Lesson 9: In the Psalms, Part 2
9.4 Wine and Blood
From the Cup of Judgment to the Cup of the Covenant
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Introduction
In the twenty-first century we witness daily the abuse of human power, the erosion of moral standards, and the shaking of civilization’s very foundations. The Bible, however, looks beyond: it promises that God will one day intervene to eradicate evil and establish a new, righteous world order. Psalm 75, Matthew 26:26–29, and Revelation 14:9–12 address aspects of this divine judgment and final renewal. How are wine and blood, abuse of power and justice connected—and why must this world be utterly destroyed before God’s new creation can be complete?
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Bible Study
1.Psalm 75
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Verses 1–3: “God is the Judge; He puts down one and exalts another.” Worship acknowledges God’s sovereign justice and resists human arrogance.
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Verses 7–8: “For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up, but God is the Judge. He puts down one and exalts another.” Only God decides the rise and fall of the mighty.
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Verse 10: “All the wicked of the earth shall be cut off.” A pointed image of final destruction at the last judgment (Revelation 20).
2.Matthew 26:26–29
At the Last Supper, Jesus calls the bread His body and the wine His blood, “poured out for the forgiveness of sins.” Jesus’ blood is the ransom of judgment—and points forward to the world’s purification by His sacrifice.
3.Revelation 14:9–12
A third angel warns against the mark of the beast and announces God’s wrath on all who receive it: “If anyone worships the beast and its image, they will drink the wine of God’s wrath.” The biblical wine of judgment stands in stark contrast to the forgiving wine of the Supper.
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Answers to the Questions
1. What does Psalm 75 reveal about themes in God’s judgment?
Psalm 75 portrays God as the true Judge who determines when human pride will fall. Abuse of power does not go unnoticed—those who “lift up their hands” arrogantly will be broken down, while the humble are raised. This foreshadows the final judgment scene in Revelation 20, where Satan’s kingdoms collapse and God’s people are vindicated.
2. How do Matthew 26:26–29 and Revelation 14:9–12 help us understand these themes?
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Matthew 26 reminds us of Jesus’ atoning blood—the foundation of future renewal. Those cleansed by His blood will not face the coming judgment.
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Revelation 14 warns of the wine of God’s wrath poured out on those aligned with the Antichrist. Together, Supper and Apocalypse show two sides of the same cup: the wine of redemption and the wine of judgment—until one world is discarded and a new one created.
3. Why must this world be completely destroyed?
Our fight for justice honors God, heals wounds, and brings temporary peace. Yet every human solution remains flawed while sin and its systems persist. A total destruction of the corrupt world order clears the way for God’s new creation—a world free from lies, oppression, and moral relativism. Only then can true justice and holiness flourish.
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Spiritual Principles
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God alone is Judge: He ordains the rise and fall of nations (Ps 75).
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Two cups, one goal: The Supper-cup points to redemption; the Apocalypse-cup to judgment (Mt 26; Rev 14).
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Abuse of power is not unpunished: God corrects human pride.
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Preparation for new creation: Our justice work is a foretaste, not the end.
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Faith endures moral decay: Hope in God’s final intervention prevents despair.
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Application in Daily Life
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Pray daily with the Supper-cup: In breaking bread, remember Jesus’ blood and let forgiveness shape your actions.
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Guard your heart: Watch for pride—God lifts the humble (Ps 75).
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Pursue reconciliation: Seek peace, but cling to God’s standards, even when culture crumbles.
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Share hope: Talk with friends about judgment and new creation; call them to repentance before the “wine of wrath.”
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Serve justly: Advocate for victims of power abuse, knowing true justice awaits God’s kingdom.
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Conclusion
Psalm 75, Matthew 26, and Revelation 14 span the arc from human arrogance, through Jesus’ sacrifice, to the final judgment. They teach that grace and judgment are two sides of God’s saving order. While we remain in this fallen world, our efforts matter—but our ultimate hope rests in the new creation that God’s righteous King will establish.
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Thought of the Day
“The wine of grace comforts the righteous— the wine of wrath judges the wicked; until the day of new creation dawns.”
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Illustration – From the Cup of Grace to the Cup of Wrath: Hope and Renewal in the Storm of the Future
It was the year 2042. In a metropolis of glass towers and digital billboards, people gathered around the last ecumenical Peace Church—an oasis funded by corporations once guilty of corruption, now preaching moral renewal. Outside, skeptics streamed in, curious and critical.
Lena, a young pastor, prepared the Communion. In her hands gleamed bread and wine—symbols of Jesus’ sacrifice. On screens around her flashed headlines of poverty, AI-driven judgments replacing human courts, and redefined marriage in a tech-driven world. The crowd applauded as “New Life Inc.” boasted the power of its Tech-God.
As Lena distributed the elements, she spoke: “This is my body…this is my blood.” Her voice trembled as she read Revelation 14: the warning against the beast’s mark and the promise of God’s wrath. Then, bread in one hand and chalice in the other, she stepped into the street, offering both to the homeless, CEOs, children sporting “New Life” logos, and skeptical elders.
Suddenly a thunderous storm rolled in, as if reality itself struggled between mercy and wrath. Traffic lights flickered, billboards glowed red. In that moment a rainbow arched over the skyline—a divine stroke, as if God Himself was tearing down the old world and painting the new heaven above the earth.
Petals drifted like snow through the wind—a sign that even destruction bears fruit. Lena raised the cup and cried, “Come to the King, the righteous Judge!” People paused, feeling grace and judgment entwine in their hearts. Some faces softened like the wine in the cup.
By dawn the city lay transformed: where billboards once raged, dove sculptures now stood. Where digital banners flashed, streams of petals meandered through the streets. And Psalm 75 echoed on every lip: “Do not lift your hand in pride; God alone judges.” Thus began the first day of the world God remade—cleansed by the Lamb’s blood and the Word of the righteous King.
