How evil will we become before Jesus returns? The Bible says our thoughts are only evil all the time. And it sounds bad. And yet, it’s generic. But when we get right down to the kinds of evil we perpetrate and even pass laws to allow them to continue, I can’t help but wonder. Just how evil do we have to get before Jesus returns to earth. Not as our means of salvation. Instead, quite the opposite. As our final judge and conqueror.
I feel like we’re really at the point where we embrace the adjacent image. Evil is cute. As long as evil is on our side, working for Christianity. (Huh?)
We embrace the reaper, as long as he’s not coming for us.
We are more than willing to hug evil, when the evil is going to be done to our enemies.
And he is kind of cute, isn’t he?
But then, wasn’t Satan handsome?
And don’t we just love our AR-15s and other assault weapons? Oh. Sorry. I guess I’m supposed to say sporting devices? Or some other nondescript euphemism that doesn’t let on the reality that we love our guns more than other people’s children?
How evil must we become before Jesus returns?
The title question is How evil will we become before Jesus returns? However, let’s first look at How evil must we become before Jesus returns?
Sadly, we must become quite evil. I say that because of something we read in the Bible. As you read the passage below, remember, this is from Revelation. We really don’t know if it’s to be taken literally, symbolically, or a combination of the two. So, rather than try to imagine what everything could possibly signify, pay attention to people’s (our) reactions to what’s happening.
The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath
Rev 16:1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.”
Here’s the background for what we’re about to read.
REVELATION 15
John reaches back into the Old Testament to teach us about God’s judgment and grace. The seven angels have bowls of wrath, plagues to pour on a wicked world. They remind us of the plagues God sent to Egypt in the days of Moses (Exod. 7–12). Note in chapter 16 how the plagues parallel those God sent to Egypt.
God delivered Israel from Egypt, and they sang a song of victory at the Red Sea (Exod. 15). John saw the tribulation victors singing by the heavenly sea of glass. Moses and the Lamb come together in the song of triumph.
The heavenly tabernacle is filled with smoke, just as the glory of God filled both the tabernacle (Exod. 40:34–38) and the temple (1 Kings 8:10–11). But the glory then was a mark of God’s presence and blessing. The glory John saw was an announcement that God’s wrath was about to be poured out on a wicked world.
Sinners will not learn from the past, but believers can be encouraged by the past. The God of Moses and Israel is still defending His people. There is a new song for you to sing. 1Wiersbe, W. W. (1991). With the Word Bible Commentary (Re 15:1). Thomas Nelson.
For those who believe God forced Pharaoh to respond as he did, please check out God, The Father – Friend or Foe? A look at Pharaoh.
The first bowl. Note, the Greek word bowl in the original text means vial, bowl, deep saucer, etc. Is it a vial of something that would spread across the globe quickly? Or a symbol? We don’t know. And, as I mentioned, we also shouldn’t really spend a lot of time on it. If any. The point is, the result of however this first “bowl” is delivered, the results are almost certainly real.
Rev 16:2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly and painful sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his image.
If you’re not aware, the mark of the beast is something given to those who deny God and worship “the beast”. Assuming Jesus raptured His true followers before this first bowl is poured out, the only people left on earth will be those who have denied God, and those who haven’t yet decided.
I often make references to “sitting on the fence” when it comes to deciding how we feel about God. The true believers alive at this time will be saved from the events in Revelation. Those who renounce God will not. Significantly, those who are on the fence, haven’t decided, will also experience these horrific events.
So how can there be people who aren’t affected by the sores? The only way is if some of the “fence-sitters”, the undecided, do turn to God after the rapture of the true believers and before the first bowl is poured out.
The second bowl. Everything in the seas dies.
Rev 16:3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died.
Imagine. No saltwater fish. No seaweed. The smell of decay across the oceans from all this death. The same smell at all the beaches. Everything that requires anything from the sea can no longer be produced. No food. No other products that use anything, directly or indirectly, from the ocean.
The third bowl. No fresh water.
Rev 16:4 The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood.
As if what happened to the oceans wasn’t bad enough, now there’s no fresh water. No rivers. And no water springs coming from the ground. All of it has turned to blood. Undrinkable. Unable to support life.
A message about God about judgment.
5 Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say:
“You are just in these judgments,
you who are and who were, the Holy One,
because you have so judged;
Rev 16:6 for they have shed the blood of your saints and prophets,
and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve.” 7 And I heard the altar respond:
“Yes, Lord God Almighty,
true and just are your judgments.”
Heaven knows the judgments from God are true. Just. And deserved.
But what about the people on earth? We’ll find out soon.
The fourth bowl. The sun gets hotter and scorches people.
Rev 16:8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was given power to scorch people with fire. 9 They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.
Yes, the people know this is from God. But they won’t acknowledge it. Honestly, I believe the Bible indicates that those who took the mark of the beast are beyond being saved. They never will acknowledge God as their God. Therefore, they cannot repent. And therefore, they can never avoid anything else that’s coming.
If you checked out the previously mentioned article on Pharaoh, you know why. If you haven’t read it yet, and don’t understand what’s going on, may I suggest it again? It’s God, The Father – Friend or Foe? A look at Pharaoh.
The fifth bowl. The kingdom of the beast goes dark.
Rev 16:10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. Men gnawed their tongues in agony 11 and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.
Total darkness. People still have their painful sores. And now the agony of all these bowls has reached the point where they are gnawing their tongues. It sounds like they need to make their own pain, in order to try to avoid the pain from God.
It seems all the more to be the case, when we read they curse God. They refuse to turn to God and repent. And if they have the mark of the beast, they never will. They won’t allow themselves to do so.
The sixth bowl. The Euphrates River dries up, so more grief can come upon the people.
Rev 16:12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East.
Miraculous sign, but not from God.
13 Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty.
Preparations for the final battle.
Jesus speaks. A reminder of something He said during His ministry on earth.
Rev 16:15 “Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed.”
This verse, and everything we’re read so far, should remind us of a passage from the Gospels. Here it is.
The Day and Hour Unknown – Matthew
Mt 24:36 “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
Mt 24:42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
Mt 24:45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47 I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Armageddon. The final battle.
Rev 16:16 Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
The seventh bowl. … and they still cursed God.
Rev 16:17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since man has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. 19 The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. 21 From the sky huge hailstones of about a hundred pounds each fell upon men. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.
All that. And still, people cursed God.
How evil will we become before Jesus returns?
Well, Jesus hasn’t returned yet. So we can conclude that it’s not yet the time when Jesus said He would return. Or when all of this would begin.
How do we know this? Because Jesus told us certain things. Not everything. But what we, true believers, need to know.
The Throne in Heaven
Rev 4:1 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. 6 Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,
who was, and is, and is to come.”
Rev 4:9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
Rev 4:11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being.”
Yes, lots more that may be reality, or may be symbolism. But, here’s the key.
Jesus said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”
Remember, we read about the seven bowls. But we must realize, the seven bowls were the end of all the things that were foretold in Revelation. Jesus’ statement was the beginning of it. There’s a whole lot of stuff that happened in between.
Awful stuff.
And just think about this. We have Christians, too many of us, who love our guns. Automatic or semiautomatic pistols. Assault weapons. Guns with large stocks to hold more ammunition. And we claim they’re used for “sport”.
Did you know, the parents of the children killed in Uvalde had to give DNA samples? DNA samples! Blood. I thought it was something for Texas to keep track of Hispanic parents and kids. You know, maybe some were here illegally? Their DNA is in databases where it can be searched for criminal activity? I mean, I don’t remember ever hearing about DNA being taken in predominantly white schools.
Then I found out why they took the DNA samples. They needed them. Not wanted, but truly needed. It was the only way they could identify some of the children who had been shot. More accurately, it sounds like they needed the DNA to identify body parts, so they could try to get all the major pieces of each child together for funerals.
Some were decapitated, according to a doctor at the hospital the children were taken to. Other were literally shot into pieces. One child was initially identified only by her green sneakers.
And we, including Christians, claim we need those weapons of sport.
Just how sick and depraved are we that we must have something like these weapons? And I don’t even care what reason we have! What in God’s name, since we Christians call on God, do we need them for? What can we not give up if it will save the lives of children like this? What must we continue to do with these weapons that require children to be traumatized for the rest of their lives? What is that important?
How evil will we become before Jesus returns?
We claim to be the best country in the world. Exceptional, even. Too many Christians support the people who refuse to get rid of these weapons. Who refuse to even try to get rid of them. And too many Christians actually want these weapons for themselves.
And in spite of this, Jesus hasn’t returned yet.
Do Christians remember the rich young ruler?
The Rich Ruler – Luke
18:18-30 pp — Mt 19:16-29; Mk 10:17-30
Lk 18:18 A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Lk 18:19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’’”
Lk 18:21 “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.
Lk 18:22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
Lk 18:23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. 24 Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
Lk 18:26 Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”
Lk 18:27 Jesus replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”
Lk 18:28 Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!”
Lk 18:29 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30 will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.”
In this example, Jesus told the young ruler:
You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.
I’ve always said, this isn’t about money, per se. It’s about the thing that gets in the way of us following Jesus.
And in our case for today’s topic, I can’t help but wonder, would Jesus tell us,
You still lack one thing. Turn in your weapons, give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.
Conclusion – How evil will we become before Jesus returns?
Obviously, we are going to get even more evil than we already are. And there’s no doubt, it will happen. We will get worse. We know this.
And yet, we also don’t know when. We don’t know, does it have to be as soon as it feels like we deserve it to be?
Or, can we do something that will delay it? In other words, can we save the lives of more people right now? Can we save the souls of more people right now?
If we choose not to, then, I believe, we are thumbing our nose at Jesus. His people, Christians, are telling Him, my gun is more important than children’s lives. My gun is more important than the lives of the poor and underprivileged that tend to be killed with these weapons. Essentially, my gun is more important than what You told me to do as one of Your followers.
Jesus, my gun is more important than you!
Is this really what Christians want to be known for, here on earth and in Heaven?
Are Christians about guns? Or are we about love?
As Jesus told us, we cannot serve both. We must choose one.
Please, choose wisely.
Your soul and the lives and souls of so many others depend on the choices made by every one of us.
Image by GraphicMama-team from Pixabay
Footnotes
- 1Wiersbe, W. W. (1991). With the Word Bible Commentary (Re 15:1). Thomas Nelson.