Who Can Stand?

Revelation 6:15-17 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”
 
INDEED, who can stand before the holy God? No one who breaks his commands and rejects his law will be able to bear the sight of God coming upon his earth.
   Let’s look back to Eden to see this truth. What was Adam’s and Eve’s response to God’s approach after they had sinned? Genesis 3:8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” 10 He, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”  The first couple knew God’s perfection. They knew their sin. They also knew God was justified to judge them. As a consequence of their guilt, they could not bear to stand before him face-to-face. Guilt cannot gaze upon holiness.
   That is the scene in Revelation 6. God reveals his righteous judgment through war, disease and earth’s violent shakings. All people on earth, even the rich and rulers realize their sins have made them defenseless against God’s holiness. In fear of meeting God face-to-face, they call the earth to fall in on them. Sadly, they do not even know that death is no escape against the Lord’s judgment.
On that day, at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in Heaven and on earth and under the earth 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11). The saved will bow their knee in worship. The cursed will bow their knee in fear and helplessness. Too late, they will recognize their mocking hearts and lying words against the Lord will condemn them to eternal Hell.
   We don’t know the day, but we do know it will happen. In his love, God wants us to be ready to meet him face-to-face. Who do you know mocks the Lord? Pray for them. Their souls are in mortal jeopardy.
 
Prayer: Lord God, please transform the minds and hearts of my family and friends who do not call on your name. Humble their hearts that they may be saved. Amen.