March 7, 2006

• Following the plan of Revelation, we see that the sixth seal was broken when the people cried the day of God’s wrath has come (but it is not God declaring that it is the day of His wrath, that will not happen until much later in the judgements), but I suspect the conditions on earth are pretty horrific and rapidly getting worse. The signs in the sky of sun darkening, and earthquakes, and moon like blood are terrifying.

  
  

  God then had the 144,000 sealed, this was necessary before the fifth trumpet when the locusts come up for they will not be able to harm God’s sealed. Now, it is important to keep in mind where people are in Revelation (kind of reminds me of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, my people keep coming and going so quickly here.) A recap.

  
  

  Chapter 1 – John is caught up in the Spirit to heaven to see a vision of Jesus and is told to write in verse 19, the things that he has seen (ch. 1) the things that are (ch 2 & 3) and the things that will take place after these things (Ch. 4-22).

  
  

  Chapters 2 & 3 are on the earth. This is the church age, and it is the state of the churches. Remember that we are not a particular church, that the churches give in total a complete picture of Jesus. and the end of the message always includes the words “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” This phrase will be repeated later in Revelation without the ending of TO THE CHURCHES, just he who has an ear to hear let him hear.

  
  

  Now at this point the churches and believers are on the earth, but God promises the churches that he will keep them from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. (The phrase dwell on the earth is often repeated later in Revelation). And God tells us to comfort ourselves with this thought. The idea of the wrath of God is not comforting.

  
  

  Chapters 4 & 5 we see the church “believers” in heaven worshipping before the throne and singing a song that only believers could sing,  …” have redeemed us to God by your blood.” only believers were redeemed by Jesus’ blood, and if the ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands are singing this song, those numbers would indicate the church in heaven.

  
  

  The seal judgements happen to those who dwell on the earth, but Jesus is up in heaven reclaiming the earth, for he is the one worthy to open the scroll. What happens with the seals, trumpets and bowls will occur on earth.

  
  

  This is a long, round about way of saying that at this time the 144,000 are on the earth – but later on we will see them in Heaven before the throne.

  
  

  Now there is debate, and we won’t know for certain if the scroll contains all the seals, trumpets and bowls, because with the 7th seal the trumpets emerge, and with the 7th trumpet the bowl judgements emerge. What we can be certain due to time phrases is that the judgements follow in order, first the seals, then the trumpets, then the bowls.

  
  

  With, in Chapter 8, the seventh seal is opened there is silence in heaven for half an hour. Can you imagine how incredible that silence must be? Up until now when we have been given a glimpse of heaven there has been such worship activity, the elders, the multitudes, the 4 living creatures all singing praises to God. Now this silence for 1/2 hour.  During this time the 7 angels who stand before God are given seven trumpets.

  
  

  Then there is another angel that has a golden censer, which stands at the alter and is given incense. He will offer this with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. The smoke of this incense with the prayers of the saints will ascend before God from the angel’s hand.

  
  

  Remember that the Temple on earth was a picture of the Temple in Heaven, and on earth there was also a golden censer, that the priest used to offer up the incense offering. This was in the tabernacle before the Holy of Holies. And the incense used was only used in the Temple, it was beaten to a fine power, salted, and composed of sweet smelling spices which were not native to Jerusalem, but had to be imported. The fire to burn the incense had to not be foreign fire. In fact Aaron’s sons used their own fire to burn the incense and they paid with heir lives. The fire for the incense had to come from the altar of sacrifice, and that was initially ignited by God who consumed the first sacrifice, and that fire was kept burning. It was not a fire made by man.

  
  

  So at this time in the judgements the prayers of the saints are before God, then the angel in Revelation takes the censer and fills it with fire from the altar and throws it to earth. There were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.

  
  

  This is the second earthquake, for there was also an earthquake in the sixth seal. I am certain that with all of these actions God is hoping that people will wake up and repent. There will still be some who do repent, but because they waited so long they will have to live through many of these judgements. Even during the intense judgements, God is giving people time to come to Christ. The 144,000 are now speaking to people, and soon God will send his two witnesses.

  
  

  I pray that many people are reached before these times occur, that none will have to be those who dwell on the earth during these judgements.

  
  

  Heather

  • 1:53 pm
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