for you.
²⁰ You shall be filled at My table
With horses and riders,
With mighty men
And with all the men of war,’ says the Lord God.” Ezekiel 39:17-20

Life application: Unlike the marriage supper of the Lamb where people will dine with the Lord, in this coming supper the people will be the main course.

Battles are times of death and corruption. They are a time when the hungry pit fills with the slain. And they are a time when the beasts of the earth dine on what is left of those who died in the encounter. As horrific as these end-times prophecies are, they are a self-inflicted event upon the masses who are destroyed. God has given us His word in the pages of the Bible, and He has shown us the choices we can make – life or death, Jesus or the devil, to participate in the marriage supper with the Lamb or to be the “supper of the great God.”

Because the word is already written, anyone can simply open the book and decide what they will do with Jesus Christ – enjoy Him as their Savior now and their Lord for all eternity, or live apart from Him now and be separated from His goodness forever. And the list is comprehensive. God is no respecter of persons. Status and position will mean nothing when He comes to judge in righteousness. All are alike to Him, be it captains, mighty men, horses and those who sit on them, and all other people – free and slave, and small and great.

Because this is true, the opposite is also true. No matter how lowly you are in this world, you are on an equal footing with all others in Christ. He is pleased to look upon you apart from your worldly status and call you His own. Make the right choice – choose JESUS!

Lord, when we feel down and lowly, all we need to do is to consider that You went to the cross for us. Because this is true, we can certainly know that nothing can separate us from Your love. And nothing in all the world is more important than our relationship with You. You, Jesus, are our All in all, and You are our great desire. Glory, majesty, and praises belong to You alone. Amen.

Thursday, 15 July 2021

Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, Revelation 19:17

With the vision of Christ returning on the horse to wage war against the multitudes gathered together, John next says, “Then I saw an angel standing in the sun.”

The Greek reads “one angel.” The Amplified Bible gives a notable translation, highlighting the fact – “Then I saw a single angel standing in the sun.” Young’s literally translates it as, “And I saw one messenger standing in the sun.”

There is much conjecture, but no definitive answer, as to who this messenger is. It appears, however, that it is another revelation of the Lord Jesus. When Paul was called to his commission, it says –

“While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, ¹³ at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me.” Acts 26:12, 13

In other words, the messenger (angel) here in Revelation is standing in the sun, and yet he can be beheld despite the brightness of the sun, meaning He is brighter than the sun itself. This is the same thought that is given in Acts. Right at the point when the sun is the brightest (midday), Paul beheld an even brighter light. The radiance of the Lord outshines this brightest orb of creation. In this dazzling manner, it next says, “and he cried with a loud voice.”

In this, the 19^th Chapter of Revelation corresponds to the 19^th letter of the Hebrew Aleph-beth. The 19^th letter is qoph. It is pictured as a sun on the horizon and carries the meaning of “condense,” “circle,” and “time.” Qoph is the first letter of qara – to cry out. Verse 19:17 speaks of the angel standing in the sun and crying out with a loud voice. In this loud voice, the Creator – our Lord Jesus – prepares His creatures for what lies ahead, “saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven…”

It is the Lord who directs creation (Psalm 104, for example). He calls out, fixing their appointed times, and He directs their movements with His wisdom. Now, because of the great battle that lies ahead, He alerts them to what is about to happen, saying, “Come and gather together for the supper of the great God.”

This doesn’t mean that the Lord is literally gathering birds together in advance of the warfare to come. Rather, it means that when the warfare to be described comes, the birds will be found at the scene which will occur. Exactly what lies ahead will be described in the coming verses.

Life application: The cry of this angel goes right back to Genesis 1 and shows that God is the Creator of these things and that they are at His direction even after creation –

“Then God said, ‘Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.’ ²¹ So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:20, 21

The Creator sets all things in place to accomplish His will, even what birds are needed to clean up the refuse that lays exposed upon the ground. What is to be described are gruesome details that are set in stark contrast to the marriage supper of the Lamb – where the redeemed will dine in purity, holiness, and in the presence of the God of redemption. On the other hand, the people involved in this supper will be the supper – it will be a feast of death and horror.

