The Trumpet Judgments
Our Text: Revelation 8:1-9:21
We must not forget, God is going to judge this Earth and the people on it. This is true whether you want to believe it or not.
Psa 96:12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice
Psa 96:13 Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with [his truth].
God’s truth is His word that He has given to us.
Pro 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
Pro 30:6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
Though men search they will never know how God created this world and a time of “judgment is coming”!
Ecc 3:11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
Ecc 3:17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
The Word that God gives us will come true just as He wrote it down for us:
Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
The Bible is God’s Word!
2Ti 3:16 [All scripture is given by inspiration of God], and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Joh 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
We have learned from the Book Of Daniel of the seven year tribulation period. We also know that those same seven years are split into two, three and one year periods, the last half being called the “Great Tribulation”.
Mat 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Mat 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
We will now see some of the things of the “Great Tribulation”.
As a quick reminder I should mention that the Church is in Heaven at this time and will miss this entire seven year period. It’s simple to be with the Church. The Bible says:
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
The Bible also says:
Rev 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, [the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets].
In other words the prophets of God have foretold this awful time and we need to refer to what they say. Sadly in my limited knowledge of the Bible, I make many mistakes in making sense of the word but it is God’s word that is true. That’s why we must study God’s Word “individually”.
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Christ Himself divided this book for our study and we must refer to all the Bible in our understanding of this Book.
Our Text:
Rev 8:1 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
It is this “seventh seal” that contains the remaining judgments of the Earth and all God’s creation!
Psa 102:12 But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.
Psa 102:13 Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.
There was no doubt to all that were in Heaven that the time God had set for His wrath had come. This brought everything in Heaven to a standstill for a moment in time. Why has the choir stopped? Simply because the most horrible things that ever happened are about to happen on Earth.
Numbers are real important in the Book of Revelation. A half hour would be thirty minutes. Some say the number 30 represents “mourning”. We have just witnessed the first six seals. The number six is to twelve as 3 and one half is to seven. Six symbolizes the world given over to judgment and by the fulfillment of the seventh the world kingdoms become Jesus Christ’s. Seven is God’s number in the Bible.
God will make a perfect end to sin!
Isa 13:9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
God will bring peace to this Earth!
Daniel was told to seal up some things in his book:
Dan 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
The Apostle Paul said there were some things that he could not mention:
2Co 12:4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
The Apostle John was told to make sure we read these things:
Rev 22:10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
But saying all this there are some things God just will not tell us about:
Rev 10:4 And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.
This will be a horrible time on Earth and we all have family members that just will not accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior. Some things are just better not said.
The Prophet said:
Zec 2:13 Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.
Hab 2:20 But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.
Our text:
*****Rev 8:2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
There are 7 angels each given a trumpet:
The trumpet was basically used for three things.
1.) The gathering for a feast:
Question: Are you going to attend the wedding feast of the Lamb?
2.) The gathering for war:
Question: Are you going to the feast or going to the war?
3.) The anointing of the King:
Question: Where will you be when the Lamb of God is anointed as King?
The Prophet said:
Amo 3:6 Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?
Exo 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
Jos 6:16 And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city.
The truth of the Prophet:
Zep 1:14 The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.
Zep 1:15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,
Zep 1:16 A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.
Zep 1:17 And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.
Zep 1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD’S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
Our Text:
*****Rev 8:3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
Rev 8:4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand.
Again the Church is in Heaven but a certain prayer has been made which has been taught to many people as children:
Mat 6:10 [Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven].
Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
Mat 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Mat 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
I’m sure this also the prayer of the martyred saints of the tribulation. In fact we have already seen God’s response to some of those saints.
Rev 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
Rev 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
I believe this angel is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ:
Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
and again:
1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
We know it’s time for the Captain of the Army, the Lord of Host to come forward:
Jos 5:13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?
Jos 5:14 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?
Jos 5:15 And the captain of the LORD’S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.
The Lord owns this altar:
Lev 9:24 And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.
We know it’s time for the Captain of the Army, the Lord of Host to come forward:
Rev 6:11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, [that should be killed as they were], should be fulfilled.
