It serves him right! That is our normal reaction when we see justice in the world, someone who is causing harm gets the consequences of his actions. However, God knows that our emotional state cannot handle that kind of anger and resentment, so "vengeance is mine" says the Lord. God is perfectly merciful and always desires that people repent and accept His merciful forgiveness. Because He is also is perfectly just, and He knows when the heart of man has rejected every attempt to receive mercy, there will come a time of retribution. What a man sows He will reap. God does not change, so everything He does shows His greatness and glory, even judgment.
At the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, the angels sang, "Glory to God." John 1:14 describes this event like this, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." We saw how great God is, and His nature of love, in being willing to become man and pay the supreme price for our sin. We marveled at the glory of His mercy and willingness to give His all for us.
Likewise, Revelation 4 and 5 show the awesome greatness of God's majesty and eternal plan for Jesus as King over all the earth, Revelation 6 and 7 show the greatness of God in shaking the foundations of the earth so as many men as possible will repent and believe in Jesus, that He died for their sins.
Jesus is the head of the body, so He does not do anything without first telling us and involving us in His perfect plan. Recall that after the resurrection Jesus was waiting with breakfast for his uncertain disciples who had returned to fishing, asking "Children, have you caught any fish?" Then He instructed them to put the net on the other side and they caught a multitude. Then He said to Peter to bring some of the fish "he" had caught. Jesus obviously could have had fish already on the fire, but He chose to demonstrate that His plan is always to work in and through us.
Now consider the Old Testament picture of God's response to the Israelites being slaves in Egypt and crying out for deliverance. God moved upon Moses to set His people free. When Pharaoh didn't listen He had Moses call down plagues that caused much destruction designed to change Pharaoh's heart. According to 1 Corinthians 10, Old Testament events are physical examples which provide instruction and warning for New Testament realities. Being delivered from slavery by Moses compares to Jesus bringing salvation, the deliverance from sin and its consequences.
In Exodus God uses one man, Moses to set His people free and destroy the power of the Egyptians. This also is a picture of the plagues that come in the end times. However, in Revelation, God will not use one man, He will use the glorious man, the body of Christ, that works in unity with the head, the Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 4 speaks of Christians growing up into "a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." Believers will hear God's voice and through united prayer stand with Head Jesus to call down the plagues designed to wake up sinners into repentance. Once again, an amazing display of God's greatness and His awesome choosing and enabling us to be one with Him in carrying out His ultimate victory, complete eradication of all that hinders love. Psalm 149:9 declares the honor all His saints have "to execute on them the written judgment."
As each of the seven seals of the scroll are released from heaven, the kingdoms of man and all he trusts are proven to be fragile and ultimately worthless. These "plagues" are not meant to punish man, but rather to turn His heart to trust that which cannot be shaken. This will be accompanied by the early and later rain, the Holy Spirit being poured out on all flesh causing a multitude in the valley of decision to come to Jesus. No wonder all heaven rejoices giving glory and honor to God, because His judgments are just and He has vindicated those who lost their lives for Him. Scripture declares all flesh shall see the glory of God.
We have beheld and will behold His glory beyond what man can conceive. Romans 5:17 as well as Psalm 8, remind us that we have been crowned with glory and honor which enables us to reign in this life. Therefore, walk humbly with God repenting of sin and flesh desires, and allow the Holy Spirit to transform your thinking with God's thoughts from the Word. It is time to wake up from sleep and press in to the glorious plan God has for each of us, and all of us believers together.
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