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Day 363, or December the 29th. Forgiveness is

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bigger than judgment. Our thoughts today come

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from Revelation chapter 16, verse 1. Then I heard

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a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven

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angels, Go and pour out the seven bowls of God's

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wrath on the earth. First, the big picture surrounding

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this verse. John makes another mention of 144

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,000 before explaining the seven bowls of judgment.

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A further use of such a big number, the twelve

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tribes of Israel multiplied by another twelve.

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This confirms the enormous number who will ultimately

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get to heaven. I find it really encouraging,

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don't you? Also, whenever the Bible uses the

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number seven, it implies total and complete.

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like the number of days in the week, and the

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water pots used in the miracle of water being

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changed into wine by Jesus at the wedding in

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Cana of Galilee. Remember, there were six pots

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of water, but when Jesus is added to them, it

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increases the number to seven, and it is symbolically

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completed and produces wine. Interestingly, when

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a Jew is converted to Christ, they are often

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referred to as a completed Jew, rather than a

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Christian. And now today's action step. Our verse

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today sounds a real hellfire and damnation text,

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doesn't it? Whenever the wrath of God is mentioned,

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we rightly think of God's total enmity and rejection

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of sin, but not the sinner. Even though there

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are seven judgment bowls to remind us that judgment

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will be complete, remember we can escape the

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punishment simply by repenting and accepting

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God's pardon. On the cross, Jesus cried, My God,

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why have you forsaken me? When God turned his

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face away, he was not rejecting Jesus, but the

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sin he was bearing for you and me. The world

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often misunderstands when a believer shows love

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and compassion to someone who has done something

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really wicked and hurtful. They are not condoning

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the sin, but giving reassurance that God still

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loves the sinner. The Lord's Prayer tells us,

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Forgive us as we forgive others. So forgive others

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for your own good.