The Seventh Seal; the Trumpet Judgments
Book of Revelation
Chapters 8 and 9
In our last lesson
there had been a small break between the sixth seal and the seventh
seal and 144,000 Evangelist from the children of Israel, 12,000 from
each tribe had been selected and sealed in the name of the Lord.
We next see that a
number of people had accepted the truth of Jesus Christ. This number
was a very large number of people, but we see them in Heaven which
meant that they did not live very long after their salvation
experience.
The earth was in
total turmoil as it was the last three and a half years of the
Tribulation which is called the Great Tribulation.
Things were
terrible, and very terrible for anyone who rejected the Antichrist.
We will see in a
later lesson that all of those 144,000 did live until these things
were over.
Now we will see that
God's "Judgment" will begin upon all those who rejected the
Lamb of God.
The Saints of God
were washed in the Blood of the Lamb.
With the seventh
seal which contained the seven trumpets, those who remain, besides
those 144,000, would see more blood than they could ever have
imagined, but it would be their own blood that had no power except to
cleanse the earth of wickedness.
There had been
singing and rejoicing in Heaven for those who had come home, but now
all singing and rejoicing would stop and there was a great silence.
Heaven is not a
silent place it is a place of rejoicing but not for this moment.
Zec 2:13 Be silent,
O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy
habitation.
Heaven is never in
joy over the "Judgment of God"!
All the signs of the
Lord's Second Coming are being fulfilled.
*****Rev 8:1 And
when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven
about the space of half an hour.
Rev 8:2 And I saw
the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven
trumpets.
These angels did not
have these trumpets, these seven trumpets were given to seven angels
and they took up their positions.
Whenever God calls
us to His service, He will provide the tools we need for that
service, just as He did these seven angels!
The trumpets of the
Jews had many meanings.
1) The call to war
2) The call to
worship
3) The call to
convocation (Political and legal matters were settled)
4) The call to
proclaim the festivals.
Amo 3:6 Shall a
trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall
there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?
Amo 3:7 Surely the
Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his
servants the prophets.
What were these
seven trumpets about?
Zep 1:14 The great
day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the
voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there
bitterly.
Zep 1:15 That day
is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness
and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and
thick darkness,
Zep 1:16 A day of
the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high
towers.
Zep 1:17 And I will
bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because
they have sinned against the LORD: "and their blood shall be
poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung".
It will be a
terrible time for those who remain upon this earth. Those who die and
those who will live through it.
Now, there was
silence in Heaven for about a thirty-minute time as on the earth.
There is no time in Heaven. Heaven is a place of eternity and endless
life.
John still lived in
his own time.
*****Rev 8:6 And
the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to
sound.
Rev 8:7 The first
angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood,
and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was
burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
We see that once we
are called and God provides the tools for the work He has given us to
do, then there must be a time of preparation.
These angels had to
prepare themselves for the "Trumpet Judgments".
Yes, the "Trumpet
Judgments" are the judgments contained in the "Seventh
Seal"!
Before we go
further, we had better realize that we must take these things just as
they are written.
There was no
confusion on John's part, and we must not spiritualize these
Scriptures!
There is proof upon
this earth that these things have happened before on a smaller scale.
We had better not
doubt the God of truth, but even in all these things we will still
see God's "Mercy"!
Joe 2:30 And I will
shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and
pillars of smoke.
Joe 2:31 The sun
shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the
great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
You see, the Lord
will return to this earth so He only took a third part of the trees
and a third part of the grasses and yes these would the edible fruits
and wheat and grasses for those who will live through these things.
The Lord means
business and there is a lesson here for the Church, not for the lost.
The Bible was not
written for the lost! The Bible is written for the saved!
Those who are lost
cannot understand the Word of God because of the need of the Holy
Spirit, so the Word of God can speak to us and do not make some big
deal out of this, it is just the truth!
The first trumpet
brought hail and fire mingled with blood.
This means hail with
lightening so terrible that they bring destruction and death.
