Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Prepared Hearts

Do you Have a Reservation?

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2012-02-15

Synopsis: Pastor John Weaver uses the concept of reservations to illustrate that God has appointed irrevocable reservations for both the wicked and the righteous. Drawing from Nahum 1, he explains that God reserves wrath for His enemies, while He reserves an inheritance in heaven for those who trust in Him. The resurrection of Jesus Christ guarantees both the judgment of the wicked and the eternal hope of the saints.

[John Weaver] All right, well let's open our Bibles today to the book of Nahum. Nahum chapter 1. Nahum is one of the minor prophets. It's right after the book of Micah and right before the book of Habakkuk. So it's Micah, Nahum, and Habakkuk. Minor prophets. And notice, if you would, chapter 1, and we're going to read the first three verses, and you're going to see, just for a moment, why I'm going to be dealing with these verses today, and showing you an awful lot of other verses in the same line.

[John Weaver] The title of the message is, Do You Have a Reservation? Of course, I guess I could title it, Where is Your Reservation? You will understand that question a little bit later. But look in Nahum chapter one, verse one, the burden of Nineveh, the book of the vision of Nahum, the Elkishite. God is jealous and the Lord revenged. The Lord revenged and is furious. The Lord take the vengeance on his adversaries and he reserved wrath for his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power and will not at all equip the wicked. The Lord had his way in the whirlwind and in the storm.

[John Weaver] and the clouds or the dust of his feet. Most of us have been asked as we have entered in the lobby of a hotel, do you have a reservation? Often if we say no, we sometimes get a room regardless. However, I've been in some motels and hotels where it's absolutely necessary to have a reservation. And when I was asked that question, do you have a reservation? I very happily answered, well, yes, I do. And while I was able to get the room that I had reserved, I saw others at the same time turned away because the motel was literally booked full. Now, if you don't believe that there are sometimes you need a reservation, you try getting a room in Augusta, Georgia during the Masters Tournament. Or you try getting a room in a motel in Athens, Georgia at the graduation of the University of Georgia. you're going to find there's not a room to be absolutely available anywhere. So very obviously there are times that you really do need a reservation. And sometimes Alice and I, thankfully not often, but we have driven all night long getting home simply because we could not get a room anywhere we stopped.

[John Weaver] Everything was booked solid. The same thing is true of many restaurants. You have to have a reservation to eat there. Some of them are very high class. Some of them are very expensive. If you don't have a reservation, the obvious truth is you certainly will not dine there that night. Some of them are booked weeks and months in advance as well. I'm telling you this because I want you to understand that reservations are important. Each of us undoubtedly have made reservations in our lives and then canceled them. And the reason we canceled those reservations was simply because our plans changed.

[John Weaver] And I found it necessary to do that a number of times. However, according to the Word of God, there are some reservations that have been made that you and I cannot cancel, will not cancel, and we will keep those reservations whether we want to do it or not. It's just absolutely imperative that we keep those reservations. Well, what are some of them? Just by way of introduction, first of all, each one of us has a reservation with death. The Bible says in Hebrews 9 in verse 27, and it's appointed unto men once to die, and after that the judgment. So very obviously, you and I know that we're going to die. No one is going to deny that truth. The Bible says in the book of Job 7 in verse 1, and ask this question, Is there not an appointed time for man upon the earth?

[John Weaver] Are not his days like a hurling? Obviously, there is an appointed time for man upon the earth. God determined the day of our birth and God determines the day of our death. In Job 14 verse 5, the Bible says concerning man, seeing His days are determined, listen carefully, the number of His months are with thee. Thou hast appointed His bounds that He cannot pass. So God has decreed for our lives just like He did the sea, hitherto shalt thou come and no further. So we have a reservation with death.

[John Weaver] In fact, if you will hold, Nahum, but look in your Bibles to Psalm 49, and I want you to note how imperative it is that we're going to keep this reservation. In Psalm 49, and let's begin reading there with verse 6. And look what the Bible says, Psalm 49 and verse 6. The Bible says, They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother, or give to God a ransom for him.

[John Weaver] For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it seeth forever. Watch that he should still live forever and not see corruption." The richest man in the world is going to die, and all of his money, all of his wealth, all of his power, all of his prestige will avail him absolutely nothing. So, humanly speaking and theologically speaking, It is impossible to cancel our reservations with death and judgment. They will stand. Those reservations shall be there and we will keep them whether we want to or not or whether we are ready or not. Now, it has probably never occurred to most people that there are some reservations that have been made for them and they're going to keep them whether they want to or not. Because those reservations have been made by the sovereign God of heaven and earth. And it is impossible to change them. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter 17.

[John Weaver] Just setting this up for you. Look in Acts chapter 17 and let's begin reading there with verse 30. Acts 17 verse 30. And this verse is going to be important even as we close today. Acts chapter 17. And notice if you would, verses 30 and 31. Look what God says. Acts 17, verse 30. At the times of this ignorance, God winked at. But now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. Now stop right there just for a moment. And now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. So let's ask a question. Why does God command all men everywhere to repent? Well, here's the answer. Look in verse 31. Because he, God, hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man, that is Christ, whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, and that he hath raised him from the dead. Now this passage teaches us that there is a specific day, there's a specific act, there's a specific judge, there's a specific ordination, And there is a specific assurance.

[John Weaver] God says, just as surely as He's raised Jesus Christ from the dead, there is going to be a judgment. Now, look back to Acts chapter 10, if you would. Acts chapter 10, verse 42. Acts 10, and notice if you would, verse 42. Here the Bible says this, And He, that is God, the Apostle says, And He commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is He, that is Jesus Christ, who was ordained of God to be the judge of the quick and the dead. The word quick just means the living. So it is Jesus Christ who's going to be the judge of the living and the dead. That is why in John 5 and verses 22 and 23, listen carefully, the scripture says, for the Father judges no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. Why? That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son, honoreth not the Father who hath sent him. Now notice what the Bible said.

[John Weaver] The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son. So our Lord Jesus Christ is going to be the sovereign judge.

[John Weaver] Now, if you will look in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 1, and remember if you would please, The Bible tells you in Acts 17 that we just read that God has given assurance unto all men in that he raised him from the dead. Now look in Romans 1 if you would please at verses 3 and 4. The Bible says concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord. who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection of the dead. So it is the resurrection of the dead that pointed out and singled out Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Now what is God saying? God said, I've given you assurance in that I've raised him from the dead.

[John Weaver] There is going to be a judgment. There's going to be a time. There's going to be a specific act. In other words, there have been made reservations. It is going to happen. You've got to remember, there are only two kinds of people in the world, saved and lost, or covenant keepers and covenant breakers. It's that simple. And there are two different sets of reservations. I want you to look back in the book of Nahum chapter 1 at verses 2 and 3. I want you to consider that which has been reserved for the wicked. I want you to consider that which has been reserved for the wicked. Look in verse 2.

[John Weaver] The Bible says God is jealous and the Lord revengeth. The Lord revengeth and is furious. Watch. The Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and will not at all equip the wicked. The Lord hath his way, and the world went into the storm, and the clouds were the dust of his feet. Now go back to verse 2, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

[John Weaver] Two truths are very obvious in this text. First, God does have enemies. That is a horrific thought in one sense of the word. Can you imagine that the sovereign, holy, righteous, majestic, pure, gracious, loving, kind, God of all the earth has enemies? And he does. He not only has enemies, he has plenty of enemies. He has powerful enemies. He has enemies who hate and despise Him. Some do so secretly, some openly. Yet the amazing thing is God knows exactly who they are. One of my favorite passages is found in 2 Timothy 2, verse 19.

[John Weaver] Listen carefully to what I'm about to quote. The Bible says there, listen carefully, Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are His. and let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." Now listen, the opposite is also true. Not only does the Lord knows those who are His, He also knows those who are not His. So He does have enemies. And you remember our Lord said it very plainly in Matthew chapter 12 and verse 30, He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not scattereth abroad. I want you to hold the book of Nahum, but turn in your Bibles, if you would, to Psalm 21 very quickly.

[John Weaver] In fact, we'll look at a couple passages. Just showing you God's enemies. God does have enemies. Look in Psalm 21, if you would, in verse 8. In fact, some time ago, I preached, I think, a two-part message on this passage. But notice what the Bible says very clearly, very distinctly. Psalm 21, verse 8. Look what the Bible says concerning God. Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies. Thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee. Wow! Not only is God going to discover all of His enemies, He's going to discover those who hate Him. And if you would turn right over to Psalm 68 and look at verse 1. Psalm 68 in verse 1. This is another wonderful passage. In fact, we can read several verses. But notice he says in Psalm 68 verse 1, let God arise, let His enemies be scattered, let them also that hate Him flee before Him.

[John Weaver] As the smoke is driven away, so drive them away. As wax melted before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. Note, let God arise, let His enemies be scattered, let them also that hate Him flee before Him. So the very first verse or the very first truth that we learn from Nahum 1 and verse 2 is that God does have enemies. The second truth we learn from Nahum 1 and verse 2 is this, that God reserveth wrath for His enemies.

[John Weaver] You know the Bible says in Exodus 34 and verse 7, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting upon the iniquity of the fathers, upon the children, upon the children's children, unto the third and fourth generation. But notice the Bible says that God will by no means clear the guilty.

[John Weaver] Now, we're in the book of Psalms, so I want you to turn to Psalm 37. I want to show you some things about this reserve wrath and how God's going to discover His enemies. Look in Psalm 37 and verse 20. Psalm 37 and verse 20. It's interesting. Psalm 37 verse 20, But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs, They shall consume into smoke, they shall consume away. Now, I want you to keep this verse in mind. The enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs. Do you remember what I told you about the fat of lambs?

[John Weaver] It was always the cheapest part of the sacrifice. It was always given to God. So He says they shall perish. They shall be consumed as the fat of lambs. Look in Psalm 68 in verse 21, Psalm 68 in verse 21, we're still talking about how God reserves wrath for his enemies. In Psalm 68 in verse 21, the Bible says, but God shall wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such as one that goeth on still in his trespasses. God shall wound the head of his enemies. A head wound is a fatal wound. God says if you still persist in your transgressions and in your rebellion, you shall die. It's kind of like in Luke chapter 19 in verse 27, you don't have to turn there.

[John Weaver] But when the nobleman returns, who of course is a picture of Jesus Christ, he says, But those mine enemies, which not that I should reign over them, bring hither and slay them before me." Wow.

[John Weaver] Now I want to point out what the word reserved means. The Bible says the Lord reserveth wrath for his enemies. And that's the point that I want to develop. Because the word reserved actually means to keep, to reserve, to maintain, and to guard so God then guards his wrath he reserves it he maintains it he keeps it for his enemies in Job 21 in verse 30 let me just read it that the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction and they shall be brought forth in the day of wrath what did he say the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction.

[John Weaver] Now, let me tell you what at least two of the greatest fantasies of the wicked are. I want you to go ahead and turn to Psalm 10. I'll show it to you from the scripture. Here are the two greatest fantasies, and it is a fantasy. It is not truth. It is not reality. It is a fantasy. But look in Psalm 10 and verse 11. Here's the first fantasy. Here's what the wicked saith.

[John Weaver] He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten. He hideth his face. He will never see it. So the first fantasy is that God forgets our sin or that somehow God doesn't see our sin and our rebellion. God is just a blind old man up in heaven somewhere, you know, according to the wicked. Ah, yeah. God doesn't see this. That's why most sins are committed at night. They think night is somehow shielding them from the eyes of the sovereign God of heaven and earth. So, the first fantasy is God doesn't see it.

[John Weaver] Skip down, if you would, please, to verse 13. Wherefore doth the wicked condemn God, who hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it? In other words, here's the second fantasy. Even if God does see it, He's not going to do anything. He's not going to bring me to judgment. He's not going to really, really throw me into hell fire. No, no, no. God's not going to judge me. He might judge somebody else, but somehow I'm going to escape. I'm going to get by. Well, look if you would at verse 14. Here's what the scripture says to answer that concerning God. God, thou hast seen it. For thou beholdest mischief and spite. Now look what God will do to requite it with thy hand.

[John Weaver] The poor committed himself unto thee, thou art the helper of the fatherless. What is God going to do? He's going to requite it with His hand. Skip down to verse 15. Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man. Seek out his wickedness till thou find none. Very obviously, God does see, God does know, and God is going to judge. Let's think about something. Because I mentioned earlier that not only does God have enemies, He has great enemies. He has powerful enemies. You think about the elite, quote unquote, who believe they own the world, run the world, and everything and everybody in it. The elite who decree that, you know, we've got too many people in the world, so we need to have a population reduction.

[John Weaver] And so we'll just poison the water. We'll poison the food. We'll do this. We'll do that. We'll kill off 10 or 20, 30, 40 million. You know, I want you to stop and think with me just for a moment. What could possess someone with such power and such authority that somehow they're going to be safe and secure with their money and with their power and their authority? I want you to turn to Psalm 73. I want you to see what ASAP says, and this pretty well explains the attitude of the wicked elite. Notice Psalm 73, and let's begin reading there with verse 3. ASAP is describing the wicked, and ASAP is, in fact, we can read verse 2. Here's what the godly man said in verse 2. He said, But as for me, my feet were almost gone, my steps had well and I slipped. Why? For I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. The words ASAP, a godly man was suffering and was doing without and he looked around and here are all of these wicked and they are prospering beyond imagination.

[John Weaver] So he begins to describe them. He says in verse 4, For there are no bands in their death, But their strength is firm. They're not in trouble as other men. Neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride compasses them about as a chain. Violence covers them as a garment. Now look what he says. Their eyes stand out with fatness. They have more than their heart could wish.

[John Weaver] They are corrupt and speak wickedly. Concerning oppression, they speak loftily.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to watch how brazen they are. They set their mouth against the heavens and their tongue walking through the earth. Therefore, as people return hither and waters of the full cup are wrung out to them. And they say, how does God know? And is there knowledge in the most high? Behold, these are young godly who prosper in the world. They increase in riches.

[John Weaver] Now you just stop and think with me momentarily. about the families in this world that have the billions. And seemingly they don't go through what we go through. They don't suffer what we suffer. And what does he say? Pride compassed them as a chain. Violence covered them as a garment. They don't mind killing folks. He says, their eyes stand out with fatness they have more than their heart could possibly wish.

[John Weaver] The Puritans had a favorite saying several hundred years ago. We have forgotten it. But here's what the Puritans often said, God oftentimes curses his enemies with riches. You say, how can that be a curse? Because they trust in their riches instead of the God who gave the riches. In fact, there are so many scriptures about trusting in riches. Let me just quote some of them. Here's Proverbs 11 and verse 28. The Bible says, he that trusted in his riches shall fall.

[John Weaver] but the righteous shall flourish as a branch. And then in Proverbs 11 in verse four, richest profit, not in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivered from death. Now if riches profit, not in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivered from death. Had you rather be rich or righteous? I don't know about you, but I'll take righteous. I'll take righteous any day. In Psalm 52 and verse 7, talking about Doeg, the Edomite, Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches. In 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse 17, here's what the Apostle Paul said, Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. What did he say? Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not first of all, high minded, arrogant, proud, heady, nor that they trust in uncertain riches, but they must learn to trust in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.

[John Weaver] Here is what the wicked do not understand. They do not understand that their preservation in time is but a reservation for the wrath to come. Let me say that again. The wicked do not understand that their preservation in time is but a reservation for the wrath to come. Now watch this. We're still in Psalm 73. Look back in Psalm 73. Asap said in verse 12, Behold, these are the ungodly who prosper in the world. They increase in riches.

[John Weaver] And then he says, Verily, I've cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued and chasing every morning. In other words, he's suffering. If I say I will thus speak, behold, I should offend against the generation of my people.

[John Weaver] Now, he said, when I thought to know this, it was too painful for me. I couldn't stand it. Here I am trying to be holy and right, and I'm suffering and doing without, and here's the wicked reprobates. And they have plenty. Their eyes stand out with fatness. They have more than their heart could, which I can't understand this." He said, I thought, you know what? It was too painful for me. Watch verse 17.

[John Weaver] Until, until I went into the sanctuary of God, then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places, Thou casteth them down into destruction how they brought into desolation as in a moment they're utterly consumed with terrors as a dream when one awakeneth so Lord when thou awakenest thou shalt despise their image Wow their preservation for a time is just a reservation under wrath I want you to go back to Psalm 37 I told you I wanted you to remember that verse. Look in Psalm 37 and verse 20, and I'm going to ask you to turn to a couple more verses in light of this. Do you realize that the preservation of the wicked for a time is just a reservation under wrath Here's the word I'm going to use or the phrase or the term. Their preservation is time is nothing more than a fattening of them into the slaughter. Psalm 37 verse 20, but the wicked shall perish and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs.

[John Weaver] They shall consume in the smoke shall they consume away. What do you do? You fatten the lamb, you fatten the calf for the slaughter. Look in your Bibles to Isaiah 65 and verse 12. Isaiah 65 and verse 12. Isaiah 65 verse 12. It cannot be spoken any more plainly than this. Isaiah 65 verse 12. Therefore will I number you to the sword, and you shall all bow down to the slaughter.

[John Weaver] Because when I called, you did not answer. When I spake, you did not hear. But did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not." What did God say? I'll number you to the sword, you shall all bow down to the slaughter. Their preservation in time is nothing more than a reservation to God's wrath. In fact, in Zechariah 11 and verse 4, don't turn there, but in Zechariah 11 and verse 4, the Word of God says this, Thus saith the Lord my God, feed the flock of the slaughter. Fatten them up.

[John Weaver] There will be a sacrifice. If you will turn in your Bibles to James 5 and look in verse 5, you'll see the same basic truth. James 5 and verse 5. Hebrews, James. Look what God says. In fact, you can just see. In fact, let's begin reading with verse 1. Here's this whole concept. James 5 verse 1. Go to now you rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Notice he's talking about the rich, the corrupted rich. Your riches are corrupted and your garments are moth-eaten.

[John Weaver] Your gold and silver is cankered. And the rest of them shall be a witness against you. And you shall eat your flesh as it were fire. You have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is you kept back by a fraud, crieth. And the cries of them which you have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of the Sabbath.

[John Weaver] You have lived in pleasure on the earth and been wanton. You have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter." What? You've nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter? What does that mean? You've fattened yourself up for the killing time. That's what you've done. That's exactly what he's saying. There is a reservation for the wicked. By the way, God has given us example after example in the Bible of what I would call cursed reservations. God's cursed reservations are far more horrifying than the Bates Motel, I can assure you.

[John Weaver] And I don't know anything about horror movies. I don't watch them, but I remember the Bates Motel was some kind of horror movie. Look in your Bibles. I want you to turn to 2 Peter. You're right close to it. Look in 2 Peter 2 and verse 4. I'm just trying to show you some examples of some cursed reservations. 2 Peter 2 verse 4. Look what God says. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment." To be reserved unto judgment. There's a reservation. Look in 2 Peter 2 verse 17.

[John Weaver] He's talking about the wicked now. He says, these are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest, to whom the midst of darkness is reserved forever. That's a reservation. If you would turn right on over, or turn back, it is, to the book of Jude. Alright, I guess it's over, right before Revelation, the book of Jude. Look in Jude 1 and verse 6, we're talking about examples of Cursed reservations, Jude 1 verse 6. He says that the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he is reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, under the judgment of the great day. Look in verse 13. Raging waves of the sea foaming out their own shame, wandering stars to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just point something out. It is impossible to either teach, explain, express, or comprehend all that God has in store for the wicked. But I can assure you of one thing. I do not desire to be reserved unto darkness or reserved unto everlasting chains of judgment. or to be reserved unto wrath? The wicked will discover the truth of Hebrews 10 and verse 31. It is a fearful thing to fall in the hands of a living God. If you go back to that little book of Nahum that I asked you to mark, I want you to note verse 8. Nahum 1 verse 8. But with an overrunning flood, he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies." With an overrunning flood. Here's a picture of how God is going to fall upon the wicked. With an overrunning flood. Can you imagine just for a moment, the Hoover Dam breaking? You remember reading about the Johnstown flood in Johnstown, Pennsylvania?

[John Weaver] How the people went to bed safe and sound and sleeping, and when that dam broke, I don't know how many people were drowned. It washed away practically the whole town. Have you ever tried to outrun a flood of water? It's impossible. It's like trying to outrun an avalanche. It's like trying to outrun the debris and ash from a volcano. It's impossible. It's like trying to outrun the tsunami that comes at 600 miles an hour. And God says, with an overflowing flood, am I going to come and sweep you away into judgment?

[John Weaver] In Jude chapter 1 verse 7, Look at it. Just turn there. I can quote it, but I want you to see it. Here's an example, another example. A little book of Jude right before Revelation. Jude 1 verse 7. Here it is. Even as Solomon and Gomorrah and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh, are sent forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Now watch, Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. My question is this, how many of those people in Sodom and Gomorrah and how many of those villages, Zeboiim and Ada, how many of those people escaped? Not one. Not one. Lot and his two daughters got out, but that was before God set the fire and brimstone. They were consumed. It was instantaneous. It was like an overflowing flood. That was it. And God says, what I've done is this. I've preserved the wicked for the day of slaughter.

[John Weaver] There's a reservation. You say, come on, God's not like that. Yes, He is. Look in your Bibles to the book of Proverbs, chapter 16. Proverbs 16. God is absolutely holy. But may I remind you, it is true that God is loving and kind, but it is also equally true that God is just. And the Bible tells you this very plainly. Ah, it's Proverbs 16. Let's see what verse I want. Yes, verse 4. Proverbs 16, verse 4.

[John Weaver] The Lord hath made all things for Himself, yea, even the wicked, for the day of evil. The Lord hath made all things for Himself, yea, even the wicked, for the day of evil. Have you ever stopped to think that just as the righteous will praise the grace and the mercy of God, the unrighteous in their judgment and destruction will praise the holiness and the justice of God.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to go back to Nahum chapter one and look in verse six. What did God say with an overflowing flood? He's going to fall upon them. And look at the questions asked in verse 6 of Nahum 1. Who can stand before his indignation? And who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? His fury is poured out like fire and the rocks are thrown down by him.

[John Weaver] It should be a very serious and sober thought for the wicked to entertain the fact and to realize They have a reservation unto God's eternal wrath and judgment. And their preservation in time and history is just a reservation unto His wrath. Just the very thought should be enough to make men fall upon their knees and beg for mercy. What did Isaiah say in Isaiah 55? What did he tell the wicked? Turn you from your wicked ways. Seek the Lord. Seek the Lord while he may be found. Turn you from your wicked ways. Repent. Very obviously, Isaiah is saying, you better cry out for mercy while you can. Because when the wrath of God falls upon you like an overflowing flood, and like the fire and brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorrah, it's over with. There's no escaping. I want to read to you just one paragraph.

[John Weaver] from Jonathan Edwards sermon on sinners in the hands of an angry God. Listen to what Jonathan Edwards said in that sermon. There is no want or lack of power in God to cast wicked men into hell at any moment. Men's hands cannot be strong when God rises up. The strongest have no power to resist him, nor can any deliver out of his hands. He is not only able to cast wicked men into hell, but he can most easily do it.

[John Weaver] Sometimes an earthly prince meets with a great deal of difficulty to subdue a rebel who has found means to fortify himself and has made himself strong by numbers of his followers. But it is not so with God. There is no fortress that is any defense from the power of God. Though hand join in hand and vast multitudes of God's enemies combine and associate themselves, they're easily broken into pieces. There is great heaps of light chaff before the whirlwind or large quantities of dry stubble before devouring flames.

[John Weaver] We find it easy to tread on and crush a worm that we see crawling on the earth, so it is easy for us to cut out or singe a slender thread that anything hangs by. Thus is it easy for God, when He pleases, to cast His enemies down into hell. What are we that we should think to stand before Him, at whose rebuke the earth trembles, and before whom the rocks are thrown down?" So he asked, who can stand before His indignation?

[John Weaver] Who can abide the fierceness of His wrath? No one. Not the richest, not the most powerful, Not the most wicked, none can. That's why the Bible says in 2 Peter 2 and verse 9, now listen carefully, The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished. There is a reservation for the wicked.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to look back to Nahum chapter 1. Because not only is there a reservation for the wicked, there's also a reservation for the righteous. I want you to consider that which is reserved for the righteous. Look in verse 7. In the midst of God talking about everything that is reserved for the wicked, in verse 7 He says, The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knoweth them that trust in Him. So those that trust in the Lord, those who have repented of their sins, those who have kneeled and submitted to the Lord Jesus Christ, those whose lives have been brought into obedience to His Word also have a reservation.

[John Weaver] In fact, let me go further. I could say in the very broadest sense of the word, yea, we are a reservation. Now I'll explain that. We are a reservation. I can say thankfully there is indeed a remnant according to the election of grace. If you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 11, and I want you to hold this passage just momentarily, Romans chapter 11, and I want you to notice what the Apostle Paul says in verse 5. Romans 11 and verse 5. In fact, let me go back just Look at verse 2 just for a moment God had not cast away his people which he foreknew what or know you not what the scripture said of Elias or Elijah I Make an intercession to God against Israel saying Lord They've killed by prophets and dig down

[John Weaver] thine altars and I am left alone. They seek my life now watch verse 5 He says even so then at this present time. Also, there's a remnant according to the election of grace.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just give you the history. Don't turn there. But you remember during the time of Elijah, and you'll find it in 2 Kings, or 1 Kings, especially verses 18 and 19, what I'm talking about, where Ahab and Jezebel were on the throne, two of the most wicked people that ever lived, and how they persecuted the people of God, how they murdered the prophets of God, and Obadiah hid a hundred of them in caves, fed them with bread and water, And Elijah now has gone to Mount Carmel. He is slain the prophets of Baal. He has come back and Jezebel sends him word and says, The gods do so to me and more so if your life is not like the life of those prophets by this time tomorrow. What did she say? I'm going to kill you just like you killed my prophets.

[John Weaver] So Elijah went and sat under a juniper tree and he said, Lord, it's enough. Take my life. Lord, they've killed all your prophets. They've killed all your people. Lord, just go ahead and kill me. Take my life. I might as well get it over with and get out of here. Watch, if you would, Romans 11 verse 3. Here's what Elijah said, Lord, Romans 11 verse 3, Lord, they have kill thy prophets and dig down thine altars and I am left alone and they seek my life. Lord you know just go ahead and take me.

[John Weaver] But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. God said I have a reservation. I have reserved some people You might think everybody is bowing down to the image of Baal and kissing his foot or kissing his ring, but they haven't. I have an election. I have a remnant according to the election of grace. In fact, if you will look in Romans 9 and verse 29, you may fuss and fume about this truth all you please, but it is still truth, and I might add it is God's truth, And the fact is, if God had not reserved to himself a people, he would not have a people. For Romans 9 in verse 29 tells us, the Apostle Paul says this very clearly.

[John Weaver] And as Isaiah said before, except the Lord of the Sabbath had left us a seed, we had been a Sodom and been made like to Gomorrah. In other words, if God had not reserved to himself a people, we'd all been destroyed. We are a reserved people. We are a reservation in and of ourselves. We've been reserved only by the grace of God. And by the way, I want you to note that this reservation includes pardon and forgiveness.

[John Weaver] Turn in your Bibles to the book of Jeremiah chapter 50. Jeremiah chapter 50. And I want you to look at verse 20. Jeremiah 50 and verse 20. Jeremiah 50 verse 20. Jeremiah 50 verse 20. In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none. And the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found, For I will pardon them whom I reserve." What? I will pardon them whom I reserve. Lord willing, I'm going to be teaching on some of this in the not too distant future. What is really and truly involved in the forgiveness of sins when our Lord redeems us. He says, he will pardon those whom he reserves.

[John Weaver] Now, if you want to know what the saints are indeed reserved unto and whether or not we have a reservation, we, we do have a reservation, although we are reservation in ourselves, but I do want you to turn to first Peter chapter one, first Peter chapter one. And look, if you would please beginning there with verse three. First Peter chapter one and verse three. Look what he says. First Peter one, verse three.

[John Weaver] Blessed be God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again into a lively or living hope. Watch this now by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you. Reserved in heaven for you. So our inheritance according to 1 Peter chapter 1 is reserved. It is incorruptible. It is really indefinable.

[John Weaver] And it is certainly unfadable. It will not fade. It will not rust. It will not wither. It will not disappear. But wait a minute. Did you get what I tried to emphasize unto you? Look at verse three again. Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Who according to his abundant mercy have begotten us again unto a lively or living hope. by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Hold on.

[John Weaver] Let me remind you of the passage I told you earlier you need to think on. Acts 17 verses 30 and 31. Now listen. At the times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. Why? Because He, God, hath ordained a day in which He will judge the world by righteousness, by that man whom He hath ordained, whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, and that He hath raised Him from the dead."

[John Weaver] Now, the resurrection of Jesus Christ guarantees the judgment of the wicked. But if you will notice, in verse 3, the resurrection of Jesus Christ also guarantees the inheritance of the saints. So just as surely as God raised Christ from the dead, just that surely God's going to judge the wicked. And just as surely as God raised Jesus Christ from the dead, there is an inheritance reserved in heaven for us that fadeth not away. It is impossible to do away with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Why? The resurrection of Jesus Christ is an objective historical fact.

[John Weaver] It is something outside of us. It's something that we had no control over. It's something that God the Father did. So unless you can overthrow the resurrection of Jesus Christ, you can't overthrow the day of judgment. And unless you can overthrow the resurrection of Jesus Christ, you can't overthrow the inheritance that is reserved in heaven for the saints of God. It is the resurrection of Jesus Christ that guarantees, absolutely, the judgment of the wicked, and the inheritance of the righteous. That's what the Bible says through the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 2 and verse 9, but as it is written, listen carefully, I have not seen, nor ear heard, neither entered in the heart of man the things which God hath prepared or even reserved for those that love him. Just like We cannot imagine the horrors of the wrath of God upon the wicked. We cannot even imagine the blessings and the mercies and the joys and the greatness of the inheritance of the saints of God. Our minds cannot understand either one of those.

[John Weaver] Now let me make just a couple of applications. The first one is this. The truth is that sinners and saints equally have reservations. They are just simply seated in different places, in different rooms, and in different tables. The saints are seated at the table of their Heavenly Father at the marriage supper of the Lamb. While the sinners are seated at the table of justice in the courtroom where Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the judge of all the earth will judge them. Now, I don't know about you, but I had rather be sitting at a table feasting than sitting in a courtroom waiting to be judged. These are reservations that have been made and they cannot be cancelled. The wicked cannot overthrow the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] And the righteous do not want to. Look in 1 Peter 1 in verse 3. Let me read it again. I'm going to give you one last quote. 1 Peter 1 in verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again into a lively or living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

[John Weaver] This comment is from Matthew Henry. Matthew Henry said on 1st Peter 1 in verse 3, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the ground or foundation of the Christians hope. The resurrection of Christ is the act of the father as a judge, of the son as a conqueror. His resurrection demonstrates that the Father accepts His death in full discharge of our ransom, that He is victorious over death and the grave and all our spiritual enemies. And it is also an assurance of our own resurrection. There being an inseparable union between Christ and His flock, they rise by virtue of resurrection as a head rather than by virtue of His power as a judge. We have risen with Christ From all this taken together, Christians have two firm and solid foundations for them to build their hope of eternal life.

[John Weaver] Now listen to what he said. We rise from the dead by virtue of His resurrection as our head. He is our head, we are the body. We rise in Christ to His blessing. But the wicked rise by the power of Christ as a judge. and they rise to condemnation. So maybe the question is really not, do you have a reservation? For you do. The correct question is, where will you be seated? Where is your reservation, at the marriage supper of the Lamb, or in the courtroom of the Judge. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee.

[John Weaver] We are so thankful for Your grace and mercy to us, Lord. We're so thankful, Lord, that You have seen fit by Your mercy and Your grace That there should be an election according to the remnant of grace and that you have reserved a people for yourself. And Lord, we're so thankful to be in that reservation. Help us Lord to be faithful in witnessing and testifying to others about the truth of the reservations that have been made by the sovereign God of heaven and earth.

[John Weaver] that everyone shall appear, and there shall be no cancellations. Give us grace, Lord, that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray, Amen.

Do You Have a Reservation?

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	tm5BO4LaYKI
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Prepared Hearts
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-02-15
Dictation Name
Book	Book 137: Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations - Volume 2 — Chapter 23
Source Timed Segments	76

Formatted Transcript

Introduction: The Importance of Reservations

Weaver opens with everyday examples of needing reservations for hotels and restaurants, then transitions to the biblical truth that God has made certain reservations that cannot be canceled.

All right, well let's open our Bibles today to the book of Nahum. Nahum chapter 1. Nahum is one of the minor prophets. It's right after the book of Micah and right before the book of Habakkuk. So it's Micah, Nahum, and Habakkuk. Minor prophets. And notice, if you would, chapter 1, and we're going to read the first three verses, and you're going to see, just for a moment, why I'm going to be dealing with these verses today, and showing you an awful lot of other verses in the same line.

The title of the message is, Do You Have a Reservation? Of course, I guess I could title it, Where is Your Reservation? You will understand that question a little bit later. But look in Nahum chapter one, verse one, the burden of Nineveh, the book of the vision of Nahum, the Elkoshite. God is jealous and the Lord revengeth. The Lord revengeth and is furious. The Lord taketh vengeance on his adversaries and he reserveth wrath for his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power and will not at all acquit the wicked. The Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm.

and the clouds are the dust of his feet. Most of us have been asked as we have entered in the lobby of a hotel, do you have a reservation? Often if we say no, we sometimes get a room regardless. However, I've been in some motels and hotels where it's absolutely necessary to have a reservation. And when I was asked that question, do you have a reservation? I very happily answered, well, yes, I do. And while I was able to get the room that I had reserved, I saw others at the same time turned away because the motel was literally booked full. Now, if you don't believe that there are sometimes you need a reservation, you try getting a room in Augusta, Georgia during the Masters Tournament. Or you try getting a room in a motel in Athens, Georgia at the graduation of the University of Georgia. you're going to find there's not a room to be absolutely available anywhere. So very obviously there are times that you really do need a reservation. And sometimes Alice and I, thankfully not often, but we have driven all night long getting home simply because we could not get a room anywhere we stopped.

Everything was booked solid. The same thing is true of many restaurants. You have to have a reservation to eat there. Some of them are very high class. Some of them are very expensive. If you don't have a reservation, the obvious truth is you certainly will not dine there that night. Some of them are booked weeks and months in advance as well. I'm telling you this because I want you to understand that reservations are important. Each of us undoubtedly have made reservations in our lives and then canceled them. And the reason we canceled those reservations was simply because our plans changed.

And I found it necessary to do that a number of times. However, according to the Word of God, there are some reservations that have been made that you and I cannot cancel, will not cancel, and we will keep those reservations whether we want to do it or not. It's just absolutely imperative that we keep those reservations. Well, what are some of them? Just by way of introduction, first of all, each one of us has a reservation with death. The Bible says in Hebrews 9 in verse 27, and it's appointed unto men once to die, and after that the judgment. So very obviously, you and I know that we're going to die. No one is going to deny that truth. The Bible says in the book of Job 7 in verse 1, and ask this question, Is there not an appointed time for man upon the earth?

The Reservation with Death

Every person has an appointed time to die, as stated in Hebrews 9:27 and Job 14:5. No amount of wealth can cancel this reservation.

Are not his days like a hireling? Obviously, there is an appointed time for man upon the earth. God determined the day of our birth and God determines the day of our death. In Job 14 verse 5, the Bible says concerning man, seeing His days are determined, listen carefully, the number of His months are with thee. Thou hast appointed His bounds that He cannot pass. So God has decreed for our lives just like He did the sea, hitherto shalt thou come and no further. So we have a reservation with death.

In fact, if you will hold, Nahum, but look in your Bibles to Psalm 49, and I want you to note how imperative it is that we're going to keep this reservation. In Psalm 49, and let's begin reading there with verse 6. And look what the Bible says, Psalm 49 and verse 6. The Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 49:6-9

They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother, or give to God a ransom for him. For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth forever. Watch that he should still live

forever and not see corruption." The richest man in the world is going to die, and all of his money, all of his wealth, all of his power, all of his prestige will avail him absolutely nothing. So, humanly speaking and theologically speaking, It is impossible to cancel our reservations with death and judgment. They will stand. Those reservations shall be there and we will keep them whether we want to or not or whether we are ready or not. Now, it has probably never occurred to most people that there are some reservations that have been made for them and they're going to keep them whether they want to or not. Because those reservations have been made by the sovereign God of heaven and earth. And it is impossible to change them. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter 17.

Just setting this up for you. Look in Acts chapter 17 and let's begin reading there with verse 30. Acts 17 verse 30. And this verse is going to be important even as we close today. Acts chapter 17. And notice if you would, verses 30 and 31. Look what God says. Acts 17, verse 30. At the times of this ignorance, God winked at. But now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. Now stop right there just for a moment. And now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. So let's ask a question. Why does God command all men everywhere to repent? Well, here's the answer. Look in verse 31. Because he, God, hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man, that is Christ, whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, and that he hath raised him from the dead. Now this passage teaches us that there is a specific day, there's a specific act, there's a specific judge, there's a specific ordination, And there is a specific assurance.

God's Appointed Day of Judgment

Acts 17:30-31 reveals that God has fixed a day for judging the world through Jesus Christ, whose resurrection serves as assurance.

For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth forever. Watch that he should still live forever and not see corruption." The richest man in the world is going to die, and all of his money, all of his wealth, all of his power, all of his prestige will avail him absolutely nothing. So, humanly speaking and theologically speaking, It is impossible to cancel our reservations with death and judgment. They will stand. Those reservations shall be there and we will keep them whether we want to or not or whether we are ready or not. Now, it has probably never occurred to most people that there are some reservations that have been made for them and they're going to keep them whether they want to or not. Because those reservations have been made by the sovereign God of heaven and earth. And it is impossible to change them. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter 17.

God says, just as surely as He's raised Jesus Christ from the dead, there is going to be a judgment. Now, look back to Acts chapter 10, if you would. Acts chapter 10, verse 42. Acts 10, and notice if you would, verse 42. Here the Bible says this, And He, that is God, the Apostle says, And He commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is He, that is Jesus Christ, who was ordained of God to be the judge of the quick and the dead. The word quick just means the living. So it is Jesus Christ who's going to be the judge of the living and the dead. That is why in John 5 and verses 22 and 23, listen carefully, the scripture says, for the Father judges no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. Why? That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son, honoreth not the Father who hath sent him. Now notice what the Bible said.

The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son. So our Lord Jesus Christ is going to be the sovereign judge. Now, if you will look in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 1, and remember if you would please, The Bible tells you in Acts 17 that we just read that God has given assurance unto all men in that he raised him from the dead. Now look in Romans 1 if you would please at verses 3 and 4. The Bible says concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord. who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection of the dead. So it is the resurrection of the dead that pointed out and singled out Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Now what is God saying? God said, I've given you assurance in that I've raised him from the dead.

God Reserves Wrath for His Enemies

Nahum 1:2-3 teaches that God has enemies and reserves wrath for them. The wicked are preserved only for the day of destruction.

There is going to be a judgment. There's going to be a time. There's going to be a specific act. In other words, there have been made reservations. It is going to happen. You've got to remember, there are only two kinds of people in the world, saved and lost, or covenant keepers and covenant breakers. It's that simple. And there are two different sets of reservations. I want you to look back in the book of Nahum chapter 1 at verses 2 and 3. I want you to consider that which has been reserved for the wicked. I want you to consider that which has been reserved for the wicked. Look in verse 2.

The Bible says God is jealous and the Lord revengeth. The Lord revengeth and is furious. Watch. The Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked. The Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. Now go back to verse 2, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

Two truths are very obvious in this text. First, God does have enemies. That is a horrific thought in one sense of the word. Can you imagine that the sovereign, holy, righteous, majestic, pure, gracious, loving, kind, God of all the earth has enemies? And he does. He not only has enemies, he has plenty of enemies. He has powerful enemies. He has enemies who hate and despise Him. Some do so secretly, some openly. Yet the amazing thing is God knows exactly who they are. One of my favorite passages is found in 2 Timothy 2, verse 19.

Listen carefully to what I'm about to quote. The Bible says there, listen carefully, Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are His. and let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Scripture Reading — Matthew 12:30

" Now listen, the opposite is also true. Not only does the Lord knows those who are His, He also knows those who are not His. So He does have enemies. And you remember our Lord said it very plainly in Matthew chapter 12 and verse 30, He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not scattereth abroad. I want you to hold the book of Nahum, but turn in your Bibles, if you would, to Psalm 21 very quickly. In fact, we'll look at a couple passages. Just showing you God's enemies. God does have enemies. Look in Psalm 21, if you would, in verse 8. In fact, some time ago, I preached, I think, a two-part message on this passage. But notice what the Bible says very clearly, very distinctly. Psalm 21, verse 8. Look what the Bible says concerning God. Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies. Thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee. Wow! Not only is God going to discover all of His enemies, He's going to discover those who hate Him. And if you would turn right over to Psalm 68 and look at verse 1. Psalm 68 in verse 1. This is another wonderful passage. In fact, we can read several verses. But notice he says in Psalm 68 verse 1, let God arise, let His enemies be scattered, let them also that hate Him flee before Him.

As the smoke is driven away, so drive them away. As wax melted before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. Note, let God arise, let His enemies be scattered, let them also that hate Him flee before Him. So the very first verse or the very first truth that we learn from Nahum 1 and verse 2 is that God does have enemies. The second truth we learn from Nahum 1 and verse 2 is this, that God reserveth wrath for His enemies. You know the Bible says in Exodus 34 and verse 7, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting upon the iniquity of the fathers, upon the children, upon the children's children, unto the third and fourth generation. But notice the Bible says that God will by no means clear the guilty.

Now, we're in the book of Psalms, so I want you to turn to Psalm 37. I want to show you some things about this reserve wrath and how God's going to discover His enemies. Look in Psalm 37 and verse 20. Psalm 37 and verse 20. It's interesting. Psalm 37 verse 20, But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs, They shall consume into smoke, they shall consume away. Now, I want you to keep this verse in mind. The enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs. Do you remember what I told you about the fat of lambs?

It was always the cheapest part of the sacrifice. It was always given to God. So He says they shall perish. They shall be consumed as the fat of lambs. Look in Psalm 68 in verse 21, Psalm 68 in verse 21, we're still talking about how God reserves wrath for his enemies. In Psalm 68 in verse 21, the Bible says, but God shall wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such as one that goeth on still in his trespasses. God shall wound the head of his enemies. A head wound is a fatal wound. God says if you still persist in your transgressions and in your rebellion, you shall die. It's kind of like in Luke chapter 19 in verse 27, you don't have to turn there.

But when the nobleman returns, who of course is a picture of Jesus Christ, he says, But those mine enemies, which not that I should reign over them, bring hither and slay them before me." Wow. Now I want to point out what the word reserved means. The Bible says the Lord reserveth wrath for his enemies. And that's the point that I want to develop. Because the word reserved actually means to keep, to reserve, to maintain, and to guard so God then guards his wrath he reserves it he maintains it he keeps it for his enemies in Job 21 in verse 30 let me just read it that the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction and they shall be brought forth in the day of wrath what did he say the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction.

The Fantasies of the Wicked

Psalm 10 shows that the wicked falsely believe God does not see their sin or will not judge it. In reality, God sees and will requite.

He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten. He hideth his face. He will never see it. So the first fantasy is that God forgets our sin or that somehow God doesn't see our sin and our rebellion. God is just a blind old man up in heaven somewhere, you know, according to the wicked. Ah, yeah. God doesn't see this. That's why most sins are committed at night. They think night is somehow shielding them from the eyes of the sovereign God of heaven and earth. So, the first fantasy is God doesn't see it.

Skip down, if you would, please, to verse 13. Wherefore doth the wicked condemn God, who hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it? In other words, here's the second fantasy. Even if God does see it, He's not going to do anything. He's not going to bring me to judgment. He's not going to really, really throw me into hell fire. No, no, no. God's not going to judge me. He might judge somebody else, but somehow I'm going to escape. I'm going to get by. Well, look if you would at verse 14. Here's what the scripture says to answer that concerning God. God, thou hast seen it. For thou beholdest mischief and spite. Now look what God will do to requite it with thy hand.

The poor committed himself unto thee, thou art the helper of the fatherless. What is God going to do? He's going to requite it with His hand. Skip down to verse 15. Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man. Seek out his wickedness till thou find none. Very obviously, God does see, God does know, and God is going to judge. Let's think about something. Because I mentioned earlier that not only does God have enemies, He has great enemies. He has powerful enemies. You think about the elite, quote unquote, who believe they own the world, run the world, and everything and everybody in it. The elite who decree that, you know, we've got too many people in the world, so we need to have a population reduction.

The Prosperity of the Wicked as Fattening for Slaughter

Psalm 73 and James 5 illustrate that the temporary prosperity of the wicked is merely a fattening for the day of slaughter, a reservation for wrath.

So he begins to describe them. He says in verse 4, For there are no bands in their death, But their strength is firm. They're not in trouble as other men. Neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride compasses them about as a chain. Violence covers them as a garment. Now look what he says. Their eyes stand out with fatness. They have more than their heart could wish.

They are corrupt and speak wickedly. Concerning oppression, they speak loftily. Now I want you to watch how brazen they are. They set their mouth against the heavens and their tongue walking through the earth. Therefore, as people return hither and waters of the full cup are wrung out to them. And they say, how does God know? And is there knowledge in the most high? Behold, these are the ungodly who prosper in the world. They increase in riches.

Now you just stop and think with me momentarily. about the families in this world that have the billions. And seemingly they don't go through what we go through. They don't suffer what we suffer. And what does he say? Pride compassed them as a chain. Violence covered them as a garment. They don't mind killing folks. He says, their eyes stand out with fatness they have more than their heart could possibly wish.

The Puritans had a favorite saying several hundred years ago. We have forgotten it. But here's what the Puritans often said, God oftentimes curses his enemies with riches. You say, how can that be a curse? Because they trust in their riches instead of the God who gave the riches. In fact, there are so many scriptures about trusting in riches. Let me just quote some of them. Here's Proverbs 11 and verse 28. The Bible says, he that trusted in his riches shall fall.

but the righteous shall flourish as a branch. And then in Proverbs 11 in verse four, riches profit not in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivereth from death. Now if riches profit not in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivereth from death. Had you rather be rich or righteous? I don't know about you, but I'll take righteous. I'll take righteous any day. In Psalm 52 and verse 7, talking about Doeg, the Edomite, Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches. In 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse 17, here's what the Apostle Paul said, Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. What did he say? Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not first of all, high minded, arrogant, proud, heady, nor that they trust in uncertain riches, but they must learn to trust in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.

Here is what the wicked do not understand. They do not understand that their preservation in time is but a reservation for the wrath to come. Let me say that again. The wicked do not understand that their preservation in time is but a reservation for the wrath to come. Now watch this. We're still in Psalm 73. Look back in Psalm 73. Asaph said in verse 12, Behold, these are the ungodly who prosper in the world. They increase in riches.

And then he says, Verily, I've cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued and chastened every morning. In other words, he's suffering. If I say I will thus speak, behold, I should offend against the generation of my people.

Now, he said, when I thought to know this, it was too painful for me. I couldn't stand it. Here I am trying to be holy and right, and I'm suffering and doing without, and here's the wicked reprobates. And they have plenty. Their eyes stand out with fatness. They have more than their heart could wish. I can't understand this." He said, I thought, you know what? It was too painful for me. Watch verse 17.

Until, until I went into the sanctuary of God, then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places, Thou casteth them down into destruction how they brought into desolation as in a moment they're utterly consumed with terrors as a dream when one awakeneth so Lord when thou awakenest thou shalt despise their image Wow their preservation for a time is just a reservation under wrath I want you to go back to Psalm 37 I told you I wanted you to remember that verse. Look in Psalm 37 and verse 20, and I'm going to ask you to turn to a couple more verses in light of this. Do you realize that the preservation of the wicked for a time is just a reservation under wrath Here's the word I'm going to use or the phrase or the term. Their preservation in time is nothing more than a fattening of them into the slaughter. Psalm 37 verse 20, but the wicked shall perish and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs.

They shall consume in the smoke shall they consume away. What do you do? You fatten the lamb, you fatten the calf for the slaughter. Look in your Bibles to Isaiah 65 and verse 12. Isaiah 65 and verse 12. Isaiah 65 verse 12. It cannot be spoken any more plainly than this. Isaiah 65 verse 12. Therefore will I number you to the sword, and you shall all bow down to the slaughter.

Because when I called, you did not answer. When I spake, you did not hear. But did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not." What did God say? I'll number you to the sword, you shall all bow down to the slaughter. Their preservation in time is nothing more than a reservation to God's wrath. In fact, in Zechariah 11 and verse 4, don't turn there, but in Zechariah 11 and verse 4, the Word of God says this, Thus saith the Lord my God, feed the flock of the slaughter. Fatten them up.

There will be a sacrifice. If you will turn in your Bibles to James 5 and look in verse 5, you'll see the same basic truth. James 5 and verse 5. Hebrews, James. Look what God says. In fact, you can just see. In fact, let's begin reading with verse 1. Here's this whole concept. James 5 verse 1. Go to now you rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Notice he's talking about the rich, the corrupted rich. Your riches are corrupted and your garments are moth-eaten.

Your gold and silver is cankered. And the rust of them shall be a witness against you. And you shall eat your flesh as it were fire. You have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is you kept back by a fraud, crieth. And the cries of them which you have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have lived in pleasure on the earth and been wanton. You have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter." What? You've nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter? What does that mean? You've fattened yourself up for the killing time. That's what you've done. That's exactly what he's saying. There is a reservation for the wicked. By the way, God has given us example after example in the Bible of what I would call cursed reservations. God's cursed reservations are far more horrifying than the Bates Motel, I can assure you.

Examples of Cursed Reservations

2 Peter 2 and Jude describe fallen angels and the wicked as reserved in chains of darkness for judgment, demonstrating the certainty of God's wrath.

And I don't know anything about horror movies. I don't watch them, but I remember the Bates Motel was some kind of horror movie. Look in your Bibles. I want you to turn to 2 Peter. You're right close to it. Look in 2 Peter 2 and verse 4. I'm just trying to show you some examples of some cursed reservations. 2 Peter 2 verse 4. Look what God says. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment." To be reserved unto judgment. There's a reservation. Look in 2 Peter 2 verse 17.

He's talking about the wicked now. He says, these are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest, to whom the mist of darkness is reserved forever. That's a reservation. If you would turn right on over, or turn back, it is, to the book of Jude. Alright, I guess it's over, right before Revelation, the book of Jude. Look in Jude 1 and verse 6, we're talking about examples of Cursed reservations, Jude 1 verse 6. He says that the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day. Look in verse 13. Raging waves of the sea foaming out their own shame, wandering stars to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

Now, let me just point something out. It is impossible to either teach, explain, express, or comprehend all that God has in store for the wicked. But I can assure you of one thing. I do not desire to be reserved unto darkness or reserved unto everlasting chains of judgment. or to be reserved unto wrath? The wicked will discover the truth of Hebrews 10 and verse 31. It is a fearful thing to fall in the hands of a living God. If you go back to that little book of Nahum that I asked you to mark, I want you to note verse 8. Nahum 1 verse 8. But with an overrunning flood, he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies." With an overrunning flood. Here's a picture of how God is going to fall upon the wicked. With an overrunning flood. Can you imagine just for a moment, the Hoover Dam breaking? You remember reading about the Johnstown flood in Johnstown, Pennsylvania?

The Overwhelming Flood of Judgment

Nahum 1:8 pictures God's judgment as an overflowing flood from which none can escape, reinforced by the example of Sodom and Gomorrah.

How the people went to bed safe and sound and sleeping, and when that dam broke, I don't know how many people were drowned. It washed away practically the whole town. Have you ever tried to outrun a flood of water? It's impossible. It's like trying to outrun an avalanche. It's like trying to outrun the debris and ash from a volcano. It's impossible. It's like trying to outrun the tsunami that comes at 600 miles an hour. And God says, with an overflowing flood, am I going to come and sweep you away into judgment?

In Jude chapter 1 verse 7, Look at it. Just turn there. I can quote it, but I want you to see it. Here's an example, another example. A little book of Jude right before Revelation. Jude 1 verse 7. Here it is. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Now watch, Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. My question is this, how many of those people in Sodom and Gomorrah and how many of those villages, Zeboiim and Admah, how many of those people escaped? Not one. Not one. Lot and his two daughters got out, but that was before God set the fire and brimstone. They were consumed. It was instantaneous. It was like an overflowing flood. That was it. And God says, what I've done is this. I've preserved the wicked for the day of slaughter.

There's a reservation. You say, come on, God's not like that. Yes, He is. Look in your Bibles to the book of Proverbs, chapter 16. Proverbs 16. God is absolutely holy. But may I remind you, it is true that God is loving and kind, but it is also equally true that God is just. And the Bible tells you this very plainly. Ah, it's Proverbs 16. Let's see what verse I want. Yes, verse 4. Proverbs 16, verse 4.

The Lord hath made all things for Himself, yea, even the wicked, for the day of evil. The Lord hath made all things for Himself, yea, even the wicked, for the day of evil. Have you ever stopped to think that just as the righteous will praise the grace and the mercy of God, the unrighteous in their judgment and destruction will praise the holiness and the justice of God.

The Reservation for the Righteous

Nahum 1:7 reveals that God is a stronghold for those who trust Him. Romans 11:5 speaks of a remnant reserved by grace, and 1 Peter 1:3-4 promises an inheritance reserved in heaven.

Now, I want you to look back to Nahum chapter 1. Because not only is there a reservation for the wicked, there's also a reservation for the righteous. I want you to consider that which is reserved for the righteous. Look in verse 7. In the midst of God talking about everything that is reserved for the wicked, in verse 7 He says, The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knoweth them that trust in Him. So those that trust in the Lord, those who have repented of their sins, those who have kneeled and submitted to the Lord Jesus Christ, those whose lives have been brought into obedience to His Word also have a reservation. In fact, let me go further. I could say in the very broadest sense of the word, yea, we are a reservation. Now I'll explain that. We are a reservation. I can say thankfully there is indeed a remnant according to the election of grace. If you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 11, and I want you to hold this passage just momentarily, Romans chapter 11, and I want you to notice what the Apostle Paul says in verse 5. Romans 11 and verse 5. In fact, let me go back just Look at verse 2 just for a moment God had not cast away his people which he foreknew what or know you not what the scripture said of Elias or Elijah I Make an intercession to God against Israel saying Lord They've killed by prophets and dig down

thine altars and I am left alone. They seek my life now watch verse 5 He says even so then at this present time. Also, there's a remnant according to the election of grace. Now, let me just give you the history. Don't turn there. But you remember during the time of Elijah, and you'll find it in 2 Kings, or 1 Kings, especially verses 18 and 19, what I'm talking about, where Ahab and Jezebel were on the throne, two of the most wicked people that ever lived, and how they persecuted the people of God, how they murdered the prophets of God, and Obadiah hid a hundred of them in caves, fed them with bread and water, And Elijah now has gone to Mount Carmel. He is slain the prophets of Baal. He has come back and Jezebel sends him word and says, The gods do so to me and more so if your life is not like the life of those prophets by this time tomorrow. What did she say? I'm going to kill you just like you killed my prophets.

So Elijah went and sat under a juniper tree and he said, Lord, it's enough. Take my life. Lord, they've killed all your prophets. They've killed all your people. Lord, just go ahead and kill me. Take my life. I might as well get it over with and get out of here. Watch, if you would, Romans 11 verse 3. Here's what Elijah said, Lord, Romans 11 verse 3, Lord, they have kill thy prophets and dig down thine altars and I am left alone and they seek my life. Lord you know just go ahead and take me.

But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. God said I have a reservation. I have reserved some people You might think everybody is bowing down to the image of Baal and kissing his foot or kissing his ring, but they haven't. I have an election. I have a remnant according to the election of grace. In fact, if you will look in Romans 9 and verse 29, you may fuss and fume about this truth all you please, but it is still truth, and I might add it is God's truth, And the fact is, if God had not reserved to himself a people, he would not have a people. For Romans 9 in verse 29 tells us, the Apostle Paul says this very clearly.

And as Isaiah said before, except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been a Sodom and been made like to Gomorrah. In other words, if God had not reserved to himself a people, we'd all been destroyed. We are a reserved people. We are a reservation in and of ourselves. We've been reserved only by the grace of God. And by the way, I want you to note that this reservation includes pardon and forgiveness. Turn in your Bibles to the book of Jeremiah chapter 50. Jeremiah chapter 50. And I want you to look at verse 20. Jeremiah 50 and verse 20. Jeremiah 50 verse 20. Jeremiah 50 verse 20. In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none. And the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found, For I will pardon them whom I reserve." What? I will pardon them whom I reserve. Lord willing, I'm going to be teaching on some of this in the not too distant future. What is really and truly involved in the forgiveness of sins when our Lord redeems us. He says, he will pardon those whom he reserves.

Now, if you want to know what the saints are indeed reserved unto and whether or not we have a reservation, we, we do have a reservation, although we are reservation in ourselves, but I do want you to turn to first Peter chapter one, first Peter chapter one. And look, if you would please beginning there with verse three. First Peter chapter one and verse three. Look what he says. First Peter one, verse three. Blessed be God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again into a lively or living hope. Watch this now by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you. Reserved in heaven for you. So our inheritance according to 1 Peter chapter 1 is reserved. It is incorruptible. It is really undefiled.

And it is certainly unfadable. It will not fade. It will not rust. It will not wither. It will not disappear. But wait a minute. Did you get what I tried to emphasize unto you? Look at verse three again. Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Who according to his abundant mercy have begotten us again unto a lively or living hope. by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Hold on.

The Resurrection Guarantees Both Reservations

The resurrection of Christ guarantees the judgment of the wicked (Acts 17:31) and the inheritance of the saints (1 Peter 1:3), making both reservations certain.

Let me remind you of the passage I told you earlier you need to think on. Acts 17 verses 30 and 31. Now listen. At the times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. Why? Because He, God, hath ordained a day in which He will judge the world by righteousness, by that man whom He hath ordained, whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, and that He hath raised Him from the dead."

Now, the resurrection of Jesus Christ guarantees the judgment of the wicked. But if you will notice, in verse 3, the resurrection of Jesus Christ also guarantees the inheritance of the saints. So just as surely as God raised Christ from the dead, just that surely God's going to judge the wicked. And just as surely as God raised Jesus Christ from the dead, there is an inheritance reserved in heaven for us that fadeth not away. It is impossible to do away with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Why? The resurrection of Jesus Christ is an objective historical fact.

It is something outside of us. It's something that we had no control over. It's something that God the Father did. So unless you can overthrow the resurrection of Jesus Christ, you can't overthrow the day of judgment. And unless you can overthrow the resurrection of Jesus Christ, you can't overthrow the inheritance that is reserved in heaven for the saints of God. It is the resurrection of Jesus Christ that guarantees, absolutely, the judgment of the wicked, and the inheritance of the righteous. That's what the Bible says through the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 2 and verse 9, but as it is written, listen carefully, I have not seen, nor ear heard, neither entered in the heart of man the things which God hath prepared or even reserved for those that love him. Just like We cannot imagine the horrors of the wrath of God upon the wicked. We cannot even imagine the blessings and the mercies and the joys and the greatness of the inheritance of the saints of God. Our minds cannot understand either one of those.

Application: Where Is Your Reservation?

Sinners and saints both have reservations—one at the marriage supper of the Lamb, the other in the courtroom of judgment. The question is not if you have a reservation, but where you will be seated.

Now let me make just a couple of applications. The first one is this. The truth is that sinners and saints equally have reservations. They are just simply seated in different places, in different rooms, and in different tables. The saints are seated at the table of their Heavenly Father at the marriage supper of the Lamb. While the sinners are seated at the table of justice in the courtroom where Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the judge of all the earth will judge them. Now, I don't know about you, but I had rather be sitting at a table feasting than sitting in a courtroom waiting to be judged. These are reservations that have been made and they cannot be cancelled. The wicked cannot overthrow the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

And the righteous do not want to. Look in 1 Peter 1 in verse 3. Let me read it again. I'm going to give you one last quote. 1 Peter 1 in verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again into a lively or living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. This comment is from Matthew Henry. Matthew Henry said on 1st Peter 1 in verse 3, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the ground or foundation of the Christians hope. The resurrection of Christ is the act of the father as a judge, of the son as a conqueror. His resurrection demonstrates that the Father accepts His death in full discharge of our ransom, that He is victorious over death and the grave and all our spiritual enemies. And it is also an assurance of our own resurrection. There being an inseparable union between Christ and His flock, they rise by virtue of resurrection as a head rather than by virtue of His power as a judge. We have risen with Christ From all this taken together, Christians have two firm and solid foundations for them to build their hope of eternal life.

Now listen to what he said. We rise from the dead by virtue of His resurrection as our head. He is our head, we are the body. We rise in Christ to His blessing. But the wicked rise by the power of Christ as a judge. and they rise to condemnation. So maybe the question is really not, do you have a reservation? For you do. The correct question is, where will you be seated? Where is your reservation, at the marriage supper of the Lamb, or in the courtroom of the Judge. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee.

We are so thankful for Your grace and mercy to us, Lord. We're so thankful, Lord, that You have seen fit by Your mercy and Your grace That there should be an election according to the remnant of grace and that you have reserved a people for yourself. And Lord, we're so thankful to be in that reservation. Help us Lord to be faithful in witnessing and testifying to others about the truth of the reservations that have been made by the sovereign God of heaven and earth.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Divine Sovereignty in Appointing Reservations

Summary: God has sovereignly appointed irrevocable reservations for every person, including death, judgment, and either wrath or inheritance.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'there are some reservations that have been made that you and I cannot cancel, will not cancel, and we will keep those reservations whether we want to do it or not.'

God's Wrath Reserved for His Enemies

Summary: God actively reserves and guards His wrath for those who oppose Him, and their present preservation is merely a delay before judgment.

Evidence: Nahum 1:2 says, 'he reserveth wrath for his enemies.' Weaver explains, 'the word reserved actually means to keep, to reserve, to maintain, and to guard.'

The Certainty of Judgment

Summary: The resurrection of Jesus Christ serves as God's assurance that a day of judgment is fixed and unavoidable for the wicked.

Evidence: Acts 17:31: 'he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.'

The Inheritance Reserved for the Righteous

Summary: Believers have an inheritance reserved in heaven, guaranteed by Christ's resurrection, which is incorruptible and unfading.

Evidence: 1 Peter 1:4: 'To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.'

The Twofold Guarantee of the Resurrection

Summary: Christ's resurrection guarantees both the judgment of the wicked and the eternal hope of the righteous, making both reservations certain.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'the resurrection of Jesus Christ guarantees the judgment of the wicked... also guarantees the inheritance of the saints.'

Key Arguments

God has enemies and reserves wrath for them.

Summary: Nahum 1:2 explicitly states that God reserves wrath for His enemies, and Scripture confirms God knows and will judge them.

Evidence: Weaver cites Nahum 1:2, Psalm 21:8, and Psalm 68:1 to show God will find and scatter His enemies.

The wicked's prosperity is temporary and leads to destruction.

Summary: The apparent success of the wicked is actually a fattening for the day of slaughter, as seen in Psalm 73 and James 5.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Their preservation in time is nothing more than a fattening of them into the slaughter.'

No one can escape God's judgment.

Summary: God's judgment is like an overflowing flood or the destruction of Sodom—inescapable and complete.

Evidence: Nahum 1:8: 'with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof.' Weaver asks, 'Have you ever tried to outrun a flood of water? It's impossible.'

God has reserved a remnant by grace.

Summary: Romans 11:4-5 shows that God preserves a people for Himself who have not bowed to idols, a remnant according to the election of grace.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Romans 11:4-5: 'I have reserved to myself seven thousand men... Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.'

The resurrection guarantees both judgment and inheritance.

Summary: Acts 17:31 and 1 Peter 1:3 show that Christ's resurrection is the foundation for both the judgment of the wicked and the hope of believers.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'the resurrection of Jesus Christ guarantees the judgment of the wicked... also guarantees the inheritance of the saints.'

Scripture References

Nahum 1:1-3

Context: Introduction of the text, emphasizing God's jealousy, vengeance, and reservation of wrath.

Hebrews 9:27

Context: Appointment of death and judgment for all men.

Job 14:5

Context: God determines the bounds of man's days.

Psalm 49:6-9

Context: Riches cannot redeem a soul or prevent death.

Acts 17:30-31

Context: God commands repentance because He has appointed a day of judgment, assured by Christ's resurrection.

Acts 10:42

Context: Jesus Christ is ordained by God to be the judge of the living and the dead.

John 5:22-23

Context: The Father has committed all judgment to the Son.

Romans 1:3-4

Context: Jesus declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection.

2 Timothy 2:19

Context: The Lord knows those who are His.

Matthew 12:30

Context: He that is not with Christ is against Him.

Psalm 21:8

Context: God's hand will find out all His enemies.

Psalm 68:1-2

Context: Let God arise and His enemies be scattered.

Exodus 34:7

Context: God will by no means clear the guilty.

Psalm 37:20

Context: The wicked shall perish as the fat of lambs.

Psalm 68:21

Context: God shall wound the head of His enemies.

Luke 19:27

Context: The nobleman commands his enemies to be slain before him.

Job 21:30

Context: The wicked is reserved to the day of destruction.

Psalm 10:11-15

Context: The wicked think God forgets, but He sees and will requite.

Psalm 73:3-20

Context: The prosperity of the wicked is temporary; their end is destruction.

Isaiah 65:12

Context: God will number the wicked to the sword and they shall bow down to the slaughter.

Historical References

Jonathan Edwards, 'Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God'

Context: Weaver quotes Edwards on the ease with which God can cast the wicked into hell.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Peter 1:3

Context: Weaver cites Henry on the resurrection as the ground of Christian hope and the distinction between the resurrection of the righteous and the wicked.

Johnstown Flood

Context: Used as an illustration of the sudden and inescapable nature of God's judgment.

Sodom and Gomorrah

Context: Biblical example of sudden, complete judgment from which none escaped.

Elijah and the 7,000 reserved by God

Context: Historical biblical event where God preserved a remnant who did not bow to Baal.

Important Quotes

God is jealous and the Lord revengeth. The Lord revengeth and is furious. The Lord taketh vengeance on his adversaries and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

Significance: The foundational text of the sermon, establishing that God actively reserves wrath for His enemies.

The wicked do not understand that their preservation in time is but a reservation for the wrath to come.

Significance: Summarizes the key argument that the apparent prosperity of the wicked is temporary and leads to judgment.

Their preservation in time is nothing more than a fattening of them into the slaughter.

Significance: Vivid metaphor for how God allows the wicked to prosper only to bring them to destruction.

The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth them that trust in him.

Significance: Contrasts the reservation of wrath with the reservation of protection and blessing for the righteous.

Sinners and saints equally have reservations. They are just simply seated in different places, in different rooms, and in different tables.

Significance: Practical application that everyone has an eternal destiny; the only question is which one.

Discussion Questions

How does the concept of God 'reserving wrath' challenge common views of God's character?

Context: Weaver emphasizes that God is not only loving but also just, and actively reserves wrath for His enemies.

In what ways do people today exhibit the 'fantasies' of the wicked described in Psalm 10?

Context: The wicked believe God does not see or will not judge their sin.

How should the truth that the wicked are 'fattened for the slaughter' affect our view of worldly prosperity?

Context: Weaver uses Psalm 73 and James 5 to show that riches and ease can be a curse leading to judgment.

What does it mean that God has 'reserved a remnant according to the election of grace'?

Context: Romans 11:4-5 speaks of God preserving a people for Himself by grace.

How does the resurrection of Christ serve as a guarantee for both judgment and salvation?

Context: Weaver explains that the resurrection is the objective historical fact that assures both the day of judgment and the inheritance of believers.

What is the significance of the question 'Where is your reservation?' rather than 'Do you have a reservation?'

Context: Weaver concludes that everyone has a reservation; the crucial issue is whether it is at the marriage supper of the Lamb or in the courtroom of judgment.

Applications

Repentance in Light of Certain Judgment

Summary: Because God has appointed a day of judgment, all men are commanded to repent and seek the Lord while He may be found.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'It should be a very serious and sober thought for the wicked to entertain the fact and to realize they have a reservation unto God's eternal wrath and judgment.'

Trust in God's Goodness and Protection

Summary: Believers are to find comfort in God as a stronghold in trouble, knowing He knows those who trust in Him.

Evidence: Nahum 1:7: 'The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth them that trust in him.'

Faithful Witness to the Truth of Reservations

Summary: Weaver prays for grace to be faithful in witnessing to others about the irrevocable reservations made by God.

Evidence: Closing prayer: 'Help us Lord to be faithful in witnessing and testifying to others about the truth of the reservations that have been made by the sovereign God of heaven and earth.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T19:21:09Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T12:22:57Z

Clean Transcript

Do You Have a Reservation?

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

All right, well let's open our Bibles today to the book of Nahum. Nahum chapter 1. Nahum is one of the minor prophets. It's right after the book of Micah and right before the book of Habakkuk. So it's Micah, Nahum, and Habakkuk. Minor prophets. And notice, if you would, chapter 1, and we're going to read the first three verses, and you're going to see, just for a moment, why I'm going to be dealing with these verses today, and showing you an awful lot of other verses in the same line.
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The title of the message is, Do You Have a Reservation? Of course, I guess I could title it, Where is Your Reservation? You will understand that question a little bit later. But look in Nahum chapter one, verse one, the burden of Nineveh, the book of the vision of Nahum, the Elkoshite. God is jealous and the Lord revengeth. The Lord revengeth and is furious. The Lord taketh vengeance on his adversaries and he reserveth wrath for his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power and will not at all acquit the wicked. The Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm.
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and the clouds are the dust of his feet. Most of us have been asked as we have entered in the lobby of a hotel, do you have a reservation? Often if we say no, we sometimes get a room regardless. However, I've been in some motels and hotels where it's absolutely necessary to have a reservation. And when I was asked that question, do you have a reservation? I very happily answered, well, yes, I do. And while I was able to get the room that I had reserved, I saw others at the same time turned away because the motel was literally booked full. Now, if you don't believe that there are sometimes you need a reservation, you try getting a room in Augusta, Georgia during the Masters Tournament. Or you try getting a room in a motel in Athens, Georgia at the graduation of the University of Georgia. you're going to find there's not a room to be absolutely available anywhere. So very obviously there are times that you really do need a reservation. And sometimes Alice and I, thankfully not often, but we have driven all night long getting home simply because we could not get a room anywhere we stopped.
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Everything was booked solid. The same thing is true of many restaurants. You have to have a reservation to eat there. Some of them are very high class. Some of them are very expensive. If you don't have a reservation, the obvious truth is you certainly will not dine there that night. Some of them are booked weeks and months in advance as well. I'm telling you this because I want you to understand that reservations are important. Each of us undoubtedly have made reservations in our lives and then canceled them. And the reason we canceled those reservations was simply because our plans changed.
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And I found it necessary to do that a number of times. However, according to the Word of God, there are some reservations that have been made that you and I cannot cancel, will not cancel, and we will keep those reservations whether we want to do it or not. It's just absolutely imperative that we keep those reservations. Well, what are some of them? Just by way of introduction, first of all, each one of us has a reservation with death. The Bible says in Hebrews 9 in verse 27, and it's appointed unto men once to die, and after that the judgment. So very obviously, you and I know that we're going to die. No one is going to deny that truth. The Bible says in the book of Job 7 in verse 1, and ask this question, Is there not an appointed time for man upon the earth?
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Are not his days like a hireling? Obviously, there is an appointed time for man upon the earth. God determined the day of our birth and God determines the day of our death. In Job 14 verse 5, the Bible says concerning man, seeing His days are determined, listen carefully, the number of His months are with thee. Thou hast appointed His bounds that He cannot pass. So God has decreed for our lives just like He did the sea, hitherto shalt thou come and no further. So we have a reservation with death.
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In fact, if you will hold, Nahum, but look in your Bibles to Psalm 49, and I want you to note how imperative it is that we're going to keep this reservation. In Psalm 49, and let's begin reading there with verse 6. And look what the Bible says, Psalm 49 and verse 6. The Bible says, They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother, or give to God a ransom for him.
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For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth forever. Watch that he should still live forever and not see corruption." The richest man in the world is going to die, and all of his money, all of his wealth, all of his power, all of his prestige will avail him absolutely nothing. So, humanly speaking and theologically speaking, It is impossible to cancel our reservations with death and judgment. They will stand. Those reservations shall be there and we will keep them whether we want to or not or whether we are ready or not. Now, it has probably never occurred to most people that there are some reservations that have been made for them and they're going to keep them whether they want to or not. Because those reservations have been made by the sovereign God of heaven and earth. And it is impossible to change them. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter 17.
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Just setting this up for you. Look in Acts chapter 17 and let's begin reading there with verse 30. Acts 17 verse 30. And this verse is going to be important even as we close today. Acts chapter 17. And notice if you would, verses 30 and 31. Look what God says. Acts 17, verse 30. At the times of this ignorance, God winked at. But now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. Now stop right there just for a moment. And now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. So let's ask a question. Why does God command all men everywhere to repent? Well, here's the answer. Look in verse 31. Because he, God, hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man, that is Christ, whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, and that he hath raised him from the dead. Now this passage teaches us that there is a specific day, there's a specific act, there's a specific judge, there's a specific ordination, And there is a specific assurance.
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God says, just as surely as He's raised Jesus Christ from the dead, there is going to be a judgment. Now, look back to Acts chapter 10, if you would. Acts chapter 10, verse 42. Acts 10, and notice if you would, verse 42. Here the Bible says this, And He, that is God, the Apostle says, And He commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is He, that is Jesus Christ, who was ordained of God to be the judge of the quick and the dead. The word quick just means the living. So it is Jesus Christ who's going to be the judge of the living and the dead. That is why in John 5 and verses 22 and 23, listen carefully, the scripture says, for the Father judges no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. Why? That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son, honoreth not the Father who hath sent him. Now notice what the Bible said.
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The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son. So our Lord Jesus Christ is going to be the sovereign judge.
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Now, if you will look in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 1, and remember if you would please, The Bible tells you in Acts 17 that we just read that God has given assurance unto all men in that he raised him from the dead. Now look in Romans 1 if you would please at verses 3 and 4. The Bible says concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord. who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection of the dead. So it is the resurrection of the dead that pointed out and singled out Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Now what is God saying? God said, I've given you assurance in that I've raised him from the dead.
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There is going to be a judgment. There's going to be a time. There's going to be a specific act. In other words, there have been made reservations. It is going to happen. You've got to remember, there are only two kinds of people in the world, saved and lost, or covenant keepers and covenant breakers. It's that simple. And there are two different sets of reservations. I want you to look back in the book of Nahum chapter 1 at verses 2 and 3. I want you to consider that which has been reserved for the wicked. I want you to consider that which has been reserved for the wicked. Look in verse 2.
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The Bible says God is jealous and the Lord revengeth. The Lord revengeth and is furious. Watch. The Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked. The Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. Now go back to verse 2, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.
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Two truths are very obvious in this text. First, God does have enemies. That is a horrific thought in one sense of the word. Can you imagine that the sovereign, holy, righteous, majestic, pure, gracious, loving, kind, God of all the earth has enemies? And he does. He not only has enemies, he has plenty of enemies. He has powerful enemies. He has enemies who hate and despise Him. Some do so secretly, some openly. Yet the amazing thing is God knows exactly who they are. One of my favorite passages is found in 2 Timothy 2, verse 19.
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Listen carefully to what I'm about to quote. The Bible says there, listen carefully, Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are His. and let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." Now listen, the opposite is also true. Not only does the Lord knows those who are His, He also knows those who are not His. So He does have enemies. And you remember our Lord said it very plainly in Matthew chapter 12 and verse 30, He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not scattereth abroad. I want you to hold the book of Nahum, but turn in your Bibles, if you would, to Psalm 21 very quickly.
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In fact, we'll look at a couple passages. Just showing you God's enemies. God does have enemies. Look in Psalm 21, if you would, in verse 8. In fact, some time ago, I preached, I think, a two-part message on this passage. But notice what the Bible says very clearly, very distinctly. Psalm 21, verse 8. Look what the Bible says concerning God. Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies. Thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee. Wow! Not only is God going to discover all of His enemies, He's going to discover those who hate Him. And if you would turn right over to Psalm 68 and look at verse 1. Psalm 68 in verse 1. This is another wonderful passage. In fact, we can read several verses. But notice he says in Psalm 68 verse 1, let God arise, let His enemies be scattered, let them also that hate Him flee before Him.
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As the smoke is driven away, so drive them away. As wax melted before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. Note, let God arise, let His enemies be scattered, let them also that hate Him flee before Him. So the very first verse or the very first truth that we learn from Nahum 1 and verse 2 is that God does have enemies. The second truth we learn from Nahum 1 and verse 2 is this, that God reserveth wrath for His enemies.
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You know the Bible says in Exodus 34 and verse 7, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting upon the iniquity of the fathers, upon the children, upon the children's children, unto the third and fourth generation. But notice the Bible says that God will by no means clear the guilty.
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Now, we're in the book of Psalms, so I want you to turn to Psalm 37. I want to show you some things about this reserve wrath and how God's going to discover His enemies. Look in Psalm 37 and verse 20. Psalm 37 and verse 20. It's interesting. Psalm 37 verse 20, But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs, They shall consume into smoke, they shall consume away. Now, I want you to keep this verse in mind. The enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs. Do you remember what I told you about the fat of lambs?
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It was always the cheapest part of the sacrifice. It was always given to God. So He says they shall perish. They shall be consumed as the fat of lambs. Look in Psalm 68 in verse 21, Psalm 68 in verse 21, we're still talking about how God reserves wrath for his enemies. In Psalm 68 in verse 21, the Bible says, but God shall wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such as one that goeth on still in his trespasses. God shall wound the head of his enemies. A head wound is a fatal wound. God says if you still persist in your transgressions and in your rebellion, you shall die. It's kind of like in Luke chapter 19 in verse 27, you don't have to turn there.
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But when the nobleman returns, who of course is a picture of Jesus Christ, he says, But those mine enemies, which not that I should reign over them, bring hither and slay them before me." Wow.
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Now I want to point out what the word reserved means. The Bible says the Lord reserveth wrath for his enemies. And that's the point that I want to develop. Because the word reserved actually means to keep, to reserve, to maintain, and to guard so God then guards his wrath he reserves it he maintains it he keeps it for his enemies in Job 21 in verse 30 let me just read it that the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction and they shall be brought forth in the day of wrath what did he say the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction.
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Now, let me tell you what at least two of the greatest fantasies of the wicked are. I want you to go ahead and turn to Psalm 10. I'll show it to you from the scripture. Here are the two greatest fantasies, and it is a fantasy. It is not truth. It is not reality. It is a fantasy. But look in Psalm 10 and verse 11. Here's the first fantasy. Here's what the wicked saith.
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He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten. He hideth his face. He will never see it. So the first fantasy is that God forgets our sin or that somehow God doesn't see our sin and our rebellion. God is just a blind old man up in heaven somewhere, you know, according to the wicked. Ah, yeah. God doesn't see this. That's why most sins are committed at night. They think night is somehow shielding them from the eyes of the sovereign God of heaven and earth. So, the first fantasy is God doesn't see it.
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Skip down, if you would, please, to verse 13. Wherefore doth the wicked condemn God, who hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it? In other words, here's the second fantasy. Even if God does see it, He's not going to do anything. He's not going to bring me to judgment. He's not going to really, really throw me into hell fire. No, no, no. God's not going to judge me. He might judge somebody else, but somehow I'm going to escape. I'm going to get by. Well, look if you would at verse 14. Here's what the scripture says to answer that concerning God. God, thou hast seen it. For thou beholdest mischief and spite. Now look what God will do to requite it with thy hand.
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The poor committed himself unto thee, thou art the helper of the fatherless. What is God going to do? He's going to requite it with His hand. Skip down to verse 15. Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man. Seek out his wickedness till thou find none. Very obviously, God does see, God does know, and God is going to judge. Let's think about something. Because I mentioned earlier that not only does God have enemies, He has great enemies. He has powerful enemies. You think about the elite, quote unquote, who believe they own the world, run the world, and everything and everybody in it. The elite who decree that, you know, we've got too many people in the world, so we need to have a population reduction.
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And so we'll just poison the water. We'll poison the food. We'll do this. We'll do that. We'll kill off 10 or 20, 30, 40 million. You know, I want you to stop and think with me just for a moment. What could possess someone with such power and such authority that somehow they're going to be safe and secure with their money and with their power and their authority? I want you to turn to Psalm 73. I want you to see what Asaph says, and this pretty well explains the attitude of the wicked elite. Notice Psalm 73, and let's begin reading there with verse 3. Asaph is describing the wicked, and Asaph is, in fact, we can read verse 2. Here's what the godly man said in verse 2. He said, But as for me, my feet were almost gone, my steps had well nigh slipped. Why? For I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. The words Asaph, a godly man was suffering and was doing without and he looked around and here are all of these wicked and they are prospering beyond imagination.
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So he begins to describe them. He says in verse 4, For there are no bands in their death, But their strength is firm. They're not in trouble as other men. Neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride compasses them about as a chain. Violence covers them as a garment. Now look what he says. Their eyes stand out with fatness. They have more than their heart could wish.
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They are corrupt and speak wickedly. Concerning oppression, they speak loftily.
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Now I want you to watch how brazen they are. They set their mouth against the heavens and their tongue walking through the earth. Therefore, as people return hither and waters of the full cup are wrung out to them. And they say, how does God know? And is there knowledge in the most high? Behold, these are the ungodly who prosper in the world. They increase in riches.
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Now you just stop and think with me momentarily. about the families in this world that have the billions. And seemingly they don't go through what we go through. They don't suffer what we suffer. And what does he say? Pride compassed them as a chain. Violence covered them as a garment. They don't mind killing folks. He says, their eyes stand out with fatness they have more than their heart could possibly wish.
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The Puritans had a favorite saying several hundred years ago. We have forgotten it. But here's what the Puritans often said, God oftentimes curses his enemies with riches. You say, how can that be a curse? Because they trust in their riches instead of the God who gave the riches. In fact, there are so many scriptures about trusting in riches. Let me just quote some of them. Here's Proverbs 11 and verse 28. The Bible says, he that trusted in his riches shall fall.
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but the righteous shall flourish as a branch. And then in Proverbs 11 in verse four, riches profit not in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivereth from death. Now if riches profit not in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivereth from death. Had you rather be rich or righteous? I don't know about you, but I'll take righteous. I'll take righteous any day. In Psalm 52 and verse 7, talking about Doeg, the Edomite, Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches. In 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse 17, here's what the Apostle Paul said, Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. What did he say? Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not first of all, high minded, arrogant, proud, heady, nor that they trust in uncertain riches, but they must learn to trust in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.
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Here is what the wicked do not understand. They do not understand that their preservation in time is but a reservation for the wrath to come. Let me say that again. The wicked do not understand that their preservation in time is but a reservation for the wrath to come. Now watch this. We're still in Psalm 73. Look back in Psalm 73. Asaph said in verse 12, Behold, these are the ungodly who prosper in the world. They increase in riches.
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And then he says, Verily, I've cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued and chastened every morning. In other words, he's suffering. If I say I will thus speak, behold, I should offend against the generation of my people.
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Now, he said, when I thought to know this, it was too painful for me. I couldn't stand it. Here I am trying to be holy and right, and I'm suffering and doing without, and here's the wicked reprobates. And they have plenty. Their eyes stand out with fatness. They have more than their heart could wish. I can't understand this." He said, I thought, you know what? It was too painful for me. Watch verse 17.
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Until, until I went into the sanctuary of God, then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places, Thou casteth them down into destruction how they brought into desolation as in a moment they're utterly consumed with terrors as a dream when one awakeneth so Lord when thou awakenest thou shalt despise their image Wow their preservation for a time is just a reservation under wrath I want you to go back to Psalm 37 I told you I wanted you to remember that verse. Look in Psalm 37 and verse 20, and I'm going to ask you to turn to a couple more verses in light of this. Do you realize that the preservation of the wicked for a time is just a reservation under wrath Here's the word I'm going to use or the phrase or the term. Their preservation in time is nothing more than a fattening of them into the slaughter. Psalm 37 verse 20, but the wicked shall perish and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs.
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They shall consume in the smoke shall they consume away. What do you do? You fatten the lamb, you fatten the calf for the slaughter. Look in your Bibles to Isaiah 65 and verse 12. Isaiah 65 and verse 12. Isaiah 65 verse 12. It cannot be spoken any more plainly than this. Isaiah 65 verse 12. Therefore will I number you to the sword, and you shall all bow down to the slaughter.
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Because when I called, you did not answer. When I spake, you did not hear. But did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not." What did God say? I'll number you to the sword, you shall all bow down to the slaughter. Their preservation in time is nothing more than a reservation to God's wrath. In fact, in Zechariah 11 and verse 4, don't turn there, but in Zechariah 11 and verse 4, the Word of God says this, Thus saith the Lord my God, feed the flock of the slaughter. Fatten them up.
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There will be a sacrifice. If you will turn in your Bibles to James 5 and look in verse 5, you'll see the same basic truth. James 5 and verse 5. Hebrews, James. Look what God says. In fact, you can just see. In fact, let's begin reading with verse 1. Here's this whole concept. James 5 verse 1. Go to now you rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Notice he's talking about the rich, the corrupted rich. Your riches are corrupted and your garments are moth-eaten.
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Your gold and silver is cankered. And the rust of them shall be a witness against you. And you shall eat your flesh as it were fire. You have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is you kept back by a fraud, crieth. And the cries of them which you have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.
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You have lived in pleasure on the earth and been wanton. You have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter." What? You've nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter? What does that mean? You've fattened yourself up for the killing time. That's what you've done. That's exactly what he's saying. There is a reservation for the wicked. By the way, God has given us example after example in the Bible of what I would call cursed reservations. God's cursed reservations are far more horrifying than the Bates Motel, I can assure you.
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And I don't know anything about horror movies. I don't watch them, but I remember the Bates Motel was some kind of horror movie. Look in your Bibles. I want you to turn to 2 Peter. You're right close to it. Look in 2 Peter 2 and verse 4. I'm just trying to show you some examples of some cursed reservations. 2 Peter 2 verse 4. Look what God says. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment." To be reserved unto judgment. There's a reservation. Look in 2 Peter 2 verse 17.
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He's talking about the wicked now. He says, these are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest, to whom the mist of darkness is reserved forever. That's a reservation. If you would turn right on over, or turn back, it is, to the book of Jude. Alright, I guess it's over, right before Revelation, the book of Jude. Look in Jude 1 and verse 6, we're talking about examples of Cursed reservations, Jude 1 verse 6. He says that the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day. Look in verse 13. Raging waves of the sea foaming out their own shame, wandering stars to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
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Now, let me just point something out. It is impossible to either teach, explain, express, or comprehend all that God has in store for the wicked. But I can assure you of one thing. I do not desire to be reserved unto darkness or reserved unto everlasting chains of judgment. or to be reserved unto wrath? The wicked will discover the truth of Hebrews 10 and verse 31. It is a fearful thing to fall in the hands of a living God. If you go back to that little book of Nahum that I asked you to mark, I want you to note verse 8. Nahum 1 verse 8. But with an overrunning flood, he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies." With an overrunning flood. Here's a picture of how God is going to fall upon the wicked. With an overrunning flood. Can you imagine just for a moment, the Hoover Dam breaking? You remember reading about the Johnstown flood in Johnstown, Pennsylvania?
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How the people went to bed safe and sound and sleeping, and when that dam broke, I don't know how many people were drowned. It washed away practically the whole town. Have you ever tried to outrun a flood of water? It's impossible. It's like trying to outrun an avalanche. It's like trying to outrun the debris and ash from a volcano. It's impossible. It's like trying to outrun the tsunami that comes at 600 miles an hour. And God says, with an overflowing flood, am I going to come and sweep you away into judgment?
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In Jude chapter 1 verse 7, Look at it. Just turn there. I can quote it, but I want you to see it. Here's an example, another example. A little book of Jude right before Revelation. Jude 1 verse 7. Here it is. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Now watch, Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. My question is this, how many of those people in Sodom and Gomorrah and how many of those villages, Zeboiim and Admah, how many of those people escaped? Not one. Not one. Lot and his two daughters got out, but that was before God set the fire and brimstone. They were consumed. It was instantaneous. It was like an overflowing flood. That was it. And God says, what I've done is this. I've preserved the wicked for the day of slaughter.
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There's a reservation. You say, come on, God's not like that. Yes, He is. Look in your Bibles to the book of Proverbs, chapter 16. Proverbs 16. God is absolutely holy. But may I remind you, it is true that God is loving and kind, but it is also equally true that God is just. And the Bible tells you this very plainly. Ah, it's Proverbs 16. Let's see what verse I want. Yes, verse 4. Proverbs 16, verse 4.
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The Lord hath made all things for Himself, yea, even the wicked, for the day of evil. The Lord hath made all things for Himself, yea, even the wicked, for the day of evil. Have you ever stopped to think that just as the righteous will praise the grace and the mercy of God, the unrighteous in their judgment and destruction will praise the holiness and the justice of God.
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Now, I want you to go back to Nahum chapter one and look in verse six. What did God say with an overflowing flood? He's going to fall upon them. And look at the questions asked in verse 6 of Nahum 1. Who can stand before his indignation? And who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? His fury is poured out like fire and the rocks are thrown down by him.
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It should be a very serious and sober thought for the wicked to entertain the fact and to realize They have a reservation unto God's eternal wrath and judgment. And their preservation in time and history is just a reservation unto His wrath. Just the very thought should be enough to make men fall upon their knees and beg for mercy. What did Isaiah say in Isaiah 55? What did he tell the wicked? Turn you from your wicked ways. Seek the Lord. Seek the Lord while he may be found. Turn you from your wicked ways. Repent. Very obviously, Isaiah is saying, you better cry out for mercy while you can. Because when the wrath of God falls upon you like an overflowing flood, and like the fire and brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorrah, it's over with. There's no escaping. I want to read to you just one paragraph.
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from Jonathan Edwards sermon on sinners in the hands of an angry God. Listen to what Jonathan Edwards said in that sermon. There is no want or lack of power in God to cast wicked men into hell at any moment. Men's hands cannot be strong when God rises up. The strongest have no power to resist him, nor can any deliver out of his hands. He is not only able to cast wicked men into hell, but he can most easily do it.
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Sometimes an earthly prince meets with a great deal of difficulty to subdue a rebel who has found means to fortify himself and has made himself strong by numbers of his followers. But it is not so with God. There is no fortress that is any defense from the power of God. Though hand join in hand and vast multitudes of God's enemies combine and associate themselves, they're easily broken into pieces. There is great heaps of light chaff before the whirlwind or large quantities of dry stubble before devouring flames.
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We find it easy to tread on and crush a worm that we see crawling on the earth, so it is easy for us to cut out or singe a slender thread that anything hangs by. Thus is it easy for God, when He pleases, to cast His enemies down into hell. What are we that we should think to stand before Him, at whose rebuke the earth trembles, and before whom the rocks are thrown down?" So he asked, who can stand before His indignation?
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Who can abide the fierceness of His wrath? No one. Not the richest, not the most powerful, Not the most wicked, none can. That's why the Bible says in 2 Peter 2 and verse 9, now listen carefully, The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished. There is a reservation for the wicked.
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Now, I want you to look back to Nahum chapter 1. Because not only is there a reservation for the wicked, there's also a reservation for the righteous. I want you to consider that which is reserved for the righteous. Look in verse 7. In the midst of God talking about everything that is reserved for the wicked, in verse 7 He says, The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knoweth them that trust in Him. So those that trust in the Lord, those who have repented of their sins, those who have kneeled and submitted to the Lord Jesus Christ, those whose lives have been brought into obedience to His Word also have a reservation.
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In fact, let me go further. I could say in the very broadest sense of the word, yea, we are a reservation. Now I'll explain that. We are a reservation. I can say thankfully there is indeed a remnant according to the election of grace. If you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 11, and I want you to hold this passage just momentarily, Romans chapter 11, and I want you to notice what the Apostle Paul says in verse 5. Romans 11 and verse 5. In fact, let me go back just Look at verse 2 just for a moment God had not cast away his people which he foreknew what or know you not what the scripture said of Elias or Elijah I Make an intercession to God against Israel saying Lord They've killed by prophets and dig down
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thine altars and I am left alone. They seek my life now watch verse 5 He says even so then at this present time. Also, there's a remnant according to the election of grace.
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Now, let me just give you the history. Don't turn there. But you remember during the time of Elijah, and you'll find it in 2 Kings, or 1 Kings, especially verses 18 and 19, what I'm talking about, where Ahab and Jezebel were on the throne, two of the most wicked people that ever lived, and how they persecuted the people of God, how they murdered the prophets of God, and Obadiah hid a hundred of them in caves, fed them with bread and water, And Elijah now has gone to Mount Carmel. He is slain the prophets of Baal. He has come back and Jezebel sends him word and says, The gods do so to me and more so if your life is not like the life of those prophets by this time tomorrow. What did she say? I'm going to kill you just like you killed my prophets.
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So Elijah went and sat under a juniper tree and he said, Lord, it's enough. Take my life. Lord, they've killed all your prophets. They've killed all your people. Lord, just go ahead and kill me. Take my life. I might as well get it over with and get out of here. Watch, if you would, Romans 11 verse 3. Here's what Elijah said, Lord, Romans 11 verse 3, Lord, they have kill thy prophets and dig down thine altars and I am left alone and they seek my life. Lord you know just go ahead and take me.
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But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. God said I have a reservation. I have reserved some people You might think everybody is bowing down to the image of Baal and kissing his foot or kissing his ring, but they haven't. I have an election. I have a remnant according to the election of grace. In fact, if you will look in Romans 9 and verse 29, you may fuss and fume about this truth all you please, but it is still truth, and I might add it is God's truth, And the fact is, if God had not reserved to himself a people, he would not have a people. For Romans 9 in verse 29 tells us, the Apostle Paul says this very clearly.
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And as Isaiah said before, except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been a Sodom and been made like to Gomorrah. In other words, if God had not reserved to himself a people, we'd all been destroyed. We are a reserved people. We are a reservation in and of ourselves. We've been reserved only by the grace of God. And by the way, I want you to note that this reservation includes pardon and forgiveness.
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Turn in your Bibles to the book of Jeremiah chapter 50. Jeremiah chapter 50. And I want you to look at verse 20. Jeremiah 50 and verse 20. Jeremiah 50 verse 20. Jeremiah 50 verse 20. In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none. And the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found, For I will pardon them whom I reserve." What? I will pardon them whom I reserve. Lord willing, I'm going to be teaching on some of this in the not too distant future. What is really and truly involved in the forgiveness of sins when our Lord redeems us. He says, he will pardon those whom he reserves.
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Now, if you want to know what the saints are indeed reserved unto and whether or not we have a reservation, we, we do have a reservation, although we are reservation in ourselves, but I do want you to turn to first Peter chapter one, first Peter chapter one. And look, if you would please beginning there with verse three. First Peter chapter one and verse three. Look what he says. First Peter one, verse three.
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Blessed be God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again into a lively or living hope. Watch this now by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you. Reserved in heaven for you. So our inheritance according to 1 Peter chapter 1 is reserved. It is incorruptible. It is really undefiled.
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And it is certainly unfadable. It will not fade. It will not rust. It will not wither. It will not disappear. But wait a minute. Did you get what I tried to emphasize unto you? Look at verse three again. Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Who according to his abundant mercy have begotten us again unto a lively or living hope. by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Hold on.
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Let me remind you of the passage I told you earlier you need to think on. Acts 17 verses 30 and 31. Now listen. At the times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. Why? Because He, God, hath ordained a day in which He will judge the world by righteousness, by that man whom He hath ordained, whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, and that He hath raised Him from the dead."
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Now, the resurrection of Jesus Christ guarantees the judgment of the wicked. But if you will notice, in verse 3, the resurrection of Jesus Christ also guarantees the inheritance of the saints. So just as surely as God raised Christ from the dead, just that surely God's going to judge the wicked. And just as surely as God raised Jesus Christ from the dead, there is an inheritance reserved in heaven for us that fadeth not away. It is impossible to do away with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Why? The resurrection of Jesus Christ is an objective historical fact.
#69 | 52:57 to 53:43 | cleaned
It is something outside of us. It's something that we had no control over. It's something that God the Father did. So unless you can overthrow the resurrection of Jesus Christ, you can't overthrow the day of judgment. And unless you can overthrow the resurrection of Jesus Christ, you can't overthrow the inheritance that is reserved in heaven for the saints of God. It is the resurrection of Jesus Christ that guarantees, absolutely, the judgment of the wicked, and the inheritance of the righteous. That's what the Bible says through the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 2 and verse 9, but as it is written, listen carefully, I have not seen, nor ear heard, neither entered in the heart of man the things which God hath prepared or even reserved for those that love him. Just like We cannot imagine the horrors of the wrath of God upon the wicked. We cannot even imagine the blessings and the mercies and the joys and the greatness of the inheritance of the saints of God. Our minds cannot understand either one of those.
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Now let me make just a couple of applications. The first one is this. The truth is that sinners and saints equally have reservations. They are just simply seated in different places, in different rooms, and in different tables. The saints are seated at the table of their Heavenly Father at the marriage supper of the Lamb. While the sinners are seated at the table of justice in the courtroom where Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the judge of all the earth will judge them. Now, I don't know about you, but I had rather be sitting at a table feasting than sitting in a courtroom waiting to be judged. These are reservations that have been made and they cannot be cancelled. The wicked cannot overthrow the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
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And the righteous do not want to. Look in 1 Peter 1 in verse 3. Let me read it again. I'm going to give you one last quote. 1 Peter 1 in verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again into a lively or living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
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This comment is from Matthew Henry. Matthew Henry said on 1st Peter 1 in verse 3, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the ground or foundation of the Christians hope. The resurrection of Christ is the act of the father as a judge, of the son as a conqueror. His resurrection demonstrates that the Father accepts His death in full discharge of our ransom, that He is victorious over death and the grave and all our spiritual enemies. And it is also an assurance of our own resurrection. There being an inseparable union between Christ and His flock, they rise by virtue of resurrection as a head rather than by virtue of His power as a judge. We have risen with Christ From all this taken together, Christians have two firm and solid foundations for them to build their hope of eternal life.
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Now listen to what he said. We rise from the dead by virtue of His resurrection as our head. He is our head, we are the body. We rise in Christ to His blessing. But the wicked rise by the power of Christ as a judge. and they rise to condemnation. So maybe the question is really not, do you have a reservation? For you do. The correct question is, where will you be seated? Where is your reservation, at the marriage supper of the Lamb, or in the courtroom of the Judge. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee.
#74 | 58:22 to 59:29 | cleaned
We are so thankful for Your grace and mercy to us, Lord. We're so thankful, Lord, that You have seen fit by Your mercy and Your grace That there should be an election according to the remnant of grace and that you have reserved a people for yourself. And Lord, we're so thankful to be in that reservation. Help us Lord to be faithful in witnessing and testifying to others about the truth of the reservations that have been made by the sovereign God of heaven and earth.
#75 | 59:29 to 1:00:09 | cleaned
that everyone shall appear, and there shall be no cancellations. Give us grace, Lord, that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray, Amen.
#76 | 1:00:10 to 1:00:26 | cleaned

