Christmas' glorious King revealed

Luke 2:12-14 "This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

Introduction: What is the glory of God and why it is important?
When we talk about God's glory, the place to start looking for a clear definition is at Exodus 33:18-19 "Then Moses said, “I pray You, show me Your glory!” 19 And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” God's glory is when He puts the entirety of the goodness of His Divine nature on display. The Pocket Dictionary of Theological terms describes God's glory as: "The Biblical concept of glory carries with it connotations of inexpressible beauty and majesty."1 

Theologian J. Oliver Buswell writes this helpful insight on God's glory in regards to its significance: "That His love, His goodness, His holiness, and His justice should be infinitely magnified among all His creatures is the highest conceivable goal of all finite events. There is even a partial analogy, in the proper place of parents in the home, to the centrality of the glory of God in the universe. Parents who do not train their children to show proper respect are sinning against the entire household."2

How Christmas' glorious King is revealed
When it comes to the Christmas or advent season, the theme of God's glory is central. Salvation describes the chief work of God, with His glory being the main aim or purpose. God's glory is central to the Person of the Son coming to be virgin born, live, die, raise from the dead and ascend to the Father's right hand. God was pleased to have the fulness of the Godhead bodily dwell or be expressed through the Son as He came to also exist as a human being. (Colossians 2:9) When we focus equal attention on how God's glory will be revealed in Christ's second coming or advent, we find in Revelation 19:1-8 the theme of glory on His throne and His glory displayed in His church. With these thoughts in mind we aim in this post to briefly understand how Christmas' glorious King is revealed by consideration of four main thoughts:
1. The King's glory in His nativity. 
2. The King's glory on the cross.
3. The King's glory on His throne.
4. The King's glory in His church.

1. The King's glory in His nativity. 
Whenever we consider the events surrounding Jesus' nativity, the various witnesses of the infant Christ testify to His glory. Concerning the shepherds we read in Luke 2:16-19 "So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. 17 When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child." The shepherds "heard" of the glory of the Son from the heavenly hosts, however they also saw the glory for themselves by beholding God in human flesh in the manger. 

Let the reader note two other witnesses of the infant Christ and how they concluded that they were seeing the glorious King of Christmas. Simeon states in Luke 2:32 - "A Light of revelation to the Gentiles,And the glory of Your people Israel.” Shortly or near the same moment, the aged woman Anna the prophetess came and testified in Luke 2:38 "At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem."

Now how do we know that what these witness were beholding was nothing less than the display of the Son's Deity through frail humanity? Consider John's statement in John 1:14 "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." 2 Corinthians 4:6 plainly notes: "For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." Other passages in the New Testament letters testify to the fact that the Son's existence as a man did in no way take away from the fact that He was God at the same time. (1 Timothy 3:16; 1 John 1:2) So Christmas' glorious King is revealed in His nativity. But notice also...

2. The King's glory on the cross.
Though Christ's journey to the cross would witness an increase in his humiliation, nevertheless He still retained the full glory of His deity - albeit veiled by His full humanity. The Apostle Paul writes in Galatians 6:14 - "But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." The word translated "boast" is rendered "glory" in other English versions such as the KJV and Amplified Bible. Truly to boast about Jesus Christ is identical to glorifying Him. This is why the Holy Ghost says through Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:2 that he would have us to know nothing except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. The shadow of the cross is connected to the cradle. As the ancient church father Tertullian notes, the death of Christ necessarily implied His birth, being that whatever dies must needs have a birth. So Christmas' glorious King is revealed in His nativity, on the cross and thirdly...

3. The King's glory on His throne.
When we turn to Revelation 19:1-6 we see a four-fold hallelujah being sung on account of what will be the Son's glorious victory over his enemies: Satan, the anti-Christ and the evils of men. Revelation 19:1 states - "After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God." Now three main reasons are given in Revelation 19:1-6 as to why the glory of Jesus Christ on His throne is being praised:

a. The glory of His redemption, which display His grace and love for His people. 19:1

b. The glory of His judgments, which display His justice and holiness. 19:2-3

c. The glory of His Sovereignty, which displays the fact that He reigns. 19:4-6

The glorious revealed King, Jesus Christ, is coming again in power. In His first coming he came in frailty. The purpose for which Christ came the first time was to wear a crown of thorns and to be nailed to a cross to die. His resurrection and ascension heralded the fact that He would coming again a second time. The second coming will feature Him returning with a crown and a scepter of judgment in His nailed printed hand. Truly the glory of God manifested in fullness in Christ's humanity in His first coming will in the fullness of His glorified humanity display His endless power in His second coming.  So we see Christmas' glorious revealed King revealed in His nativity, His cross, on His throne and then lastly...

4. The King's glory in His church.
Revelation 19:7-8 states: "Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” 8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints." Truly was this not the intent of Christ's incarnation in His nativity, His death on the cross and what will be the manifestation of His glory at His second coming? To reveal His glory through His saints. Ephesians 5:26-27 verifies this thought - Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless." 

