Connect Revelation 16:5 to other scriptures about God's righteousness and justice. The Angel’s Voice in the Bowl Judgments “ And I heard the angel of the waters say: ‘Righteous are You, O Holy One, who is and was, because You have brought these judgments.’ ” (Revelation 16:5) The Unchanging Character Behind the Verdicts • Exodus 15:11 – “Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You—majestic in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders?” • Deuteronomy 32:4 – “He is the Rock; His work is perfect, for all His ways are justice. A God of faithfulness without injustice; righteous and upright is He.” • Malachi 3:6 – “Because I, the LORD, do not change, you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed.” • Hebrews 13:8 – “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” What the angel proclaims is anchored in God’s unchanging nature: He has always judged rightly and always will. Holiness and Justice—Two Sides of One Reality • Isaiah 6:3 – “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory.” • Psalm 99:3-4 – “Let them praise Your great and awesome name—He is holy. The mighty King loves justice. You have established fairness; You have exercised justice and righteousness in Jacob.” • Revelation 4:8 – “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” Because God is holy, His judgments are never arbitrary; they arise from flawless moral purity. Past Acts That Echo the Angel’s Words • Genesis 6-7 – The flood: global judgment that “wiped out every living thing on the face of the earth” (7:23). • Genesis 18:25 – Abraham’s plea: “Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?” • Exodus 7-12 – The plagues: “So that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God” (8:10). Each account reminds us that Revelation 16:5 is not a new theme; it is a culmination. Justice and Mercy Converge at the Cross • Romans 3:25-26 – God set forth Christ “to demonstrate His righteousness… so that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” • 2 Corinthians 5:21 – “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” • 1 Peter 3:18 – “Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” Even in wrath, God provides a righteous means of rescue. The Future Resonance of the Angel’s Declaration • Revelation 19:1-2 – “His judgments are true and just.” • 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 – “It is only right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you.” • Acts 17:31 – “He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed.” • Psalm 9:7-8 – “He judges the world with justice; He governs the peoples with equity.” Revelation 16:5 previews the final settlement of every wrong, assuring believers that the Holy One will finish what He began. Living in Light of a Righteous Judge • Confidence: His judgments are never mistaken. • Humility: The same holiness that condemns sin drove Jesus to bear sin for us. • Urgency: The bowls of wrath will one day be poured; now is the time to proclaim the gospel of grace. |
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