March 21, 2006

• Well, Katherine thoroughly enjoyed the surprise birthday party, and although she claims she wasn’t surprised, the expression on her face belies that fact. Guess it isn’t too cool at 14 to claim surprise.

  
  

  Back to Revelation.

  
  

  Revelation 9: 13-21

  
  

  The judgements are escalating in severity. With the sixth trumpet we begin to see the condition of those left on the earth.

  
  

  When the sixth trumpet is sounded there is a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God (that would be the Temple of Incense in the earthly temple).  And it says to “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” Remember in Revelation 7, God held those angels in check until the 144,000 were sealed.  They were not to harm the earth, the sea, or the trees til the servants of God were sealed on their foreheads. Rev. 7:3

  
  

  Now the 144,000 have been sealed, they have escaped the fifth trumpet judgement of the demonic locusts.

  
  

  I find Rev. 9:15 such a profound verse: So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind.”

  
  

  I am certain God released these with a heavy heart, knowing that He wanted all possible to be saved and that He gave ample opportunity. Those left on earth (not that many after the other judgements) have no desire for God, and unfortunately 1/3 of them will perish- at this time about 1/2 of all the inhabitants of earth have perished in the judgements. But God also had the hour, day, month, and year planned out. Those who remain are those who really will not worship God and Jesus. Yet God still has the 144,000 speaking to them, and later he will send the aircorps (three angels announcing the gospel and warnings to the people – even at this time God wants people to turn to Him. When the final judgement occurs no one will be able to say ‘I never knew.’ God is making things abundantly clear to people).

  
  

  The creatures that will cause these plagues to be executed look like riders on horses, with breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow: the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. It is by these three plagues, fire, smoke and brimstone that 1/3 of mankind were killed. The power of them was in their mouths and in their tails, the tails were like serpents having heads and they do harm with their tails.

  
  

  What is particularly sad is that in verse 20 it says that the rest of mankind not killed by the plagues would not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood which can neither see nor hear nor walk. And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

  
  

  In other words, these people have set themselves on a course so opposed to God, and hardened their hearts to repentance. 1 John 5 tells believers to keep themselves from idols. It may do us well to ask ourselves when we are hurting, what do we turn to. Do we turn to God or to someone else, some thing else, or what.

  
  

  Joel 3:14 speaks of this judgement Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon will grow dark, and the stars will diminish their brightness. The Lord will roar from Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; The heavens and earth will shake; but the Lord will be a shelter for His people, and the strength for the children of Israel.

  
  

  Oh pray for those who are not saved.Hear God’s heart for His people. He really wants no one to go where satan and his minions are going. That place was not prepared for men, but satan would love to pull people down with him. Not only would it hurt God, but misery loves company. I know I persisted in my defiance of God for far too long, and I just pray that others will not follow that same path.

  
  

  I am certain that some reading this are saying in their hearts that if these events occur, then they will believe. They want to see signs and wonders. But I want those to think about if they cannot stand up for Jesus in this day and age, where would they get the idea that they could stand up for Him during the tribulation. Not only will the earth be in distress, but the antichrist and his followers will be bent on destroying, and killing believers. It will be far harder to stand up for Jesus in those times than any trials we may see now.

  
  

  Please do not wait too long to come to know Jesus. He loves you so much.

  
  

  Heather

  • 12:01 am
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