Based off of the thoughts of C.S Lewis, it was for this purpose that Christ came to become man, so that for all who believe, whom He has called, whom He has chosen to be His bride, may become sons of God. Hebrews 2:11-14 ties in the fact that Jesus Christ came to partake of our humanity by becoming a man, so that we as human beings could partake of His Divine nature and thus have union with His person. (compare 2 Peter 1:4)

This we know: the depths of God's glory in Christ reached down to a manger and a cross, and the heights thereof reach high to the very throne upon which He sits. However the breadth of that glory will be most supremely shown in and among and through all those believers whom He loves, and who in turn love Him both now and forever. 

Conclusion:
 We have explored today how Christmas' glorious King is revealed by consideration of four main thoughts:
1. The King's glory in His nativity. 
2. The King's glory on the cross.
3. The King's glory on His throne.
4. The King's glory in His church.

May this serve to raise our hearts and minds to honor the King of Kings and Lord of Lord!

Endnotes:
1. Stanley J. Grenz, David Gurtezki & Cherith Fee Nordling. Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms. IVP. 1999. Page 55
2. J. Oliver Buswell. A Systematic Theology of the Christian Religion - Volume 1. Zondervan. 1962. Page 164.

The King who Saves

Luke 2:11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Romans 5:9 "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him."

Revelation 15:3-4 "And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty;
Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations! 4 “Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy;
For all the nations will come and worship before You, For Your righteous acts have been revealed.”

Introduction:

In this Christmas season the central message which defines the purpose for why Christ came the first time is this: Jesus saves! Whenever you see that phrase or hear it sung, does it ever dawn on you what Jesus Christ saves you and I from and for what purpose He saves all those who by His grace believe on Him? Christmas' revealed King in Revelation is none other than Jesus Christ. The message of salvation and its central person is Jesus Christ.  His identity as the One who saves resounds through the pages of Revelation, even in those chapters that detail the future outpouring of God's wrath on the earth. In today's post we want to consider what exactly the King of salvation, Jesus Christ, came to save sinners from and for what purpose He saves. In our exploration we will focus on the following two thoughts:

1. Jesus Christ saves from wrath. Luke 2:10-12, Revelation 15-18

2. Jesus Christ saves for His glory. Luke 2:13-14 

So with those thoughts in mind, let us first of all consider the fact that Christmas' revealed king...

Jesus Christ saves from wrath.  Luke 2:10-12, Revelation 15:18

We read these words in Luke 2:10-11 "But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." Whenever you see that word "Savior", the question that comes to mind is: what is it that Jesus is saving us from? Other passages in the Christmas accounts and New Testament both specify the identity of Jesus Christ as the One who alone saves. For example we read of Simeon saying later on in Luke 2:30 "For my eyes have seen Your salvation." John 1:29 and 4:42 both recognize Jesus Christ as "the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world" and "the Savior of the world". So initially we can say that Jesus Christ is the Savior who saves us from our sins.  Matthew 1:21 notes - "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."

However there is something even more profound and threatening than even our sins. What reaction do our sins bring about in God? Romans 1:18 states - "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness." The wrath of God is the ultimate answer to the question: what does Jesus save you and I from. Romans 5:9 most clearly states: "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him."

So what is wrath and why is that a big deal when speaking about the King who saves? God's wrath is His settled, steady hatred of sin and all that is opposed to His Holy character. A.W Tozer notes: "God's wrath is His utter intolerance of whatever degrades and destroys".  The people to whom God directs His wrath are not innocent, but knowingly, willingly and with a high-hand ignoring God's repeated warnings to forsake their sin. 

Wrath is a necessary component in of the Gospel.  The Gospel warns sinners of His wrath that will be executed in judgment prior to Christ's second coming as well as the Final judgment at the end of the Millennium. (Revelation 20:11-15)

An illustration: Not knowing the nature of approaching danger
I can recall when living in central Florida the time we had received word of an approaching Hurricane called "Hurricane Charley". For those who had been hit by a major Hurricane (Category 3 or more), the standard protocol was to pack up and move to a safer location. Being from Pennsylvania, Deb and I didn't know what the big fuss was all about. We also noticed that for others in the area who had never experienced such a hurricane that far inland, the lack of concern seemed to confirm our conclusion that there was nothing to fear. However for those older ones who had experienced such a brute force hurricane some 40 years prior, boards on windows and "sorry we're closed" signs were seen. Once the storm had come, we knew why some people had been urging us to flee from the storm's path. If we had known, we would had taken the warnings of those who were urging us to get ready more seriously.
Gaining a better understanding of the necessity of God's wrath
When it comes to God's wrath, everyone on planet earth knows about it whether they admit it or not. Now - rather than later - is the best time to find asylum in Jesus Christ. Wrath does not refer to God throwing some type of cosmic temper-tantrum, or that God is on some type of out of control rampage against an innocent, unsuspecting people. As we noted earlier: God's wrath is His settled, steady hatred of sin and all that is opposed to His Holy character. The evidence of God's wrath is not only written in sacred scripture, but also clearly displayed in the general revelation of creation and the conscience. Deep down people know they are in trouble with God, they just choose to suppress it. (compare Romans 1:18-31)

Often I'll hear people say: "I believe in a God of love, however I cannot believe that God is a God of wrath". For one thing, we don't have the right to pick and choose which Biblical attributes of God we like and don't like. Secondly, considering the hundreds of verses that speak on the subject of His wrath, as well as His love, tells us that such a quality is vital to our understanding of the God of scripture.