The terminology for the call to this meal is similar to one given in Ezekiel 39 at the battle of Gog and Magog and surely builds upon that symbolism. A time of death and corruption lays ahead for all those armies who are to come against God’s chosen people. It is better by far to realize now what God is doing in human history and stand aligned with Him and His purposes. To take an alternate course is tantamount to signing up to be an unfortunate participant in a banquet of death.

Come to God through His provision. Be reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, and you will never face the horror of being eternally separated from Him. He has made the offer, and He will see you through to a blessed state where we will forever live in His glorious presence. Call out to Him today. Call upon the name of the Lord – JESUS!

O God, You have shown us what is right. You have given us advanced warning as to the consequences for not following that path. We pray for the people of the world. May Your word go out and touch many lives. May their hearts be receptive to its message and convert them now, before the terrible time of tribulation and suffering comes. We pray this so that You will be glorified in them. Amen.

Wednesday, 14 July 2021

And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS. Revelation 19:16

The description of Christ Jesus in His glorious return at the second coming continues in this verse. John, beholding the apocalyptic scene, says of Him, “And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written.”

In verse 19:12, it said, “He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.” In verse 19:13, it then said, “and His name is called the Word of God.” Each of these thoughts is given to express a truth about Christ Jesus.

He has a name that no one knows, expressing that it is impossible to grasp its meaning. His name is called the Word of God to reveal that He is the One who conveys to us the meaning and expression of who God is. Now, a name will be provided that will express one of the many positions He fills. The name to be given is thus a title.

The name is written upon the robe to designate His position of authority in a manner that is evident for all to see. The words “and on His thigh” could mean one of various things:

1) It could mean that the name is written on the robe, and it is also written on the thigh. 2) It might mean it is written partly on the robe and partly on the thigh. Or, 3) what seems likely is that the word “and” is signifying “even.” In this, it would translate as “He has on His robe, even on His thigh.”

With the third option, the NLT states it more obviously as “On his robe at his thigh.” The ISV states it, saying, “On his robe that covers his thigh he has a name written.”

Until that time comes, we can only speculate, but the context of who Jesus is and what is being symbolized should be considered carefully. Jesus is a Jew. He was born a Jew, He lived as a Jew, and He has promised (in both testaments of the Bible) that He will return to His brothers, the Jewish people. From His own mouth –

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! ³⁸ See! Your house is left to you desolate; ³⁹ for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’” Matthew 23:37-39

It is when Israel as a nation calls on Jesus as Lord (Jerusalem – symbolizing the seat of power for the nation) that He will return. This is spoken of, as noted, throughout the prophetic books of the Old Testament as well. The Church Age has occurred during the time of His rejection by the nation of Israel (see Romans 11:25, 26). But when they call on Him, at that time “all Israel will be saved.”

At some point, the rapture of the church will occur. This will be followed by the seven years of tribulation on earth. At the end of this period, the nation of Israel will be facing annihilation and will come to their senses, calling out to Him. When they do, He will return, with the church following Him, to rescue His people (take time to read Zechariah 12-14).

Understanding this context, it can now be more easily perceived what His appearance will be like. He will be dressed in traditional Jewish garments, recognizable to His people. These garments include a tassel on their corner which is mandated in the Law of Moses –

“Speak to the children of Israel: Tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners. ³⁹ And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them, and that you may not follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined, ⁴⁰ and that you may remember and do all My commandments, and be holy for your God. ⁴¹ I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord your God.” Numbers 15:38-41

The tassel is known as a tzitzit (also known as a gedil in Deuteronomy 22:12). It was mandated to be worn, as it says in Numbers 15, to “remember and do” all the commandments of the Lord. When Christ ministered to Israel, it is this part of the garment that the people reached for in order to be healed. For example –

“And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. ²¹ For she said to herself, ‘If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.’ ²² But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, ‘Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.’” Matthew 9:20-22

