December 18
Habakkuk 1:1-3:19 | PS 137:1-9 | Prov 30:10 | Rev 9:1-21
Evil must be judged. God cannot and will not ever overlook sin. Being 100% just, He can't. He is patient, and gives us time, but eventually sinful behavior will be judged, either in this world or in eternity. Mistakenly, we spend inordinate amounts of time focusing on either evil or how evil is punished, rather than simply that it is punished. Also, sadly, being that the world is largely ignorant of God's Word, most can't discern what is evil and what is good. People raise their fists of triumph to godless causes, believing they are on the right side, not even realizing that they are pushing their fingers proverbially in God's chest. Our sins, and we each have many which must be judged will be accounted for one way or another. Either we will repent and place our faith in Jesus Christ to fully pay for those sins, or else for those who don't they will face any of a number of earthly judgements, and if that does not lead to repentance, ultimately it will lead to eternal separation from God in Hell.
So we read the prophet's question in Habbakkuk 1:2, "O Lord, how long shall I cry, And You will not hear? Even cry out to You, “Violence!” And You will not save." The prophet gets his answer in the rest of the book. God will use the evil nation of Babylon to pay back the people of Judah for their sinful behavior. Then when Babylon, the instrument of His justice lifts itself up in pride, they will be judged. In Revelation 9, we come to another set of trumpet judgments upon those who had not turned their lives over to God. This time, rather than an evil nation, He allows Satan to open the hordes of the abyss and unleash an army of locusts with the power of a scorpion to torment. Following this a demonic horde of horsemen and their horses will kill one third of the earth's population. We must realize, that even evil nations, and even Satan, can do nothing unless God allows them to do it. They believe they act independently, but in reality, they are pawns.
So, it is with us now. We live in the midst of evil. It seems that evil is personified in every facet of our society. Even areas that at one time seemed good has allowed evil to enter its corridors. Government, the media, the entertainment industry, the field of medicine, even many churches have allowed themselves to be consumed by evil. Which is it for each of us? Do we follow the hordes and justify that which God has clearly called evil, in the name of relevance or tolerance? Do we stand for the things of God or for societal norms? A choice has to be made. Have you made your choice? This Christmas season, may we focus not only on the event of the incarnation of Jesus, God becoming Man, but why this event took place. There simply is no other way for God to be 100% love and 100% just. Each and every sin will be judged. But He sent Jesus, our sin-bearer, to carry our sins to the cross. Focus on this, salvation is yours. Repent and freedom is yours.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: