Scripture Reading: Revelation 16:1-11

The Nature of the Human Heart

Revelation 16 contains the third, and last, series of divine judgments on the population of the earth during the coming day of tribulation. It is a description of the seven bowl judgments. God is declared to be just because He has poured out His wrath on the wicked. "Just are you, O Holy One . . . for you have brought these judgments . . . Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments" (Rev 16:5,6).

The overwhelming response of the people of the earth to these frightful, awesome acts of God will be to curse Him ... and the statement is repeated three times in this chapter (Rev 16:9,11,21). "People . . . cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds" (Rev 16:11).

The Bible clearly reveals to us what the natural human heart does with the truth about God and why it responds as it does. Given clear information about God in creation, the human heart suppresses the truth. "For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God" (Rom 1:18,21). This is the response of every sinful human heart before conversion.

The reason for this suppression of the truth is a love for sin. ". . . people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil" (Jn 3:19). It is only the grace and power of God which can free the heart from its natural affection for the darkness of sin.