We have an example:
Exo 9:23 And Moses
stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and
hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained
hail upon the land of Egypt.
Exo 9:24 So there
was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as
there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a
nation.
At this time of
Moses, God did not bring the death that will come in this time of the
Revelation of Jesus Christ.
God said we would
see these things again and God never lies!
Jer 23:7 Therefore,
behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say,
The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the
land of Egypt;
Jer 23:8 But, The
LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of
Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had
driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.
The seven years of
Tribulation is the "judgment" of non-believers, but it is
also to get the Jews to see the truth of the Power of Jehovah and the
Coming of the Messiah.
So there will be
great destruction and there will be great death! There will be blood,
blood, and more blood.
This world does not
believe in the salvation power of the blood of Jesus, so they will
see blood!
The second trumpet
sounds.
*****Rev 8:8 And
the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning
with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became
blood;
Rev 8:9 And the
third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life,
died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.
As the first trumpet
when it sounded it affected the land, the second trumpet sounding
affects the Sea!
This great mountain
could be a volcano and probably is.
In his 100-year
lifetime, we would think John had seen a volcano somewhere in his
travels. It is a volcano but then it blasted apart as it exploded
like none that he had ever seen.
Some suggest that it
is possibly a huge meteor, ablaze with fire as it burnt through the
earth's orbit and blasted into a mountain near the Sea.
Some people do not
believe in waters turning to blood, but this is a regular occurrence
in Australia that is said to be caused by a red, algae.
It happens also in
the waters near Florida.
Blood red waters
have appeared on the coast of China which was blamed on illegal
dumping and there are other places where the waters of the Seas have
turned blood red but not on the scale as it will be when this trumpet
sounds.
We also see red in
our own drinking water in many places. It is those pink stains in our
sinks and drains and this is because of Iron Ferrous in our water
supplies.
In this vision of
John, the impact of this mountain destroyed a third of the ships and
there was the blood of men spilled into the Seas and the lakes and
the streams.
These ships could
very well be ships involved in the war on Israel or at least in the
war of the Antichrist upon mankind.
In this same
occurrence that destroyed a third part of all sea creatures and their
blood was also mingled in the water.
We should just
believe the water will turn blood red and not doubt the Word of God!
This was a terrible
thing and of course this also caused a loss of some of the world's
food supply.
There are blood red
waters in the Bible and John was familiar with them.
Exo 7:17 Thus saith
the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: behold, I will
smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in
the river, and they shall be turned to blood.
Exo 7:18 And the
fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and
the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river.
Exo 7:19 And the
LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out
thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their
rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that
they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the
land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone.
Exo 7:20 And Moses
and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod,
and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh,
and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the
river were turned to blood.
Exo 7:21 And the
fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the
Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was
blood throughout all the land of Egypt.
John was also
familiar with the words from Jeremiah, where similar words were used
of Babylon.
Jer 51:24 And I
will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all
their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the LORD.
Jer 51:25 Behold, I
am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the LORD, which
destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee,
and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt
mountain.
Babylon, in the Book
of Revelation, is the worldly systems put in place by the Antichrist.
The financial system
and the religious system.
In either case, we
as the Church will not be involved in any part of these things and we
are certainly not to have any fear.
Psa 46:1 God is our
refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Psa 46:2 Therefore
will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the
mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Psa 46:3 Though the
waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with
the swelling thereof. Selah.
It is just best to
take the Word of God as it is written!
While we are on this
subject of just believing the promises of the Lord, let me mention
that a lot is being said about some shot or some injection what will
heal this virus that is plaguing our world today. Some are comparing
to the "mark of the Beast".
Just so we
understand. As true Christians, we cannot lose our salvation. Nothing
and no one can remove us from the hand of the Lord, not even
ourselves!
Joh 10:25 Jesus
answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do
in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.
Joh 10:26 But ye
believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
Joh 10:27 My sheep
hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
Joh 10:28 And I
give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither
shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Joh 10:29 My
Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able
to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
Joh 10:30 I and my
Father are one.
