Revelation Ch15v1-Ch16v17 - Justice is Done

Well, let's open our Bibles, please, to Revelation.

Revelation chapter 15 and 16.

Revelation 15 · chapter mention

So we're going to read not all of it.

Just follow along with me.

I'll direct you as we go along.

Revelation chapter 15.

Revelation 15 · chapter mention

And we'll read from verse 1.

I saw in heaven another great and marvellous sign.

Seven angels with the seven last plagues.

Last because with them God's wrath is completed.

And I saw what looked like a sea of glass glowing with fire and standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name.

They held harps given them by God.

And they sang the song of God's servant Moses and of the Lamb.

Great and marvellous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty.

Just and true are your ways, King of the nations.

Who will not fear you, Lord, and bring glory to your name?

For you alone are holy.

All nations will come and worship before you.

For your righteous acts have been revealed.

Let's jump to chapter 16, verse 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.

The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshipped its image.

The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea and it turned into blood like that of a dead person and every living thing in the sea died.

The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers of springs of water and they became blood.

Then I heard the angel in charge of the water say,

You are just in these judgments, O Holy One, you who are and who were.

For they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve.

And I heard the altar respond,

Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments.

The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire.

They were seared by an intense heat and they cursed the name of God who had control over all these plagues,

but they refused to repent and glorify him.

The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast and its kingdom and was plunged into darkness.

People gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores,

but they refused to repent of what they had done.

The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the east.

Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs.

They came out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

They are demonic spirits that perform signs and they go out to the kings of the whole world

to gather them for the battle on that great day of God Almighty.

Look, I come like a thief.

Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains closed so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.

Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.

The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne saying,

It is done.

Well, if you just turn back to Revelation 12, we're going to start there.

And I'm just going to pray again for us.

Father, we thank you for our church family here.

We thank you for the church family in Egberth and in Jalan

and the many church families that are meeting around the world this very day.

We thank you for the freedom we have to do this.

No threat of any police or anybody closing this meeting down.

But yet as we gather, we want to remember those who are in very difficult and hard situations.

And we pray that as they hear your word and as they perhaps sing,

sometimes singing quietly so that they're not heard,

that you would encourage them this day.

Build them up in their faith.

Strengthen them.

That they will be courageous to stand strong for you.

And so we pray, Father, that as we hear your word,

we too would be encouraged

to persevere,

to keep going

and to trust you

in all things.

Amen.

Well, we're at war.

Look at chapter 12, verse 17.

Then the dragon, who we know as Satan,

was enraged at the woman

and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring.

Who are the offspring?

Well, those who keep God's commands

and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.

Satan is at war with the church

against Christians.

And the battle is brutal

and it's bloody.

Salmoun, who is a colleague of Mickey,

the man who we support in Kashmir.

Salmoun runs a community radio program

that attracts lots of gospel inquiries

and seeks to serve the community

in other practical ways.

Well, I got a message this week

to say that Salmoun, Mickey's colleague,

was brutally attacked

by 14 men

in a sustained and clearly targeted public beating.

Despite what happened to him,

they're not stopping their ministry.

But they've asked for prayers,

for courage to keep going.

Every day around the world,

one in seven Christians

face severe persecution,

beatings,

abductions,

imprisonment.

In fact, over 5,000 believers

will die for their faith

in the coming year.

But this war that we've been talking about

over these last few weeks,

we know is also on our doorstep.

Every day as we go to work

or go to college

or wherever we find ourselves,

we are under pressure

to compromise our faith.

Why talk about Jesus

or why declare,

this is what the Bible says,

when we know

it's only going to end badly.

Say nothing.

Go with the flow.

Just keep the head down.

It may be subtle,

but the battle is real.

So how do people like Solomon

keep going

under such pressure?

How do we,

as Karageline Baptist Church,

how do we stay faithful

in the battle?

How do we keep on going?

Well, chapters 15 and 16

of Revelation

to where we turn now

show us what we can look forward to,

which will give us motivation

and give us encouragement

to persevere and to keep on.

Look at chapter 15, verse 1.

I saw in heaven

another great and marvellous sign.

So here we're at one level

where we're aware

of the war that rages

here on earth.

But once again,

we're taken into heaven

to see the world in history

from God's perspective.

And what do we see

as we enter into heaven?

Look at the rest of verse 1.

We see seven angels

with the seven last plagues.

Last,

because with them

God's wrath

is completed.

You see,

what we're seeing here

is that God's full

and final judgment

is about to come.

Look at verse 2.

And I saw what looked like

a sea of glass

glowing with fire.

Now,

sea in the Bible

represents chaos

and destruction.

