I wanted to throw a curve ball into this discussion about God’s mercy vs. His judgement. (Although, granted, this hasn’t really been much of a discussion. It’s been pretty one-sided. Don’t be afraid to leave comments if you disagree with me. You can even tell me I’m completely out of my mind…I won’t take it personally. 
Just don’t be like the generation of Jesus’ day: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge and you did not mourn.’ Matt. 11:17. Apathy is never a good place to hang out.)
Here’s why I believe the idea of the Lord being the Righteous Judge of the earth is so very offensive to our minds: right now, the subject of justice is fueled largely by human sentiment and political platforms. For instance, when we approach the issue of justice with this question: “Why does God allow so much injustice to happen on the earth?” we are missing the more pertinent question of, “Why does God allow anyone to live?” for we are all guilty of injustice. Much of the present justice movement has a theology that is fueled by humanism, which starts with the plight of humans rather than the plight of the Godhead.
So, with these thoughts in mind, I want to look at judgement from God’s point of view. I feel like God has given me just a little bit of revelation into this lately, and I wanted to share it with you.
A very normal response to the book of Revelation is to conclude that God is just a big ol’ meanie, some kind of cosmic Father with a serious rage “issue” that could definitely benifit from some anger management classes! It seems that He’s finally flown off the handle and is now just pummelling the human race with what ever He can come up with. I was struck, though, lately, with this verse found in Revelation: “Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars.” (10:1) Did you catch the bit about the rainbow? Doesn’t that strike you as a bit odd, that in the middle of God’s wrath being poured out on earth, we are reminded of God’s covenant with Noah? Take a second to the read the Noahic Covenant found in Genesis 9: 13-16:
I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”
Wow…that’s no small covenant! God, in promising to never again destroy the entire earth with a flood, is establishing a covenant that, no matter how evil the earth becomes, no matter how much human kind rebels against Him, He will show mercy from here on out.
So, what’s with the rainbow over the angels head? Why is God reminding us of His promise to show mercy when He’s sending a bunch of really, really severe judgements to earth. Here’s something for you to chew on…something to consider: God’s end-time judgements are His mercy.
“Huh? Wha’?” you ask.
Think about it. God has every right to just obliterate the entire human race right now in human history. Sin and evil are escalating at an ever increasing rate. We’ve legalized killing our babies. Pornography is now a totally acceptable form of entertainment. Theft is on the rise. These things are now even polluting the church. If we don’t mirror what was happening in Noah’s day, then we’re pretty close. God could, in complete justice, say “That’s it! I’ve had enough!” But no, our God is a covenant keeping God. He will honour every covenant He has made with humankind
So, God, honouring his covenant to show mercy, starts shaking things up at the end of the age. He starts “kicking the props away.” The props that lead us to humanism, to hedonism, to atheism and agnosticism. One of the most terrifying of the end-time judgements, in my opinion, is the demonic plague of locusts that come out of the bottomless pit (Rev. 9:1-11). They are given permission to torment whomever does not have the seal of God upon them for five months. Wow. Seems a bit much, doesn’t it? “How is that merciful?” you might be thinking.
Here’s how I’ve come to understand it: In the last hours of human history the earth will be filled with demon worship. (Rev. 9:21) People will actually be openly worshiping demons, probably mostly because the Antichrist will be directing them to do so, I think. Many, many people will succumb to the deception that demonic worship is to their benefit. But God, in His mercy, lifts the veil to the spiritual realm, and allows humanity to see exactly what they’re worshiping: demons whose only desire is to destroy and torment human beings. He does this, obviously, to give men and women a chance to turn and repent.
We see this same principle at work in the story of the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt (a story that gives a tremendous amount of insight into the book of Revelation). I mean, why didn’t God just cut straight to the death of the firstborn? Why the ten plagues that grow in severity from one to the next? …Because He wanted to give the Egyptians a chance to repent! He wanted to give them clear, indisputable evidence that He alone was the One, True God; the only God worthy of worship. And do you know what? The Bible tells us that many other people, besides the Israelites, left Egypt at the time of the exodus. (Exodus 12:38) The end-time judgements will produce the same! Many people will choose the God of heaven, as they see with clarity that He is real. (And I might add that it will be the the Church at the end of the age who will lead many into understanding of what is happening! That is why it’s so essential for us to gain insight into the things to come.)
So, my point is this: the book of Revelation may seem pretty severe, and it may not make perfect sense to us on this side of eternity, but we can be assured that it’s not just an account of God flying off into a blind, murderous rage at the end of the age. The book of Revelation is as much a story about God’s mercy as it is about His judgement.
