GOD'S NEW WORLD, DAY 28 (an angry God?)

 

“The sky vanished like a scroll rolling itself up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the magnates and the generals and the rich and the powerful and everyone, slave and free, hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Rev. 6.14-17)

     Is the God of the book of Revelation fundamentally angry and vengeful?  Is “the One seated on the throne” ruthless in his judgments and perhaps just as violent as his enemies, i.e. the “kings of the earth”?  How to reconcile the One seated on the throne with the God revealed by Jesus Christ, who taught that we should love our enemies and turn the other cheek (cf. Mt. 5.39, 44)?  Does the God who teaches that “those who kill with the sword must be killed with the sword” (cf. Rev. 13.10) contradict himself as he “destroys those who destroy the earth” (cf. Rev. 11.18)? 

     There can be no doubt that “judgment” is a fundamental theme in Revelation.  In this book, the Creator’s justice is on full display.  Indeed, before there is any talk about the judgment of “the world” – i.e., those politico-economic systems which flout God’s standards and ways (cf. Rev. 17—18) – each of the “7 churches of Asia” is addressed with a word of judgment (cf. Rev. 2—3).  The warning to the churches is that their “lampstand” may be removed if they do not repent, amend their ways and renew their loyalty to Christ (cf. Rev. 2.5; cf. 1.12-13, 20).  The people of God are the first to be held accountable (cf. 1 Peter 4.17).  In Rev. chapter 20, the “great white throne judgement” of “all the dead” is depicted (20.11-15); this is the last scene before the revelation of “a new heaven and a new earth” (Rev. 21.1).  In between, we have the triple unveiling of the “wrath of God and of the Lamb” – symbolized by 7 seals, 7 trumpets and 7 vials (Rev. 6—16).  Indeed, the martyrs under the heavenly altar ask God how long it will be before their deaths are avenged (Rev. 6.9-11; cf. Ps. 13; Rom. 12.19).  As the wrath of God is expressed, the death toll mounts, nature is ravaged and the carnage is described in vivid and violent imagery.

     The book of Revelation describes the Creator’s war against evil (cf. 12.7-9).  All creatures – be they angelic or human – who have surrendered their wills to evil will face destruction.  However, destruction is not the last word in Revelation.  The Creator’s ultimate purpose is revealed in the last two chapters – that of a new creation in which God will dwell with his human creatures and “wipe the tears from all eyes” (Rev. 21.3-5).  The final vision of Revelation is the fulfilment of the very first chapter of Scripture – in Gn. 1, the creation of the cosmos is depicted in terms of the construction of an Ancient Near Eastern temple.  In Revelation chapter 21, the New Jerusalem which descends from heaven to earth is described in terms of “the most holy place” of the (earthly) Jerusalem Temple (Rev. 21.15-16, 22).  In other words, John’s final vision of the new creation shows that the world will finally fulfill the purpose the Creator had always intended it to serve – that of being a place that he could inhabit together with his human creatures – i.e. a cosmic Temple.  The New Jerusalem is the restoration of the Garden of Eden; indeed, it is superior to Eden in the sense that there will no longer be any threat of evil and no more possibility of death – rather, the joy of the residents of the city will be never-ending as they flourish in the unmediated presence of God and the Lamb.

     The unleashing of the wrath of God that we find in chapters 6—20 constitutes the removal of each and every obstacle that stands in the way of the accomplishment of the Creator’s purpose – the new world which is revealed in chapters 21—22.  This may not immediately make it easier to stomach the contents of the central chapters of the book, but it does help us to situate the wrathful judgments of God within the context of his overarching purpose to renew, restore, re-create and heal (cf. Rev. 22.2) his world – the world he initially made (cf. Gn. 1.1; cp. Rev. 21.1) and for which the Lamb was slain (cf. Rev. 5.12-13).  As the martyrs sing:

“Great and amazing are your deeds,

    Lord God the Almighty!

Just and true are your ways,

    King of the nations!

Lord, who will not fear

    and glorify your name?

For you alone are holy.

    All nations will come

    and worship before you,

for your judgments have been revealed.” (Rev. 15.3-4)