&

“When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret. ³⁵ And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, ³⁶ and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.” Matthew 14:34-36

These and other references are certainly based on what was said in Malachi 4:2 –

“For behold, the day is coming,
Burning like an oven,
And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble.
And the day which is coming shall burn them up,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“That will leave them neither root nor branch.
² But to you who fear My name
The Sun of Righteousness shall arise
With healing in His wings;
And you shall go out
And grow fat like stall-fed calves.” Malachi 4:1, 2

The words, “With healing in His wings,” are referring to the extremities of His garments (the wings) where the tassels are located. The tassel of the Messiah is an identification of who He is and the authority He possessed. This is why the people sought to touch this tassel. The tassel was given as an anticipatory picture of the coming Messiah who would fulfill the law and take the burdens of man from them.

When Christ Jesus returns, the name on His robe is symbolized by His tassels. Being on His robe, it will rest upon His thigh while He sits upon His horse. The tassel of the Messiah will reveal His name, meaning His title –

KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS.

In Revelation 17:14, it reversed these words saying, “These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings.” The inversion of the words here in Chapter 19 is probably given to highlight His kingship – the white horse, the many crowns, and so on. There are “kings,” but there is one “KING.” Thus, John places this designation first.

Life application: Understanding the symbolism of Revelation calls for a full knowledge of the symbolism of the Old Testament. The innumerable references from the Old Testament come alive when the connections are made. Importantly, the Jewish nature of who Christ is, and the interactions He has made (and that are yet ahead) with His people cannot be dismissed without having a faulty view of the redemptive narrative.

In Jeremiah 31, it is clear that the New Covenant was made with Israel and Judah –

“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.” Jeremiah 31:31

As such, Gentiles are brought into what has been established already. They do not replace Israel and Judah. Rather, Israel and Judah are the entities with whom the covenant is made, and in whom it will someday be fully realized (see citation from Matthew 23:37-39 above). Paul deals with this in His epistles, clearly demonstrating that the people of Israel will someday be brought into the covenant after the time of the Gentiles is complete.

At that time, they will recognize Him as Melekh melekhim, Adonai adoniim or “King of kings and Lord of lords.” The tassel on His robe, which will be draped over His thigh as He sits on His horse, will be the identifying mark of this exalted name. This is the symbolism we are to infer from what John presents.

Jesus, the King of the Jews, is also King of all kings and Lord of all lords. He will reign in the midst of His people Israel and His law will go forth from Jerusalem. The church has often missed this fact, but it doesn’t change the truth of what lies ahead.

The Gentile-led church age will end and then the events of Revelation will come to pass. For now, this dispensation is a steppingstone that has come about during the time of punishment for disobedience upon the nation of Israel. That time is almost over. They are back in the land, and they will soon be brought through the fire of tribulation in preparation for the glorious return of their rightful King – JESUS!

Glorious Lord Jesus – You are ever-faithful to us, even when we turn from You. Your promises to Israel are from everlasting to everlasting and You will never forsake Your covenant with them! Thank You for being so faithful to them and to Your church. We fail You, but You forgive. We turn from You, but You remain faithful! Praises to You! Amen.

Tuesday, 13 July 2021

Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. Revelation 19:15

The narrative now continues to describe the rider dressed in white mentioned in the previous verses. The description says, “Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword.” This is the same description given in verse 1:16 –

“He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.”

To get a fuller understanding of the symbolism, refer back to that commentary. In short, the sword proceeding from His mouth gives the sense that Christ will cut out all that is false and all that is contrary to the truth. Of the sword, it next says, “that with it He should strike the nations.” This was alluded to in Isaiah 11:4 –

“But with righteousness He shall judge the poor,
And decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,
And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.”

Such terminology is found elsewhere in the Old Testament and earlier in Revelation as well (for example, see Revelation 2:27). Continuing on, John prophesies about Christ’s coming rule, saying, “And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron.”