So, if someone comes
up with a working solution to end this plague in the form of a shot
or injection or even a pill, we do not have to be afraid of it. In
fact if it happens then the Lord allowed it and He would expect us to
do whatever it takes to protect our families.
1Ti_5:8 But if any
provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he
hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
The Lord will never
go back on His Word and we need the "faith" to accept all
the Word of God!
Now after the Church
is in Heaven these things could have an entirely different meaning!
The third trumpet
sounds.
*****Rev 8:10 And
the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven,
burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the
rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;
Rev 8:11 And the
name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters
became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were
made bitter.
We see shooting
stars very often today. There are also Comets making their lonesome
orbits through the galaxies and they are also wonderful to see.
On this day at least
one of them did not miss this place called earth and will make deadly
contact.
Wormwood in the Old
Testament is a sign of bitter calamity and sorrow, and this certainly
describes life in the time of the Great Tribulation!
Jer 9:13 And the
LORD saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before
them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein;
Jer 9:14 But have
walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim,
which their fathers taught them:
Jer 9:15 Therefore
thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will feed
them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to
drink.
Drinking water will
be scarce in many places and much of the drinking water will be
poisoned by the Antichrist in his attempt to control the population,
and many will die for lack of water. The average persons can only go
two or three days without water.
This is a reminder
of what was offered to Jesus. Remember the Book of Revelation is
about the reveling of Jesus Christ.
Why should we expect
to be treated any better than the world has treated Jesus?
Mat 27:34 They gave
him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted
thereof, he would not drink.
Jesus would not
drink poison when He was dying. Alcohol is poison!
Will you drink the
waters laced with wormwood when you are dying during these days of
the Great Tribulation?
I will not be here!
This should also be your answer!
The fourth trumpet
sounds.
*****Rev 8:12 And
the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten,
and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so
as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a
third part of it, and the night likewise.
We should understand
that everyone who is living during the time of the Great Tribulation
are there because they chose to be there!
They all had an
opportunity to be in Heaven, but they rejected the Lord Jesus Christ,
the only way to get into God's Heaven.
They would not give
up their sin!
What we should
understand is that for a third part of the world, they could not see
the sun, they could not see the moon, they could not even see the
nighttime sky!
They were placed in
total darkness!
We can only imagine
the things going on around them that caused this thing to happen.
What had Jesus said?
Luk 21:25 And there
shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and
upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the
waves roaring;
Luk 21:26 Men's
hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things
which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be
shaken.
This is also similar
to the plague of Egypt.
Exo 10:21 And the
LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that
there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may
be felt.
Exo 10:22 And Moses
stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick
darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:
Exo 10:23 They saw
not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but
all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
Notice that just as
in this day of Moses. God allowed the darkness to be only in a
certain area and God's people still had light.
Two thirds of the
world would still have the light of the Sun and the Moon and the
nighttime sky.
We should not doubt
what people were in darkness and those who had light!
In fact we could say
that this darkness will be so dark that it can be felt. The world of
today is not aware of true darkness because of the lights that are on
in darkness!
Exo_10:21 And the
LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that
there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may
be felt.
Then came the
announcement that things were only going to get worse.
*****Rev 8:13 And I
beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying
with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by
reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which
are yet to sound!
There are three
"woes", a woe for each of the trumpets that remain.
Things never get
better during the "Great Tribulation"!
That word
"Holocaust" has been used and certainly Hitler's
destruction of the Jews was a true holocaust. There are some things
going on in Africa, and Syria, and maybe a few other places that
might be called a holocaust by Christians, but none of these things
will compare to those last three years of the "Great
Tribulation"!
The Antichrist has
assumed rule of this world and he is showing his true side!
He has demanded
total allegiance!
He will demand that
all people focus on his government.
Never a government
has ever existed that were as deceptive and as cruel as his
government! Yet there are so many people today that just cannot wait
till there is a One World government where the rights of people will
be non-existent!
