Scripture reading: Revelation 18:20
Revelation 18:20 says, “Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.”
The righteous saints who are in heaven with the Lord are told to rejoice over the destruction and death. Therefore, it must be a destruction of the already dead; those who have already crossed the line of no return; those who have committed the unpardonable sin and were only on earth to destroy God’s work and the work of the saints. If ever saints rejoice over destruction, it must be a RIGHTEOUS REJOICING.
Whenever two scriptures seem to go against each other, then God is giving a great revelation. Matthew 5:43-48 describes the nature of the Christian. “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
Someone reading Revelation 18:20 might say, “How could saints rejoice over the destruction of the enemies of God when the Bible says that you must pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you?” We will go into the Word of God to make sure that we are on the right track. Then nobody will be able to say, “Oh, we should throw away the revelation because it is in error.” Let us be sure of what God is saying unto His people.
The apostle Paul quotes from Deuteronomy 32:35, the Psalms, and many other scriptures, for example in Romans 12:19, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” There is a time of vengeance that God must bring on the earth. Hebrews 10:30 repeats the same thought. “For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.” Now if God will “judge his people,” then He also must judge sin.
2 Peter 3:9-10, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” God has an appointed time, a special time for judgment. The time is here where we are in The Revelation.
(Excerpt from The Book of Revelation, Volume 2, pages 206-207)
Thought for today: God has an appointed time, a special time for judgment.
Sonlight Devotional 