The Wrath Of God

          Revelation 14:9-10 is a special message God is sending to earth now to prepare people for the return of Jesus.  Here is the message:  "If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation...."  The part I want to focus on today is "the wrath of God".  What is this wrath; this from the heart, passionate anger, that we are warned about?  Is it something we are familiar with?  Has it ever been shown by God before?

            Some may say it has been revealed many times.  Take the flood for instance, where the people were so corrupt that God destroyed them with a flood of water.  Or perhaps the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, where God rained fire and brimstone and destroyed them with fire.  We could mention other times when wickedness was so great that, in mercy, God had to intervene before the whole world self destructed.  But our text tells of a time when God's wrath will be poured out on this world "without mixture", without any mercy mixed with it.  It is the most fearful and solemn warning ever given.

            At no time in the past has anyone received the death that is the payment for their sin.  The Bible says "the wages of sin is death...."  (Romans 6:23).  The death we all go through now is but a prelude to one of two resurrections where we will receive our reward.  The first resurrection which results in eternal life, or the second resurrection that results in eternal damnation - judgment that ends in eternal separation from the presence of the Lord. (2 Thessalonians 1:9)  Jesus spoke of this in John 5:28-29:  "for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation (judgment)." 

            Right now, before the Second Coming of Jesus, there is an investigation going on in heaven to see if those who have professed Christ have sincerely and earnestly endeavored to follow Him.  Has my profession of Christ been in word and in truth?  If so, then my life is covered by the life of Jesus and whether I live or die I will be a part of the righteous who are taken to heaven at the return of Christ, and  "so shall we ever be with the Lord."  (1 Thessalonians 4:17)   "He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." (John 5:24) 

            But do we have any sample of the "second death", the punishment of "the wrath of God without mixture"?  Have we ever seen the real "wrath (furious anger) of God"?  Has it been revealed so we can know what it is and  "flee from the wrath to come?" (Matthew 3:7 & Luke 3:7)  Yes it has.  Remember that in order for God to be "both Just and Justifier" (Romans 3:26), the full penalty of sin had to be paid.  On the cross of Calvary, Jesus paid the complete price for our sins.  He endured the full wrath of God against sin.  On the cross we see displayed the wrath of God, poured out without any mixture of mercy.  Only at the cross can we see the full wrath, the righteous anger, of God against sin. 

            Look, O sinner, look at Jesus, Who by taking our sins on Himself, was made to be sin for us! (2 Corinthians 5:21) Hear the bitter, anguished cry of Jesus, struggling for breath, crying out in agony:  "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?!" (Mark 15:34) Think of the literally eternal love the Father and Son have always had for each other broken up, destroyed because of the sin Jesus became for us.  Have you ever been in love and had that love relationship broken up?  Did it hurt?  Then you can understand a tiny, tiny bit of what God and Jesus went through.  Because of your sin on Jesus, God broke up their love relationship.  He poured out His wrath against sin onto His own Son. 

            It is at the cross that we can see the "wrath of God poured out without mixture."  At the cross we see the just penalty for sin.   At the cross we are shown what the wrath of God is like.  If, after the light of the cross we turn and worship all that is opposed to God, it will be only right that we suffer the just punishment for our rebellion.  Look at the cross and flee from the wrath to come, to the Savior Who has made provision there for your salvation.