Holy Affections & God’s Wrath | Revelation 15:1-8 | Richard Caldwell

Scripture

• Revelation 15:1–8

About this sermon

Introduction: One of the most trustworthy spiritual diagnostics when examining a person’s relationship to God, is to ask, “What do you think about God’s wrath?” What do you think about God judging sinners? What do you think about an eternal place of torment? Who deserves that wrath? Who is destined for that wrath? How can someone ESCAPE that wrath? IS THAT WRATH CONTRARY TO THE CLAIM THAT GOD IS A GOOD GOD? Is such punishment JUST? Is such punishment RIGHTEOUS? AND, PERHAPS ABOVE ALL, DOES THAT WRATH OF GOD GLORIFY GOD? IS THERE SOMETHING ABOUT THE WRATH OF GOD THAT A HEAVENLY PERSPECTIVE REJOICES IN? AND WHERE DO YOUR VIEWS COME FROM? Your view of the wrath of God — what do you base it on? Who or what has informed your viewpoint on all of this? I bring this is up because in Revelation 15 we have the final PREPARATION for THE FINAL CHAPTER OF GOD’S WRATH POURED OUT UPON MANKIND IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD. The seven bowls of wrath are about to be unleashed, and John is given a vision that gives us HEAVEN’S PERSPECTIVE on what God is about to do. It gives us THE SAVED PERSON’S PERSPECTIVE of what God is about to do. And what you find is not a CONDEMNATION of God executing His wrath, not a QUESTIONING of God’s goodness — what you find is a CELEBRATION of God’s final acts of judgment. This challenges OUR perspectives, doesn’t it? This challenges OUR affections. Do we have heaven’s perspective of the wrath of God? Is our response to God’s wrath a HOLY RESPONSE? I. A SCENE OF WORSHIP (vs.1-4) The first thing we note is what this scene speaks of — the significance of the scene. And as we consider the significance of this scene, the first thing we take note of A. THE SUBJECT MATTER FOR THIS SCENE It is a sign. So, what John sees is designed to signify something beyond itself. It is a visual meant to communicate TRUTH to us. It is POINTING US to truths related to this outpouring of the wrath of God. The scene is a teaching instrument. What is GREAT and AMAZING about it is not just what John saw visually, but the greatness, the great significance of what the SIGN IS TELLING US ABOUT. THE SIGN HAS TO DO WITH THE FINAL OUTPOURING OF THE WRATH OF GOD UPON HUMANITY PRIOR TO THE RETURN OF CHRIST FROM HEAVEN. God’s wrath is a weighty subject, and what is about to come is the FINAL EXECUTION OF IT UPON MAN prior to the return of Christ. This is what he tells us in the rest of verse 1. SEVEN ANGELS SEVEN PLAGUES (a blow or a wound) THE LAST ONES THE WRATH OF GOD IS FINISHED WITH THESE B. THE LOCATION FOR THIS SCENE What John sees is taking place before the throne of God. He sees a see of glass or crystal and this vision of the throne room of God has been spoken of before in Scripture. ESV Revelation 4:5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, 6 and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: NAS Exodus 24:9 Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, 10 and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself.

Topics

• Holiness
• Bible Study
• Prophecy & End Times