There are some days that are harder than others. On those hard days when we think we are doing what God wants us to be and do but are slandered unmercifully by loved ones and/or by those within our church family for not doing enough; it breaks our hearts.   Some days we are even blamed for why they are having troubles in their lives.  It’s on these days, that we pray all the harder as we ask God to change our hearts and transform our thinking.  We seek to know God and His love more as others seek to judge us more critically. 

Troublesome relationships can lead us to God or to retribution of seeking others to listen to our “side” of things.  Can we figure out now the best path to take but is often not taken?  Are we beginning to understand why Jesus came to save us from ourselves?  As fallen humans, we can be so immature when offended or misunderstood.  If we don’t love like God loves us, all relationships will suffer because of our own selfishness.

Selfish love expects and sometimes demands that love be returned in even greater ways and quantities than it was given.  When it is not, we stop loving.  Selfish love is only for those who admire us and want to be like us.  We really love those who do what we say with high expectations of their loving performance to us without question.  Immature love serves others expecting others pay it back or pay it forward while feeling superior to those we serve. 

Worse yet, we arrogantly love God with a love that has conditions; expecting life to be without trouble or pain.  When troubles arise to be dealt with, our love for God begins to fade, doubts creep in, and we wonder where God is?  We then bargain with God with I do this and love you more if you, God, will fix our problem—or else!  Or else, what?  It doesn’t often occur to selfish love that God, our Father who loves us deeply might be using our current troubles to build our faith in Him as He pours His wisdom over us as the best way to teach us. In this teaching, we in turn can give glory to God in ways that point others to his loving care and compassion!

Do we really think God doesn’t know what is going on around us?  Do we realize that God knows exactly what’s on the inside and is more concerned about the spiritual health of our hearts, minds, and souls?  Is it any wonder, that God’s wrath against evil that plagues all of us must be finally wrapped up for eternity?

As we read the next passage, take notice of what the “saved ones” do.  They worship.  They worship God for who He is and what He does.  Their song lyrics give the Lamb of God, Jesus, all the glory, honor, and praise as the King of kings, LORD of lords.  Only the Lamb can be the judge—the One without sin—who is filled with the love of God—the love God wants us to know, have and act upon by loving Him and each other like He loves us—without conditions.  We are saved from sin and self to love like He loves us.  We need to remove ourselves from the judgement temptation.

Revelation 15, The Message

The Song of Moses, the Song of the Lamb

15 I saw another Sign in Heaven, huge and breathtaking: seven Angels with seven disasters. These are the final disasters, the wrap-up of God’s wrath.

^2-4 I saw something like a sea made of glass, the glass all shot through with fire. Carrying harps of God, triumphant over the Beast, its image, and the number of its name, the saved ones stood on the sea of glass. They sang the Song of Moses, servant of God; they sang the Song of the Lamb:

Mighty your acts and marvelous,
    O God, the Sovereign-Strong!
Righteous your ways and true,
    King of the nations!
Who can fail to fear you, God,
    give glory to your Name?
Because you and you only are holy,
    all nations will come and worship you,
    because they see your judgments are right.

^5-8 Then I saw the doors of the Temple, the Tent of Witness in Heaven, open wide. The Seven Angels carrying the seven disasters came out of the Temple. They were dressed in clean, bright linen and wore gold vests. One of the Four Animals handed the Seven Angels seven gold bowls, brimming with the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. Smoke from God’s glory and power poured out of the Temple. No one was permitted to enter the Temple until the seven disasters of the Seven Angels were finished.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” 1 John 4:7-12, NIV

The most common question asked by those who don’t yet know God—

How could a loving God send sinners to hell?

He doesn’t. They volunteer. Hell is reserved, not for those souls who seek God yet struggle, but for those who defy God and rebel.  Max Lucado writes; “Hell is not a correctional facility or reform school. Its members hear no admonishing parents, candid sermons, or Spirit of God, no voice of God, no voice of God’s people. Spend a lifetime telling God to be quiet, and he’ll do just that. God honors our request for silence.”

Hell is the chosen home of those who defy God and want nothing to do with His love, care, correction, or comfort.  God honors their decision. It is not God’s will or desire that any should perish, but the fact that some do highlights God’s justice. God must punish sin.

In later passages, God reveals His truth once more; “Nothing impure will ever enter [heaven], nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27). God, inherently holy, must exclude evil from his new heaven.  God, eternally gracious, never forces his will. He urges all to stand firm but never forces them to stay with Him. God’s will is given when we yield our will to Him and trust Him. “May your will be done…”—Jesus taught us to pray.

Once the rebellious defiers reside in hell; they don’t want to leave. Hearts never soften nor do their minds change at this point.  “They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him” (Revelation 16:9). Contrary to the idea that hell prompts remorse, it doesn’t. It intensifies blasphemy and hate against God.

So, to wrap up, we are given two choices.  God or Evil?  Perfectly Holy or Intensely Hateful?  The choices are in direct opposition of each other.  Choose this day between real love or hate; help through troubles or resentment for troubles; protection against evil or the promotion of evil; spiritual provision to nurture a healthy spiritual heart, mind, and soul or no provision—only bondage that destroys all relationships. 

Lord,

Thank you for convicting me of selfish love expecting others to be who I wish them to be instead of simply loving like you love us.  Thank you from comforting me from the slander that breaks my heart. Thank you for correcting me with Christ like behaviors that transform me to be more like you.  Thank you for compelling me to stand firm in my faith of what you say is the Truth.  I trust you, dear Jesus.  I trust you to teach me, show me the path to take that leads to you, and to be with me always as I pursue You.  I love you, Lord.

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen