The Great Contrast: the Intense Hatred of God Against Sin & the Immense Love of God Towards Sinners in Revelation 6 & 7. Today, we enter a new chapter of the Book of Revelation. As you open with me to Revelation 7, let me explain what lies before us.
If we were doing a one-phrase summary of each chapter of the Bible, we could summarize the main idea of Revelation 6 as The Intense Wrath of God Against Sin. If we did the same for Revelation 7 it would be The Immense Love of God Towards Sinners. Back to back, those seem to be polar opposites. What is amazing is that God designed this incredible contrast.
God Designed An Amazing Contrast
As we consider this new chapter, think briefly about how this Bible we hold came to us. The doctrine of inspiration teaches us that each word of this Book was sent to us, by God Himself.
Though we have packaged it over the years: translating His words, putting His words on paper, adding covers to His book, adding chapter markings and verse markings, the exact content of this Book came from God. That’s the doctrine of inspiration.
So, all of the horrors of Revelation 6 were placed in that exact place in this Book by God Himself. Each of the seals was deliberately opened by Christ and led to the greatest mass destruction of human life ever to take place in human history. The death toll of Revelation 6 exceeds even the Flood of Genesis 6-8, which may have drowned a billion souls. The nearly two billion that would at today’s population levels, horribly die (as Revelation 6:8 details that ¼ of earth’s people die), is the single largest loss of human life ever recorded.
God Designed the Book of Revelation
Now, take that thought a step further. Even the order of the events written down in Revelation was also exactly engineered by God. John wasn’t sent a box of stories to arrange as he pleased, like a cosmic scrapbook. Rather, this book comes as an eyewitness, guided by God, written by John, tour of the future.
In Revelation 4 onward, God took John to Heaven (Rev. 4:1). Like a reporter sent to a news scene, John was guided around the scenes in Heaven and on Earth and told by God what to write (Rev. 1:11,19) and what not to write (Rev. 10:4).
What an Amazing Chapter
So, as we arrive at chapter 7, first look at all the central doctrines we are confronted with:
A. Doctrine-1 is God’s Complete Control of Timing (v. 1a). That’s the Doctrine of Omniscience: God knows exactly what will happen forever, both past, present, and future.
B. Doctrine-2 is God’s Awesome Power over Nature (v.1b). That’s the Doctrine of Omnipotence: God holds the absolute power as Creator over everything.
C. Doctrine-3 is God’s Amazing Ownership of His Bond Slaves (v. 2-3). That’s the Doctrine of Salvation: God calls, chooses, seals, fills, and uses these 144,000, calling both them and us, His bondslaves.
D. Doctrine-4 is God’s Specific Plans to Use His People (v. 4-8). It’s the Doctrine of Election: God created us to serve and glorify Him and has a specific plan for us to follow by choice.
E. Doctrine-5 is God’s Great Love in Action for Lost Sinners (v. 9-10, 13-14). That’s the Doctrine of God as Savior: God loves, seeks, and saves lost sinners.
F. Doctrine-6 is God’s Desire for the Worship of His People (v. 11-12). That’s the Doctrine of God’s Glory: God seeks our worship, inhabits our worship, and wants everything we do, think, and say to bring Him glory.
G. Doctrine-7 is God’s Eternal Plans for His Bond Slaves (v.15-17). That’s the Doctrine of Rewards: everything we do is either good for God’s glory or worthless forever.
Those seven doctrines are just a glimpse this morning at the richness of this amazing final book of God’s Word. As we read these 17 verses, note with me the amazing truths of the Scriptures, sent by God Himself to bless us if we will Read, Hear, and Keep them.
(ROK-24; 130825AM)
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