Weekly Devotion: God's Cup of Wrath

“The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation…” Revelation 14:10

How dreadful to consider being one of those mentioned in Revelation 14:9-11 who will one day partake of the “wrath of God”! Prophetically, this “cup of his indignation” or cup of wrath, represents a coming day when the whorish woman of Revelation 16 - 18 will be repaid double (Revelation 18:6) for the blood of the saints which she has shed (Revelation 16:6, 17:6, 18:24).

For the lost though, God’s cup of wrath represents the eternal torment of being separated from God in the lake of fire (Colossians 3:6). Consider now Christ’s prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, on the night he was betrayed.

“And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Matthew 26:39.

Jesus is asking His Father that if there is any other way to redeem man’s sin other than becoming sin, I’d rather do that, but if not, I’ll partake of your “cup” of wrath so that mankind does not have to! Jesus Christ became sin, “who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus drank my “portion” of God’s “cup” of wrath, so that God could become my “portion” and my “cup”!

“The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.” Psalm 16:5

This is the concept that the Psalmist spoke of in Psalm 23:5 when he said, “…my cup runneth over.” The word “pass” in Christ’s prayer is significant too because Christ had just celebrated the Passover meal with his disciples with new wine from a “cup”. So this story reflects back to the day when Israel was released from bondage in Egypt by the blood of the lamb being applied to the doorposts of each house. This event in Israel’s history is called the Passover in reference to the night when the destroyer angel “passed” “over” (Exodus 12:27) each house with blood on it.

By receiving Jesus Christ’s (the Lamb of God – John 1:29) blood sacrifice for our sins, our house too will be passed over when God’s wrath is dispensed. These truths resound so much more clear now when we read Paul’s comments to the believers at Thessalonica.

”For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.” 1 Thessalonians 5:9, 10

As we are upon the time of year that we reflect on Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, why not “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith…” (2 Corinthians 13:5), and “…give diligence to make your calling and election sure…” (2 Peter 1:10). Have you been saved from the “wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10)? If not, by faith right now in the blood of Jesus Christ, receive eternal life through heart belief and mouth confession, before the “day of wrath” (Job 21:30) comes upon you.