Think about this: if God were not the God of wrath, He could not be the God of love. Why? Because if God loved everything, He could not be the God of love, since God love righteousness and unrighteousness, what is holy and profane or love what is opposite of His character.
Bible Scholar Wayne Grudem affirms this point: Yet it is helpful for us to ask what God would be like if He were a God that did not hate sin. He would be a God who either delighted in sin or at least was not troubled by it. Such a God would not be worthy of our worship, for sin is hateful and is worthy of being hated. Later Grudem adds: "...and we rightly imitate this attribute of God when we feel hatred against great evil, injustice and sin."1 

In studying through the judgment sequence found in Revelation 15:1-18:24, we discover reference to God's wrath or judgment some eight times. Whenever we study through those chapters, as well as the near parallel passages of Revelation 6-11 & 12-14, the following observations emerge:

1. The primary revelation of God's wrath will change location - from heaven to earth
God's wrath is His settled, steady hatred of sin and all that is opposed to His Holy character.
What is going to mark a change in the way God's wrath is revealed is in how he reveals it in the tribulation period. The point of Revelation 6-11 and 12-14 is to show that the wrath of God revealed "from heaven" or indirectly in the consciences of men in general revelation will become manifest "on earth". Revelation 15-18 continues this emphasis of location. Revelation 15:1 sets the tone - "Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished."
2. The intensity of God's wrath will dramatically increase in the tribulation. 
From Revelation 15-18 we see the wrath of God being poured out in ever increasing measure. Such passages as Revelation 15:7; 16:1; 17:1; 18:3 reveal that the wrath of God being revealed from heaven (Romans 1:18) will be expressed exclusively on this earth in the time period proceeding Christ's second coming.
3. God's wrath will reach a boiling point that will result in a final outpouring before Christ's return at the end of the tribulation period. 
In the final seven year tribulation period, and more specifically the later half, God's wrath will be consistently, directly and more intensely poured out due to all other measures of mercy and grace being exhausted by sinful man.
4. There is only one way to avoid the coming wrath of God - faith in Christmas's Revealed King, Jesus Christ. 

In seven particular spots we find words of encouragement either to church-age saints now who will be exempted from the tribulation period or reference to the future tribulation martyrs who will be shielded from the escalating wrath of God that will occur in the second half of that future period. Two examples from Revelation 15-18 include 16:15 & 18:20. The only way in which you can escape the wrath of God is through faith in Jesus Christ, His finished work and soon return.

So Jesus Christ the King saves all who believe on Him by grace from God's wrath. But now lets consider briefly for what purpose the King, Jesus Christ, saves sinners who believe on Him.
2. Jesus Christ saves for His glory. Lk 2:13-14 
Revelation 19:1-6
Whenever we proclaim the message: "Jesus saves", the negative that we're saved from is the wrath of God. However there is a positive purpose for which Jesus Christ extends His saving purpose: His glory. In Jesus' 1st & 2nd comings we see this emphasis. Luke 2:13-15 depicts the scene of the angels and shepherds: "And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,14 'Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased. 15 When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, 'Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.”' 

Truly as one person as put it: God's grace is but His glory begun, and God's glory is but His grace completed.

Revelation 19:1-6 continues on this positive purpose of Jesus' act and identity as the King who saves - namely for the purpose of His glory. Four times we see the phrase "hallelujah!" repeated over what will be Christ's resounding victory over the evils of men, the forces of Anti-Christ and plots of the Devil. Revelation 19:1 begins - "After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying,“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God." Then we see Revelation 19:6 end this four-fold hallelujah section - "Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns." Truly the King who saves has the Spirit apply salvation to every believer in for the purpose of beholding His glory. It is this purpose which in our hearts the Spirit impresses and fills us with a joy unspeakable and full of glory. (1 Peter 1:8)

Conclusion:
Today we took the time to study through Revelation 15-19 to explore the fact that Jesus Christ is the King who saves. We discovered that Jesus Christ is the King who saves from wrath and secondly, He is the King who saves for the purpose of revealing His glory.
Endnotes:
1. Wayne Grudem. Systematic Theology. Zondervan. 1994. page 206 

2. http://biblehub.com/topical/w/wrath.htm

Christmas' Angelic proclamation

Matthew 1:20-21 But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Introduction: How often we find angels in the birth narratives of Jesus in the Gospels

In today's post I wanted to briefly consider the roles angels played in the birth accounts of Jesus recorded in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.  Whenever we survey the Four Gospel accounts in regards to the number of times we find angels mentioned in connection to the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, here is what we discover:

1. Total times we find angel or angels in Gospels=over 50

2. Angelic mentions in birth account=19 (37%)

In other words, for the birth accounts (infancy narratives) of the Lord we find a full 37% of all the angelic mentions in the four Gospel records. 

