6/25/2023

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING:

“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:

You may not have thought of it in this way, but the Dickens’ story “Oliver,” is a story of revelation. A child born into a family of bliss until a terrible tragedy occurs and he is separated out of his, let’s call it- Eden. He endures life in the world that is broken and shameful. He suffers the wrath of a workhouse bully for asking “Please, sir, more?” But, in the end there is hope restored and a new life that was heretofore unimaginable. Oversimplified for the literary critic? But, I would pray you get the point. It is the story of all our lives. We are born in innocence into a world of slated indifference to what is good and a pursuit of what serves self better. The baby knows only the will to survive and uses whatever resource is available to him or her in order to survive. It usually is a cry, then a lament, then a plan of attack and then a fearful end…if it were not for the spirit of Christ to lead, guide and direct those whose desire is to be more than well-intentioned. And then, even they will suffer the wrath of someone, anyone, who doesn’t quite see it that way. But, we have Jesus standing right here in the midst of us. He offers every opportunity to see hope whether the circumstances are good or bad or evil. And yes, evil is worse than bad. For those who dare to believe and profess “It’s bad there is worse to come.” And for those who see the bad as evil and curse God for it, there is the revelation of true evil. The question is “Will we pay attention to the revelation of God concerning yesterday, today, tomorrow and forever?”

So, there is Oliver Twist, twist by fate, hungry in the midst of other hungry children. They have been reduced to accept their bad condition under the proposal by the Master of the house that it is good and it could be worse. Perhaps Oliver is naive. Maybe he is brave. But, he proves that he will not settle for something when there seems to be more. After all, look at his warden, his guards, his overseers. They do not seem to be in such dire strait as the children of the workhouse. He approaches with an empty bowl as all eyes watch knowing the certain peril he will face. He is not deterred. He holds the bowl up and from a pot still filled with porridge asks “More?” Now the wrath is poured out. Is it poured out because of an assumption that there is more to draw from? Is it poured out because of the perceived presumptuosness of the the boy? Is it poured out because the extra is a resource for another meal for which payment has already been received and profit claimed? Or is it because the workhouse is a symbol of the world as it was and not as it could have been? I can’t help but hear the scripture from Isaiah 11.6 “…and a little child shall lead them.” And thus we are lead by the story of this little child through the highs and lows of society where man is god and God is no man’s business. Then there is that saving grace where the boy is swept up as into Heaven and life, with a momentary climatic pause, is glorious. Oh, to find such a love like that!

Here is Revelation 16, we do not have a similar “good” tale. No one is asking for more with empty bowls. We hear only of seven bowls of God’s wrath in seven heaping helpings of horrible, terrible but exact justice. God is blamed, of course, for such things happening. What happens, of course, is the bitter end as the consequence of living a life unrepentant denying to goodness and truth of God’s word. What is that definition of insanity? Oh yes, doing the same thing over and over again thinking that you will reach a different conclusion. That would be like hitting your thumb with a hammer seven times because you refused to learn how to hammer correctly one time and blame the hammer. And throughout the sixteenth chapter, we see the devastation of God’s wrath (His perfect justice which the people receive because they blame the Just One instead of themselves for the bad that is happening.) Even the prodigal son was smarter than that. He did not curse his father for his predicament. He recognized his own responsbility and culpability. Without his father’s mercy, which he knew existed, he would have died a death far worse than the pigs in whose sty he slopped.

But, there is no sense of mercy in chapter 16. We are now left with only those who have set their hearts, mind, body and soul for themselves and against God. They align themselves with the One who led a rebellion against God and now against God’s people and was defeated. Is that not insane and the example of insanity? Time and again, we hear the watchword of the chapter. The word is “blame.” How often are we hearing that word in today’s culture and climate? We have become a people of no-accountability. What should we be accountable when we can blame others for our difficult situation. Doesn’t this “situation” as Fagan calls it require “reviewing”? We only accept his word that picking a pocket or two is actually worthwhile and worthy. But, even Fagan grows “fat” off the works of others. He cares for his charges only so long as they take care of him. The day comes when even the best of the worst, Bill Sykes, is taken down. There will come a time when wrath against those who refuse mercy is all that is left so that the best of the worst will be taken down. He will offer a good fight. He will run a good race. He will strive to the end but the end is all he will find. He will rush as a leming to the end of a cliff and be swallowed up in lifelessness. He will sadly not be alone. There will be loved ones, family members, neighbors, close friends, honored associates and more who will have the facade of “making it” removed and be left falling into the pit of despair still blaming God.

There is a story to be told to the nations. We, as mighty ones of God and disciples of Christ, the Jesus of Nazareth and Bethlehem, are commissioned to tell this good story of God’s grace. It is the gospel by which the hope of life can be heard in those with ears to hear and eyes to see, minds to conceive, arms to receive and a heart to believe. We are called to go into all the world, into every world on earth, into every nation and declare the only “way, truth and life” which will lead out of death and despair, sickness and sorrow, into the land of a never-ending tomorrow of peace, love and joy. If we refuse, then what are we saying about our faith and the One in whom we claim we have faith in?

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.