The Great Day of God's Wrath
Pastor Tan Thai · Jul 12, 2020
This sermon expounds on the great day of God's wrath based on Revelation 6:12-17, describing the terrifying cosmic disasters that will occur before the second coming of Jesus Christ. Every social class — from kings to slaves — will be unable to escape that wrath. The sermon calls listeners to believe in and receive the Lamb while there is still time and opportunity.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, July 12, 2020, taking its theme from Revelation 6:17 — "For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" The pastor begins by explaining the structure of the book of Revelation, with its constant alternation between scenes on earth and scenes in heaven, demonstrating that human history unfolds under the sovereignty of God and not by chance or human design.
The pastor carefully distinguishes between two concepts: "the last days" — referring to the period from Christ's first coming until His return, the current age of the Church — and "the great day of God's wrath" — a brief but utterly terrifying period immediately before the Second Coming, described by the Old Testament prophets through images of cosmic upheaval in Joel, Ezekiel, Haggai, and Isaiah. The sermon draws detailed comparisons between the signs in Revelation 6 and Jesus' teaching in the Olivet Discourse recorded in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21.
The pastor uses scientific data on the destructive power of volcanoes and earthquakes to illustrate that no matter how advanced science becomes, humanity cannot control nature. From this he raises the question of why people fear the wrath of human beings and nuclear nations more than the terrifying wrath of God. The sermon also connects to the social context of America in 2020 — protests, riots, and leaders more afraid of losing public approval than of fearing God.
The central theological point is that on the great day of wrath, no social distinction will carry any value. Kings, generals, billionaires, and slaves alike will hide in caves and beg the mountains to fall on them to escape the face of the One on the throne. No power, wealth, or weapon can protect them. The pastor emphasizes that hell itself is the complete absence of God, drawing from 1 Thessalonians 1:9.
The sermon concludes with an urgent call to believe in and receive the Lamb while there is still opportunity. Today the Lamb remains the symbol of love and forgiveness — the One who died for humanity's sins and patiently waits for every lost sheep to return. But that waiting period will end, just as the door of Noah's ark was shut. The pastor quotes 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 to remind listeners that now is the acceptable time and now is the day of salvation.