Day #363
Scripture Reading: Revelation 8 - 11 …
The prophet Zephaniah writes, "Be silent
before the Sovereign LORD, for the day of the LORD is near" (Zephaniah
1:7). He then goes on to describe that "day" as a
day of judgment unparalleled in the history of mankind. "That day
will be a day of wrath … " (Zephaniah 1:15). "He
will make a sudden end of all who live in the earth" (Zephaniah 1:18).
God's wrath begins in Chapter 8 of John's Revelation, as there is "silence
in heaven for about half an hour" (8:1). Notice the difference
between the actions of the Antichrist in Chapter 6, as the Lamb opens the seals
to the scroll, and what happens in Chapters 8-9, where it is now God's angels
who carry out His wrath upon the earth. One-by-one they sound their
trumpets and God sends judgment upon the inhabitants of the earth. The
result: "A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of
fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths … the rest of mankind
that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of
their hands …" (9:18,20).
Such will be the wrath of God that will be poured
out on the earth prior to Jesus' return in glory! Paul writes in Romans
1:18, "the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the
godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their
wickedness," but the fullness of God's wrath is being stored up "for
the day of God's wrath, when His righteous judgment will be revealed" (Romans
2:5). God's wrath is not a pleasant topic and many in the church today
choose not to consider it or to talk about it, but His wrath will come!
God offers an escape from His wrath through faith
in Jesus Christ. That IS the Gospel!! Jesus controls the events of
Revelation, from beginning to end. That is a great comfort for those of
us who know Him, who have believed in Him, who love Him, but for all who have
not heard or believed, only wrath and judgment lies ahead. If eternal
life has any meaning, the opposite must exist: eternal death. And
the Bible says it does. JESUS says it does! Revelation is the "uncovering," the
revealing of God's plan for the deliverance of the final generation of
believers and the pouring out of His wrath on the rest of mankind. Jesus
promises that those who ENDURE, who persevere to the end will receive the
result of their faith: eternal life in the new heaven and the new earth!
Chapter 10 is an interesting message that at once
reveals both God's power and the specific nature of His plan. He could
carry out His judgment in a million different ways. There are thousands
of scenarios that could be played out on the stage of planet earth. The "seven
thunders" gives us a glimpse of another possible scenario, but
God says, "Enough!" "There will be no more delay!
But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound His trumpet the
mystery of God will be accomplished just as He announced to His servants the
prophets" (10:6-7). The "mystery" of God
is the establishment of His kingdom on the earth and that will be accomplished
as the seventh trumpet sounds and the final bowls of God's wrath are poured out
(Chapters 15-16 through Chapter 19).
John is given a vision of the last "42
months," "1,260 days" through the revelation of the "two
witnesses" (11:3-14). In Chapter 8, verse 13, the last three
trumpets are described as three "woes." Chapter 9, verse
12, says the first woe (the fifth trumpet) is passed, and Chapter 11, verse 14
says the second woe (the sixth trumpet) is passed. Chapter 10:1 through
Chapter 11:13 is an interlude that gives additional information. Verse 14
would be better understood taken with verse 15 as John writes, "The
second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon. The seventh angel
sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven which said, 'The
kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and
He will reign for ever and ever'" (11:14-15).
Note what the twenty-four elders then say as they
fall on their faces and worship God: "We give thanks to You, Lord
God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because You have taken your
great power and have begun to reign. The nations were angry; and Your
wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding
Your servants the prophets and Your saints and those who reverence Your name,
both small and great - AND for destroying those who destroy the earth" (11:15).
At the sounding of the seventh trumpet the final scenes unfold, culminating in
the return of Jesus Christ, described in Chapter 19:11-21. No doubt is
left concerning the outcome of all that has happened on the earth up to this
time. Jesus Christ shall reign!!
You and I can see the ongoing struggle between good
and evil, between God and Satan, between those who know the true God through
faith in Jesus Christ and those who do not. The Bible, God’s Word spoken
to God’s people, stands against all the other philosophies and religions of man
and points to the ONE Who declared Himself to be King, and gave testimony to
His power by rising from the grave. No one else … no one else has done
so. The Antichrist will attempt to imitate Christ's resurrection and God
will allow the people on earth at the time to be deceived, but we who believe
will know the truth because we have the unchanging, infallible Word of the
living God!! Pray that His Spirit gives
you wisdom to read and to understand these things. Some of the details
are difficult to understand, but with certainty we have the outline of the
events to come.
Stand firm in your faith in Jesus Christ.
Watch and wait, as Jesus told His disciples to do, and prepare for His
coming by serving Him and proclaiming the Gospel at every opportunity.
Then when Jesus comes in glory you will hear Him say, "Come, you
who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for
you since the creation of the world” (Matthew 25:34). AMEN!
Come Lord Jesus!!
"Heavenly Father, I come to You with joy and
peace and hope, trusting in Your unfailing love and the promise of eternal life
that is mine through faith in Your Son Jesus Christ. Reading of Your
coming judgment stirs within me the urgency to proclaim the Gospel, offering
forgiveness and deliverance from Your wrath through Jesus' blood, shed on the
cross so long ago for sinners like me. Give me strength to stand on Your
Word, believing all that it says, and give me grace to endure the temporary
trials of this life, knowing that I will live forever in Your perfect presence.
To You be glory and honor and praise, in Jesus' name, Amen"
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