From the look on his face, you know that he has run out of patience and that very soon his cordial demeanor will change into a determined and relentless force to be reckoned with….
Sound familiar? I thought it would. It is a tried and tested storyline formula. The unassuming nice guy, let’s call him John, moves into a neighborhood with his family. Soon he finds himself having to deal with the local villains whom are stirring up trouble. His kids are bullied, his wife harassed and demands are made for John to compromise on his principals for it all to stop.
The stand-up guy that he is, John tries to settle the situation amicably, even taking a physical pounding in the process without resorting to violence himself. He makes several attempts to settle the matter peacefully. Meanwhile the villains are laughing about their broken agreements with John and scoffing at his boy-scout approach.
Finally, John comes home one day and finds his house ransacked and his family in shock once more. John’s patience has run out and he decides to call in a few buddies and apply his skills as a Special Forces operative. Soon every villain’s smirk is wiped off their faces and even the neighbor’s son who had decided to be an informant for the gang is brought to justice.
John’s patience far outlasts that of his family and the audience, but it does run out with unyielding repercussions.
The villains made the same mistake that many in the real world have made through the ages and still do today. The rebellious, the ignorant and the arrogant embracing evil misconstrue God’s sacrificial love on the cross and His patience either as weakness or a lack of will to serve justice.
Jesus, God in the flesh, may have come as sacrificial Lamb to pay the price and set us free from the penalty of death for our sins but He will return as the Lion of Judah.
“…behold,the Lionof the tribe of Judah,the Root of David, has conquered…” – Revelation 5:5
“ Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. –Revelation 19:11-16
I believe God’s message to us through His word is clear: “Reject sin, come to Me and I will set you free. Soon My patience with evil will run out and justice will be served. Make sure you are on the right side, before the time comes”
We are inundated with images of “Jesus the Lamb”, but He is already “Jesus the Lion”. He sits at the right hand of the Father. All authority and power in heaven, earth and over hell is His.
“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. “ – Mathew 28-18
God is Holy and righteous. Justice will be done at the appointed time. Evil will be demolished, but so will all who have chosen to side with evil and reject righteousness.
This is not a foreign concept. In our justice system, warnings are issued for many transgressions and perpetrators are given time to show that they have changed their ways. Once it is determined though that a perpetrator is a serial offender (with no inclination to change), justice is served.
The penalty of sin is death. Jesus took our punishment to set us free, we could not do that. It is up to us however to choose Jesus, deal with our sins and sincerely strive to a live a life that is pleasing to God.
Let’s take some time to remind ourselves who God is and show Him the respect He deserves.
“so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” – Philippians 2:10-11
Have a blessed week.