We can compare it
somewhat to some of those "want to be" Antichrist that have
come before him.
1Jn_2:18 Little
children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist
shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that
it is the last time.
Throughout the
centuries there have been antichrist in place as rulers as the
Caesars, Hitler just to name a couple.
With them came war
and death and all the atrocities of war.
It will be much
worse when this last but true Antichrist is on the scene and ruler of
this world! The ruler of the One World government.
He was welcomed with
open arms because of his deception but he can only be what he is,
"the duplicate of the Devil"!
The first four
trumpets brought devastation to the earth.
The last three
trumpets will bring devastation to the people of the earth!
God will judge the
ungodly and the evil and not those who trust in His Son, the Lord
Jesus Christ.
Woe, Woe, Woe, to
the inhabitants of the earth.
****Rev 9:1 And the
fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the
earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
Rev 9:2 And he
opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as
the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened
by reason of the smoke of the pit.
Rev 9:3 And there
came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given
power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
Rev 9:4 And it was
commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth,
neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which
have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
As we read, we see
that John saw a "star" fall to the earth, but it was not an
actual star it was a being, it was a person, or it was an angel.
It is in fact an
angelic being for no human being has this capability!
This angelic being
has the key to the bottomless pit.
We would be foolish
to believe that God would give any keys to Satan.
This same angel
comes later to bind Satan.
Rev 20:1 And I saw
an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit
and a great chain in his hand.
Rev 20:2 And he
laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and
Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
Rev 20:3 And cast
him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon
him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand
years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little
season.
We here of a lot of
things about Hell and the Burning Lake of Fire and how hot and
horrible it is.
We read of the rich
man from the Book of Luke is in Hell in torments and he would welcome
just one drop of water from a beggar that he despised, just to cool
his tongue for a moment.
Hell is a terrible
place.
Here we read that
Hell is a bottomless pit.
I do not know how
many have ever had that dream of falling and then wake up knowing how
terrible it was and is more than a dream but a nightmare.
I cannot imagine how
terrible it would be to continuously be falling throughout eternity
it takes be back to another place in the Scriptures.
Num 16:28 And Moses
said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these
works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.
Num 16:29 If these
men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the
visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me.
Num 16:30 But if
the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow
them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick
into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked
the LORD.
Num 16:31 And it
came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that
the ground clave asunder that was under them:
Num 16:32 And the
earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and
all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
Num 16:33 They, and
all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the
earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the
congregation.
Num 16:34 And all
Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they
said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.
I can only imagine
that these are still falling in this bottomless pit, which is very
possible with the rotation of the earth.
You fall and fall
and then you fall some more the bottom always being out of reach!
Another thing we see
that when this pit is opened there was smoke as a furnace.
Does anyone believe
this pit of Hell is not a fiery furnace just so miserably hot that it
cooks and cooks and then, cooks some more.
It does not cause
death because it is our Holy Father and His Son Jesus who by having
life also hold the power of death!
Joh 14:6 Jesus
saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh
unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7 If ye had
known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye
know him, and have seen him.
Hell is a terrible
place and then the Burning Lake of Fire and a Bottomless Pit.
Some say this
bottomless pit is the home of the Fallen Angels or wicked and evil
demons.
Not only does this
place house those that have rejected the truth of God, but there are
terrible things also in this pit.
Locusts with the
power of a scorpion.
Locusts crave grass
and all green things, but God will not allow them to eat these
things. I do not think they will be very happy about it.
You can call this
foolishness if you so choose, but locusts are real, and they destroy
crops every year in many places upon this earth.
These are different
in they will attack humans because they have no food, but not all
humans. They will not attack those 144,000 Jews that have God's seal
of approval!
*****Rev 9:5 And to
them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they
should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment
of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
Rev 9:6 And in
those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall
desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
The scorpion looks
somewhat like a miniature lobster. They have a very active tail, with
six joints which ends with a crooked point like a claw.
They are carnivorous
in their habits. In that claw or stinger there is a gland which
discharges a poisonous fluid and it makes a painful wound in humans
and animals which can have fatal results in some species and in some
people.
This scorpion
mentioned here will not cause death, but it will cause a pain so
terrible you will wish you were dead!
Locusts travel in
swarms, so they are more likely to cause multiple stings upon each
and every human and all the animals that remain.
These things will be
so bad that the world will seek to die, but God holds the power of
life and death and He will not allow them to die, but suffer through
this terrible thing for five months which is about the life span of a
grass hopper today.
What we can believe
is that God will not allow anyone to die during this five-month
period.
They will not even
be able to commit suicide, though they may even try and make their
own matters even worse.
These will be
terrible looking things but let us look at another prophesy.
Joe 2:4 The
appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen,
so shall they run.
Joe 2:5 Like the
noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the
noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong
people set in battle array.
Joe 2:6 Before
their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather
blackness.
Joe 2:7 They shall
run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and
they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break
their ranks:
Joe 2:8 Neither
shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and
when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.
Joe 2:9 They shall
run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall
climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a
thief.
Joe 2:10 The earth
shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the
moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining:
We know that horses
cannot fly nor can they climb walls, but these creatures in this
passage would be able to.
We also know this as
the Day of the Lord in the Book of Revelation.
Joe 2:11 And the
LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very
great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the
LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?
These things have a
king, which locusts, do not have.
Pro 30:27 The
locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
Nowhere in the
Scriptures is Satan called Abaddon nor Apollyon so this king must not
be Satan.
In reality those who
are alive may now see the wicked demons who have been at work but
never seen all these years!
These will be
terrible days for all those who wear or carry the mark of the beast!
*****Rev 9:12 One
woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.
Rev 9:13 And the
sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the
golden altar which is before God,
Rev 9:14 Saying to
the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which
are bound in the great river Euphrates.
Rev 9:15 And the
four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day,
and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
As we can see, more
"woes" lie ahead for all those who rejected the Lord Jesus
Christ by their own choice.
The patience of the
Lord has reached its peak. He will no longer hold back "Judgment"
on all unbelievers.
Eze 18:32 For I
have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD:
wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
Eze 3:11 Say unto
them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death
of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn
ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of
Israel?
Heb 10:38 Now the
just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall
have no pleasure in him.
It is our Mediator,
the Lord Jesus Christ who stands at this golden altar.
He is our Legal
Advocate. He is our Supreme Head of life.
This Golden Altar is
in fact a "type of Calvary" where our Savior bled and died.
Those horns represent the power of the blood!
Those who were about
to die would shed their own blood because they rejected the power of
the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
1Jn 2:1 My little
children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any
man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous:
1Jn 2:2 And he is
the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for
the sins of the whole world.
1Jn 2:3 And hereby
we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
It is those who kept
not the commandment of the Lord who remain upon this earth, and most
of them were about to die.
We cannot bypass
Calvary in our search for life!
We cannot bypass the
washing of water by the Word of God!
We cannot forego the
Living Bread at the table of our Lord and Savior!
We cannot bypass our
Intercessor as these that remain on earth are trying to do!
It is our
Intercessor who cries out from the Golden Altar to the sixth angel!
These people had
witnessed the Church.
Heb 10:19 Having
therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood
of Jesus,
Heb 10:20 By a new
and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil,
that is to say, his flesh;
Heb 10:21 And
having an high priest over the house of God;
Heb 10:22 Let us
draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our
hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with
pure water.
Heb 10:23 Let us
hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is
faithful that promised;)
Heb 10:24 And let
us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Heb 10:25 Not
forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some
is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the
day approaching.
Now they would
witness the Judgment of the Lord.
There are many
thoughts about these angels, and they were bound which seemed to make
them fallen angels that Satan has prepared for this specific day.
Let us take another
look.
They were bound near
the River Euphrates which is the most probable location of the Garden
of Eden.
This is the location
of where Satan caused the first sin of man.
