
Originally Posted by
HeIsLord
I have wondered about the phrase "wrath of the Lamb":
"Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of place" (Rev 6:14)
"And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in caves and in the rocks of mountains." (Rev 6:15)
"and said to the mountains and rocks 'Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!'" (Rev 6:16)
"For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?" (Rev 6:17)
Two things perplex me about this passage:
(1) "wrath of the Lamb" is a mixed metaphor. Lambs are defenseless and easily frightened creatures. They are the vulnerable offspring of a prey species. In Christian types, the lamb pictures the innocent one who is sacrificed for the sins of others. It points to the first coming of the Lord, as a lamb led to slaughter that opens not his mouth (Isa. 53:7). It is out of place in the context of his second coming as the "Lion of Judah". When they say "hide us from the face of Him", who would be afraid of a lamb's face?
(2) Consider the source quoted as using the phrase: worldly, carnal, kings and mighty men. Not Jews, not Christians, not elders, not angels. Considering the source, should we accept that they have any authority to reach that conclusion? Could they be sarcastic? Mocking God? Shaking their fist at God? Jumping to a conclusion?
There are occasions in Scripture when worldly kings and mighty men incorrectly interpret the times:
"But when Pharoah saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not heed them, as the Lord had said" (Exodus 8:15)
And there are occasions in Scripture when worldly kings and mighty men correctly interpret the times:
"Then word came to the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robes, covered himself in sack cloth, and sat in ashes" (Jonah 3:6)
Whether what these men said concerning the "wrath of the Lamb" was true, partly true, or not true at all makes a big difference to Bible prophecy. The first time in Revelations when a reputable source declares the wrath of God has come is in Chapter 11 when the Elders speak:
"The nations were angry and your wrath has come." (Rev 11:18)
This is after the seal judgments and the trumpet judgments, and before the bowl judgments.
The first time John writes about the wrath of God is in relation to the bowl judgments:
"seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete" (Rev 15:1)
and
"the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God" (Rev 15:7)
At issue is whether the first judgments the seals and the trumpets were judgments of God's wrath or whether they were merely signs meant to demonstrate God's power with the purpose of bringing repentance, similar to the judgments brought against the land of Egypt.
If we are going to believe all the judgments were judgments of wrath, can we base that belief on what the carnal men of this depraved world testify?
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