Sometimes Mercy Comes as a Warning
A watching world may question God’s character or even His existence when they look around at a humanity engulfed in evil. Leaders entrusted with our care are drunk with power and pride. Hearts full to the brim with wickedness overflow with abuse and oppression. “How long, O Lord?” (Psalm 13:1)
A graphic scene depicted in Revelation 14:14-20 is a valid apologetic to the premise that God has turned a blind eye to it all. He’s patiently extending history to allow unbelievers the opportunity to trust in the sufficiency of Christ’s death on the cross for their salvation from His final judgment.
But that extension has a deadline. The verses in Revelation 14 are a severe warning of what’s to come.
With a swipe of His sickle, Jesus will harvest His children and bring them into the storehouse of heaven and eternal safety and comfort. Revelation 14:13b says, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”
A second sickle wielded by an angel will then begin another harvest. Justice falls with each swing of that sickle. The angel will gather the grapes from the earth’s vines and toss them into the winepress of God’s wrath.
Who are these “grapes?” They’re the ones who oppose the reign of God over the world and over their lives. They despise God’s people. They oppose righteousness. Having rejected every chance to run to the Lord and embrace the grace He offers, these grapes are “trampled in the winepress outside the city,” representing those living apart from God’s presence.
As the grapes are crushed under the weight of God’s judgment, the torrent of blood flowing over the land begins. It covers a sickeningly astounding area the equivalent of over 180 miles and at a depth of the height of a horse’s shoulders.
This is the fate of a world that has chosen its own way over God’s way. It’s the fate of every single one of us – were it not for the mercy of God expressing His love for us in the greatest rescue plan ever carried out. The sin debt we all owe was paid by God’s own Son to redeem anyone who would humble himself and turn from his own way to follow Jesus.
For those who “neglect so great salvation” (Hebrews 2:3a), judgment is promised, it is coming, and it is sure.
For those who know the Lord, “This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God’s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.” (Revelation 14:12)
To know the fullness of God’s wrath is to make us all the more grateful for His merciful salvation and all the more motivated to make His offer of grace and forgiveness known in a dark, dying, broken world.
Our God has not turned a blind eye to the state of this world. His dreadful day of judgment and justice is closer than we know. Only those found under the covering of His Son will be saved. Where will you be on the day of harvest?
