"God is angry with the wicked every day. If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready. He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors" (Ps. 7:11-13). "The wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: loveth righteousness" (Ps. 11:5-7). "He hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained" (Acts 17:31). "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Heb. 9:27).
I wonder how we would conduct ourselves if we really believed that there is a day coming in which almighty God will judge the world for sin. I know that eternal punishment is a matter of doctrinal orthodoxy. We say we believe it. We fight to defend it. Churches and denominations split over it. But I do not know many folks who really believe it. I wonder how I would act if I really believed this world is headed for judgment. I wonder how I would act if I really believed that the people to whom I preach must soon meet a holy, just and angry God to give an account for sin. I wonder how you would act if you really believed your sons and daughters, husbands, wives, mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, friends, and neighbors are sinners in the hands of an angry God, who must and will punish sin. We don't really believe that, do we? If we did, we would do something about it. We would weep our hearts out, warn with earnestness, pray with fervency and devote ourselves and everything at our disposal to the one awesome business of preaching the gospel of Christ to perishing sinners.
Spirit of God fall upon this preacher and this congregation with heavenly power and convince us tonight that God must and will punish sin. Break our hard hearts. Convince saints and sinners alike that there is a day appointed in which all men shall stand before God in judgment.
I want us to read Revelation 19:1-6. Try to picture the scene John has described. Judgment has come. The wicked have been cast into hell. And the saints of God are singing and shouting the praises of God with joy because of his true and righteous judgmemts upon the wicked. What an awesome scene! As eternity commences, the saints of God in heaven are rejoicing and praising God for the damnation of the wicked. Tonight I am going to try to talk to you about a subject that is too big for me, but one that needs to be realized. This is the title of my message: Divine Judgment: A Subject For Heavenly Praise.
Proposition:This passage of Holy Scripture declares this fact most plainly: The eternal torments of the damned will be a subject of eternal praise among the redeemed.
Divisions:This song is sung by a great multitude in heaven. It is the same multitude we have seen throughout this book before the throne of God. It is the whole Church of God's elect in heaven (18:20; 19:1-4).
A. This is that Elect Multitude who sing the praises of God for his great salvation – the 144,000 sealed ones (7:3-4, 9-10).
B. These are the men and women who have been Redeemed By The Blood of The Lamb, out of every kindred, tongue, people and nation on the earth, who praise God for his distinguishing grace in Christ (5:9-10).
C. These are The Blessed Dead who die in the Lord, having kept the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus (14:3-8, 12-13).
D. This is that great multitude which has lived and died in every generation for the Word of God and The Testimony of His Grace (6:9-11).
But now the day of retribution has come and these chosen, redeemed, saved, glorified souls are singing over the very souls of the damned for whom they once prayed and labored anxiously, with loving hearts!
The word "Alleluia" means "Praise, Jehovah!" So the theme of this song is the praise of the Lord our God for all that he is and all that he does.
A. "Alleluia" Is An Expression Of Great Joy.It appears that the saints in heaven never got weary of their heavenly employment. Again and again they sing, "Alleluia!" "Amen!" "Alleluia!" "Praise the Lord!" It is the great joy of God's saints in heaven to praise God for his wonderful works.
B. This World, "Alleluia," Is Also An Expression Of Admiration And Wonder.
Every glorious view of Christ, every act of his hand, every word of his mouth, every revelation of his character, every display of his majesty, greatness, power and glory causes the souls of the redeemed to burst out with another song of praise, saying, "Alleluia!"
What is the event that here causes God's saints to burst out in joyful praise? Here God's saints are shouting, singing and rejoicing over the fall of antichrist, Babylon, all false religion. Babylon is the mixing of everything together, stirring it well, and calling it Christianity. It is the religion of the world. If sin is damning its thousands, religion today is damning its tens of thousands. But one of these days God is going to get around to judging this thing called "religion," which has corrupted the earth with her fornication and persecuted his saints in every age. In our text, God has finally caught up with religion. And after antichrist, Babylon, and all the promoters and followers of free-will, works religion are cast into hell, God is still on his throne. The saints are happy about that, and shout "Amen! Alleluia!" The world will mourn forever over Babylon's fall. But the saints of God will rejoice forever over her fall, for them God will have "avenged the blood of his servants at her hand."
This song of praise to Christ is a song about the eternal ruin of rebel sinners. It is about the torments of the damned in hell. Here God's saints are singing, and singing with joy, because of the damnation of men and women who refused to bow to and trust the Lord Jesus Christ. Surely, the fact that this song is recorded upon the pages of inspiration is meant to be a special means of instruction. Here is an awesome fact: When the wicked are damned the saints will sing. What are we to learn from this fact?
A. There Is An Appointed Day of Judgment When God Will Judge All Men By The Man Christ Jesus (Acts 17:31; II Cor. 5:10-11).
The first message of the cross is this: A holy, righteous, and just God must punish sin. God's law must be honored. His righteousness must be vindicated. And the Judge who will execute wrath upon guilty sinners is that one who was made to be sin and died in the place of sinners, Jesus Christ our Lord (John 5:22).
B. There Is A Place of Eternal Torment, Where Every Rebel And Unbeliever Shall Suffer The Wrath of God (Luke 16:23).
I don't know what hell is or where hell is. But hell is real, more real than anyone has ever imagined. Hell is a place of endless pain, agony and torment, where men and women forever suffer the just and righteous retribution of God's holy wrath.
C. The Judgment of The Wicked And The Eternal Torments of The Damned Will Take Place In The Sight of The Redeemed – (Matt. 25:31-46; Lk.13:28; 16:22; Isa. 66:23-24; Rev. 14:10).
Hell will be within the very sight of heaven! The wicked will be cast into hell before the eyes of the redeemed! In that awesome day pastors and congregations will stand face to face before the bar of God and witness one another's condemnation or acquittal of their children. Children shall stand to witness the condemnation or acquittal of their parents. Husbands and wives shall witness one another's condemnation or acquittal. And it will be no matter of grief to the righteous to see the wicked condemned. Our tears will be over. Our sorrows will be past. We will see them condemned. We will see the terror on their faces. We will hear their screams and cries of agony. Yet, we will not shed a tear. (Rev. 21:4). Indeed, we will give our vote that you be condemned. And when you are cast into hell, we will shout "Amen! Alleluia!" (Ps. 91:7-8).
D. The Judgment of God Upon The Wicked, So Far From Causing Grief Among The Saints, Will Be A Matter of Everlasting Joy To The Redeemed – (18-20).
Judgment will be a matter of endless praise in heaven. We will sing and shout "Hallelujah!" And the smoke of their torments, rising up forever, shall be cause for endless praise to our God (Ex. 14:30-15:1).
V. Why Will God's Elect Sing His Praises When The Wicked Are Damned?
A. There Are Only Two Ways In Which Fallen Men Can Be Useful To God.
God has made all things for himself, for the glory of his name. And you will serve the cause of his glory. You will glorify the God of heaven.
B. If You Refuse To Trust Christ And Be Saved By God's Free Grace In Him, You Must Be Damned To The Praise of His Glory.
We will praise God forever for the damnation of the Wicked, because by their eternal ruin wicked men will forever glorify God.
1. The damnation of the wicked will glorify the justice of God.
2. The ruin of the wicked will glorify the majesty of God.
3. The torments of the damned will glorify the power of God.
4. And the eternal ruin of the wicked in hell will be an eternal reminder to the saints of the saints of the debt we owe to God for his matchless grace.
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