We’ve looked at many things God is saying to the Christian in these days but what about the non-Christian? Is God speaking through these events to those who do not know Him?
I promised in an earlier blog that we’d come back to Revelation chapter 16 in due time and I’d like to turn there now. For those unfamiliar with the book of Revelation, it is written like a child’s picture book. It tells human history between Christ’s ascension and the Christ’s return (and indeed on into the new heavens and earth of eternity) from God’s perspective using many visionary scenes. The problem is that because it is apocalyptic and visionary it is open to wide interpretation, nevertheless there are a number of things to note that have a particular relevance to these times.
Chapter 16 opens with God commanding seven angels to pour out seven bowls of His wrath on the earth. We should not be surprised at this since back in chapter 8 we have seven angels blowing seven trumpets and with each being blown disaster strikes the earth, then in chapter 15 we find seven angels with seven plagues that depict the wrath of God, and now in chapter 16 seven angels with seven bowls of His wrath which they pour out on the earth.
The picture is very clear. God is not indifferent to man’s sin, neither can man sin with impunity: there are consequences, God does act. And whilst it is true (and scripture speaks of it many times) that individual evil men often prosper in this lifetime, nevertheless God does act in this lifetime against man’s sin, often in a general sense, as well as after death against those outside of Christ in a personal sense. So e.g. in Romans 1:18 we read:
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
Friend, when we consider for one minute how the nations of this world have been so against God and His righteous Law in recent years we really shouldn’t be surprised when we see disasters happen – this is exactly how the Bible says it will be and to be honest I am really amazed that it isn’t far worse; but what is very important is what we read in Revelation 16:9 The fourth angel has just poured out his bowl of God’s wrath on the earth and we read:
Rev 16:9 They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.
Two very important points – something those outside of Christ did and something they didn’t do. What they did was to curse God’s name for what these ‘plagues’ inflicted on them. And what they didn’t do was “repent and give glory to God” in other words God gives them this massive prompt to recognise their sin, their need for forgiveness, and the opportunity to turn to Him and be saved, but instead they curse Him!
Surely THE most important thing God is saying through this virus to those outside of Christ is simply this “WAKE UP AND REALISE THAT YOU NEED TO REPENT AND GIVE ME GLORY!” If ever there was a time when people should be able to see that they are not in control of their own lives, that they are not in control of their future, that they can die at any time, that money can’t buy them happiness and peace, this is it.
Join me in praying that this pandemic will lead many to wake up to their own need of repentance and of coming to peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ.