CHRIS MCCANN·SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020·READING TIME: 2 MINUTES
Revelation 16:8-9 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
The phrase, “they repented not to give Him glory” could possibly be understood in two ways. First, it could mean that the unsaved people of the world did not repent-and their repentance would have given God glory.
Or, it can mean that their lack of repentance is what serves to give God glory. You might wonder how man’s lack of repentance could possibly glorify God?
But remember Pharaoh’s refusals to the let the people go-which were really a refusal to repent and do things God’s way. Curiously, God told Moses even before he went to speak with Pharaoh that He (God) would harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he would NOT let the people go.
Exodus 4:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.
The LORD continued to harden Pharaoh’s heart until finally He got Him honor upon the wicked king and the nation of Egypt:
Exodus 14:4, 17-18 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.
17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
It was through the hardening of the king of Egypt’s heart that God finally got Himself great honor in the deliverance of His people Israel and the destruction of all their enemies. Therefore, given that Revelation 16:9’s statement (they repented not to give Him glory) is in the context of the wrath of God being poured out on the unsaved inhabitants of the earth over the course of the prolonged judgment period (2011 thru 2033) we can understand that it is God allowing mankind to be unrepentant (or hardening men’s hearts) in order to bring Himself great honor (glory) at the point of their final destruction on the last day.