Read with Me
Revelation 16:8-11 (HCSB)
The fourth poured out his bowl on the sun. He was given the power to burn people with fire, and people were burned by the intense heat. So they blasphemed the name of God, who had the power over these plagues, and they did not repent and give Him glory.
The fifth poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues because of their pain and blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, yet they did not repent of their actions.
Listen with Me
The next two bowls of God’s wrath poured out on the enemies of the kingdom brought in succession too much light and too much darkness.
Light in divine visions is symbolic of truth, often the truth of the gospel. In John’s time, as the Roman Empire began to experience defeat after defeat, losing bloody battles on land and sea and losing vital territory at an accelerating rate, the light of the gospel began to shine forth with increasing radiance.
Even though they had tried to snuff out the light of God’s word through coercion and even brute force, they had not succeeded. As the pressure began to let up, the light of God’s people began to shine again with such blinding brilliance that it dazzled their spiritual eyes and scorched their souls. But, because God’s grace was withdrawn from those who had aligned themselves with the beast, they were unwilling, even unable to see the light for what it was and repent.
The next bowl plunges the whole empire into spiritual darkness and emotional depression (except for the people of the kingdom who are always sheltered from God’s wrath). This spiritual darkness was so pervasive, so oppressive, that it was experienced as almost physical pain.
In the midst of this spiritual darkness and hopelessness, the people again would not, could not repent. Instead, they blamed God for all their ills, and they blaspheme instead of humbling themselves. To be sure, God was indeed the one who had deprived them of light and hope. But it was a consequence of their own spiritual darkness, their own rebellion against God and His will, and the persecution of His people that had brought this wrath against them. And even that was only after years of grace and countless opportunities to repent.
Pray with Me
Father, it really is ironic that those who suffer the consequences of their spiritual darkness, whether the consequences are physical, emotional, relational, or even financial, are so quick to blame You. But their woes are the consequences of their own rebellion, their own choices. They never gave You a thought or thanked You for the good in their lives, but they are completely willing to give You blame for their hardships. Lord, help me to walk closely with You so that I am never in danger of falling into that mindset. Help me to thank You always for Your great blessings so that I never have to fall under Your judgment. Amen.