December 6 - Revelation 6: Purifying Judgment

This is where it starts to get a little confusing for me. I don't always understand the imagery that John uses, but the meaning is becoming more clear.

Jesus Christ, the Lamb, is the only One able to break open the scroll and read it. (5:3) And when He opens each of the first six seals, the judgments commence. The first five involve judgments of the people on earth, and the sixth involves judgment on the earth itself. Chaos reigns. Everything we know is turned on its head.

A frightening progression. War and bloodshed. Poverty, famine, inflation. Death. More martyrs killed. And finally, earthquakes. The sky vanishes. Stars fall. The moon looks like blood. The sun turns black. It sounds absolutely terrifying because no one is spared.

"Refuge! Hide us from the One Seated on the Throne and the wrath of the Lamb! The great Day of their wrath has come - who can stand it?" (6:17)

Despite the pandemonium, and every socioeconomic group looking for cover in caves and mountains, it's clear that the people on earth understand who is behind the events. They recognize that God's patience doesn't last forever and that they are experiencing His judgment.

"The reconciliation God brings about depends on purifying judgment that kills evil and enlivens goodness, the goodness of genuine other-centered self-abandoning love." 66 LL

As I consider these disturbing images of God's purifying judgment, I go back to what I know about the Lord. He is good. He is just. He is faithful. He is righteous. Even as these judgments are being meted out, the amazing part to me is that some people actually survive and have the opportunity to repent. They have seen God do terrifying miracles. Isn't that what most people say that it would take for them to believe??

But ultimately, I fall back onto the beautiful and trustworthy truth that I am His. Because I am in Christ, God is no longer my Judge. He is my Heavenly Father who loves me and will ensure that I make it home to Him. I don't need to fear it or doubt His goodness toward me.

"There's more to reality than meets the naked eye. Only when you are gripped by what is happening in the invisible world will you live well in the visible world." 66 LL