Jaw-dropping Jewels about Jesus
Rarely does Jesus, God the Son, do exactly what we expect of Him. It seems odd that He so frequently surprises us, given that He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 makes this absolute statement: “Jesus the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Still, though He is blessedly consistent in His goodness, Jesus does unforeseen things. Even when He does what is expected, He does not always do it in the way that we anticipate. Let us join with Jesus on a jaw-dropping journey. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
The results of the seventh vial or bowl judgment at the end of the Tribulation are catastrophic: “And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the vine of the fierceness of His wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great” (Revelation 16:18-21). These verses detail the greatest physical catastrophe of all time. The worldwide impact of this terrible temblor is difficult to comprehend, for “every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.” Earlier in the Tribulation, “every mountain and island were moved out of their places” (Revelation 6:14b). This movement will serve as a precursor to the greater judgment of destruction at the Tribulation’s end. The topography of the earth will be altered dramatically. This necessary and righteous justice also points us to a great promise of God – the creation of “a new earth” (Revelation 21:1).