And here,

as we look closely,

the sea is smooth,

isn't it?

It's like a sheet of glass.

But at the same time,

it's glowing with fire.

You see,

God is about to bring

a calm

to the powers of darkness.

He's about to still

the forces of evil

with the fire

of judgment.

God isn't unsettled

or paralyzed

by the chaos

that we see

all around us.

God isn't panicked

by Satan's war.

Satan

and his minions

do not have

the last word.

God does.

So,

verse 7.

Then one of the four

living creatures

gave to the seven angels

seven golden bowls

filled with the wrath

of God

who lives

forever and ever.

Well,

what are they for?

Well,

look at chapter 16,

verse 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.

You see,

a day is coming

when the wrath

of God,

like a torrent,

will be poured out

on all those

who oppose Christ

and destroy

his church.

A day is coming

when justice

will be done.

Now,

as we together

think about

God's wrath,

his judgment

being poured out,

how do you

feel about that?

What do you think?

Are you anxious?

Are you worried?

Are you fearful

at the thought

of what is going

to happen?

Well,

if we are Christians,

we are to see it

as something

that is good

and right.

It's something

we are to

long for

and look forward

for in anticipation

because as we

see God's

judgment,

yes,

on the one hand

it will be

terrifying

for God's enemies,

but it will be

joyful

for God's people.

Terrifying

for enemies,

but joyful

for the church.

so as we

see

God's

judgment,

as we

see his

full and

final judgment

being poured

out,

it will

mean

a celebration

of God's

just

and righteous

acts.

As God's

wrath is about

to fall,

surprisingly,

the first thing

we encounter

or we see

is that there

is a celebration

going on.

Look at the

picture before

us in

verse 2,

chapter 15.

I saw what

looked like a

sea of glass

glowing with

fire,

and standing

beside the

sea,

who's there?

Those who

had been

victorious over

the beast

and its image

and over the

number of

its name.

And they

held harps

given to

them by

God,

and sang

the song

of God's

servant

Moses

and of

the Lamb.

God's

people,

by the

sea,

where it

is calm,

where all

the chaos

has been

stilled,

there they

are standing

victorious

over their

enemy,

and they're

singing songs

of praise.

They're

celebrating

God's

just and

righteous

acts.

Look at

verse 3,

look at the

song.

They sing,

great and

marvellous

are your

deeds,

Lord God

Almighty.

Just and

true are

your ways,

King of

the nations.

End of

verse 4,

all nations

will come

and worship

before you,

for your

righteous

acts

have been

revealed.

Now,

doesn't that

sound a bit

strange to

you?

When was

the last

time we

sang a

song of

celebration

and in

praise of

God's

judgment

coming,

how can

you celebrate

God's

judgments?

Well,

there's two

things we

can learn

from this

song.

First,

God judges

to save.

You see,

this isn't

the first

time that

we come

across this

scene here

that we

read about

in verse

2 and

3.

God's

people by

the sea

standing

victorious

over their

enemy

and singing

songs of

celebration.

Does that

ring any

bells to

you?

Well,

look with

me back

to Exodus

Exodus 14 · chapter mention

chapter 14.

Exodus

Exodus 14 · chapter mention

chapter 14.

What we

find here

is that

God's

people are

in slavery

under the

cruel tyrant

Pharaoh.

He's

treated them

brutally.

He's had

them killed.

He's had

them beaten.

And despite

many warnings,

many plagues,

Pharaoh

was refused.

So God

responds with

yet more

a final

judgment.

We can

read what

happens at

the end

in chapter

14.

God's

people are

on their

way out

of Egypt

towards

the Red

Sea.

But in

front of

them is

the sea

and pursuing

behind them

rapidly are

the pursuing

enemies.

What's going

to happen?

Well,

chapter 14,

verse 21.

As they

come to

the sea,

then Moses

stretched out

his hand

over the

sea and

all that

night the

Lord drove

the sea

back with

the strongest

east wind

and turned

it into

dry land.

The waters

were divided

and the

Israelites

went through

the sea

on dry

ground

with a

wall of

water on

their right

and on

the left.

The Egyptians

pursued them

and all

Pharaoh's

horses and

chariots and

horsemen

followed them

into the

sea.

Verse 26.

Then the

Lord said

to Moses,

Stretch out

your hand

over the

sea so

that the

waters may

flow back

over the

Egyptians

and their

chariots

and horsemen.

Moses

stretched out

his hand

over the

sea and

at daybreak

the sea

went back

to its

place.

The Egyptians

were fleeing

towards it

and the

Lord swept

them into

the sea.

Verse 30.

