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. 

And then there were Plagues

Revelation 15:1, 5-8

(1)Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished….

(5)After this I looked, and the sanctuary of the tent of witness in heaven was opened, and out of the sanctuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues, clothed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes around their chests.  And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever, and the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished

Up to this point, we have discussed the seven seals broken by the Lamb of God, the seven trumpets blown by the seven angels, and now we are introduced to seven angels with seven plagues for the end of the great tribulation and seven bowls full of wrath.  The temple of God then becomes off-limits until the end is complete.

His glory filled the temple to the point no other being could enter in.  In the final stages of tribulation, God’s wrath will demonstrate His unmatched omnipotence and power.  He alone has the authority to give these angels the ability to pour out the coming wrath upon mankind.  Every element of His wrath and judgment to this point has demonstrated His authority over all creatures, even Satan.  Despite Satan’s attempt to usurp God’s authority, this ending scenario makes it very clear that Satan is fully beholden to God’s authority.

The angels bring the bowls of wrath upon those who have denied and refused His mercies and grace.  Those who have decided to follow Satan, the Antichrist, and False Prophet will feel this wrath completely.  Do not let the world tell you that this shows that inherently God is evil.  This is 100% based on mankind’s decision to reject Him, and not based on God’s decision to reject mankind.  

Let us not forget that God sent them Jesus Christ as the propitiation of sin, redemption, and salvation.  God in the last days will send them 144,000 Saints to share His word and testimony, to help them repent and turn from their evil ways.  God will send them plagues to demonstrate His authority and omnipotence.  God will send them two witnesses to prophecy and share His mercy and grace with them.  Despite His attempts to bring them back into His love and eternal rest, there will be those who maintain their self-centered, self-righteous denial even to the point of death.  

Pray and share His love with those you meet today.  Help them understand and see His loving mercy and grace.  Each day, our path crosses the path of others struggling in life; help them find God.

The 6th Trumpet - 2.5 Billion Dead

Revelation 9:12-21

Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God,  saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”  So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of mankind.  The number of mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand; I heard their number.  And this is how I saw the horses in my vision and those who rode them: they wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire and of sulfur, and the heads of the horses were like lions’ heads, and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths.  By these three plagues, a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths.  For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails, for their tails are like serpents with heads, and by means of them they wound.

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk,  nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

Yes, 2.5 billion will be killed when the sixth angel blows his trumpet.  John’s vision in the Throne Room of God was hearing a voice release the four angels to send their armies upon mankind.  Through plagues (fire, smoke, and sulfur), the army of 200,000,000 will inflict pain and suffering, even to death, upon the earth at a heavenly-prescribed period of time.  These angels, held at bay by God for an exact hour, will be released.

Despite the daunting armies with horses, looking like serpents, with lion’s heads, and breastplates the color of red, sapphire and sulfur, bringing death upon the earth, many will still deny God.  How evil must mankind be in order to see 1/3rd of those who know die at the hand of this army, yet still refuse to turn from their wicked ways?  Holding fast to their debauchery of theft, murder, and sexual immorality, this group raise the fist to the God of the Universe, and chooses to remain in their sinful ways.  

Look around yourself in today’s world.  How many are snubbing their nose at God’s commandments and following their own desires and wickedness instead?  

Sexual immorality is at an all-time high.  Adultery, fornication, pedophilia, sex slavery, and other deviant practices are acceptable, even encouraged, and commonplace in many cultures.  

We have become nonchalant towards murder in today’s society.  The news and media sources have even become complacent about discussing murder unless there are ulterior benefits to their political agenda.

Stealing is acceptable in many cities now.  Many retailers won’t even bat an eye if what the person steals is worth less than $800.  In some cases, the victim is actually found guilty of defending themselves against the thieves.

We can look all around us and see the rise of evil in the world, yet still we aren’t seeing the mass loss of 1/3rd of mankind, 2.5 billion people.  Here again, we see God’s wrath upon the Earth being extremely specific in timing and impact.  His patience is demonstrated by holding this wrath back as long as possible and targeting 1/3rd of all people.  This allows the remaining 2/3rd of people the opportunity to repent and follow Him.  But will they see the sovereignty and power of God, or will they continue in their worship of evil, rebellion, and denial?  Revelation 9:21 tells us they will not.

Let us be busy about the business of helping these people overcome these barriers and to follow God, the Father.  Those with God’s seal will not be subjected to this wrath.  We should want for our loved ones and friends to be on that side of the end days if indeed we claim to care for them.