And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. (Revelation 19:1-4, KJV)
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! The righteous in all of creation rejoice. The war begun in heaven before the foundations of the world is about to draw to its close. Those corrupt combinations of politics, economics, and false religion that have tormented mankind throughout history are destroyed. Christ comes again; not as a helpless babe in a stable, but as a warrior in conquering red, crowned as the true king of heaven and earth. That false prince, the man of darkness, who would claim to be the king of this world, is about to be chained, disempowered, and imprisoned. What a glorious day!
But what is this? God rejoicing that His fallen children are destroyed? The righteous jeering at their fallen brothers and sisters? I don't think so. I believe the rejoicing is because of the final victory of good over evil; the final end to the misery and suffering on the earth. Corrupt organizations and evil combinations destroyed so that men's souls will be purchased for a price no more. But as to individuals? I believe that God weeps. Mercy cannot rob justice. Man has his agency. Individuals have multiple opportunities to repent and come unto Christ. If they continue to choose otherwise, then judgment must fall or God would cease to be God. (Alma 42:5) And I believe God weeps.
Something similar happened before the world was destroyed in the great flood. The prophet, Enoch, in a vision, sees God weeping. Enoch is amazed that a perfect being would weep. After all, these people who will die are wicked. But God answers Enoch thus:
And it came to pass that the God of heaven looked upon the residue of the people, and he wept; and Enoch bore record of it, saying: How is it that the heavens weep, and shed forth their tears as the rain upon the mountains? And Enoch said unto the Lord: How is it that thou canst weep, seeing thou art holy, and from all eternity to all eternity? The Lord said unto Enoch: Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge, in the day I created them; and in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency; And unto thy brethren have I said, and also given commandment, that they should love one another, and that they should choose me, their Father; but behold, they are without affection, and they hate their own blood; But behold, their sins shall be upon the heads of their fathers; Satan shall be their father, and misery shall be their doom; and the whole heavens shall weep over them, even all the workmanship of mine hands; wherefore should not the heavens weep, seeing these shall suffer? Wherefore, for this shall the heavens weep, yea, and all the workmanship of mine hands. (Moses 7: 28-29, 32-33, 37, 40; Pearl of Great Price)
So before the great and terrible day of the Lord, I need to make sure where my loyalties lie; but I also need to reach out in love and compassion to my brothers and sisters - those who struggle; those who doubt; those who have made choices in their lives contrary to God's will and don't know how to come back. There is a way back. Christ loves you. He wants you to be His. He wants you to be happy. He wants you to be prepared for His wedding feast. And you can be. Alleluia!
Text copyright Gebara Education March 2013
Both pictures are from multiple sources on the web
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