Isaiah wrote that the Holy Spirit was upon him to…
...proclaim the favorable year of the LORD And the day of vengeance of our God... Isaiah 61:2 (NASB)
Jesus quoted this passage when he launched his public ministry. (Luke 4:18) His first coming was to provide the means for God to extend forgiveness and favor to all who will accept him. Jesus also acknowledged that his second coming will be a day of vengeance against God’s enemies.
Both the extended time of favor and the cataclysmic day of judgment are part of the gospel message.
God’s nature requires the imposition of his justice upon the affairs of this world. Whereas mankind may be content to “let things go” and never require offenders to “pay the piper,” God is not that way. God will not be mocked. All of us will reap what we sow. (Galatians 6:7) The Bible clearly states that the wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23)
If there were no accounting to God for injustice, there would be no good news at all.
The Bible teaches us that since the wages of sin must be paid and each of us must die, because all of us have sinned. The Good News is that Jesus, the sinless Lamb of God, was willing to pay that debt for us. If we put our faith and allegiance in him, our debt to God is cancelled and we are made right with him. But what about those who refuse God’s generous offer? The certainty of God’s wrath awaits them.
Many of us Christians are so attuned to God’s great mercy that we are uncomfortable with scriptures that declare that God will judge his enemies.
Psalm 2, a messianic psalm, warns the people of earth to beware the day of God’s wrath.
Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the whole earth as your possession.9 You will break them with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots.’” Psalm 2:8-9 (NLT) Revelation also speaks of this day.
And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. 13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. 15 From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. 16 And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." Revelation 19:11-16 (NASB) Those clothed in fine linen are understood to be his redeemed people. (Revelation 19:8)
Isaiah also gives more detail about the coming day of vengeance.
For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and my year of redemption had come. 5 I looked, but there was no one to help; I was appalled, but there was no one to uphold; so my own arm brought me salvation, and my wrath upheld me. 6 I trampled down the peoples in my anger; I made them drunk in my wrath, and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.” Isaiah 63:4-6 (ESV)
This passage prophetically conflates the first and second comings of our Lord. The first coming, which includes the time following leading up to the second coming, is the year of redemption or favor. This will be followed by the day of vengeance at the second coming. God will judge the wicked.
The wicked do everything in their power to deny this coming judgment.
First of all, they deny God’s existence, thinking that they can effectively remove him and his justice by wishing it away. Secondly, they do everything they can to keep his justice from falling on the wicked here on earth in this life. Murderers are punished for a while then released upon the populace again, thus violating God’s clear command to put them to death. (Genesis 9:6) Paul wrote about these days, when he said that…
Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. Romans 1:32 (ESV)
Thirdly, they pass laws that seek to subvert God’s justice by making sin legal in man’s eyes. A clear example of this is legalized abortion, the killing of an innocent life in the womb or even after birth.
If God does not punish those who do evil, then there is no justice. If there is no justice, God is not just. If God is not just, all hope is lost, and we live in an evil capricious world ruled by whomever achieves power. But there is an omnipotent God who is just and who will execute judgment. He will reward those who declare allegiance to him and punish evil doers.
He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality. Romans 2:6-11 (ESV)
Therefore, the gospel is not only the announcement that God offers pardon to all of us who rebel against his authority and who repent and turn to Christ: it is also the promise that those who will not turn to him will encounter his wrath.
The goodness of God leads us to repentance and the threat of his wrath warns us to turn from evil. God is both kind (merciful) and severe (just). (Romans 11:22) We are in the time of his mercy, the year of his favor, but that time is quickly coming to an end. We do well to try to persuade as many as possible to turn to God before it is too late.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, forgive me for rebelling against your rule. I acknowledge my sin and ask for forgiveness. Thank you that you give me eternal life and a right standing with Father God. Holy Spirit, come into my life. Change me from the inside out to be more like Jesus. Empower me to share this good news with others. Help me to faithfully follow you for the rest of my days. Amen.