This little exercise serves to underscore that as the Holy Spirit inspired the four Gospels, and particularly Matthew and Luke, angelic activity and ministry was heavy in the beginning stages of our Lord's incarnation and early life in comparison to His life and final week here on earth.  In today's post we want to explore what exactly the angels were proclaiming at the time of Christ's incarnation/virgin birth/early life and why that is important for Christians today.  

Angels pronounced Christ's mission

As we saw in the opening passage of today's blog in Matthew 1:20-21, the mission of Jesus' virgin birth and first coming was to save His people from their sins. The shadow of the cross ever fell on the events surrounding the cradle. Notable too is the fact that Jesus Christ came as God in human flesh. The angel Gabriel in Matthew's account served to highlight the truth to Joseph that Jesus Christ's mission was to save His people from their sins and that as God in human flesh, Christ alone was qualified to do so.

Much like we see Gabriel doing for Joseph in Matthew 1:20-23 and then Mary in Luke 1:26-38, the ability to grab hold of Christ and His mission is increased as a result of angelic assistance. Mary and Joseph were both believers in the promises of God who already were operating in dependence upon the grace of the Spirit working on and upon them. However they needed the ability to grasp the unusual and miraculous nature of what God in the Person of the Son was undertaking. Angels have been used by God to aid in both the communication of His word, its explanation, and protection of those receiving it. However this particular bit of good news required ample aid by angels. The Christmas accounts reveal to us just how zealous the angels are over the glory of Christ and the need for His people to share in that zeal.

So we see angels pronouncing Christ's main mission for coming to earth, but notice what they also pronounced in the Christmas accounts of Matthew and Luke...

Angels pronounced Christ's majesty
Luke's Gospel in particular records how the Angels served to point God's people to the majesty of the Son in the following ways:

1. Majesty of Christ's fulfillment of scripture. Luke 1:26-33

Whenever you look at these passages, three major Old Testament Covenants are alluded to that undergird every major Old Testament prophecy regarding Jesus Christ.

a. The Davidic Covenant. Luke 1:32 "throne of His father David" cf 2 Samuel 7:13-16

b. The Abrahamic Covenant. Luke 1:33 "house of Jacob forever" cf Genesis 12:1-7

c. The New Covenant. Luke 1:33 "kingdom will have no end" cf Isaiah 9:6-7; Jeremiah 31:31-34

2. Majesty of Christ's humanity in the virgin birth. Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:34-38; 2:21

When the Person of the Son, forever God in His Divine nature, chose to come to earth to take upon himself a human nature, His majesty was in no way diminished. Theologian Charles Hodge notes: "The humanity of Christ in virtue of its union with His Divine nature is immeasurably exalted in dignity and worth, and even power over all intelligent creatures."1 Whenever we think of the significance of the virgin birth and what the angels were proclaiming, we must think along two lines. First, the person of the Son having a sinless, fully divine nature would never unite unto His Person a tainted, sinful human nature. Yes He came to be associated with sinful human beings, however He in His humanity was sinless. The virgin birth preserved Christ's humanity from the inherited sin of Adam that is passed along in a normal physical union.

The second significance of the virgin birth has to do with Christ in his humanity fulfilling the scriptures that detail the virgin birth. (Isaiah 7:14) The angelic involvement in expressing this truth to people like Joseph, Mary, the Shepherds and to us was so that we could behold the majesty of Christ in scripture and His humanity. But notice a final point the angels communicated about Christ's majesty...

3. Majesty of Christ's Deity retained in His incarnation. Luke 2:9-14

The angelic hosts meeting of the shepherds outside of Bethlehem served to underscore the fact that the baby in the manger never ceased sharing full Deity with the Father and the Spirit. We know this by carefully reading the angel's announcement to the shepherds in Luke 2:12 "This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

When God utilized "signs" in the Bible, the sign was meant to "signify" a major reality or event or more so, God Himself showing up at that event. So the question is: what is the significance of the sign of the baby in the manger? The Angels proclaim in Luke 2:13-14 "And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” The babe in the cradle never ceased being God in the highest! That is the point of the angelic proclamation!

Conclusion:

Today we have considered the angelic proclamation that occurred in and around the time of Jesus' birth as recorded in Matthew and Luke. We discovered two main truths the angels aimed to pronounce: Christ's mission and Christ majesty. May you dear reader have a glorious merry advent and wonderful upcoming new year!

Endnotes:

1. Charles Hodge. Systematic Theology - Volume 2. Eerdmans. 1965. Page 397

How you can escape God's wrath in Revelation

Revelation 15:1 "Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished."

Introduction:
Over the course of this past month we have been periodically exploring the second half of the book of Revelation - namely Revelation 12-14. For the sake of review I will point the reader to the blogposts that featured those chapters:
1. http://pastormahlon.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-kings-cradle-cross-crown.html

2. http://pastormahlon.blogspot.com/2013/12/attempting-to-fit-together-revelation-1.html

3. http://pastormahlon.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-kings-conquering-gospel-revelation.html

In these particular series of blogs I have been attempting to explore Christmas' revealed King in Revelation.  We've witnessed the King's cross, cradle and crown in Revelation 12, followed by the King's conquering Gospel in Revelation 12:10-14:20. In today's post we aim once again to explore more chapters in the book of Revelation - a particularly large block of chapters: namely Revelation 15:1-18:24. Having studied the theme of God's wrath over the most recent days, today's study comes with what we just studied about God's wrath with the hope of understanding what is happening in Revelation 15:1-18:24. 

How the wrath of God relates to the tribulation period in the Book of Revelation
Over fifteen times we find reference to God's wrath and judgment in the book of Revelation, with the overwhelming majority of those references occurring in Revelation 12-18.  The question surrounding when exactly the wrath of God begins in relationship to the final seven year tribulation period has been a subject of continuing discussion.  

For this blogger, these past several months of serious study in the Book of Revelation have led to the conclusion that the wrath of God mentioned in Revelation formally begins at the beginning of the seven year tribulation period. Paul D. Feinberg makes this important point: "Christ alone has the authority to take the scroll and break its seals. Every judgment from the first seal to the last judgment comes as the retributive wrath of God. The early seals relate to the breaking of the seals of the scroll given to Christ. It is the Lamb, Christ, who breaks the seals before the wrath proceeds (Rev. 6:1,3,5,7,9,12). To identify the wrath of God simply with His direct intervention is to overlook the fact that primary and  secondary agency belong to God."1

With Revelation 6:16-17 first mentioning the "wrath of the Lamb" and its connection being with what the Lamb does at the beginning of the chapter, then undoubtedly the wrath of  God mentioned in the remainder of Revelation is but the culmination of that wrath. In other words, as one studies the wrath of God revealed throughout the remainder of the Book of Revelation, though its main focus is on the final 3 1/2 year period of time (called by Jesus "the Great Tribulation" in Matthew 24:21), yet what is underway had its beginning in the first half of the tribulation as we see in Revelation 6.

What the book of Revelation reveals about the nature of God's wrath in the final seven years of the tribulation
As one studies the occurrences of the word "wrath" throughout the book of Revelation, some themes emerge.  

1. The primary revelation of God's wrath will change location - from heaven to earth
For one thing the nature of God's wrath that has been in operation since the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3 continues into the Tribulation period both as it has been but with a different location.  Romans 1:18-20 reminds us that the wrath of God (Greek word "orge") is being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of men.  As we saw in yesterday's post, the sinfulness of man, stretching back to the fall of Adam and Eve provoked the wrath of God.  God's wrath is His settled, steady hatred of sin and all that is opposed to His Holy character. 

What is going to mark a change in the way God's wrath is revealed is in how he reveals it. The point of Revelation 6 is to show that the wrath of God revealed "from heaven" or indirectly in the consciences of men in general revelation will become manifest "on earth" in the form of seals, trumpets and bowl judgments. Thus in the major section of Revelation 6-11 we read in 11:18 "And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”

2. The intensity of God's wrath will dramatically increase in the tribulation. 
From Revelation 12-18 we see the focal point of John's visions occurring particularly in the last half of the seven year tribulation period.  Other than Revelation 16:19, a different Greek word (thumos) is used eight times to describe the intensification of God's wrath that will characterize the tribulation period. The Greek word "thumos" is defined by Joseph Henry Thayer as: "passion, anger, heat, anger forthwith boiling up and soon subsiding again. Indignation that has arisen gradually and become more settled. A glowing ardor."2 

3. God's wrath will reach a boiling point that will result in a final outpouring before Christ's return at the end of the tribulation period. 
In having studied the wrath of God over the past several days, as well as looking at the pattern of other words used for wrath in the New Testament, it would appear that this stage of God's wrath will occur when all other measures of mercy and grace have been exhausted by man in his rebellion and persistent rebellion against God. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance lists Revelation 14:8,10,19,15:1,7,16:1; 18:3 as containing the occurrences of this word and contexts in which the final stages of God's wrath in this age will be poured out on the wickedness of men. 

4. There is only one way to avoid the coming wrath of God - faith in Christmas's Revealed King, Jesus Christ. 
In seven particular spots we find words of encouragement either to church-age saints now who will be exempted from the tribulation period or reference to the future tribulation martyrs who will be shielded from the escalating wrath of God that will occur in the second half of that future period.  The only way in which you can escape the wrath of God is through faith in Jesus Christ, His finished work and soon return. Consider the seven texts below as proof:

1. Revelation 7:16 "They (those future tribulation martyrs) will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat."

