REVEALING THE WRATH OF GOD
By W. G. Guy
Scriptures proclaiming the wrath of God: (notice that the Lord was not shy concerning the revealing of His coming wrath upon the wicked). People who are subject to the wrath of God have earned it due to their sinful behavior and rejection of God’s loving provision. God’s wrath is only for the wicked and not for the righteous, those whom He will protect and secure from His wrath.
John the Baptist, who Jesus said was the greatest of the prophets declared the wrath of God that would come upon the religious elites.
Matthew 3:7 – But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (Repeated in Luke 3:7)
Jesus also declared that the wrath of God would come upon those who do not believe in Him.
John 3:36 – He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
The apostle Paul declared the wrath of God will come on all who live in ungodliness and unrighteousness, which he mentions in several of his letters to the churches.
Romans 1:18-19 – For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. (They are without excuse as God has made known His ways to them and they rejected Him.)
Romans 2:5-6 – but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; who will render to every man according to his deeds:
The only way to escape the wrath of God is through belief in what Jesus did on the cross.
Romans 5:9 – Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
Notice the behavior in the following verses that brings the wrath of God.
Ephesians 5:4-6 – For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
Colossians 3:5-6 – Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: for which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: (Again, behaviors listed the bring the wrath of God.)
Only through Jesus Christ are we secured from the wrath of God that is to come.
1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 – …how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 – For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
The sixth Seal of Revelation shows that the wicked know that the wrath of God is coming and that they will be subject to His wrath which is why they seek to hide themselves from it.
Revelation 6:15-17 – And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
The seventh Seal reveals the wrath of God that comes as the seven last plagues on the earth. These seven judgments of God begin with the seven trumpets which announcement the coming judgments of wrath, and what measure and segments of the world that they will be experienced.
Revelation 8:1-2 – And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
It appears that all the earth is aware that God is about to deal with those who have rejected His Son, and due to the wickedness of man that have yielded themselves to Satan.
Revelation 11:18 – And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the (spiritueally) dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
Those who are referred to as the children or followers of Satan, the destroyer, will be judged along with him in experiencing God’s wrath.
Revelation 12-12 – Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. (Mankind, who was created in the image and likeness of God has been subject to the devil’s vitriol and wrath since he was cast down to earth.)
This next passage brings the final proclamation of the horrible and eternal wrath of God that concludes with the seven vials being poured out. Note that these seven vial are the same as the trumpets that were previous announcements of the vials to be poured out. (There are only seven judgments, not fourteen.)
Revelation 14:9-19 – And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them. And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.
Here we see the harvest of the wicked for what God has prepared for them.
And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
Revelation 15:1 – And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
These seven vials are the seven judgments of the wrath of God as they are poured out. Notice the seventh trumpet announcement and the seventh vile poured out is the final judgment of the wrath of God on the wicked,
Revelation 15:7 – And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
Revelation 16:1 – And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials
of the wrath of God upon the earth.
God then interjects a special judgment upon the system of Babylon that receives its own judgment for the trouble it has caused in the world and to mankind. The Babylonian system likely refers to the corrupt system of religion, banking, commerce and government that has filled the earth.
Revelation 16:19 – And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
Finally we have the culmination of the wrath of God and the vindication of the saints with Jesus Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Revelation 19:15-16 – And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Finally PEACE, JOY and RIGHTEOUSNESS forever more with Jesus and the Father!
Revelation 21:3-5 – And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
Will you be among those of us who share in this glorious eternity? It is only available through faith in Jesus Christ in what He did on the cross, and being faithful to Him in this life.
Revelation 22:11-12 – He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
