The word wrath suggests a frightening happening. In fact, our topic is probably the strongest form of anger. Dropping a glass which shatters on the kitchen floor is not wrath. At the most, it probably generates mild anger or just being ticked-off. By contrast, wrath is described as fierce anger; fury; resentment, or passionate temper. However, do not confuse wrath with some insane form of conduct resulting in a crime. Wrath can be a response to faulty observation of agreed-on terms. Throughout the scriptures we are warned to be aware of God’s wrath. However, since “God has not appointed us to wrath” (1 Thessalonians 5:9), why should we be concerned?
God has set forth standards, commandments, and doctrines to guarantee a relationship with Him. However, we need to do more than just issue an “Okay.” Consider that Jesus died for all our sins.
“Christ was offered once to take away the sins of many. He will appear a second time not to take away sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him”’ (Hebrews 9:28). “For by one offering, He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:12-14).
By dying on the cross, Jesus will forever forget our sins. We need to accept Him and proclaim Him as our Lord and Savior and repent of our sinful past, thus accepting His love.
The proof of God’s love for His people is the avoidance of the Great Tribulation by the Rapture, where Christians meet Him in the clouds and are brought to heaven. The next major event after the Rapture is indeed the Great Tribulation, which is the focus of the Wrath of God during the reign of the anti-Christ. During this period, all hell breaks loose. The apostle John cries out, “Hide us from the Wrath of God” (Revelation 6:16).
Whether you experience the Wrath of God or not depends solely on you and your choice. Those who repent, believe in, and confess Jesus Christ as Lord will be gone before the Great Tribulation starts. Scripture shows that the Body of Christ, His believing followers, will be rescued by Him in the Rapture of the Church. Note, it is not churches that will be Raptured, but true believers that will. This means that folks who only attend church and have not made a commitment to the Gospel will be left behind.
What a glorious day the Rapture will be for His followers, to see Jesus in the clouds as he beckons both the dead and then the living to come forth. Since He then takes us to heaven, He equips us with heavenly bodies that will not fade, die, or get sick. Since we will be like our Lord, we can only imagine how we will imitate Him. You can scripturally read how Jesus traveled sometimes and how walls did not stop Him.
That is the good news for the followers of Christ. For the post-Rapture people, they will experience Hell on earth, as the anti-Christ initiates the Great Tribulation by setting and then breaking his peace treaty with Israel. All along, since the birth of Jesus, our Lord has been known as the Prince of Peace. How then could a worldwide population seek peace through the lying new-world figure?
The answer is that the restraining hand of the Holy Spirit will be removed from the world with the advent of the Rapture. Mankind will reveal their true nature, which truly is sin-laden in their actions of lawlessness by following the anti-Christ. Scripture gives us the outcome as,
“This lawless one will appear as part of the workings of Satan, accompanied by all the power and signs and wonders at the disposal of falsehood by every seduction the wicked can devise for those destined to ruin because they have not opened their hearts to the truth in order to be saved. Therefore, God is sending upon them a perverse spirit which leads them to give credence to falsehood so that all who have not believed the truth, but have delighted in evildoing will be condemned” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12).
John also commented on unbelief by quoting Isaiah who had seen Jesus’ glory, and it was of Him he spoke: “He has blinded their eyes and numbed their hearts lest they see or comprehend or have a change of heart and I shall heal them” (John 12:40). (As an aside, doesn’t this blindness of everything truthful seem to explain the lying and Fake News being presented in 2019?)
It isn’t just that they did not believe in the Good News, but that they took pleasure in being evil. The end result of the Great Tribulation is that those who do not know God nor obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ will experience His vengeance in flaming fire (2 Thessalonians 1:8).