God’s vengeance is on the murderers that remain on this Earth. I will have no pity on such a people though I will continue to pray for them my remaining days. There is a prison that these will go to and it is called the burning lake of fire. There will be no luxuries in this eternal prison, just torment.
The Prophet said:
Psa 141:2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Luk 1:10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
Our text:
*****Rev 8:5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.
The altar was the place where a sacrifice was substituted for sin. It is a type of the “Cross” of Our Lord. The fire consumed the sacrifice. Those that are on the Earth during the tribulation period have rejected Jesus Christ our substitute for sin. Now this angel throws down the fire to the Earth. When mankind rejects the first substitution, mankind will suffer the fires of Hell on himself.
1Co 10:26 For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.
And there were voices, thunderings, lightnings, and earthquake:
Psa 77:18 The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.
The promised redemption of the Earth:
Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
The Church has already been redeemed:
Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
The Prophet said:
Isa 66:14 And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.
Isa 66:15 For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
Isa 66:16 For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.
Our text:
*****Rev 8:6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
Rev 8:7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
God gets no pleasure in this destruction:
Eze 33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Once this first trumpet sounds the Earth will never be the same!
Psa 11:5 The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.
Psa 11:6 Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.
Isa 29:6 Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.
Isa 29:7 And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all that fight against her and her munition, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision.
The world has rejected the salvation by the “blood of the Lamb”. The world will now see a lot of blood.
We read about the black horse in Revelation 6. Grass is the food source for almost every animal. Plant life was the first to be created and it will be the first to be destroyed. Remember when plant life goes, we will not have oxygen to breath. This is already a concern by modern day ecologists. Just in America there is only enough plant life to sustain 60% of our breathing requirements but we don’t seem to care. I’m not in the green peace movement but I’m not stupid either.
The Prophet said:
Nah 1:6 Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.
Our Text:
*****Rev 8:8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
Rev 8:9 And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.
On any given day one third of the worlds ships are at port somewhere which means two thirds are at sea. We already know the world seas will probably be filled even more with ships because this is also a time of war and unrest. We have witnessed just lately what tidal waves and Tsunami can do.
A large part of the world depends not only on the commerce of shipping but also the food supply of the fish industry. This also will be devastating.
In history we know that it was a large storm that destroyed the Spanish Armada.
The Prophet said:
Amo 7:4 Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and, behold, the Lord GOD called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part.
Deu 32:22 For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.
Deu 32:23 I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend mine arrows upon them.
Our Text:
*****Rev 8:10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;
Rev 8:11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.
This water would be the fresh drinking water needed for life. Wormwood is a bitter, intoxicating, poisonous thing. It paralyzes and kills. Remember they gave Jesus Christ bitter water to drink when He said He was thirsty and the world has always been bitter toward Christ Jesus. Those that love Him are now in Heaven.
Psa 69:21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
The Prophet said:
Jer 9:12 Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD hath spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land perisheth and is burned up like a wilderness, that none passeth through?
Jer 9:13 And the LORD saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein;
Jer 9:14 But have walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers taught them:
Jer 9:15 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.
The world will now have bitter water to drink!
Our Text:
*****Rev 8:12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
Jesus Christ said:
Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
The Prophets said:
Isa 13:9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
Isa 13:10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
Isa 13:11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
Eze 32:7 And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light.
Eze 32:8 All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord GOD.
Eze 32:9 I will also vex the hearts of many people, when I shall bring thy destruction among the nations, into the countries which thou hast not known.
Eze 32:10 Yea, I will make many people amazed at thee, and their kings shall be horribly afraid for thee, when I shall brandish my sword before them; and they shall tremble at every moment, every man for his own life, in the day of thy fall.
Joe 2:30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
Joe 2:31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
Joe 2:32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.
Amo 8:8 Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.
Amo 8:9 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day:
Amo 8:10 And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.
This is not as hard as you think.
Remember the dust storms of China and India.
Remember the volcanic ash of Iceland.
Luk 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
Luk 21:26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Luk 21:27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
The redemption of the Jews and the Earth.
The Prophet said:
Joe 2:1 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;
Our Text:
*****Rev 8:13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!
It will only get worse!
The Prophet said:
Eze 2:7 And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious.
Eze 2:8 But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee.
