Is it any wonder that the Book of Revelation of John the Divine
uses imagery that is militaristic and violent in order to describe the
return of Jesus and the end of this fallen world? Since the world
deals in fear, the Lord tells them what they should really
fear.
But the Word of God also tells us that there is no fear in love and
that perfect love casts out fear (John 4:16-21). How much better it
would be if we simply learned to live in love, which would counter the
bullies and warmongers of this world. Then there would be no wrath of
God to fear.
We can only conclude that we humans bring fear and its consequences
down upon ourselves, since for thousands of years God has shown us what
He wants from us (Micah 6:8):
8. He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD
require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk
humbly with thy God?
~ King James Version
Revelation 19:13-16
13. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name
is called The Word of God.
14. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white
horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
15. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he
should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron:
and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty
God.
[The “sharp sword” is the Word of God that the Lord uses to convict
the hard-of-heart of this world.]
16. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written,
KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
~ King James Version
1 John 4:16-21
16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God
is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
17. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in
the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
18. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear:
because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in
love.
19. We love him, because he first loved us.
20. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar:
for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love
God whom he hath not seen?
21. And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God
love his brother also.
~ King James Version
But our love cannot stop with our fellow human beings. How can we say
that we love God if we abuse and destroy the rest of His creation and
the other animals that He created before Adam and Eve?