Next, we are going to examine the Wrath of God through judgments in a brief commentary, but first here is the outline of the Tribulation:
Seven seals; seven trumpets; seven symbolic figures—3-1/2 years
Seven bowls; seven Babylon dooms; The Return of Christ – His Second Coming—3-1/2 years
The Wrath of God as written in Revelation is very comprehensive. Therefore, I urge readers to follow the words in Revelation: 5–19 to realize the depth of the revealed words and the actions of the angels distributing the judgments. The apostle John was brought to heaven; and future events were shown to him, starting with Jesus holding a scroll with seven seals, which He opened.
The first four seals reveal warriors aboard different-colored horses. The first offered worldwide peace via the anti-Christ which was later broken by the onset of war, along with the worldwide famine. The rider of the fourth horse represented the death of one fourth of the earth’s population. The fifth seal showed those who have come to salvation in Jesus Christ during the Tribulation who are killed/martyred. The sixth seal showed the heavens and earth being changed, the result being mankind hiding from the wrath of the Lamb. The last seal divulges seven angels with trumpets which reveal heavenly judgments and the earth being pummeled by hail, a burning mountain, water pollution, darkened heavens, poisonous locusts, and one third of mankind being killed.
Incredibly, the remaining people were still not turned toward God and continued sinful endeavors.
John then beheld seven bowl judgments which greatly affected both mankind and the earth. The angels were told, “Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth” (Revelation 16:1). These included detestable sores on mankind; sea creatures’ death due to blood-contaminated water; rivers turned to blood; scorching high heat; darkness on the enemy throne; drying up the Euphrates river, and finally the destruction of the earth by the forces of nature.
During this period, the battle of Armageddon takes place. This is the armies of the world versus the Israeli forces. Only Jerusalem and Israeli cities remain as the entire world is torn apart by devastating earthquakes and huge hail pieces. After this, Jesus returns to earth. It is His second coming as He and His followers begin the thousand-year reign, known as The Millennium Kingdom; and Satan is bound in the bottomless pit.
I am sure some will wonder if Christians will face tribulation. The answer is, “Yes, we are experiencing it every day right now.” However, we will not experience the Great Tribulation as we will be with the Lord after the Rapture takes place. Regardless of our current distress, we have to be mindful to trust the Lord. The tribulation we are now experiencing is the personal realization that we cannot trust the media, some churches, the political scene, or our failing culture. Regardless of our great economy and the proliferation of available jobs, we are hounded with such negativity as:
- Announcements that Christianity is no different than Marxism or communism.
- The Pope announcing that atheists do not need to know Jesus to enter heaven and a personal relationship with Jesus is dangerous.
- Christians as well as Jews are being persecuted worldwide.
- Volcanoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes are stronger and more frequent.
- Some churches have removed the masculine pronouns from God. United Methodists have removed “Father” from the Apostles Creed. A Southern church is ceasing all reference to God from its Sunday service to increase attendance.
- Homosexual clergy is being increased, and LBGT is being pushed everywhere worldwide.
- What public media or TV is not involved with Fake News?
- There are wars and rumors of wars.
- The Washington D.C. political scene seems out of control in these Last Days.
- Babies, whether unborn or born, are now in jeopardy.
- The Transhumanist endeavor of man and genetics, or man and machine is growing.
- American college students are being deceived by socialistic, atheistic professors.
- The proliferation of genders beyond the two that God created.
- The presence of drag queens in schools and libraries affecting children.
- Some churches are preaching the diversity culture, not the gospel message.
- The rejection of an elected president and persecution of him and his family.
These negative observations are indicative of Satan’s increased activity and realization of the End Times.
Regardless of the mild tribulation distress we are experiencing, we look forward to the Great Hope, the Rapture, and eternity with our Lord.
John began Revelation with these words, “Happy is the man who reads this prophetic message, and happy are those who hear it and heed what is written in it, for the appointed time is near” (Revelation 1:3).
John finishes the Book of Revelation with the warning from Jesus Himself, “Remember, I am coming soon! I bring with me the reward that will be given to each man as his conduct deserves” (Revelation 22:12).