The Cup of God's Indignation
By H. A. St. John
THE same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation." Rev. 14:10. "Indignation" expresses the displeasure of God against sin. By one man, Adam, sin entered into the world, and has been increasing in volume and violence ever since. Hence God has ever held the cup of indignation in His hand. Adam and Eve took their first drink from that cup when they lost their beautiful robes of light. Their next drink was their expulsion from their beautiful Paradise home. Then from the same cup came the curse on all things with which they had to do. And this curse will grow heavier and heavier, until it shall have devoured the earth, with all sin and sinners, in the lake of fire, which is the second death.311 But from the very gates of Paradise the plan of salvation has existed. And to all men probation is given, and pardon and salvation are offered on condition of repentance and obedience. Hence it is that from the beginning, God's displeasure for sin has been mixed with mercy. And so the psalmist declares: "In the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and He poureth out of the same." Ps. 75:8. We may plainly see this manifestation of forbearance and mercy toward all men, in the dealings of God toward a rebellious race. Although wicked men and seducers wax worse and worse, God is still long-suffering, because some are seeking pardon and salvation. But the dregs of the cup will soon be reached, and in them there is no mixture. When the seven last plagues are poured into that cup, there will be no more mercy, no more pardon. There will be from that time wrath only, without any mixture. Hear the word of the Lord: "The dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them." Ps. 75:8. At the end of the one thousand years of Satan's bondage in the bottomless pit, will come the second resurrection. All the wicked of the earth will then stand before the great white throne, hear their sentence, and then drink the last dregs from the cup of indignation in the hands of the Lord. And we are glad to know that our merciful and loving heavenly Father, throughout eternity, will never have occasion to hold such a cup again.