The Theater of the Doomed

[Sung Psalm: 147]

You may struggle with the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, where God destroys men, women and children with fire from heaven. Many cringe at the story of the Conquest, when God told Joshua to slaughter all the Canaanites, men, women, and children.

But now we hear that God is going to come upon his own people with “anger and fury and furious rebukes.” “I will vent my fury upon them.” “I will make you a desolation and an object of reproach among the nations.”

Why would you worship a God who would do this to his own people?

I'm not going to let you off the hook here! I'm not going to say that God is different today.

Because Jesus is the one who says to the church in Sardis, in Revelation 3:1-3: “I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.” (Rev. 3:1-3)

King Jesus, the Divine Warrior, will come in judgment against that church that refuses to obey him!

Jesus may come in judgment against this church – this denomination – or any other church on earth –

but – and here is the key!

Jesus will never come in judgment against the heavenly Jerusalem, because he has established it securely by his atoning sacrifice.