And they said to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of the One sitting on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?" Rev. 6:16, 17.
A friend of mine received an invitation to teach a class in Bangkok, Thailand. One of his students was a pastor in the northeastern part of the country, close to the Cambodian border and about 400 miles from Bangkok. Since one of his children had become sick, the pastor decided to head home for the weekend and invited his teacher to travel with him.
After an all-night bus ride, which was an adventure in itself, the two men arrived in the beautiful and tranquil rice fields of rural Thailand. The pastor's home was located on the same property as the church, and they had a delightful Sabbath school and worship service with the local people. After a refreshing potluck and conversation, the two men set out to visit some members in another district.
It was a most rewarding experience for Jim to see the homes of these hospitable people and eat a traditional Thai meal of sticky rice dipped in various sauces, which range from mild to painfully hot.
When he and his student got home, they were preparing to get some rest. The pastor's wife was in the bathroom area where the family kept their washing machine, preparing a load of clothes. The floor was wet as she adjusted the electrical plug. Suddenly powerful jolts of electricity surged through her. She screamed for her husband. Fortunately he was not only near but had the presence of mind to shut off the current instead of touching her and adding himself to the shock treatment.
It took about an hour for the wife to recover from her almost deadly encounter. Although my friend didn't understand any Thai, he could tell the next day that she was excitedly telling everyone she met about the previous night's escape from certain death.
In our text the very presence of God and the Lamb provides the equivalent of an overwhelming jolt of electricity to those who experience the coming of Christ. Without the mercy and protection of Jesus our Savior, sinners will not be able to endure the shock of God's presence. But Revelation 7 makes it clear that the 144,000 and the great multitude will be able to stand in that day. For those who are washed in the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 7:14), He functions as an insulator to the overwhelming power of God's presence. And even now His ability to save us is just a prayer away.
Lord, I am so grateful that You reckon the purity of Jesus' righteousness to me each day. Help me to be fully aware of my need for Him.
A friend of mine received an invitation to teach a class in Bangkok, Thailand. One of his students was a pastor in the northeastern part of the country, close to the Cambodian border and about 400 miles from Bangkok. Since one of his children had become sick, the pastor decided to head home for the weekend and invited his teacher to travel with him.
After an all-night bus ride, which was an adventure in itself, the two men arrived in the beautiful and tranquil rice fields of rural Thailand. The pastor's home was located on the same property as the church, and they had a delightful Sabbath school and worship service with the local people. After a refreshing potluck and conversation, the two men set out to visit some members in another district.
It was a most rewarding experience for Jim to see the homes of these hospitable people and eat a traditional Thai meal of sticky rice dipped in various sauces, which range from mild to painfully hot.
When he and his student got home, they were preparing to get some rest. The pastor's wife was in the bathroom area where the family kept their washing machine, preparing a load of clothes. The floor was wet as she adjusted the electrical plug. Suddenly powerful jolts of electricity surged through her. She screamed for her husband. Fortunately he was not only near but had the presence of mind to shut off the current instead of touching her and adding himself to the shock treatment.
It took about an hour for the wife to recover from her almost deadly encounter. Although my friend didn't understand any Thai, he could tell the next day that she was excitedly telling everyone she met about the previous night's escape from certain death.
In our text the very presence of God and the Lamb provides the equivalent of an overwhelming jolt of electricity to those who experience the coming of Christ. Without the mercy and protection of Jesus our Savior, sinners will not be able to endure the shock of God's presence. But Revelation 7 makes it clear that the 144,000 and the great multitude will be able to stand in that day. For those who are washed in the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 7:14), He functions as an insulator to the overwhelming power of God's presence. And even now His ability to save us is just a prayer away.
Lord, I am so grateful that You reckon the purity of Jesus' righteousness to me each day. Help me to be fully aware of my need for Him.
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