Broad Street Baptist Church
Revelation 15:1-8 NIV
Revelation 16:1-21 NIV
Revelation 15-16
God’s Wrath Has Come
Romans 1:18- The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness
Ephesians 2:3- All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
1 Thessalonians 2:16- The wrath of God has come upon them at last.
This text teaches us three lessons about the wrath of God.
I. First, the wrath of God will be poured out on the earth.
A. Preparation for God’s wrath
B. The bowl judgments
C. Application
Psalm 75:7-8- But it is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another. In the hand of the Lord is a cup full of foaming wine mixed with spices; he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth drink it down to its very dregs.
II. Second, the wrath of God reveals the goodness of God.
A. God’s wrath reveals the justice of God.
Romans 6:23- For the wages of sin is death.
B. God’s wrath reveals the holiness of God.
C. God’s wrath reveals the worthiness of God.
D. Application
John 3:18-20- Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
III. Third, the wrath of God shows the sacrifice of the Savior.
A. The picture from Exodus
B. The propitiation for our sins
Ephesians 2:3-5- All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved.
Romans 5:9- Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!
C. The debt paid for us
1 John 4:10- This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
D. Application
The wrath of God should compel us in several different ways.
1. It should compel us to evangelism and missions. If we really believe that the wrath of God as it is clearly shown in Scripture is coming on sinful human beings, then it should drive us to tell people about the alternative.
2. The wrath of God should give Christians boldness and joy because we will not experience it.
3. The wrath of God should compel us to praise God. We should praise God for His patience in giving us time to come to Him.