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T19:21:09Z

Do You Have a Reservation?

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

Pastor John Weaver uses the concept of reservations to illustrate that God has appointed irrevocable reservations for both the wicked and the righteous. Drawing from Nahum 1, he explains that God reserves wrath for His enemies, while He reserves an inheritance in heaven for those who trust in Him. The resurrection of Jesus Christ guarantees both the judgment of the wicked and the eternal hope of the saints.

Introduction: The Importance of Reservations

Weaver opens with everyday examples of needing reservations for hotels and restaurants, then transitions to the biblical truth that God has made certain reservations that cannot be canceled.

The Reservation with Death

Every person has an appointed time to die, as stated in Hebrews 9:27 and Job 14:5. No amount of wealth can cancel this reservation.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 49:6-9

They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother, or give to God a ransom for him. For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth forever. Watch that he should still live

God's Appointed Day of Judgment

Acts 17:30-31 reveals that God has fixed a day for judging the world through Jesus Christ, whose resurrection serves as assurance.

God Reserves Wrath for His Enemies

Nahum 1:2-3 teaches that God has enemies and reserves wrath for them. The wicked are preserved only for the day of destruction.

Scripture Reading — Matthew 12:30

" Now listen, the opposite is also true. Not only does the Lord knows those who are His, He also knows those who are not His. So He does have enemies. And you remember our Lord said it very plainly in Matthew chapter 12 and verse 30, He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not scattereth abroad. I want you to hold the book of Nahum, but turn in your Bibles, if you would, to Psalm 21 very quickly. In fact, we'll look at a couple passages. Just showing you God's enemies. God does have enemies. Look in Psalm 21, if you would, in verse 8. In fact, some time ago, I preached, I think, a two-part message on this passage. But notice what the Bible says very clearly, very distinctly. Psalm 21, verse 8. Look what the Bible says concerning God. Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies. Thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee. Wow! Not only is God going to discover all of His enemies, He's going to discover those who hate Him. And if you would turn right over to Psalm 68 and look at verse 1. Psalm 68 in verse 1. This is another wonderful passage. In fact, we can read several verses. But notice he says in Psalm 68 verse 1, let God arise, let His enemies be scattered, let them also that hate Him flee before Him.

The Fantasies of the Wicked

Psalm 10 shows that the wicked falsely believe God does not see their sin or will not judge it. In reality, God sees and will requite.

The Prosperity of the Wicked as Fattening for Slaughter

Psalm 73 and James 5 illustrate that the temporary prosperity of the wicked is merely a fattening for the day of slaughter, a reservation for wrath.

Examples of Cursed Reservations

2 Peter 2 and Jude describe fallen angels and the wicked as reserved in chains of darkness for judgment, demonstrating the certainty of God's wrath.

The Overwhelming Flood of Judgment

Nahum 1:8 pictures God's judgment as an overflowing flood from which none can escape, reinforced by the example of Sodom and Gomorrah.

The Reservation for the Righteous

Nahum 1:7 reveals that God is a stronghold for those who trust Him. Romans 11:5 speaks of a remnant reserved by grace, and 1 Peter 1:3-4 promises an inheritance reserved in heaven.

The Resurrection Guarantees Both Reservations

The resurrection of Christ guarantees the judgment of the wicked (Acts 17:31) and the inheritance of the saints (1 Peter 1:3), making both reservations certain.

Application: Where Is Your Reservation?

Do You Have a Reservation?

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	tm5BO4LaYKI
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Prepared Hearts
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-02-15
Dictation Name
Book	Book 137: Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations - Volume 2 — Chapter 23
Source Timed Segments	76

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Importance of Reservations: Weaver opens with everyday examples of needing reservations for hotels and restaurants, then transitions to the biblical truth that God has made certain reservations that cannot be canceled.
The Reservation with Death: Every person has an appointed time to die, as stated in Hebrews 9:27 and Job 14:5. No amount of wealth can cancel this reservation.
God's Appointed Day of Judgment: Acts 17:30-31 reveals that God has fixed a day for judging the world through Jesus Christ, whose resurrection serves as assurance.
God Reserves Wrath for His Enemies: Nahum 1:2-3 teaches that God has enemies and reserves wrath for them. The wicked are preserved only for the day of destruction.
The Fantasies of the Wicked: Psalm 10 shows that the wicked falsely believe God does not see their sin or will not judge it. In reality, God sees and will requite.
The Prosperity of the Wicked as Fattening for Slaughter: Psalm 73 and James 5 illustrate that the temporary prosperity of the wicked is merely a fattening for the day of slaughter, a reservation for wrath.
Examples of Cursed Reservations: 2 Peter 2 and Jude describe fallen angels and the wicked as reserved in chains of darkness for judgment, demonstrating the certainty of God's wrath.
The Overwhelming Flood of Judgment: Nahum 1:8 pictures God's judgment as an overflowing flood from which none can escape, reinforced by the example of Sodom and Gomorrah.
The Reservation for the Righteous: Nahum 1:7 reveals that God is a stronghold for those who trust Him. Romans 11:5 speaks of a remnant reserved by grace, and 1 Peter 1:3-4 promises an inheritance reserved in heaven.
The Resurrection Guarantees Both Reservations: The resurrection of Christ guarantees the judgment of the wicked (Acts 17:31) and the inheritance of the saints (1 Peter 1:3), making both reservations certain.
Application: Where Is Your Reservation?: Sinners and saints both have reservations—one at the marriage supper of the Lamb, the other in the courtroom of judgment. The question is not if you have a reservation, but where you will be seated.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

God has enemies and reserves wrath for them.

Nahum 1:2 explicitly states that God reserves wrath for His enemies, and Scripture confirms God knows and will judge them.

Weaver cites Nahum 1:2, Psalm 21:8, and Psalm 68:1 to show God will find and scatter His enemies.

The wicked's prosperity is temporary and leads to destruction.

The apparent success of the wicked is actually a fattening for the day of slaughter, as seen in Psalm 73 and James 5.

Weaver says, 'Their preservation in time is nothing more than a fattening of them into the slaughter.'

No one can escape God's judgment.

God's judgment is like an overflowing flood or the destruction of Sodom—inescapable and complete.

Nahum 1:8: 'with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof.' Weaver asks, 'Have you ever tried to outrun a flood of water? It's impossible.'

God has reserved a remnant by grace.

Romans 11:4-5 shows that God preserves a people for Himself who have not bowed to idols, a remnant according to the election of grace.

Weaver quotes Romans 11:4-5: 'I have reserved to myself seven thousand men... Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.'

The resurrection guarantees both judgment and inheritance.

Acts 17:31 and 1 Peter 1:3 show that Christ's resurrection is the foundation for both the judgment of the wicked and the hope of believers.

Weaver states, 'the resurrection of Jesus Christ guarantees the judgment of the wicked... also guarantees the inheritance of the saints.'

Scripture References

Nahum 1:1-3: Introduction of the text, emphasizing God's jealousy, vengeance, and reservation of wrath.
Hebrews 9:27: Appointment of death and judgment for all men.
Job 14:5: God determines the bounds of man's days.
Psalm 49:6-9: Riches cannot redeem a soul or prevent death.
Acts 17:30-31: God commands repentance because He has appointed a day of judgment, assured by Christ's resurrection.
Acts 10:42: Jesus Christ is ordained by God to be the judge of the living and the dead.
John 5:22-23: The Father has committed all judgment to the Son.
Romans 1:3-4: Jesus declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection.
2 Timothy 2:19: The Lord knows those who are His.
Matthew 12:30: He that is not with Christ is against Him.
Psalm 21:8: God's hand will find out all His enemies.
Psalm 68:1-2: Let God arise and His enemies be scattered.
Exodus 34:7: God will by no means clear the guilty.
Psalm 37:20: The wicked shall perish as the fat of lambs.
Psalm 68:21: God shall wound the head of His enemies.
Luke 19:27: The nobleman commands his enemies to be slain before him.
Job 21:30: The wicked is reserved to the day of destruction.
Psalm 10:11-15: The wicked think God forgets, but He sees and will requite.
Psalm 73:3-20: The prosperity of the wicked is temporary; their end is destruction.
Isaiah 65:12: God will number the wicked to the sword and they shall bow down to the slaughter.

Historical References

Jonathan Edwards, 'Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God': Weaver quotes Edwards on the ease with which God can cast the wicked into hell.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Peter 1:3: Weaver cites Henry on the resurrection as the ground of Christian hope and the distinction between the resurrection of the righteous and the wicked.
Johnstown Flood: Used as an illustration of the sudden and inescapable nature of God's judgment.
Sodom and Gomorrah: Biblical example of sudden, complete judgment from which none escaped.
Elijah and the 7,000 reserved by God: Historical biblical event where God preserved a remnant who did not bow to Baal.

Important Quotes

God is jealous and the Lord revengeth. The Lord revengeth and is furious. The Lord taketh vengeance on his adversaries and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

The foundational text of the sermon, establishing that God actively reserves wrath for His enemies.

The wicked do not understand that their preservation in time is but a reservation for the wrath to come.

Summarizes the key argument that the apparent prosperity of the wicked is temporary and leads to judgment.

Their preservation in time is nothing more than a fattening of them into the slaughter.

Vivid metaphor for how God allows the wicked to prosper only to bring them to destruction.

The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth them that trust in him.

Contrasts the reservation of wrath with the reservation of protection and blessing for the righteous.

Sinners and saints equally have reservations. They are just simply seated in different places, in different rooms, and in different tables.

Practical application that everyone has an eternal destiny; the only question is which one.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does the concept of God 'reserving wrath' challenge common views of God's character?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes that God is not only loving but also just, and actively reserves wrath for His enemies.

[Question]

In what ways do people today exhibit the 'fantasies' of the wicked described in Psalm 10?

[Context]

The wicked believe God does not see or will not judge their sin.

[Question]

How should the truth that the wicked are 'fattened for the slaughter' affect our view of worldly prosperity?

[Context]

Weaver uses Psalm 73 and James 5 to show that riches and ease can be a curse leading to judgment.

[Question]

What does it mean that God has 'reserved a remnant according to the election of grace'?

[Context]

Romans 11:4-5 speaks of God preserving a people for Himself by grace.

[Question]

How does the resurrection of Christ serve as a guarantee for both judgment and salvation?

[Context]

Weaver explains that the resurrection is the objective historical fact that assures both the day of judgment and the inheritance of believers.

[Question]

What is the significance of the question 'Where is your reservation?' rather than 'Do you have a reservation?'

[Context]

Weaver concludes that everyone has a reservation; the crucial issue is whether it is at the marriage supper of the Lamb or in the courtroom of judgment.

Applications

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T12:22:57Z