Eze 2:9 And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein;
Eze 2:10 And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.
John said “I beheld” “I heard”! These woes are for the unrepentant sinner.
Joh 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Joh 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; (The words of Jesus Christ)
(inhabiters of Earth)
These are people that do not believe in an actual Heaven but believe their heaven is on this Earth.
Our Text:
*****Rev 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
Rev 9:2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
Rev 9:3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
Rev 9:4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
Rev 9:5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
Rev 9:6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
Rev 9:7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
Rev 9:8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.
Rev 9:9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
Rev 9:10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
Rev 9:11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
Hell comes to Earth. This is the evil spirited army of the Satan. It is mentioned in Luke 10. These will be the blackest days the world has ever known. In reality the world has discovered that the Antichrist is not the great saviour that He claims but is in fact the evil man of sin intent on destroying all of God’s creation.
Luk 10:18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
Luk 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Luk 10:20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. (This power will be given to the 144,000)
The Prophet said:
Isa 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
Isa 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Isa 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Isa 14:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
We know that this is a person because the key was given to “him”.
We know that Jesus Christ had all the keys. So this must be Satan who no longer owns any keys that Jesus gave this key to for a moment. The term the bottomless pit is only used in the Book of Revelation and is used exactly seven times.
What are the fallen angels?
Jud 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
Mat 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
2Pe 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
This is the place God created for Satan and the fallen angels. It was never created for the human race. It was the humans that decided they would rather spend their days in Hell rather than Heaven. Both places exist, God gave us the freedom to choose. There is another place for eternal life also. It’s called the burning lake of fire. I believe this is the judgement that is meant for these fallen angels and not at this time of tribulation.
1Co 6:3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
The invisible world “does truly exist” and there will be some in this horrible battle!
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
We must not forget the Antichrist has a great army! These people on Earth will get one more chance to turn to God before their destruction comes. This will last about 5 months.
The Prophet says:
Nah 3:15 There shall the fire devour thee; the sword shall cut thee off, it shall eat thee up like the cankerworm: make thyself many as the cankerworm, make thyself many as the locusts.
Nah 3:16 Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the cankerworm spoileth, and flieth away.
Nah 3:17 Thy crowned are as the locusts, and thy captains as the great grasshoppers, which camp in the hedges in the cold day, but when the sun ariseth they flee away, and their place is not known where they are.
Again:
Pro 30:27 The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
Again:
Joe 1:2 Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers?
Joe 1:3 Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.
Joe 1:4 That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten.
Joe 1:5 Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.
Joe 1:6 For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion.
Joe 1:7 He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white.
Joe 1:8 Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth.
Joe 1:9 The meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the LORD; the priests, the LORD’S ministers, mourn.
Joe 1:10 The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth.
Joe 1:11 Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished.
Joe 1:12 The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.
Joe 1:13 Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God.
Joe 1:14 Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD,
Joe 1:15 Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
(hiding in the rocks)
The Prophet said:
Isa 2:10 Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty.
Isa 2:11 The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.
Our Text:
*****Rev 9:12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.
Rev 9:13 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
Rev 9:14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
Rev 9:15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
Rev 9:16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.
Rev 9:17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.
Rev 9:18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
Rev 9:19 For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.
Rev 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
Rev 9:21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
The Prophet said of this army:
Joe 2:1 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;
Joe 2:2 A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.
Joe 2:3 A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
Joe 2:4 The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.
Joe 2:5 Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.
Joe 2:6 Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.
Joe 2:7 They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks:
Joe 2:8 Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.
Joe 2:9 They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.
Joe 2:10 The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining:
It will a good time to be in Heaven
Won’t you come to the Lord Jesus Today?
Let’s pray!
THE TWO WITNESSES
Our text: Revelation Chapter 10-11:14
We have been studying the trumpet judgments and we are up to the sounding of the trumpet of the sixth angel. The most evil army that has ever been on Earth has been set free by the Anti-Christ. Satan has turned on all the people of the Earth to destroy them. He has a two hundred million man army bent on the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people and anyone that calls on Jehovah God. These are the worst times the Earth has ever seen. During this horrendous time we begin Chapter Ten and we see that God still has mercy and He will send two witnesses into Jerusalem. Now we must not forget the 144,000 likeness’s of the Apostle Paul are still preaching “repentance for the Kingdom of God is at hand” and many truly will be saved during this horrible time.
