Revelation Series: 8 & 9
Understanding God's Justice
Over the past few weeks, we have sought a broader view of who God is. Today, we will see with increasing clarity the justice of God, making right what sin and darkness have destroyed.
Last week, we touched on a critical tension: our culture leans toward seeing God as a God of love and grace. And He is—through the blood of Jesus, we are washed clean from sin and given new life. He is our Redeemer. But if we do not also understand that He is a God of righteous justice, we risk an incomplete view of Him that leads us away from His ways.
In Revelation 2-3, God warns the churches: "Hear what the Spirit is saying, be obedient to it, and hold on to who I really am."
He cautions against the teachings of the Nicolaitans, who embraced moral relativism—the idea that if something feels good or seems right to us, we should do it. This deception remains prevalent today, rooted in a one-sided view of God as only love, kindness, and grace.
Years ago, a well-known televangelist, after a series of scandals involving drug abuse, affairs, and fraud, was asked, "When did you stop loving Jesus?" He responded, "Oh, I never stopped loving Jesus; I stopped fearing Him."
The fear of the Lord is not terror but awe and reverence for His righteousness and glory. Without it, we risk deluding ourselves into believing that how we live is disconnected from our relationship with God.
The Balance of Grace and Righteousness
Paul, in Romans 5, explains that the Law of Moses revealed our need for a Savior:
Romans 5:20-21: "The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Yet, Paul immediately follows with a crucial warning in Romans 6:1-2: "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"
God's grace covers our sin, but it also empowers us to overcome it. Using grace as an excuse to continue in sin reveals that we may know about God, but we do not truly know Him. Our awe of Him anchors us against the temptations of the world and our own desires.
The Justice of God in Revelation 8-9
Revelation 8 opens with the seventh seal being opened, causing silence in heaven. Heaven is silent but the smoke of the incense, which is the prayers of the saints will keep going up before Almighty God from this bowl that is in this angels hand.
As the seven trumpets sound, devastating judgments unfold:
The first trumpet brings hail and fire, burning a third of the earth.
The second trumpet sees a blazing mountain fall into the sea, turning a third of it to blood.
The third trumpet poisons a third of the fresh water.
The fourth trumpet darkens a third of the sun, moon, and stars.
The fifth trumpet unleashes demonic locusts to torment those without God’s seal.
The sixth trumpet releases four bound angels who bring further destruction, yet people still refuse to repent.
Through these judgments, we see both God’s justice and His mercy—He does not utterly destroy but rather calls people to repentance. Yet, many persist in rebellion, demonstrating that sin cannot go unpunished.
As Romans 6:22-23 says: "But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Those who reject God’s grace will bear the consequences of their sin. Even in the face of great suffering, many will still refuse to turn to Him. Our choices matter.
Our Response to God's Justice
Revelation reveals not only God's justice but also the urgency of our mission. As Romans 10:12-15 says: "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?"
So we must ask ourselves:
Have you called upon the name of the Lord to receive His salvation?
Are you living as a witness, sharing the good news with those around you?
God has placed you in your workplace, school, and community for a purpose—to be a light in the darkness, a voice in the wilderness.
As 1 Timothy 2:1-4 reminds us: "I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for all people...for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth."
I encourage you to write down this prayer and pray it daily:
"God, would You include me in what You are doing around me? Show me who in my life You have placed there for a purpose, and help me to pray for them daily. Give me opportunities to share the good news of Jesus with them."