That day

the Lord

saved Israel

from the

hands of

the Egyptians

and Israel

saw the

Egyptians

lying dead

on the

shore.

You see

God brings

his judgment

and his

people

are saved.

God's

wrath is

being poured

out on

these tyrants,

on these

who have

caused so

much

injustice

to a

people

so that

they might

in turn

experience

salvation.

And in

response,

Moses leads

the people

in songs of

celebration.

As they

turn round

and look

and see

their defeated

enemy swept

up in the

sea,

they begin

to sing.

Look at

chapter 15

verse 1.

I will

sing to

the Lord

for he

is highly

exalted,

both horse

and rider

he is hurled

into the

sea.

The Lord

is my

strength

and my

defence.

He

has become

my salvation.

You see

they are

celebrating

God's

just

and

righteous

acts.

Now let's

go back

to

Revelation

Revelation 16 · chapter mention

chapter

16.

You see

this isn't

just the

song of

Moses.

Look at

verse 3.

This is

the song

of God's

servant

Moses

and of

the Lamb.

This is

telling us

that a

day is

coming

when the

Lamb,

the risen

Lord

Jesus

is going

to come

again to

bring his

judgment.

Not just

on one

people

or just

in one

particular

place

as was

the case

with

Moses.

But it's

a judgment

that is

going to

fall on

all people

in all

of the

world.

Just as

the waves

of judgment

came crashing

down on

Pharaoh and

his armies,

so God's

judgment

will come

crashing down

on all

his enemies.

It will

be a day

of

justice.

Everyone

will be

held

accountable.

Every

wrong

will be

put

right.

As we

think of

all the

injustices

going on

in the

world

right now,

whether it's

the war

in Ukraine,

or whether

it's an

innocent

victim

being

burgled,

all will

be put

right.

Everything

that we

have said

and done

will be

laid out

before the

judge.

All of

our

achievements

and successes,

all of

our failures

and all

our secrets,

nothing

will be

hidden.

Everything

will be

laid

bare.

And on

that day,

God's

full and

final judgment

will fall.

And heaven

will sing

in celebration,

great and

marvellous are

your deeds,

Lord God

Almighty.

Just and

true are

your ways,

King of

the nations.

All the

nations will

come and

worship before

you, for

your righteous

acts have

been revealed.

Justice

will be

done.

You see,

justice is

good news.

isn't it?

Because we

all long,

every one

of us,

long for

it all to

be put

right.

Even now

as we

think of

hurts that

have been

done to

us,

or big

things that

we see

going on

in the

world,

we long

for it

all to

be put

right.

But also

means a

day when

we will

stand before

God.

Justice

not only

means wrongs

corrected,

but it

means punishment

will be

received.

God's

full and

final judgment

will fall

and when

it does,

all of

heaven will

celebrate

God's

just and

righteous

acts.

The question

is,

is this

something you

and I

celebrate?

is this

what we're

looking forward

to?

Well,

when God's

just and

righteous

acts fall,

there will

be things

we can

celebrate

as his

people.

As God's

full and

final judgment

comes,

it will

mean the

vindication

of God's

suffering

and persecuted

people.

as Satan

goes to

war against

the church,

there has

been and

there will

be many

casualties.

Many have

suffered

opposition

and persecution.

Innocent

believers

speaking out

for Jesus

and standing

for the

truth

get beaten,

but

they are

not forgotten.

Through

God's

judgments,

God's

people are

vindicated.

we see

this in

two ways.

First,

God hears

our cries.

Turn with

me,

please,

back to

Revelation

Revelation 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6.

You may

remember

this prayer,

this cry

from God's

people.

Revelation

Revelation 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6

shows us

what Christians

are to

expect.

Verse 9.

When he

opened the

fifth seal,

I saw

under the

altar

the souls

of those

who had

been slain

because of

the word

of God

and the

testimony

they had

maintained.

So here

we have

a picture

of all

God's

people

who have

been

faithful

in their

witness,

faithful

to the

point of

death.

They

persevered

in hard

times.

And verse

10.

They

called out

in a

loud

voice,

How

long,

sovereign

Lord,

holy and

true,

until you

judge the

inhabitants

of the

earth and

avenge

our

blood?

When

will we

get

justice

for all

that has

happened

to us?

For all

the wrongs

that have

been done?

when is

justice

going to

come?

Well,

look at

God's

response

in verse

11.

Then each

of them

was given

a white

robe,

a sign

of their

acceptance

before God,

and they

were told

to wait

a little

longer

until the

full number

of their

fellow

servants,

their

brothers and

sisters,

were killed

just as

they had

been.

What an

answer.

How long,

Lord?

