It is Well With My Soul

Bible Passage: Revelation 16:1-12

Summary: In Revelation 16:1-12, we see a vivid depiction of God's judgment poured out upon a sinful world through the seven bowls of wrath. This passage challenges us to grapple with the realities of sin, consequence, and divine retribution.

This passage can help Christians understand that while bad things happen due to sin and rebellion against God, it is also a call to repentance and hope in God's ultimate justice. It teaches that God's judgments serve as reminders of His holiness and the urgent need for a relationship with Him.

Now, I need your help this morning. Look with me in Revelation 16:1-21 and help me point out what is happening. Most Bibles have a heading above each section giving the complier’s opinion of what is going on. These are added not inspired, but they can help. So, we have 7 bowls. What are they?

First Bowl — Loathsome Sores

Second Bowl — The Sea Turns to Blood killing everything.

Third Bowl — The Waters Turn to Blood. This middle bowl has a refrain of God’s righteous justice.

Fourth Bowl — People scorched by the sun.

Fifth Bowl — Darkness and Pain

Sixth Bowl — Euphrates is dried up and demons cast out. Armageddon is building and there is a warning in this section to live with expectation and holiness.

Seventh Bowl — Earthquake and Hail.

Now, it’s clear that God’s wrath is a response to the rebellion and lack of repentance of the people on earth. It is also evident that the intensity is growing. This is the last round of judgments. The devil will be defeated and sin will be accounted for.

I want to remind us of something. We see things similar to this in our world today. Our grand parents and great grandparents saw things similar to this. These things are the symptoms of a dying world. At the appointed time of God, this world will pass away and a new heaven and new earth uncorrupted by sin will be revealed. Listen to a couple passages:

Romans 8:18–25 NKJV

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

This text presents us and all of creation eagerly awaiting the day that Christ comes and make everything new. We groan now under the weight of sin, but one day we will be set free of the presence of sin. Penalty, Power, Presence.

The second passage I want us to see is 1 John 2:15-17

1 John 2:15–17 NKJV

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

The warning of this passage is don’t fall in love with this world because it will not last. It passes but those who love God last!

Now we are so accustomed to this world that at times we think that we know more than God. So, we ask questions or have thoughts like:

Did God cause all of this?

Is God not willing to stop this or is He not able to stop it?

Or if we’re a little more nobler we will ask, Why does God allows this?

This morning I want to think about some of these things.

First, Did God Cause All of This?

God did create the world, the angels, us, and well everything right? John 1:3

John 1:3 NKJV

3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

Even Satan was created by God, but it is important for us to know that everything was created in perfection.

God created humanity to share His glory and the community that the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit enjoyed infinitely.

He created the earth in perfection for man to multiply and have meaning and purpose in the perfect environment.

He created humanity with the ability to think and decide so He could share God glory and community by loving God with all of His heart. You can’t love if you can’t choose.

You may say, well didn’t God know that we would fail since He is all-knowing. Yes, He must have known that we would fail, and that is what makes the redemption story so wonderful. God didn’t create us out of necessity because He didn’t need anything. He chose to create us, love us, be faithful to us, and redeem us.

2. God created us in perfection with a choice to abide with Him in His glory, presence, and community forever or choose another world, another love, and another life.

The first man and women chose poorly introducing sin and corruption into the human race and changing the world that we live in. With sin comes:

All the sinful acts of humanity.

The catastrophes of a world corrupted by the curse of sin.

The death, demise, and destruction of everything dear to us.

Mankind really did make a bad trade.

The answer to the question of God causing all of this is No, sin caused it. Our mind then seems to go to, Is God just not willing or able to stop it?

Is God Not Willing or Able to Stop It?

As we consider this question, I want us to look at Revelation 16:17

Revelation 16:17 NKJV

17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is done!”

We see the statement “It is done.” The idea is that everything is wrapping up or coming to completion.

We must remember that God is holy and just as the angel states in verses 4-6, which means that God never does anything that is contrary to His nature.

Mankind legally brought death and wrath upon themselves and the world. As the righteous judge of the universe God must do what is right. Notice Revelation 16:6

Revelation 16:6 NKJV

6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, And You have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due.”

Romans 6:23 states it this way for all of mankind.

Romans 6:23 NKJV

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

When we sin we get sin’s paycheck. Death!

God would sin against His very nature if He didn’t judge sin, keep His word to Adam or fulfill the demands of His own laws.

God did intervene in multiple ways.

First, God did not give up or forsake His creation. The Bible is not a book of rules, but rather a redemptive story of love. It tells of God’s ongoing pursuit, and relentless love for humanity. God didn’t divorce us for our infidelity but rather with patience and longsuffering sought us. If you read the Bible and come to another conclusion, you’re not understanding what you read.

Second, God crushed the foe that sought the life of His beloved in the person of Jesus Christ. Listen to Hebrews 2:14-15

Hebrews 2:14–15 NKJV

14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

God identified fully with us to taste death on mankind’s behalf.

3. Third, God will purge the world of sin and restore the paradise that lost by the first humans. That is what we are seeing in chapter 16,

God didn’t cause it sin did. God is willing and able to stop it and He is doing that legally. Does God allow these things to happen?

Does God Allow These Things?

Well, we know God is sovereign, so nothing is outside of His control.

We also know that there is a law of sin and death.

God doesn’t sit around planning your bad day. I don’t believe He plans every storm deciding who it will strike.

But, God does allow, for the time, sin and death to rule in this world. But He does so with a purpose.

What kind of purpose could it serve? The text gives us a few.

One, sin and death reminds us that this world will not last and we shouldn’t live as though it will.

Second, sin and death should lead us to a life of repentance, holiness, and urgency.

Third, sin and death humbles the lost so they repent and come to faith. Let’s pray

Invitation:

This morning can we quit trying to figure God out and just trust Him?

Trust Him and start now sharing in His glory and community. Serve, love, share and experience the fulness of the community of faith.

Trust that He will use you witness in a world of sin and death. Live with urgency.

This morning Trust Him and be rescued from a world of sin and death.