2. Revelation 11:18 "And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”

3. Revelation 12:11 "And they (could apply either to Christians now or the later tribulation martyrs) overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death."

4. Revelation 14:12-13 "Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. 13 And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they mayrest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.”

5. Revelation 15:2-4 "And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God. 3 And they *sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, "Great and marvelous are Your works,
O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations! 4 “Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For all the nations will come and worship before You, For Your righteous acts have been revealed.”

6. Revelation 16:15 (“Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.”)

7. Revelation 18:20 "Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her.”


Conclusion:
Today we have explored the patterns of God's wrath that will be poured out in the tribulation period as revealed in Revelation.  Whether by indirect means (cosmic disturbances, figures such as the anti-Christ) or direct intervention (the wrath of the Lamb - Rev 6:17 for instance), the entirety of God's wrath will be poured out in a steady pattern that will escalate in the latter 3 1/2 years of the tribulation.  John is given seven passages throughout Revelation 6-18 that comfort saints now and/or will bring encouragement to those saved during the tribulation period.  Only in Jesus Christ by faith can a person find exemption and protection from the wrath of God to come. 

Endnotes:
1. Stanley N. Gundry & Gleason L. Archer. Three Views - The Rapture: Pre-, Mid-, or Post Tribulation. Zondervan. 1996. Page 62

2. Joseph Henry Thayer. A Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament. Regency Reference Library. Page 292

God's wrath in Romans

Romans 2:4-6 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who will render to each person according to his deeds".

Introduction:

Over the past couple of days we have been exploring what the scripture teaches on the wrath of God.  We first of looked at defining what is meant by Divine wrath through various word studies and key themes of scripture. Then in yesterday's post we surveyed the three ways scripture illustrates God's wrath by noting how it as a communicable attribute has God functioning as the Judge against sinners, a Father entering into discipline with his children or a spouse who jealousy guards his relationship with His wife. In today's post we want to consider the way in which God's wrath is developed in the book of Romans.  As we have also pressed throughout these past couple of posts, the grace of God is impossible to grasp or appreciate apart from God's wrath.  Today we will list all of the verses in Romans that deal with God's wrath or judgment and then offer a few comments at the end to explain how His wrath must be included in explaining the Gospel.

All the verses in Romans that mention God's wrath and judgment

1. Romans 1:18 "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness"

2. Romans 2:5 "But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God."

3. Romans 2:8 "But to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation."

4. Romans 2:16 "on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus."

5. Romans 3:5-6 "But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking in human terms.) 6 May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world?"

6. Romans 3:25-26 "whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith.This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

7. Romans 4:15 "for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation."

8. Romans 5:9 "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him."

9. Romans 9:22 "What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?"

10. Romans 12:19 "Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord."

11. Romans 13:4 "for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil."

12. Romans 13:5 "Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake."

Four observations about God's w.r.a.t.h in Romans, with one final question

As you survey the above verses in Romans, it is without controversy that without the wrath of God, the grace of the Gospel cannot be fully appreciate nor understood.  Why? Because the power of the Gospel tells us of the wrath of God which we all deserve, the grace which God chooses to give and the satisfaction that Jesus Christ made for you that must be received by faith. In the form of the acrostic w.r.a.t.h we close today's post with the following four observation and one question from the book of Romans:

Warnings of Divine anger against sin are revealed now in creation. Romans 1:18

Reservoir of God's anger against sin is filling up due to persistent unbelief. Romans 2:5,8,16; 4:15; 9:22; 12:19

Anger of God against sin will be poured out in final judgment. Romans 2:27; 3:4-6

Total exemption from God's ongoing anger against sin can be avoided through faith in Jesus Christ. Romans 3:25-26; 5:9-10 

Have you trust in Christ's saving work from God's wrath? 

As Romans 3:23-24,26 states: 23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus". And then Romans 3:26 "for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

How God's Wrath is illustrated in the Bible

Genesis 3:17 "Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it'". 

Genesis 3:21  "The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them."

Genesis 3:24 "So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life."

Introduction and Review
Yesterday we began by noting A.W Tozer's definition of wrath: "wrath is God's relentless affirmation of His dominion" and "God's wrath is His utter intolerance of whatever degrades and destroys".  Also too we discovered that Paul's emphasis upon the wrath of God in Romans demonstrates that the Gospel cannot be properly understood nor communicated without it.  We then launched into exploration of the key Hebrew/Aramaic and Greek words used by the Biblical authors in defining God's wrath.  We concluded among other things yesterday that God's wrath is His settled opposition to creaturely sin and any attacks upon His holy character. 

In today's post we want to gain a little more concrete understanding of the concept of God's wrath by seeing how it is illustrated in the Bible.  The most common way the Bible describes God's wrath is in how wrath in general is a quality also expressed by human beings.  Within the realm of various human relationships we see wrath expressed and thus demonstrates how vital such a quality and expression is to God Himself. Before we consider the various illustrations of God's wrath, we first need to build our understanding of God's wrath on the distinctions often made in the realm of His attributes.