When are

you going

to put

right all

these

wrongs?

Oh,

just wait

a little

bit longer

because there

are yet

more people

to die

for their

faith.

In fact,

more believers

have died

for their

faith in

the last

100 years,

than in

the last

2000 years

combined.

Brothers and

sisters in

Christ,

people just

like you

and I,

but just

living in a

different

context,

intentionally

and violently

put to death

because they

love Jesus

and they

love other

people enough

to tell them

about Jesus.

And the

cry goes up,

how many

more?

When will

justice be

done?

How long

until this

brutal and

bloody war

is over?

Well,

God hears

the cries

of his

people.

God

listens to

those who

in their

death cry

out for

justice.

justice.

Let's go

back to

chapter 16.

Because here

we see that

God does

answer with

justice.

The

waiting that

he had

told his

people is

over.

Here is the

ultimate answer

to those who've

been martyred for

their faith.

Chapter 16,

verse 1.

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.

Now,

notice here

the way that

judgment comes,

verse 3.

The second

angel poured

out his bowl

on the sea

and it was

turned into

blood,

like that

of a dead

person.

And every

living thing

in the sea

died.

The third

angel poured

out his bowl

on the

rivers and

the springs

of water

and they

became blood.

But why

all this

blood?

Well,

it's graphic

imagery for

what these

people have

done to

God's people

and what

God is going

to do to

them.

God's message

is clear.

Look at

verse 5.

Then I heard

the angel in

charge of the

water say,

you are just

in these

judgments,

so holy

one,

who were,

who are,

and who

were.

For they

have shed

the blood

of your

holy people

and your

prophets,

and you

have given

them blood

to drink

as they

deserve.

God hears

their cry

for justice.

He hasn't

forgotten.

He says,

you shed

the blood

of my

people,

so I

will now

come and

shed your

blood.

you

killed

and

murdered

my

faithful

servants.

You

left

wives

without

a

husband,

children

without

a

mother,

churches

without

pastors,

you

cut

them

down,

so I

will pour

out my

wrath on

you.

in chapter

6,

they cried

out,

how long

sovereign

Lord,

holy and

true until

you judge

the inhabitants

of the

earth and

avenge our

blood.

Well,

God's

full and

final

judgment

falls as

we hear

another

cry,

verse 7.

The same

people

respond,

and I

heard the

altar

respond,

yes,

Lord God

Almighty,

true and

just are

your

judgments.

God is

not a

bloodthirsty

tyrant who

just enjoys

doing these

sorts of

things.

No,

God is

fair and

right.

And as

we look

forward to

God's full

and final

judgment to

come,

we know

that God

will vindicate

his suffering

and persecuted

church.

And it

also means

that he

hears your

cries.

And he

doesn't

forget your

cries.

And all

the difficulties

and the

hardships that

you have

gone through

as a

believer,

as you've

taken your

stand and

as you've

sought to

witness for

him and

all the

pushbacks.

God hears

your cry.

And God

will vindicate

the suffering

and persecute

the church.

So there

can be a

celebration

because God

vindicates

his people.

But there's

another reason

we can

celebrate.

With the

full and

final judgment

will come

the destruction

of God's

unrepentant

and evil

enemies.

Satan's

war with

the church

is severe.

But God

will see

that that

war will

end with

the destruction

of all

his enemies.

But before

it comes

there is a

call to

repentance.

You see

when we

read and

as we

think about

God's

wrath being

poured out

the accusation

can be

that's not

fair.

people

didn't have

a chance.

They

didn't know.

Well God's

judgments are

always true

and just.

He is

fair.

God has

given

warning to

the world

through the

devastating

disasters that

we experience

in the world

every day.

All the

wars,

all the

violence,

the floods

and famines

that we read

and hear

about,

they're all

signs that

this world

that we

live in

is broken

and it's

not right

and that

God is

coming in

judgment.

But he's

also given

the testimony

of the

church as

people have

witnessed

for him.

And so

God's

judgments are

poured out,

verse 9.

They were

seared by

an intense

heat.

Again,

I don't

think this

is necessarily

literal but

just a

description of

God's

final judgment.

verse 11.

And they

cursed the

name of

God who

had control

over these

plagues.

But they

refused to

repent and

glorify him.

Verse 11.

And cursed

the God of

heaven because

of their

pains and

sores, but

they refused

to repent of

what they

had done.

them.

You see, it's

not that

people don't

have

opportunity.

It's not

God who's

hard.

It's people

who have

become hard

hearted.

With every

call for

repentance,

for some,

there is a

deepening

refusal to

listen to

God.

God can't

be charged

with being

unfair or

unkind.

