I want to look also in Revelation 6 for a moment, verse 14:
“Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.”
I have to tell you that staggers me. I mean, I sit back and I gasp to think what that will mean.
“And the kings of the earth, the great men and the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, and every slave, and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?’“
There was one thing that sinful man could not bear, it was to be exposed to the light of God’s countenance. And there’s one phrase there which has impacted me in the last year or so, it says, “hide us from the wrath of the Lamb.” None of us has ever seen an angry lamb. I don’t believe there ever has been an angry lamb in the history of humanity. But one day something totally without parallel or without precedence will happen, the Lamb will become angry. Ultimately, the rebellion and the wickedness of man will provoke even the Lamb to wrath. And that sight will be so terrible that men would rather be crushed under rocks or mountains than have to look at it.
Now, what is the root cause of all this? Why does God have to deal this way with the Earth and with the human race? Many answers could be given and I’ve read books that explain why we’re facing disaster. Some trace social causes, some trace economic causes. I’ve just been reading a book that deals with the United States called, The Coming Economic Earthquake, which I have to say is, I think, inevitable. But that’s not the root cause. It’s not economic, it’s not social, it’s not political. The one root cause, and the Bible so unerringly exposes it, is the general degeneration of human character.
So we look in closing at 2 Timothy 3. We’ll read, first of all, the first five verses.
“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come.”
What is the one particular word or aspect of conduct or character that is singled out all the way through as that which ultimately provokes God’s wrath? Pride. God has been dealing with me personally on the subject of pride for nearly two years. I will share this personally in our next Daily Devotion.
Dear Lord Jesus, I know You are the Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world. But I also know we have to personally accept Your sacrificial offer at the Cross. And if we do not accept Your love, the only thing that remains is Your wrath. I thank You, dear Lord Jesus, for Your love, and that You’ve helped me to accept Your grace, and I pray You’ll help me to be a witness for You, so others may come to accept Your love and forgiveness too. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