God's incommunicable and communicable attributes
Theologian Michael Horton discusses the attributes or characteristics of God by the two fold method of classification called "incommunicable attributes" and "communicable attributes". Horton writes: "God's attributes have often been distinguished as incommunicable and communicable, so called to distinguish those attributes that belong to God alone and those that may be predicated of God and humans."1
When one hears that term "communicable", the normal context is in the realm of the study of diseases where we describe such viruses as the "cold virus" as communicable, meaning it's qualities and pathology can be shared by multiple persons through contact, sneezing or coughing on one another.  

Examples of God's incommunicable attributes would be His omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence, self-sufficiency (aseity) and simplicity (God's attributes are equal to His being). No creature, whether they be angel, man or animal has such qualities - such qualities are incommunicable. 

On the other hand God's other attributes - such as His love, justice, wrath, jealousy, mercy, grace, holiness and other moral perfections are seen by way of analogy in the fabric of humanity - in a limited way in unbelievers and in a fuller way in Christians. Theologian W.G.T Shedd comments: "The communicable attributes are those which are possessed in a finite degree, more or less, by men and angels. Such are wisdom, benevolence, holiness, justice, compassion, truth. It is with reference to these that man is said to be created in the image of God, Gen. 1:27; and to be made partaker, by regeneration, of a divine nature, 2 Peter 1:4; and is commanded to imitate God: "Be ye holy for I am holy," 1 Pet. 1:16." 2 

Among those communicable attributes is the quality of wrath.  Within the realm of human relationships: namely judges and criminals; parents and children and marital relationships is wrath commonly seen and is used by the Bible to explain God's just dealings with human beings.

How God's wrath is illustrated in the Bible
1. A Judge and criminals
In the opening pages of sacred scripture we see God dealing with Adam and his wife, and really the whole creation as a Judge would with those who committed treason.  God had given Adam a handful of laws in the original Covenant of works arrangement in Genesis 1-2 (eat freely from every tree, be fruitful, take dominion over the animals and don't eat from the tree of knowledge). When Adam and his wife disregarded those original laws, they became law-breakers and fugitives in hiding, as indicated by their hiding from God when He came down in Genesis 3:8. God's pronouncement of the curse on them, their posterity and creation was His wrath being expressed as the righteous judge. God had told Adam originally in Genesis 2:17 that if he ate from the tree of knowledge, he would surely die (or literally dying die in the Hebrew). Romans 1:18 reminds the reader that God's wrath is being revealed from heaven against man's unrighteousness and lawlessness.  Furthermore, because of the one man's transgression, sin and death came upon all and included decay in the created realm. (Romans 5:12; 8:21-25) 

As the Biblical revelation proceeds forward, Abraham boldly remarks in Genesis 18:25 that God is the righteous Judge of all the earth Whom would never judge the righteous with the wicked. In Jeremiah 11:20 and 1 Peter 2:23 we see remarks made about God's justice in wrath as being a source of comfort to believers who rely upon the Lord for their salvation and deliverance. Jesus Himself uses the imagery of a judge in his famous short parable of the unjust judge in Luke 18:1-5. If God were not the righteous judge of all the wrath, He could not be God at all, being that He exercises his Sovereign rule on the basis of righteousness and truth, with lovingkindness and truth going before Him. (Psalm 89:14)  

Certainly Jesus' final sermon in Matthew 24-25 and John the Revelator's statements in Revelation 20 of the final judgment all point to this imagery of God in His wrath functioning as The Just Judge and the objects of His wrath being impenitent criminals. Such a revelation of truth is vital if any appreciation of God's grace and mercy is to be seriously grasped.

2. God's wrath illustrated as a Parent dealing with a child
God's wrath is not only illustrated by Him being the judge and sinful man being the treasonous criminal, but also through the relationship a parent has with a child.  In the same chapter of Genesis 3 we see God's wrath in dealing with Adam and Eve as that of a Parent to a child. Scripture reminds us that Adam in his redemptive relationship to God was consider a "son of God". (Luke 3:38) 

The banishment of our original parents from the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3:24 was an act of wrath for sure, in that God had posted a holy angel with a flaming sword at the entryway. Yet when you think about it, God is removing his redeemed children (Adam and Eve) from possibly inflicting further harm on themselves. We know that Adam and Eve ended up believers by virtue of God's Covenant of grace made with Eve, and her reception of it in Genesis 3:15, Adam's confession of that reality of that covenant in Genesis 3:20 and God's provision of atonement for them both in Genesis 3:21. God's wrath was satisfied by the shedding of innocent blood, the objective foundation of His Covenant of grace that was fulfilled ultimately in Jesus' work on the cross. (1 Timothy 4:10; 1 John 2:2) 

Consider what would had occurred if the original couple had gained access to the tree of life - they would had remained in an everlasting state of decay. God's Fatherly, Sovereign grace was protecting them and preserving them in their faith. 