Rev 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
There are many that say a loving God would not be so unmerciful to destroy His creation. I say when you deny God you accept the truth of His wrath.
God’s first rule:
Exo 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:
No matter what people think Satan desires the worship of all people. God simply will not allow that to happen.
Our text:
Rev 10:1 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:
Rev 10:2 And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,
Rev 10:3 And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.
I believe that without a doubt that this mighty angel is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. It is He that has the “title deed” to the Earth! It is He that broke the seals! It is He that now lays claim to His purchased possession!
The token of the “promises”, the rainbow, He is wearing it:
Gen 9:12 And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
Gen 9:13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.
We have the description of John:
Rev 1:14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
Rev 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
The Lion of Judah:
Rev 5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
The Prophets say:
Joe 3:14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
Joe 3:15 The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.
Joe 3:16 [The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem]; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.
Isa 42:13 [The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man], he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.
Isa 42:14 I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.
Jer 25:30 Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, [The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth].
Jer 25:31 A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the LORD.
Hos 11:10 They shall walk after the LORD: [he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west].
Amo 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
Amo 3:8 [The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken], who can but prophesy?
We can see that God has warned us all many times. There will be no excuses at the “White Throne Judgment Seat” because even at this time of the end many will be told of the coming death and the redemption of the Lord.
Psa 24:1 says The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
Our text:
Rev 10:4 And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.
What are these seven thunders?
Psa 29:3 The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters.
The Book of Job is probably the oldest piece of written literature on this planet. We know that before Job could have had any other written knowledge of the Lord, Job had these words:
Job 40:9 Hast thou an arm like God? [or canst thou thunder with a voice like him]?
Job also had these words:
Job 19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that [he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth]:
Job 19:26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, [yet in my flesh shall I see God]:
Job 19:27 [Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another]; though my reins be consumed within me.
That Redeemer of this Earth is the source of those “seven thunders”.
I believe there was no need to write the words of the “seven thunders” because Christ will deliver those words in person the day He sets His feet down on the Mount of Olives.
Our Text:
Rev 10:5 And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,
Rev 10:6 And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:
Rev 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
Who is this angel swearing to?
Heb 6:13 For when God made promise to Abraham, [because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself],
We can be sure that this is Christ our Lord!
Isa 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
Isa 45:23 [I have sworn by myself], the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
Isa 45:24 Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.
There is salvation in no other name!
Jer 22:5 But if ye will not hear these words, [I swear by myself, saith the LORD], that this house shall become a desolation.
(time no longer)
God is not saying in the verse that this is the end of time. What He is saying is that there will “no more delay”. Remember what He told the souls under the altar?
Rev 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
Rev 6:11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, [that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled].
God knows when His last child will be killed. That time of fulfillment has been reached. There will be no more delay.
Isa 63:4 For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.
Isa 63:5 And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: [therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me].
Isa 63:6 And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.
Rom 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, [but rather give place unto wrath]: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Our Text:
Rev 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
Here we see that it is when the seventh angel sounds, in that time frame, then the mystery of the Lord, the “mystery” of God should be finished”.
There have been basically seven mysteries in the Bible that are already revealed:
1.) The “mystery” of God’s will:
Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
Eph 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
2.) The “mystery” of iniquity”: (the Devil in the flesh)
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
3.) The “mystery” of Godliness:
1Ti 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
4.) The “mystery” of God:
Col 2:2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
Col 2:3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
5.) The “mystery” of the seven stars:
Rev 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
6.) The “mystery” of the woman and the beast:
Rev 17:7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
Rev 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
Rev 17:9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
7.) The “mystery” of Israel:
Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
There is really only one more mystery that is unfolding in the Book of Revelation!
Mat 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
Act 1:6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
Act 1:7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
You know, only an all knowing God would know when the fulness of the Gentiles came in:
Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, [until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in].
The Rapture takes place!
Only an all knowing God would know when the last of His children would be killed in the Great Tribulation:
Rev 6:11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, [until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled].
The Second Coming takes place!
This is when the end of the “mystery” of a loving God will take place. Praise God!
