March 30, 2006

• Revelation 11:15-19

  
  

  By the way, when the two witnesses are killed is the ONLY time you see rejoicing in the tribulation. But it is the time when antichrist will be revealed (and very clearly for he will desecrate the temple), it will be a tough time for believers, many of whom will be martyred and join those under the altar that we saw in the fifth seal (Rev. 6:9-11 where God told them that they should rest little while until the number of their fellow servants who will be killed was completed – this time will be the completion of that).

  
  

  We are now 1/2 way through the tribulation. and the seventh angel is sounding.  Loud voices in heaven will proclaim “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” 

  
  

  Praise God!!!! This is where God takes back the earth. The first thing He will do is cleanse it, which will be the bowl judgements. But God has given ample warning, sent Jesus, sent the disciples and believers into the world, sent the 144,000, and sent the two witnesses. He will also proclaim with angels more facts for those who DWELL ON THE EARTH. At this point, those who dwell on the earth (important words to follow in Revelation), are those who have consistently rejected God’s truth, consistently hardened their hearts, haven’t repented, and now God is going to let them have their wishes. God is so loving that He will not force His will on anyone. If they want to reject Him, they are free to do so, but I am certain it breaks His heart when such rejection comes.

  
  

  I know I rejected Him for 40 years, and I am so grateful that He kept nudging me, until I was able to finally realize I needed Him in my life. I just pray that there are not many who DWELL ON THE EARTH when these judgements come. God does not want us facing His wrath which He had for satan and the angels who rebelled with satan.

  
  

  The 4 elders who sat before God will fall on their faces and worship God, singing the following praise.

  
  

  Verses 17-18 We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come (note, when antichrist comes on the scene, he will be described as the beast who was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition). Because You have taken Your great power and reigned. The nations were angry and Your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged. And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and saints, and those who ear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth.”

  
  

  What has destroyed the earth is sin. These praises are sung throughout Revelation in various forms. We have seen the elders sing here, in Revelation 5 and we will see them sing in Revelation 19 at the end of the tribulation when the Heavens are opened and Jesus comes in the second coming. Now it is interesting that these songs are coronation songs and in the Old Testament there are three different times coronations songs were sung, for the Prophet, the Priest, and the King- Jesus is the only one who has operated in all three of these offices – prophet, priest and king.

  
  

  Praise God in Revelation 11:19 it says, Then the temple of God was opened IN HEAVEN (caps are mine) and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noices, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.

  
  

  The ark of the covenant was lost to Israel. Jeremiah 3:16 says “Then it shall come to pass, when you are multiplied and increased in the land in those days,” says the Lord, “that they will say no more, ‘The ark of the covenant of the Lord.’ It shall not come to mind, nor shall they remember it, nor shall they visit it, nor shall it be made anymore.”

  
  

  Joshua 3 is important to read to learn more about the history and meaning of the ark. A few high points, are that the ark would go before the people, and there was a specific way that it was to be carried, it was when Joshua was to come into the promised land that God sent the ark before, and the Jordan river parted. The Old Testament has many stories of the ark and how the people related to the ark – the visible symbol of God’s presence. And if you ever want to be blessed, check out Beth Moore’s study on the ark, for you will learn how every detail of the ark reflects Jesus. David learned he had to follow God’s rules to bring the ark back to Jerusalem, the people learned to come to God through the mercy seat, not the law (which they discovered when they opened up the ark to see if the commandments were there). They learned that they should follow God’s directions, not assume that if they have the ark they have God’s blessing (when they took the ark into battle without God directing them to do so and lost the ark for a time), etc. I think that God took the ark from them so that it would not become an idol to them, and God gave us Jesus so we did not need the ark’s mercy seat for one greater  came to die for us and redeem us.

  
  

  This seventh trumpet is the beginning of God taking back the earth, cleansing it from sin, and preparing it for Jesus’ millennial reign.

  
  

  Oh pray that God’s Word is spread, that people come to God before these end days. We do not know when these things will happen, but given what is occurring on the news, I suspect that we have far less time than we think we have. Let’s not get complacent. Let’s reach out to others. Be like the five wise virgins and keep our lamps filled with His Spirit, and flowing out to others with His truth.

  
  

  Heather

  • 8:04 am
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