The Two Sides to God’s Character and a Myth Exposed.
Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven crowns. And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and hurled them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her Child. Rev.12:3,4. NASB
The Psalmist said, “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Ps 19:1, NIV). One of the best definitions of “glory” is that it represents character. The Psalmist tells us that the universe displays God’s character in the things that He has made.
But the author of Revelation tells a slightly different story. Satan has done his best to obliterate the image of God that has been embossed into His creation. The earth has been marred and defiled by sin and reflects God’s glory in only the dimmest fashion. So it should not surprise us that the findings of honest science on this earth might not totally agree with the Scripture record. There has been some tampering with the evidence.
But shouldn’t the condition of the wider universe be a different matter? After all, one would expect the ravages of sin to be located primarily on earth. Would not the wider universe remain unspoiled with clear traces of God’s hand? Another Psalmist begs to differ, “The heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded.” (Ps 102:25-26, NIV)
Science bears out that the “perfection” of the universe is, at best, a very different perfection from what we might expect.
The moon is pocked with craters, the sun is covered with spots, and planetary satellites have powerful volcanoes that alter their landscapes in a destructive fashion. Stars go through life cycles, Galaxies collide, Super Nova’s explode – God loves fireworks!
God has revealed Himself in His word and in nature by the two sides to His character: His justice and His mercy, His loving kindness, and His wrath against sin. His judgments and his forgiveness. In a world that has been marred by sin, the safest course for the people of God is to stay close to His Word and the revelation He has given of Himself.
For 11 chapters we have been gradually exposed to the glory of God as sins rebellion is dealt with and eventually destroyed by this revelation. This unveiling (revelation) of Jesus Christ brings great joy to God’s people but strikes fear and hate in the hearts of those who oppose Him. Throughout earth’s history, the apparent duality of God’s nature, where He claims to be uncompromisingly just, while at the same time being the epitome of mercy and grace, has always been a challenge. He proved at calvary that He can indeed be just and merciful without overemphasising one over the other. At Calvary, they are seen to be one and the same physical act, demonstrating the truth of Psalm 85:10, “Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed.”
Tragically, the myth of an eternally wrathful God has survived regardless of His obviously passionate love. Revelation should help us dismiss this persistent lie about the nature of God! For too long too many Christians have lived with the concept of an eternal heaven and an eternal hell.
They cannot coexist and to suggest they do is one of the greatest deceptions ever imposed on Christianity – a massive fraud to malign our gracious and loving God. The wages of sin is death, not eternal life somewhere else. Pain and suffering will be gone from the universe, not preserved in a hellish corner somewhere. Jesus said it clearly to Nicodemus, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16. Look up the word perish in the dictionary – it does not suggest survival beyond death at all.
So how then do we explain the pain and destruction we are beginning to encounter in this book? What we are witnessing through the eyes of John is simply the outcome of unutterable evil confronted by the presence and glory of God. The gradual revealing of God’s true character witnessed in the preceeding chapters has had staggering consequences on a sin-ladden planet, but God’s power is so great that even confronted by such devastation He finds a way through crisis for those who chose Him.
In the following chapters, we will encounter the full impact of sin confronted by God’s power and glory, but also the unbelievable capacity of our saviour to offer a path of safety through the inferno.
Hi Ross,
I have enjoyed your refreshing review of the book of Revelation very much. However could you explain the annihilation view in light of the following texts.
There are many more which I see as supporting eternal punishment too.
Thanks.
Daniel 12:2 NASB1995
[2] Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.
Matthew 25:41 NASB1995
[41] “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;
Matthew 3:12 NASB1995
[12] His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
2 Thessalonians 1:9 NASB1995
[9] These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
Hi Des, there is a lot I could say but I wrote the following document for a friend (Matt Stackhouse) and I have attached the link to my drop box so you or anyone else interested can open it and study it. Here is the link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/lrd4aognziw8o755mltav/Hell-for-Stackhouse.doc?rlkey=btogq0r35gqusjmwka6n3nc3f&dl=0 . The Bible never uses the verb in regards to the destruction of the wicked – only ever the noun, which makes it an event not an ongoing destructing. Everlasting contempt is the same. Noun not a verb. Eternal fire is also an event, the results of which are everlasting – as for example the fires of Sodom and Gomorrah. Everlasting but not still burning. 2 Thess 1:9 uses destruction not destructing i,e, noun not a verb. Read my manuscript for much more detail.
Thanks for the reply.
I will study further on this matter.
Whilst I don’t see it as a foundational faith matter, it’s important that we understand scripture and are able to “give reason” for our beliefs.
Thanks again
Blessings in Jesus name.