Is God Mean?

We've been studying Revelation. We're smack dab in the middle of the Tribulation.

As we looked at chapter nine, we took an imaginary step into the future and zoomed in close to see, and hear, and feel, and even smell, what it’ll be like with, Hell Unleashed. We saw the mindset of most, will look like this:

God? Oh, now we know there’s a God, that’s for sure. We know all about Him. He’s made Himself perfectly clear. Earthquakes, sun black, moon red, stars falling, flaming hail, ocean destroying mountain size meteor, fresh water poisoning comet. Yeah, we get it… He’s mean. 

All the catastrophes, all the death, the suffering, the pain, the sorrow. On the surface it could seem, that God is mean. Actually, quite cruel.

But how can this be? The very idea is contrary to the character upon which we’ve built our relationship with Him.

So, how can we reconcile these opposing views?

One piece of a puzzle never reveals the big picture. So, instead of taking a step into the future and zooming in close, this time, let’s step back and zoom out, way out, until we can see from here, at the end of the sixth trumpet, all the way to the beginning, at end of the sixth day.

Let’s take a look at the big picture, from the beginning.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, and behold, it was very good. Genesis 1:1, 31. Next we’re shown the beautiful Garden of Eden, and the trees pleasant to see and good for food; and the rivers full of precious stones and gold. We’re told the man and wife were one, and naked, and not ashamed. (Genesis 2).  

After that, the next line could’ve and should’ve been… and they all lived happily, ever, after.

However, instead, the next line read: Now the serpent… Genesis 3:1.

The sidewinder sauntered in, and everything went sideways. The very good creation, cracked, became corrupt, and has been crumbling ever since.

That day their eyes were opened and they knew they were exposed, naked, vulnerable. The protection and glory and covering of their Creator, was gone.

But God did what He does; came looking for them. He showed up with a new wardrobe, and a plan.

The shivering couple watched God kick the legs out from under the serpent. But there was a whole lot more, they didn’t see.

Like how, from that day to this, He protected them, and us, from an abyss full of demonic locusts that have fangs like lions and stings like a scorpion. (Hell Unleashed). Or how He chained four demons by the river Euphrates, and held back the deployment of a demonic army, of two hundred million, lion headed horses, with tails like serpents, and mouths that kill, with fire, smoke, and brimstone. (Hell Unleashed Part 2).

We should be ever so thankful that to spare us, He did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; 2 Peter 2:4.

And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; ⁷ as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Jude 6-7.

Those are demons that left their realm (proper domain) and took (raped) women, creating an evil offspring of Nephilim (giants). Their hearts were exceedingly wicked, continuously. Until God was sorry that He’d made man.  The only option was to wipe man off the face of the earth. Genesis 6:4-8. The vile, perverse, egregious, evil of sex-trafficking, spawns from such demonic wickedness. It still grieves the heart of God. It’s one of the reasons we pray earnestly, come quickly Lord Jesus, and bring this wretched sin, to an end.

Not only is God protecting us from demonic hordes of evil. He’s been holding all of creation together.

Stanford University has something called a Linear Accelerator. It’s a two-mile lever that scientists use to try to pry open the secrets hidden within the atom. They’ve discovered such complexity that they can’t even invent enough names for it all.

But one thing, has them stumped. An invisible force, they can’t describe. They refer to it as a cosmic glue, that makes it all work, holds everything in place.

To understand this cosmic super glue, you don’t need to know about the atom, but just a little about a guy named Adam. It doesn’t take a master’s degree in neutrons and protons, because even a moron can know the secret to this cosmic glue.

His name is Jesus.

He uses his powerful word to hold all things together. Hebrews 1:3

…in Him all things hold together. Colossians 1:17.

Since the fall in the Garden, all creation groans with labor pains, until that great day when it will be delivered from corruption and decay. Romans 8:20-22.

Behind the scenes, God’s invisible hand has protected man since the dawn of time.

As we near the end of a race, the finish line becomes clearer and clearer with every step we take. While we study Revelation, and simultaneously draw near its fulfillment, in the timeline of HIStory, it becomes ever so clear. Remember the very definition of Revelation: Ἀποκάλυψις (Apokalypsis) an unveiling, uncovering, revealing, disclosure.

 Jesus tells us, all will be revealed.

For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be made known and brought to light.  Luke 8:17.

With all of that being said, consider our original question. Is God mean?

What the world will be witnessing at this point in HIStory, will not be God being mean, but God allowing the world to see what life is like…without Him.

As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Ezekiel 33:11

“Once more I will shake not only the earth, but heaven as well.” ²⁷ The words “Once more” signify the removal of what can be shaken— that is, created things— so that the unshakable may remain. ²⁸Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. ²⁹“For our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:26-29.

2 Peter 3:9-10. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance. ¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up…

But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. 2 Peter 3:13

God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5.

The devil comes to kill steal and destroy, Jesus gives abundant Life. John 10:10.