A good parent will, if need be, exercise intervention and aggression in order to remove out of their child's life what they know to be harmful. Likewise a good parent knows how to bar their child from engagement with further harmful influences, friends or relationships if need be. Such actions can be viewed by the child as harsh, cruel and even detrimental. Yet a good parent knows what is best for the child far above the child's limited life experience and novel wisdom.  

Sin is not only a moral rebellion against God but in the life of a child of God functions as a rot, a decay that is opposite of the new nature created in Christ. In the Christian's life, God's judgment is termed "discipline". Consider Hebrews 12:6 "For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines,And He scourges every son whom He receives.”  Throughout the Old Testament, God's wrathful dealings with the nation of Israel was like that of a parent dealing with the children whom He redeemed. (compare Deuteronomy 32:18; Hosea 11:1)
Likewise when the New Testament describes God's dealings with believers, over 100 times we see reference made to God being our Father. Such a relationship occurs as God saw fit to choose in eternity, then call in time, then convict sinners by His Spirit who upon their faith, become adopted sons and daughters through faith in Jesus Christ. (John 1:12-13, 6:44; Romans 8:14-16; Galatians 4:5-6)

Sadly fallen man does not see God in His love reaching out to redeem him, but rather in his fallen condition he sees God in the general revelation of his conscience and the creation as someone to hate and avoid, rather than to love and embrace. The wrath of God on sinful humanity is extended justly and rests already upon all sinners due to the fact they are born in sin and by nature reject general revelation as well as God's special revelation in Jesus Christ. (John 3:36; Ephesians 2:1-4)  Unless by grace through faith Christ is trusted upon as the sinner's only satisfaction for sin, God will ever be perceived as Judge, not Father.  As the Judge who is Father, God in His wrath also does what any good parent sometimes has to do - namely let their child experience the consequences of their choices and actions. No one who ends up in hell is crying out to God in repentance and admittance of wrong doing, (Luke 16) but prefers to remain at odds with God and cling to their own standards and opinions.

3. God's wrath illustrated in terms of a betrayed spouse
Out of all the ways in which God's wrath is illustrated in scripture, perhaps none is more dramatic that the imagery God uses of a betrayed spouse.  Numerous scriptures in the Old and New Testaments both use this imagery to drive home the teaching of the necessity of God's wrath in the understanding of the Biblical revelation of Himself. (Isaiah 50:1; Jeremiah 3:1-5; Ezekiel 16; Hosea 2-4; 2 Corinthians 11:1-4)  

When God's wrathful dealings is expressed towards His people who have chosen sin for a season, the Bible uses the term "jealous".  Jealousy is a communicable attribute of God that we see expressed in situations where a spoused has been betrayed and hurt by an unfaithful spouse. (Numbers 5:14; Proverbs 6:34; Song of Songs 8:6; 2 Corinthians 11:2) Jealousy is love in its most fervent form, demanding total loyalty and refusing to share the covenant love of the marital bonds with another would-be contender.  Theologian J.I Packer notes concerning such marital jealousy: "it treats his resolve to guard his marriage against attack, and to take action against anyone who violates it, as natural, normal, and right, and a proof that he values the marriage as he should. Now, scripture consistently view God's jealousy as being of this latter kind: that is, and an aspect of His covenant  love for His own people."3 When we speak of God's Covenant loyalty to His people in terms of jealousy, He may at times do whatever it takes to "get our attention" and remove out of our lives whatever distractions, sins and even people are persistently getting between He and us. This is why in the New Testament, such scriptures as 2 Corinthians 11:1-4 and James 4:3-4 describe believers who fraternize with the world as committing spiritual adultery, and thus may result in seasons of unanswered prayer, grieving of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30) or if not repented of, physical death so as to save the Christian from eternal loss. (Proverbs 29:1; 1 Corinthians 11:30-32).

Conclusions
We discovered that as a communicable attribute, wrath as it functions among people demonstrates the appropriateness of God Himself being the God of wrath.  Without wrath, God could not be the God of Holiness and love who loves righteousness and hates sin.  We also explored how the Bible illustrates God's wrath as expressed in three types of relationships: Judge to the guilty, Parent to child and A Betrayed spouse to an unfaithful spouse.  We further saw that wrath, in lines with those three types of relationships, is expressed by God as judgment or retribution towards unbelievers, as discipline or attempts at restoration towards Christians.  For those unbelievers who persist in unbelief and rebellion, God's wrath revealed in creation and the conscience will be forever manifested to them in eternity in hell. Then finally, and perhaps most importantly, without an understanding of God's wrath in the Bible, we cannot appreciate the significance of God's mercy and grace in the Gospel, which is why Paul in Romans devotes the large portion of Romans 1-3 on the subject of wrath.  

Endnotes:
1. Michael Horton. The Christian Faith - A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims on the Way. Zondervan. 2011. Page 225.

2. W.G.T Shedd. Dogmatic Theology - Volume 1. Zondervan. 1969 reprint of 1888 edition. Page 337.

3. J.I. Packer. Knowing God. IVP. 1973. Page 154