Our text:
Rev 10:8 And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.
Rev 10:9 And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.
Rev 10:10 And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
Rev 10:11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.
We are supposed to feed upon the word of God and make His prophecy be a part of us. We have no right to neglect what God has preserved for us.
This book is the same book that is mentioned in chapter five:
Rev 5:1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
We know that the word of God is sweet:
Psa 119:103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
When we are reading and meditating on God’s word we are then eating God’s word:
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
To eat this book would make it John’s book. It would be a part of him his remaining days and God informs him his preaching days are not over yet. God told the Apostle John that until this word had been delivered as he had been taught then he would be invincible. We know that this happened because we have the book now ourselves. John left the Isle of Patmos and went back to preaching. Tradition has it that John was placed in a pot of boiling oil and acted like he was taking a bath. If you are in the will of God you will be invincible until your work on Earth is done. Then God will take you home.
The Bible says:
Joh 6:53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Joh 6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
Joh 6:55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
Joh 6:56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
Joh 6:57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
Joh 6:58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
And again:
Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Joh 5:25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
You see:
1.) If we “hear” the word of God.
2.) And “believe” the word of God.
3.) Then we can have “everlasting life”.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Faith comes by hearing God’s word:
Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Then you can be “Born Again”:
1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
John will now prophesy “of” these things he has eaten!
Our text:
Chapter Eleven verse 1-2
Rev 11:1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
Rev 11:2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
What is this reed?
Eze 40:3 And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.
Eze 40:5 And behold a wall on the outside of the house round about, and in the man’s hand a measuring reed of six cubits long by the cubit and an hand breadth: so he measured the breadth of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed.
John is to measure the Tribulation Temple. This Temple was probably more or less built by the Jews with the help of the Anti-Christ and built so he could sit in as God.
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
John is measuring this temple so God can put a hedge of protection around parts of this temple. God will preserve and protect the temple, the altar, and those who worship there. Who is to say that the location of that Mosque is not in the exact location where this court is outside this New Temple?
Israel is an earthly people with earthly promises:
Zec 1:16 Therefore thus saith the LORD; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the LORD of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.
The Church, The Bride is a heavenly people with heavenly blessings.
Rev 21:15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
The Church can worship anywhere, “where two or three are gathered in the name Of Christ”.
The children of Israel could only worship in the Temple! This is the place Christ will meet the 144,000 soon.
The child of God has no temple EXCEPT OUR BODIES on Earth.
1Co 6:19 What? [know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you], which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
2Co 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? [for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people].
This is not so for the Jewish worshiper. The Temple and the Altar are essential to Jewish worship!
Jesus also mentions this left out court:
Luk 21:24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
Mat 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
Mat 24:16 {Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains}:
Dan 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and [in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate], even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
Our text:
Rev 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
These Jews may be scattered again when the Anti-Christ sits as God in the temple. The 144,000 are world wide missionaries. God will bring two special witnesses into the city of Jerusalem to preach against this false messiah for exactly 3 and one half years.
The Jewish law demands at least two witnesses to give evidence concerning matters of law and religion.
Deu 17:6 At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.
Deu 17:7 The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away from among you.
Deu 19:15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.
God will always obey His own law!
We will not try to say who these two witnesses are because we can only guess. These are God’s witnesses and that’s all that is important! Their own description will lead us to believe they are the two that met Jesus on the mount of transfiguration. Hebrews 9:27 would lead us to believe that one of them could be someone else. The entire Church will be in Heaven at this time. It could be any two of those. One could even be the writer of this book. These are the two chosen of God!
Isa 43:10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and [my servant whom I have chosen]: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.
Isa 43:11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.
Isa 43:12 I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.
(they were dressed in sackcloth)
The clothing of a mourner, Jesus said:
Luk 13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!
Luk 13:35 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
The message of these two Saints of God will be more like that of John the Baptist and Jonah. (Repent, repent, repent)
Our text:
Rev 11:4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
The Prophets say:
Zec 4:2 And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:
Zec 4:3 And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.
We know that this candlestick represents the Children of Israel.
Zec 4:11 Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?
Zec 4:12 And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves?
Zec 4:13 And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
Zec 4:14 Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.
