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.)
Revelation 15:7 advances the narrative leading to the pouring out of judgment at the end: “And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, Who liveth for ever and ever.” We have met “the four beasts” before, in Revelation 4:6-8. They are angels (perhaps seraphim, perhaps cherubim, perhaps another type of angel), as a comparison to Ezekiel 1:4-11 and Isaiah 6:1-3 confirms. Newer translations like the New American Standard Version and the New International Version translate “beasts” as “living creatures” so that the reader will know that these beings are not animals. “The golden vials” (or bowls) are vessels employed in the temple ministry and are connected with offerings and incense (see Revelation 5:8). These bowls, though, are “full of the wrath of God.” Speaking of this final earthly judgment, II Thessalonians 1:7-10 says, “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power; when He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.” Reading these things is troubling, and the world around us is certainly a troubling place. In these troublous times, may our solace and strength be solely in our Savior, “Who liveth for ever and ever” and offers that life to each one.