Revelation 16:1-6: a reflection

1I heard a loud voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God on the earth!” 2The first went, and poured out his bowl into the earth, and it became a harmful and painful sore on the people who had the mark of the beast, and who worshiped his image. 3The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man. Every living thing in the sea died. 4The third poured out his bowl into the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5I heard the angel of the waters saying, “You are righteous, who are and who were, O Holy One, because you have judged these things. 6For they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. They deserve this.”

As the book of Revelation shows the outpouring of God's judgments, a voice interrupts the scene not to question God's justice but to affirm it. You are righteous, who are and who were, O Holy One, the angel of the waters declares, because you have judged these things. Even amid severe judgments, the response of heaven is not protest but the acknowledgment that God's judgments are righteous and true. God is just; his judgments, however severe, are not arbitrary or cruel but righteous, the acts of the Holy One who judges rightly. The scene does not present a God whose judgments are to be questioned, but a God whose judgments are affirmed as just, even by those who witness their severity. God's judgments are righteous; he is just in all he does, and heaven acknowledges it. Even in judgment, God is just.

Notice the affirmation heaven makes even amid severe judgment: you are righteous, O Holy One, because you have judged these things. The response to God's judgments is not protest or accusation but the acknowledgment of their justice. God is the Holy One, righteous in all his ways; his judgments, however severe, are just, not arbitrary. Heaven does not shrink from affirming this even as it witnesses the severity of the judgments. This does not make the judgments any less sobering; but it holds firm that God is just in them, that his judgments are righteous and true, the acts of a Holy One who does not judge wrongly. We may not always understand the severity, but we can hold to the justice: God is righteous, and his judgments are just. To trust in God's justice, even where we cannot fully fathom his judgments, is to affirm with heaven that the Holy One is righteous in all he does. His justice is sure even where his ways are hard.

That is worth taking to heart, for God is just, and his judgments are righteous, even where they are severe. We can be tempted to question God's justice when his judgments are severe or hard to understand; but heaven, witnessing even severe judgments, affirms, you are righteous, O Holy One, because you have judged these things. God is just in all he does; his judgments are righteous, not arbitrary, even when we cannot fully fathom them. There is rest in trusting God's justice even where his ways are hard. Do not question God's justice when his judgments are severe; affirm with heaven that he is righteous, the Holy One who judges rightly. Trust that God is just and his judgments righteous even where they are severe or hard to fathom, affirming with heaven, you are righteous, O Holy One, because you have judged these things; for God is the Holy One, righteous in all his ways, and his judgments, however severe, are just and not arbitrary, so that even where we cannot fully understand his ways, we can hold to his justice and trust that he does right.

Lord, as the book of Revelation shows the outpouring of your judgments, a voice interrupts the scene not to question your justice but to affirm it. You are righteous, who are and who were, O Holy One, the angel of the waters declares, because you have judged these things. Even amid severe judgments, the response of heaven is not protest but the acknowledgment that your judgments are righteous and true. You are just; your judgments, however severe, are not arbitrary or cruel but righteous, the acts of the Holy One who judges rightly. Heaven affirms your judgments as just, even witnessing their severity. Show me the affirmation heaven makes even amid severe judgment: you are righteous, O Holy One, because you have judged these things. The response to your judgments is not protest or accusation but the acknowledgment of their justice. You are the Holy One, righteous in all your ways; your judgments, however severe, are just, not arbitrary. This does not make the judgments any less sobering; but it holds firm that you are just in them. I may not always understand the severity, but I can hold to the justice: you are righteous, and your judgments are just. Take that to my heart, for you are just, and your judgments are righteous, even where they are severe. I can be tempted to question your justice when your judgments are severe or hard to understand; but heaven, witnessing even severe judgments, affirms that you are righteous. You are just in all you do. There is rest in trusting your justice even where your ways are hard. Keep me from questioning your justice when your judgments are severe; help me affirm with heaven that you are righteous, Lord, the Holy One who judges rightly, and trust that you do right even where I cannot fully fathom your ways.