6/23/2023

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING:

“I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues—last, because with them God’s wrath is completed.” (Revelation 15.1)

“Then I heard a loud voice from the temple  saying to the seven angels, ‘Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.’” (Revelation 16.1)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

As a means of offering a kind of summary for yesterday’s reflection, let me say this: “Where there is authentic love there will be Christ’s peace; where there is true justice we will experience it in full measure from fearful wrath to awe-inspiring mercy.” That being said, we now enter that part of inevitable history of humankind where some will falsely declare “All Hell is breaking loose” when, in fact, it will be all Heaven is breaking out.” We may all need to admit that the fearful side of God bothers us. Even when we, as in the case of James and John, ask for permission to bring down “hellfire and brimstone” in some kind of Sodom and Gomorrah judgment or in the case of Judas of Kerioth to seek to encourage God to wipe out the enemy which infests our land, are confronted with the reality of God’s wrath intended to restore balance to life with righteous indignation (as if that is a thing for the Godhead)- we probably want to find the nearest bomb shelter and hide. What is that saying “Hell hath no fury than a woman scorned.” It comes from “The Mournful Bride,” a play by William Congreave in 1697. But, it is only a part of the line which was written and presented. The full sentence is “‘Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, nor hell a fury like a woman scorned.” Isn’t it strange how easily we reduce a word to ultimately be only what we want it to say? That is the way of the world since the beginning of human time. We twist and turn words to suit our need, our purpose, our desire and make of them an idol to fulfill the meaning of our life. That, my mighty one of God, is a sin. No wonder it will be the “Word of God,” the resurrected Jesus of Nazareth and Christ of God who will finally ride across the pages of the Book of Life to set the story straight. The day will come when all will see “This is the way it is and has always been: God is the same yesterday, today and forever. His will has been done, is being done and will always be done.” We hear it from the cross of Golgotha as the greatest fury that humanity could muster against the Son of God was finally defeating the flesh of Christ, it was the spirit of Jesus who professed, “It is finished. It is done. I submit Myself into the hand of God.” It wasn’t a last option for Jesus. It was the way of God’s Word: authentic peace and true justice. How does it look to us. Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of Christ” may most vividly portray the horror of man’s inhumanity toman with the weapon of crucifixion as it pertains to the flesh. But, the greater wounding, if you can imagine such a thing, was what His own people had already done leading up to that moment in time. They cursed Him, reviled Him, spat on Him, beat Him, kicked Him, chained Him, laughed at Him, mocked Him, taunted Him, blindfolded Him and ultimately said, “You are not the Son of our God!” And they were right. Jesus was not the Son of the “God.” Jesus had already revealed who “their” God was. And for me it is a mockery to even capitalize the word “God.” That presentation belongs only to Yahweh Elohim, the true Father of Jesus. Their “God,” as their ultimate go to divine being, was Satan the Fallen and Cast Out Lucifer. He is, was and will always be the “Father of Lies.” And the worst lie of all is not that there is no God but that Satan is the one true god of gods. In that picture, Satan is the one who brought Yahweh Elohim into being. No wonder that early on Yahweh Elohim said, “I am a jealous God. You shall have no other gods before Me.”

That day is coming to an end. The day is coming when the clarity of God’s Word will not be a dim mirror reflection of the truth easily confused by those who wish to confuse others. No, it will ring as clear as bell and be as plain as a cloudless day. There is only God true God of heaven and Earth and His Son will return to set the word straight among the people who are left on earth. Why will it be a fierce battle? Not because Jesus chooses for it to be that way, to be sure. It will be a fierce battle because the Enemy knows it cannot win. It will have to resort to the great lengths of destruction and devastation possible physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. The time will come when it will take “the fire Heaven to combat the fire of Hell.” God has promised to save, deliver, safekeep, protect and gather His people into a place of safety which can never be defeated, overcome, overwhelmed, cast out or cast down. Jesus is preparing that place for us now. He is coming again, as He promised, to take us as His Bride- the Church to the dwelling place of His Father’s House eternal in the Heavens. But, first there must be a thorough cleaning. Enter the “wrath of God.”

A PRAYER FOR TODAY:

You are our God and we shall be Your people in spirit and in truth. Continue to dwell among us. Let the revelation by Your Holy Spirit inspire us to greater service in a more refined identity. We do not live as ourselves for ourselves. Rather, we live in Christ as He lives in us. We declare it with all the elders and angels in Heaven, saying “Holy, holy, holy is He who was and is and is to come.” In Jesus’ name we live, serve and pray. AMEN.