The words are emphatic. It is Christ, and He alone, who will ultimately rule the nations. Though the millennium will be a time of great wonder in comparison to our current age, it does not mean that there will be only peace and harmony without any disobedience. This is understood from passages such as Zechariah 14 –

“And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. ¹⁷ And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, on them there will be no rain. ¹⁸ If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the Lord strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. ¹⁹ This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.” Zechariah 14:16-19

Hence, there will be a need for the rod of iron spoken of. As such, the specific prophecy concerning this time was made in the second psalm –

“I will declare the decree:
The Lord has said to Me,
‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
⁸ Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
⁹ You shall break them with a rod of iron;
You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’” Psalm 2:7-9

Continuing on, John next says, “He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.”

The treading of the winepress was referred to in Revelation 14. That symbolism is brought in again here, and it is reflective of the words of Isaiah 63:3. It is Christ who pours out the anger of God on the disobedient. The fact that “the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God” is mentioned shows how repulsive sin is to the Creator.

He has made His goodness and His perfect nature manifest to the people of the world, but that has been openly rejected and actively worked against in our wickedness. Christ is the One who will trample out this disobedience, and who will maintain harmony during the millennial reign.

Despite His rule and despite the ideal conditions of the world in which man lives, the wickedness of man’s heart will be shown to have been unchanged. From the fall, through the various dispensations, and into the millennium, the depravity of the human heart and man’s desperate need for Jesus Christ is on full display.

Life application: The right to rule the nations belongs to Jesus, the right to judge those nations belongs to Jesus, and therefore the right to destroy the ungodly nations belongs to Jesus as well. God is a God of mercy and longsuffering, but His patience has an end. It was true when He destroyed the world in the flood. It was true when He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. It was true when He used Israel to destroy the nations of Canaan. And it was also true when He turned His judgment on Israel after continuous disobedience.

The world of today has all but rejected Him and, in due time, He will come for His faithful at the rapture. After this, the events which have unfolded thus far in Revelation will come to pass. But instead of humble repentance, the world will only turn further away from Him. And so, He will come in His glory with His faithful believers to be glorified in them at His return. He will be glorified in the eyes of His followers in how He judges, and He will be glorified in those He judges through their destruction.

The word of God, the Holy Bible, is likened to a sharp two-edged sword in Hebrews 4:12. If this is the proper symbolism to be taken, then Jesus will merely speak and by the breath of His mouth He will strike the nations. Paul appears to indicate just this in 2 Thessalonians 2:8 –

“And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.”

The very Word which the nations have rejected will become the implement of their destruction.

The saying “to whom much is given, much will be expected” rings true. The Bible is the most published book in all of human history, and its pages fill the homes of the world, even the unbelieving world. With the internet today, any person can access, read, and study it. In it is sure proof of the infallible word of God. Therefore, to reject it is to reject the God who gave it.

This powerful word will be spoken by Jesus and the nations will fall. During and after His return, “He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron.” The shepherd carries an iron rod to beat attacking animals and thus protect His sheep. And so, Christ will shepherd His people in safety. It is His world, and He is the Defender of His flock. No accusation of unfairness will hold when He judges, and the world will submit to His judgment and rule.

It is important to remember here that Jesus is returning to the land and the people of Israel. The world will have come against them, and it is this antagonistic world to which His rod is directed. Thus, in a sweeping display of judgment, we read the words of the subject verse.

The gentle, humble, and loving Creator and Savior has become the Executor of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. The world that now mocks Jesus, and finds Him either a joke or a cosmic pushover, will stand in horror as He personally destroys all wickedness and roots out everything that causes evil. This is the great, awesome, and splendid God who deserves all of our praise, honor, and respect.

We can give it to Him now, or we can stand condemned for rejecting His gracious offer of peace which came at the cross of Calvary. I choose life… I choose JESUS.

O God! How glorious You are and how splendid is Your message of peace to the people of the world. Surely, no one has any right to cry “Unfair” when You come to judge them for rejecting You. We can only avow that Your way is right and that in faithfulness and righteousness You make every decision. Hallelujah to You! Amen.