Salvation from the Cup

In the Old Testament, much is said about the wrath of God, promising that He sees the wickedness of men and that He does not let it go unpunished. For example, in the time of Noah, God's judgment was literally poured out on the Earth in the form of a flood. Humanity's sin had become so all encompassing that God's judgment became all encompassing as well. The only ones who did not literally drink in God's judgment and die were Noah and his family. It was not that Noah was more deserving, but rather that he "found grace in the eyes of the LORD" (Genesis 6:8, NKJV). Though Noah was a sinner, he trusted God and God showed him "grace," which is the kind of love that cannot be earned, but only received from God. Out of "grace," God provided a way for Noah and his family to avoid drinking the waters of judgment.

The Bible often describes God's wrath toward sin as a cup filled with judgment, which the wicked will drink down fully when God chooses to pour it out. That is what the Psalmist was contemplating when he wrote, "For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; It is fully mixed, and He pours it out; Surely its dregs shall all the wicked of the earth drain and drink down." (Psalm 75:8, NKJV)

This would give us nothing to be concerned about, if it were not for the fact that we are all wicked by nature. At the very core of our being as sinners, the Bible says that we are "desperately wicked" (Jeremiah 17:9, NKJV). So it was concerning all of us that the Psalmist wrote of God's cup of wrath, saying, "Surely its dregs shall all the wicked of the earth drain and drink down." If left to our own devices, to simply live in the way that seems best to us, we would "surely" drink the cup of God's wrath completely. There would be no avoiding it in the end!

But God has good news for the wicked today, just like He did in Noah's day. Out of grace, God has provided a way for us to avoid drinking the cup of His wrath, but this time it does not involve an ark. Instead of an ark, God provided a stand-in for us to drink the cup of God's wrath in our place. The Bible speaks of both the contents of the cup and the One who came to drink it in our place, saying, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23, NASB) Death is best explained as separation. When a person dies, they are physically separated from their loved ones here on Earth. But if a person dies physically without having the eternal life that Jesus Christ gives, they are spiritually separated from the God who loves them. If we cannot be with God in Heaven because of our wickedness, then we must be separated from God in Hell as our punishment.

The gift of eternal life is God's solution to our hopeless situation, but it was a costly gift to provide. Jesus came to take our place, knowing full well that drinking the cup of God's wrath toward sin meant a certain death. Jesus did not look forward to what He would suffer, but He was willing to do what it would take to save you and I. That's why the Bible records those final moments before Jesus was arrested, saying, "He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, 'O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.'" (Matthew 26:39, NKJV) The Bible also says, "Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, 'O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.'" (Matthew 26:42, NKJV) He was so resolved to drink that bitter cup for us, that when Peter unsheathed his sword and attacked one of those who came to arrest Jesus, Jesus said, "Put your sword into the sheath! Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?" (John 18:11, NKJV)

The wicked would have no hope of avoiding that cup of God's wrath, if Jesus had not grasped it and drank it down in our place. Every blow to his face, every stripe on his back, and all three nail piercings were each a swallow from that bitter cup. The Bible explains the amazing grace that God showed us all, saying, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8, NKJV) The most important word in that sentence is "for," which is translated from the Greek preposition "huper." That word literally means "on behalf of," or "in place of." By drinking the cup of God's wrath for us, Jesus died instead of us, on our behalf!

I have personally trusted Jesus Christ with my life, not only because I wanted to be spared that cup of God's wrath, but because I was tired of living life separated from Him. If He loved you enough to save you from going to Hell in the hereafter, what do you think His love can save you from in the here-and-now? My friend, quit trying to take that cup back out of the hands of Jesus and then give your life to Him by faith. All you have to do is tell Him that you believe that He is your Savior and then surrender your life to Him as your Lord. To do the alternative is to take that cup of God's wrath into your hands and start drinking it now in life and continue drinking it later in death. The excruciating pain that Jesus suffered in drinking that cup for you is nothing in comparison with the physical and spiritual suffering that you will bring upon yourself in this life and in the life to come through simply rejecting the salvation that He has provided from the cup of God's wrath.

"Lord Jesus, I thank-you for taking that cup for me and drinking it in my place. May my life be a reflection of the mercy that You have shown and an example of what You can do for all those who choose to believe. Amen."