Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Greetings, dear people.

I need to make tracks as I’m slated to apply graphics to a big rig truck tractor at 11am. There’s a lot of preparation work to do. I’ve arranged to use a shop where I can work out of the weather. It’s presently cold and raining lightly.

Becki will be off soon to deliver Ray and Lorna Wilson (her sister) to the airport as they are heading south to California for the holidays. She’ll do some other errands on that run. Thano will probably do more firewood splitting with his new machine before going to his afternoon shift at Safeway.

Blessings on your day.

Love, Dad/Ray.

It’s like we are allowed to be spectators of a huge theatrical production. The opening of the six seals are like six scenes in an unfolding global drama. The players are representative of the spiritual super-powers behind the scenes of world affairs. And the frail wimpy worldlings are finally brought to that recognition—that they are simply not as much in control of the world as they had thought they were.

I am reminded anew that THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER of this end-times drama is also THE EXECUTIVE SCREEN WRITER AND DIRECTOR. He is the Sovereign Super-Power Who initiates this series of ugly events. Notice that the four living creatures before The Throne function like stage hands who call forth the main players for each of the first four scenes. Each player is told, “Come!” In other words, “You’re on! It’s time! This is your spot!” Notice too that there is a kind of violent death quota to be filled as determined by the PRODUCER/DIRECTOR as mankind acts out the natural consequence of their rebellion against The Most High—“Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed” (6:11).

There is in our midst a lot of careless use of the phrase, “God’s unconditional love.” Of course I understand how the phrase is intended, but the final scene in this chapter confirms to me that His love is anything but unconditional in a technical sense. “They called to the mountains and the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come and who can stand?’” (vv. 16-17). Did you hear that? “Wrath of the Lamb?” (Don’t miss the point that the “Lion” of 5:5 is the same as the “Lamb” of 5:6.) To be sure, the exclusive boundaries for GOD’S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE are only IN CHRIST—seeking Him, believing in Him, receiving Him, and living to please Him.

Stay in His love. And stay out of His wrath—you won’t like it!