The Final Bowl is Poured Out

Revelation 16:17-21

The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!”  And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake.  The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath.  And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found.  And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.

The finality of the bowl judgments and plagues upon the Earth in the last days of tribulation.  This vision of John’s in the Throne Room of God details the final bowl being poured out by the seventh angel, bringing cataclysmic destruction through natural events.  Lightning, thunder, and earthquakes shake the globe to its very core.  Mountains and islands disappear, and the city of Jerusalem is divided into three.  In Ezekiel 38, there is a reference to great earthquakes in Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives when the Son of God returns, stating His foot will land on the Mount of Olives as the city is split into two.  Hailstones will fall and bring death upon people who have rejected God throughout the final days.  His final plague of destruction and devastation will once and for all show His power and authority over all things.

The wrath presented here in Revelation 16 is very similar to the prophecy in Ezekiel 38, describing the end of days.  Both discuss the great wrath of God being poured out upon those who oppose Him.  Both discuss the mountains being thrown down, earthquakes as never before, pestilence, disease, and great hailstones.  Ezekiel 38 presents the foe of God to come from the North and West, whereas Revelation 16 presents the battle being formed in the Valley of Megiddo between the Lamb and armies from the East.  God’s word through the Prophets describes what John also sees in his vision.

God has no pleasure in bringing death to the wicked.  He desires that the wicked will turn from their evil ways and return to Him.  Throughout the scriptures, God expresses His love to His people and wants that none should perish.  Unfortunately, right up to the end of the Tribulation, Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet will have a stronghold on many.  These are the ones that will join in the battle against the Lamb of God in the coming verses.  They are following the liar, the deceiver, into battle, without recognizing the ending is already written.  

For these people have access today to the scriptures, to the prophecies, to the Word of God, and yet choose to ignore or deny its authenticity.  You may know someone or many who are like this.  They live in denial that God is sovereign, omnipotent, omniscient, and the Creator.  They enjoy living outside of God’s authority because it allows for their sinful nature to go unchecked and unrepentant.  Mankind, in general, does not want to align with a supreme authority and desires only to live within their own self-autonomy.  This self-centered, prideful, arrogant, and debased lifestyle that so many have decided to follow will only lead them to the destruction described in Ezekiel 38 and Revelation 16.

God is intentional with each of us to reveal His truth and plan.  He has given each of us the free will to accept or reject Him, though, and this will lead to many being subject to the Great Tribulation and the final battle with Christ in the last days.  It is my prayer that anyone reading this will come to realize that there is a God in heaven who loves you enough to send His only Son as a sacrifice for your sins.  Accepting this and putting your faith in Him is the only way to avoid the inevitable death and destruction identified here.  You are all in my prayers for this revelation to hit home.  Be blessed today with the good news. 

Holding Daddy’s Hand

“How precious is Your loving kindness, O God!  And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.”  Psalm 36:7

 His hand has grown 10x it’s original size, according to the averages in the US, from birth through the age of 7.  Yet, it barely fills the palm of my hand when we hold them next to each other.  When we are in a busy place or by a road, my hand naturally opens, and his is always right there to grab ahold of it.  I wrap my fingers around his small fingers tightly, but not too tight.  It is my way of ensuring that he is protected, he is not lost nor in harm's way when I am holding his hand.  It’s no different with any of my other children or grandchildren.  There is something comforting about holding their hand and guiding their direction away from the obstacles in life.

 If you’ve been watching the unfolding events over the last week or so you are likely feeling somewhat vulnerable, angered and perhaps even confused.  The hatred, the anger and the violence that has erupted throughout the Middle East was predictable, yet we must realize that our Father knows how to protect His children and to guide them to safety and peace.  The times that we live in will continue to be tumultuous and the uprisings and rage will escalate as the true battle’s in life become more tense.  These events are simply an outward display of a war that has raged for centuries and millennium.  We see it much more transparent because of the media and the digital media coverage that has made it available globally.

Understand that the battle between those of the Islam faith and those of the Jewish faith and those of the Christian faith is ancient.  Those radicals that seek out the death and destruction of the others are in the minority and do not represent the loving kindness of the Father.  You see, they are worthy of God’s grace as much as you are.  Although confused through their culture and upbringing, they are no less loved than you and I by their Creator.  God’s love is unchanging and equally available to all mankind, yes, even those that are battling against Him.  God is our salvation and His plans will persist despite the efforts of mankind.

Trust in His word, and realize that He knows exactly what is going on, even though you and I don’t.  In Ezekiel 36, 37, 38 and 39; he prophesied about the war against Israel in the end days.  He wrote those prophetic books over 2500 years ago, and we see it unraveling today as all eyes are upon Israel, and those that wish to annihilate that little piece of land of 8 thousand sq miles (the size of New Jersey, USA).  Some discount it as rubbish, but those of us who know that God is in control of all things look at the events of late and realize that Ezekiel’s prophecies and visions have merit to them.  We are His children, and can trust that He is our protector through these events.  Do not lose sight of His eternal plan as you get lost in the mire and confusion of the media around you.  There is nothing that is going on that our Lord has not already planned for, so seek refuge under His wings and hold on to His hand and He will guide you and I through these obstacles and into our eternal future with Him.

  

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
For an archive of Daily Thoughts go to: http://www.10minutereader.com