A Revelation Invitation

The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found. And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe. (Revelation 16:17-21 ESV)

Have you ever built a human pyramid? It’s a fun activity when young people get together. I always found myself on my hands and knees at the bottom of such construction projects. There was always a knee or two planted in the middle of my back—not at all comfortable. As each higher level is added, the weight increases, the pain increases and the laughter increases. Inevitably, there is a weak “brick” in the pyramid that cannot bear the load. The structure collapses, and fast. Bodies lie tangled on top of bodies. Pity the ones at the bottom. What took several minutes to build is wiped out in an instant. Consider what John describes in the passage above. He paints a picture of sudden, monumental collapse. Does that alarm you? Does it terrify? It’s certainly not something we want to be part of. Would you describe that scene as good news or bad?

Your answer depends on perspective. The people in the passage curse God revealing much about their perspective. However, when John’s brothers in the faith heard this read in their assemblies, they saw in their minds eyes the fall of Rome, the great city, their tormentor and persecutor. They saw a collapse as sudden and cataclysmic as an earthquake, as devastating and inescapable as a hailstorm. To the elites, the powerful and the connected who were invested in a prospering Roman Empire with all its related political and social benefits this was bad news. They would lose all that they had built, all that they had lived for. To the Christians who were oppressed by Rome, they saw allusions to the plagues of Egypt, a previous oppressor of God’s people, as well as the end of exile from Babylonian captivity with its promises of liberation and restoration. To a people whose God had just announced their enemy’s destruction as foreordained this was good news.

The announcement, “It is done!”, came from the temple, from the throne. The earthquake and hailstorm were not random, natural disasters. This destruction was divinely ordained by the one who sits on the throne. The God who rules the world had grown angry at Rome’s godless and abusive ways. He planned to strike Rome so that it would experience the full measure of his wrath. God made Rome drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. It would suffer the consequences of its own behavior. It would collapse under the weight of its own evil ways. His patience had come to an end. He had warned her repeatedly but saw no repentance.

We should be cautious in drawing conclusions about how God is acting in our world today. We do not know his mind. We are not privy to his plans. We are not always aware of his purposes. But a passage like this one should cause us to reevaluate how we judge events as good or bad. One man’s bad news can simultaneously be another’s good news. No matter how events unfold nor how the world unravels, we can trust the one who is sovereign over it.

O God who rules from his throne in heaven, bring justice to your creation and rescue your people from those who oppress them. The wicked ways of the rulers of the world stir up your wrath. When you discharge your justice in the world, it is a frightening thing. Your wisdom and righteousness in these matters are revealed in your judgments against the powers of the world. In the midst of disasters when the world seems out of control, help me trust that you rule all, that your sovereign plans will result in the redemption of your people and your creation. Amen.