These two olive trees that represent oil and the oil represents the Holy Spirit. These two olive trees will be sustained by the Holy Spirit while they bring the truth of God to Israel and all that worship the Anti-Christ. The reference to the two candlesticks represent the New Covenant to Israel. Remember a candlestick is only a light holder. That light, that message, will still be of Jesus Christ.
Our Text:
Rev 11:5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
Rev 11:6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
We know that Satan is a powerful angel. We know that Anti-Christ operates on the power of Satan. We also know that there is no real power unless it comes form God.
Jesus said:
Joh 19:11 Jesus answered, [Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above]: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.
Paul wrote:
Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Rom 13:2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
God has given to these two men certain powers that they will live until their work is complete. God says if you resists His power you will receive damnation. These two have the power to kill and devour their enemies but also to make the lives of some people miserable with water and plagues as often as they wanted to. These two will preached “salvation through the blood of Jesus”. These people will see a lot of their water turn to blood. There is no force on Earth that can stop these two, who came to witness for Jesus, until their message is complete. Only Satan has the power to overcome them even then but He will have to show his evil face to all the world to do so. Satan will have to come out of hiding before God will allow him to kill these two witnesses. This is all in God’s plan as we will see in the next verses.
Our text:
Rev 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
Rev 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
In Job we see:
Job 1:12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
and again:
Job 2:6 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.
This may be that the Anti-Christ has to personally kill these two men of God but the power is of Satan [but came from God]. When this happens the world will believe that the Anti-Christ is truly the Messiah and it goes downhill from this verse for him.
Verse 8 leaves us no doubt that these things happen in the City of Jerusalem.
Our Text:
Rev 11:9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
Rev 11:10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
The world hates Jesus Christ!
He explains why.
Joh 7:7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.
Joh 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
Joh 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Joh 15:20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
Joh 15:21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.
I know God does not need the technologies of mankind but we can easily that this verse 9 could not have been fulfilled until this time we live in. With cell phones, and satellite broadcasting and the way news is covered around this world, we can see that the whole world could see the bodies of these two witnesses of God lying in the street of Jerusalem and it would be a great tragedy but truth that they will lay there for 3 and one half days. They would have lain there for who knows how long if God had not decided to show the world who really has the power. The words Sodom and Egypt tell us the spiritual nature of Jerusalem at this time. It is full of hate and abuse and immoral living.
God said:
Luk 17:24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.
Luk 17:25 But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.
Luk 17:26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
Luk 17:27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
Luk 17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
Luk 17:29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
Luk 17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
Not one decent person to place the bodies of these men in a grave!
Our text:
Rev 11:11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
Rev 11:12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
We can see again how God ties the book of Revelation to the book of Genesis:
Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Life comes from the life giver! He is the creator of this world we live in! It is God who sits on the throne in Heaven. The whole world who had the cameras focus on the bodies of these two men of God will suddenly see that the Anti-Christ and the ones who gives him power (Satan) are not the supreme power of this world. The false messiah will be proven to be false, whether they call him the Mahdi or the Messiah he is false!
That voice of thunder will call them home just as He did the raptured Saints of God. (come up hither)
Pro 25:7 For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.
You know by the time this evil world figures out the truth of Jesus Christ he will have shut the door of grace!
Gen 6:3 And the LORD said, [My spirit shall not always strive with man], for that he also is flesh:
Our text:
Rev 11:13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
Rev 11:14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.
We know that throughout the Bible God has used the earthquake for special occasions. We also know that in our day it seems that we are have more of them and they seem to be more devastating but that may be hard to prove. In the tribulation period or at least at the end of it the world will see the most devastating earthquake that has ever been recorded because it is recorded in the Bible.
Some times God has used the earthquake:
The Cross:
Mat 27:50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
Mat 27:51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
Mat 27:52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
Mat 27:53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
Paul and Silas:
Act 16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
Act 16:26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
Act 16:27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
Act 16:28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
The sixth seal:
Rev 6:12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
Rev 6:13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
The BIG one is coming:
Rev 16:18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
God does not need bombs for His army! That voice of thunder controls everything in God’s creation!
Let’s pray!
LESSONS IN GOD'S WORD 