Why Lord? 

 Why did those Galileans suffer and die in such a manner? 

 We do not read in that text where this question was verbally asked of Jesus by those in attendance, but that seems to be the question He answers there in Luke 13:1-5. 

 “Do you suppose these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered such things?” (2) 

 I don’t know how you read this…but if Jesus’s question ended there, then we have a completely different conversation to discuss. 

 But it did not end there as He goes on – “I tell you. No…but unless you repent you will all….likewise perish.” (3) 

 That word ‘perish’ comes from a Greek word which means to ‘destroy fully, either figuratively or literally.’ It is also akin to the same word used in 1 Cor. 10:9-10 where Paul was recounting how the Israelites were ‘destroyed by serpents’ and ‘destroyed by the Destroyer’ back in the wilderness for their sinful and rebellious actions. 

 Anyone care to guess who the ‘Destroyer’ actually is? And regarding this discourse by Paul there in that 10th chapter of 1 Cor., what does he follow up with there in the very next verse? 

 “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” (11). 

 Paul is not threatening anyone here; on the contrary, Paul is warning them…as well as us today. 

 I don’t know how many of you actually go follow up when I suggest you ‘look up a passage later, or when you have time’, so I would like to steer your attention now to Revelation 9:1-11. 

 Don’t be distracted with trying to figure out ‘timelines’ and such here and just read that passage for context. We read there how a ‘bottomless pit’ is opened and all these ‘locusts’ are release which brings darkness on the earth. (1-3). We are told these ‘locust’ have ‘power as the scorpions on the earth have power’ and are sent out to ‘torment’ those who did not have the ‘seal of God on their forehead’. As you read further down, we are told these locust ‘had tails like scorpions’ and they were not given ‘authority to kill men, just torment them’. 

 Now go read vs. 11 and see who their king or leader is. His name is ‘Apollyon’ which is the word meaning ‘the Destroying one’. 

 For those of you who are (hopefully) taking notes, what did Jesus tell us in John 10:10 that the ‘thief’ came to do? He stated that the thief came to ‘steal, kill and destroy’. He also clarified His reason for coming and it was that we ‘might have life, and it more abundantly.’ But IF…you truly want this life, you have to ‘come to Him’ with all your heart. (John 5:39-40) 

 You might also note this use of language by Jesus in Luke 10:17-20 where Jesus was discussing ‘demons being subject to them’ with His disciples. He likens them to ‘serpents and scorpions’ and that they have ‘power’. But the good news there is Jesus gives greater power to …His disciples so they might ‘tread upon them’. 

 If you are looking for God to unleash a bunch of locusts and scorpions to carry out his wrath and judgments, you are looking for the wrong thing and I will just tell you that now. We are talking about armies of demons and the powers of darkness that are already here doing what they do…killing and destroying. 

 Now let me connect a few more dots if I may. Do you remember from our look back to Job 1-2 the other day where the ‘hedge came down’ on Job and Satan was given ‘permission’ by God to advance on him…with limits? God had him on a leash, we might say. He did not give the devil license to kill Job, only to afflict his body that led to …torment. I can’t review all that now but I made the case that Job could very well be a ‘type of Christ’ who endured undeserved suffering for our benefit. 

 Now quick trip to Matt. 18 where Jesus relayed the lesson on forgiving others and explained that when we, who have been forgiven of a great debt by our King/Master, and then we choose not to extend the same love and mercy to others who sin against us, not only are we called ‘wicked servants’, but we are handed over to who?…’tormentors’ ? (33-35). Jesus again speaking quite candidly explains this is exactly what His heavenly Father will do to us…hand us over to the tormentors or torturers. I hope you realize by now we are not talking about snakes and scorpions or even jailers wearing black leather mask or hoods. 

 Let me just speak plainly here with scripture to support what I am saying. This world we make a temporary home on, is inhabited by demons/devils/powers of darkness. They were cast down here long ago and I would be presumptuous to toss out ‘numbers’ but there is no shortage of them. (Rev. 12:7-12). These powers of darkness control/influence the whole world. (1 John 5:19; Eph. 2:1-3; Acts 26:18). Peter tells us to be vigilant because they go about seeking to devour. (1 Pet. 5:8). These ‘angels of destruction’ are…the ‘wrath of God’ (Ps. 78:49-50) and it is the ‘wrath of God’ that Jesus came to ‘save us’ from. (Rom. 5:9). These angels of destruction are the ones who carry out the curses that we read there in Deut. 28. 

 God promised His people back in the wilderness that that He would protect them from an enemy that was stronger than them IF….they would simply obey Him and keep His word/commandments. Today, it is no different. Those who abide in Him (or are ‘in the ark) need not fear the ‘flood’ that beats against our foundations. (Matt. 7:24-27). We know the ‘enemy comes in like a flood’ and Jesus warned of these ‘floods’ coming in the last days that would destroy all who were not ‘in the ark’. John tells us that “we know whoever is born of God does not sin and the wicked one does not touch him”. (1 John 5:18) And Paul reminds us that it is NOT ‘flesh and blood’ that we contend with”, rather ‘forces of spiritual darkness’ (demons) there in Eph. 6:12. 

 So back to where we began in Luke 13. 

 Jesus wants to make it known that we would be presumptuous to conclude that when we hear of these tragedies and suffering coming on people in this world that they were somehow ‘worse sinners’ than everyone else. We ALL were sinners and we were ALL under the wrath of God. (John 3:36). That is what Jesus came to save us from…as I already stated. (Rom. 5:9) 

 Then He tells those listening/reading…that unless we ‘repent’, we will ALL …likewise….perish (be destroyed). 

 And if that was not clear enough for us to grasp, look what Jesus goes on to say there in vs. 4. He brings up another known tragedy that occurred. Some tower in Siloam must have collapsed and it killed 18 people and who knows how many were injured or marred? Jesus uses that as an example once more to ask the same question and then answer it: 

"Do you think they who were killed were worst sinners than all those men who dwelt in Jerusalem?” 

 And once again…His response: “I tell you, no, but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. (be destroyed) (Luke 13:5) 

 Jesus was not threatening anyone here. He was warning them, and us, that unless we ‘get in the ark’, we too, will be swept away by the ‘flood’ and destroyed. 

 The part about all this that just disturbs me is the blindness that scripture seems to suggest will be on people to the extent they won’t even know what is happening to them until it is too late. (Dan. 12; Matt. 24:38-39) 

 I know….this all sounds so dark and disturbing and so…negative. Who really wants to hear about all this? Most church crowds sure don’t. This sounds so radical and if there was any truth to this, why, you’d be hearing about it in your own church, right? So we just keep on like they did in the days of Noah…eating and drinking and giving in marriage. ( I had to wonder if a more modern version might have used ‘enjoying potlucks and pickleball’.) 

 Meanwhile…back on the farm….God’s people are being ‘destroyed for a lack of knowledge’. (Hosea 4:6). Since that is an OT passage, the word ‘destroyed’ came from a Hebrew word that means…to ‘perish’. 

 There will be more…tomorrow.