When God's

wrath is

poured out,

no excuse

can be

made.

You see,

people who

refuse God,

who refuse

the Lord Jesus

Christ,

at the end

of the day,

only have

themselves to

blame.

in fact,

what will

happen is

there will

be a

gathering for

judgment.

You see,

as history

moves along,

it's moving

towards a

final and

ultimate battle.

Look at

verse 14.

Verse 14,

they,

that is,

Satan and

the powers

of darkness

and evil,

their demonic

spirits that

have performed

signs and

they go out

to the kings

of the whole

world,

leading them

astray,

to gather

them for

battle on

the great

day of

God Almighty.

You see,

Satan remains

opposed to

Christ and

his church

and as he

goes about

his work,

it's as if

he's gathering

all those

who hate

Christ and

hate his

church and

he's bringing

them all

together for

battle.

And included

in that are

those who

have refused

to repent,

verse 16.

Then they

gathered the

kings together

in that place

that in

Hebrew is

called

Armageddon.

Now Armageddon

is not a

literal location,

but it's

imagery for

the war

between the

church and

Satan.

It's not a

physical battle,

but it's a

spiritual battle

that rages on.

We know about

it right now

when it

intensifies as

we get

closer to

the time

of Christ's

return.

The prophet

Zechariah

spoke about

this final

battle and

what was going

to happen and

what it would

be like.

Here's what he

said.

On that

day,

on that

final day,

when all the

nations are

gathered against

her,

I will

make

Jerusalem,

that is

God's

people,

an immovable

rock for

the nations.

And all

who try to

move it

will injure

themselves.

And on

that day,

the Lord

will shield

those who

live in

Jerusalem.

On that

day,

I will set

out to

destroy all

the nations

that attack

Jerusalem.

So we

have the

scene set,

don't we,

here in

Revelation.

Satan and

his minions,

all the

kings and

all the

rulers that

have taken

their stand

against God

over all

of history.

All those

who've

refused and

will not

repent,

will gather

for battle

against Christ

and his

church.

But as

they gather

for war,

God's not

taken by

surprise,

for he is

gathering them

for judgment.

And on

that day,

God's

people will

be like

an immovable

rock.

And all

who come

against them,

it's as if

they will

injure

themselves.

Verse 17,

on that

day,

the seventh

angel poured

out his

bowl into

the air,

and out

of the

temple came

a loud

voice from

the throne

saying,

it is

done.

That's the

result.

In the

end, there

really is no

great battle.

The victory

is decisive

and complete.

Jesus, the

king, wins

over all his

enemies, and

they are all

destroyed.

It's over.

The war

finished.

No more

Satan, no

more suffering.

You see, as

we long for

God's full

and final

judgment to

come, we

know that

when it

does, God

will destroy

unrepentant

and evil

enemies.

Now, as

we think

about this,

God's

wrath being

poured out,

how do

you feel?

We asked

the same

question at

the beginning.

Are you

anxious?

Are you

worried?

Are you

fearful?

It's

actually a

terrifying

thought to

think that

this is how

it will all

end.

You see, we

all want

justice, don't

we?

But the

thing is, we

don't want

justice to

fall on

me.

We want

God to

deal with

all our

enemies,

but we

want God

to make

exceptions

for me.

God,

fire on

those people,

but mercy

on me.

God's

full and

final judgment

is fearful.

people.

But here's

the thing,

it doesn't

need to

be.

There is

a place of

safety and

security that

will keep

us and

keep all

who come

to Christ

safe on

the day of

judgment.

Look at

verse 17.

Did you

hear that

cry, that

loud voice

from the

throne?

throne?

It is

done.

We've

heard that

cry before,

haven't we?

Not from

the throne,

but from

the cross.

Remember

what Jesus

shouted from

the cross as

he breathed

his last?

It is

finished.

It's

done.

done.

It's

over.

You see,

at the

cross, as

Jesus died,

as we so

often sing,

the wrath of

God was

satisfied.

The judgment

that you and

I deserve and

that the whole

world deserves

was poured

out on

Jesus.

That means

that all,

anyone and

everyone who

is repentant

can rest in

the security

of the cross.

As the

waves of

judgment come

crashing down,

it is Christ

with his arms

open wide

that absorbs

it all.

The full and

final judgment

of God

for you and

for I

falls on

him.

And so we

can celebrate

God's just

and righteous

acts.

We can

celebrate that

God's vindication

destruction of

his people

will be

right.

We can

celebrate,

yes,

the destruction

of all

God's

enemies.

But it

also means

that we

too have

someone and

somewhere to

point other

people.

Not just

us,

but we can