This is the place
where because of sin, death came to all humans.
This is the place
where God himself placed His Cherubim to protect the way to the tree
of life.
Gen 3:24 So he
drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden
Cherubim and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way
of the tree of life.
It is my opinion
that it is these angels who have been bound at this place all these
years defending the way to the tree of life, and it is who they have
been prepared for this specific day!
The number of them
being four because of the four directions, North, South, East, and
West.
When released, they
will slay a third part of the men left upon this earth during the
Great Tribulation. They will never be able to reach the tree of life!
Remember one fourth
of those that remained had already been killed and that leaves three
fourths.
This would mean that
almost half of the population of this planet would already be dead!
Today there are near
8 billion (7.8 Billion) people upon this planet.
What was the number
of those who would be slain?
*****Rev 9:16 And
the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand
thousand: and I heard the number of them.
Rev 9:17 And thus I
saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having
breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of
the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued
fire and smoke and brimstone.
Rev 9:18 By these
three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the
smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
Rev 9:19 For their
power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were
like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.
These four angels
will use the Devil's own cavalry, a vast invading army, to accomplish
this task.
We can see that the
great Tribulation is just one horror followed by an even worse
horror, under the direction of Heaven but taking place by the
Antichrist.
This army will
appear indestructible and we can only describe them as John saw them.
What comes from them
is fire and brimstone and fire is a great destructor which goes on
until its fuel goes out and is accelerated by the winds of doom.
Psa 11:4 The LORD
is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes
behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.
Psa 11:5 The LORD
trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his
soul hateth.
Psa 11:6 Upon the
wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible
tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.
Psa 11:7 For the
righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the
upright.
We know that John
did his best to describe these evil army that I believe describes our
modern warfare machinery, but it could still be in our future.
No doubt a horrible
time will be this Great Tribulation where half of the world has
already died.
Still let us listen
to those who were not killed and notice who they are.
*****Rev 9:20 And
the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet
repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not
worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone,
and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
These are the elite.
These are the ones closest to the Antichrist. These are the ones who
have allowed the others to be on the front lines.
With half of the
world that remained they became even more angry at Jehovah, the Lord
Jesus Christ, and more attached to the Antichrist.
They had so many
gods, one for each of their miseries, but none seemed to be working,
but they clanged to them hoping one would have some power to stop the
Lion of the tribe of Juda, but He will prevail!
Notice there is no
mention of any righteous because there are none at this time upon the
earth, only the unrighteous remain!
There also no
mentioned of any saved because we cannot be saved on our terms but
only on the Lord's terms.
This was the time to
say, "Lord I give up" but the Lord would not have allowed
that!
It is always a good
time to repent but these still refused to repent!
Noticed they
worshiped devils.
They worshiped gold.
They worshiped
silver.
They worshiped
brass.
They worshiped stone
their great structures.
They worshiped wood
their great homes.
None of these could
see their problems.
None of these could
hear their prayers.
None of these could
walk over to help them even as they reached out to them for help.
You see you must be
broken to receive the Lord. Your pride must be non-existent.
Broken soil produces
crops.
Broken clouds give
us rain.
Broken grain gives
us bread.
Breaking the bread
gives us strength.
It is a broken heart
that the Lord can heal.
It is a bruised and
broken soul that can be saved.
None of these could
be broken!
They were still
murderers even with murder going on all around them.
They still relished
in their drugs. Yes sorceries are the use of drugs.
The English word
“sorceries” comes from the Greek word “pharmakeia”
far-mak-i'-ah
From G5332 in the
Strong's dictionary of Greek and Hebrew words; medication
(“pharmacy”),
They still rejected
marriage and remained open to all infidelity and immorality.
They remained
thieves, taking away from those who could not protect themselves.
It was like the wild
west with no sheriff.
Everyone did just
what they wanted to do regardless of the harm it caused others.
The Great
Tribulation will be a horrible time to be upon this earth!
Each of them was the
enemy of the one closest to them!
Amen
