I recently was able to attend a Bible Study on the book of Revelation. I must confess, I never spent time or money on books about Revelation because I didn’t want to just accept somebody else’s interpretation. I wanted to experience God in the book of Revelation and hear from Him for myself. I finally found the opportunity in a Bible study I had attended years ago. I knew it was the right format in which to learn for myself.
I was amazed at what I never knew about what is to come! However, Revelation is more than just about end times. It is The Revelation of Jesus Christ. So I’ll quickly share a few thoughts.
I have heard people say they become concerned when Christians talk about God’s justice because non-Christians will think God is an angry God. We all must understand that He is angry at sin, and longs for all to come to repentance and receive His grace and forgiveness.
In Revelation we see the Lord is full of mercy and will give those who are lost in this world opportunity after opportunity to come to the saving knowledge of Him. However, the Word makes it quite clear that many will rebel against Him until they are lost and separated from God forever.
But do we really understand the justice of God and His Kingdom? Just take a moment to think about how justice systems of this earth work in comparison to the justice system of the Kingdom of God. In the Kingdom of God, forgiveness means your sin is washed away and you are now set free from the penalty of that sin. Jesus paid the penalty for the sins of those who acknowledge Him and repent. This is the “Mercy” side of God’s justice. Let us not forget there is a balancing “Justice” side to God.
Within our culture, justice means you pay for your crime. It is not simply forgiven. The outcomes are very different. I do understand the need for man’s justice system on earth, but I also see the value in comparing these two systems.
When we learn about God’s justice, we truly understand the beauty of His mercy.
Have you experience the beauty of God’s mercy? It’s not too late.
