Bowls of Wrath

Scripture:
Revelation 16:1-10 (ESV)

Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”

So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.

The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea.

The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. 

And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say,

“Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was,
   for you brought these judgments.

For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets,
    and you have given them blood to drink.
It is what they deserve!”

And I heard the altar saying,

“Yes, Lord God the Almighty,

    true and just are your judgments!”

The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.

The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.

Devotional:

Bible Gateway’s website has the heading Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath.  As I read these wraths I thought to myself why.  Not why did God pour out His wrath.  He is fully justified in doing so.  Nothing in mankind deserves anything less.  Every single one of us has sin in our lives.  We sin against other men and women.  We sin against loved ones and family members.  Most importantly we sin against God.  Not one person is righteous.  We cannot become righteous in our merit, deeds, or power.

Because of the sin in our lives we are able to be in the presence of God.  Isaiah 64:6 (ESV) states:

We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.  We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

The fact is we deserve God’s wrath.  However, what I don’t understand is why people would choose to face God’s wrath when he has provided a way out.  We are all made clean and righteous through Jesus.  He died for us so that we can have a restored relationship with God and himself.

What is your choice?  What about your friends and family?  What choice have they made?  The bottom line is that we do not have to face or endure God’s wrath.  He has provided a way out.