Just got home last night from our youth and college winter retreat. We were supposed to go to Big Bear to ski and board but all the freeways going up to Big Bear were closed. So we resorted to plan B—a local hotel. We had a blast as we studied the Word of God in the Executive Room at the Residence Inn. We also traveled up to Frazier Park and had a great day of sledding down some of the hills and played a great game of football in about 6 inches of snow. God truly blessed us with a great weekend. No injuries. No problems. No stoning the preacher. It all worked out well. Our theme for the weekend was God, Sex, and Purity. One of the things I was reminded of was how high (and necessary!) the calling is to preach and live out what you preach. God truly is good and I am thankful, yet again, for the clarity and power of God’s Word. The sermons are up and available to listen and/or download.
Does the Bible really say that the righteous will rejoice at God's vengeance upon the wicked? Yes, it does. First of all, the Bible no where advocates or condones people rejoicing over the downfall of the enemy because of personal vengeance . All vengeance must be left to the LORD (Deut 32 and Rom 12). Nevertheless, when the Christian has a God-centered perspective, it is absolutely reasonable—yes, required—that believers rejoice at the destruction of the wicked. (Again, this is not personal vengeance or gloating that the wicked are finally cast into hell.) But in my sermon last night I provided seven reasons why the righteous will rejoice at the judgment of the wicked: 1. God commands it (Rev 19:1-10) In a mysterious way, God commands believers to rejoice because His judgments are poured out upon the wicked. Just read Revelation 19:1 (which immediately follows Rev 17-18 and the cataclysmic destruction of Babylon, the false religious system and the false political system durin