January 2020 – Praying Pint

7.w. Seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished.

Revelation 15:1 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.

And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,

“Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

We have had the seven seals with the seventh seal bringing on the seven trumpets and the seventh trumpet ushering in the seven bowl judgments. We have read of the seals and power given to man to inflict judgment, the trumpets and power given to Satan to inflict judgment, and now the bowls of God’s judgment are to begin. These judgments on mankind are the result of God’s wrath and anger against all who have chosen to reject His grace, mercy, and love. They have chosen the beast, it’s image, it’s mark, and it’s number over God. They willingly choose to deny God, eternity in heaven, Jesus Christ, and their destiny for this choice. All of what we have read in Revelation has been given so that we know and future people will know God’s plan, purpose, love, grace, mercy, wrath, anger, and judgment. It has been both a warning and proclamation to all generations; “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.”

Time is near and urgent. All are blessed who read and hear what is written.

7.v. Threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God

Revelation 14:14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.

Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle, for 1,600 stadia.

“Warnings and judgments have not turned the hearts of those who reject Jesus Christ, the sins of the nations are filled up, and they become ripe for judgments, represented by a harvest (ripe for heaven or ripe for eternal damnation), an emblem which is used to signify the gathering of the righteous, when ripe for heaven, by the mercy of God. The harvest time is when the corn is ripe; when the believers are ripe for heaven, then the wheat of the earth shall be gathered into Christ’s garner. The enemies of Christ and his church are not destroyed, till by their sin they are ripe for ruin, and then he will spare them no longer. The wine-press is the wrath of God, some terrible calamity, shedding the blood of the wicked. The patience of God towards sinners is the greatest miracle in the world; but, though it appears to be lasting, it will not be everlasting; and ripeness in sin is a sure proof of judgment at hand.”

Do you ever wonder if any part of your heart is “Ripe” with sin? Is there someplace within your being that you have rejected listening to the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart, mind, and soul to repent and turn away from a sin that is ripening to the point of a harvest of the calamity and trouble in your life? Have you rejected spending time in God’s Word and by doing so, shut your ears to hearing the whispers of the Holy Spirit? Complacency and neglect will yield fruit, and given time, will ripen. This fruit will come with consequences just like the apple that Adam and Eve ate. Now is the time to search your heart, mind, and soul for that which is not pleasing, honoring, following, trusting, relying, and obeying God. Stay in His Word, desire to hear Him lead you, and seek to honor Jesus Christ in all you think, say, and do.

7.u. he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath

Revelation 14:9 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.” Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

I found these comments in a commentary – Once Delivered APRIL 22, 2014: “A third angel follows the other two and pronounces woe on those who worship the beast and his image and receive a mark on their foreheads or hands. The consequences of rejecting God – who has revealed Himself in creation, conscience, Christ, and the canon of scripture – are spelled out plainly. The one who embraces the beast will experience the consequences of his or her rebellion. Secondly, the beast worshiper will be “tormented with fire and sulfur in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the Lamb, and the smoke of their torment will go up forever and ever”. There is little doubt that this is a reference to the everlasting consequences of rejecting God. While those who cast their lot with the beast will lament Babylon’s fall, they also will discover that their torment is just beginning. To make it clear, God does not delight in the torment of His adversaries. Rather, He allows them to be excluded from His kingdom by their own choice. And in their everlasting destruction, they will become aware of His dominion and ultimately acknowledge it.

The permanence of the unbeliever’s fate is punctuated in John’s words, “[A]nd the smoke of their torment will go up forever and ever” (v. 11a). This should not be twisted to mean that only the fires of hell are eternal while the wicked are annihilated. Jesus describes hell as a place where the unbeliever’s “worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:48). Further, the same Greek words used to describe eternal life are employed in the depiction of eternal damnation. Rebellion against an eternal God who offers us eternal life has eternal consequences. In Jesus’ account of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19-31), the rich man, Lazarus, and Abraham all are conscious and self-aware after their deaths – in Abraham’s case, hundreds of years after his passing. On the Mount of Transfiguration, the spirits of Moses and Elijah appear. And in Rev. 20:10, we are told, “The Devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet are, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” John intends the reader to see the contrast between those in verse 11, who find no rest day or night, and those in verse 13, who rest from their labors. One final note: John offers hope. In fact, he prefers it. The door of grace is yet open, for he writes, “If anyone worships the beast …” This is a clear warning to those who choose to worship the beast, but it’s also a reminder that salvation is still within reach for those who take Christ’s nail-scarred hand into their own.”

7.t. The intoxicating wine

Revelation 14:8 Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.”

Some think that the actual city of Babylon will be rebuilt and established as the epicenter of idolatry, immorality, and political system of the world during the tribulation period. Some think that this refers to another city which, like Babylon of old, has influenced the world into idolatry, immorality, and political reliance through deception, force, signs and wonders, miracles, and lies. I am not sure it is important to say one or the other but to know it is fallen. This angel proclaims a future event for us, which will be explained more in Chapters 17 and 18. I am intrigued by “she who made nations drink the wine of her sexual immorality (fornication, adultery, infidelity, and unfaithfulness)”. John Gill put it this way: The intoxicating wine and the alluring methods used to draw gives false promises, appearances of holiness and religion. It deceives people into believing lies.” It entices people into lusts of their sinful heart and pride of life. They willingly follow after that which is false to their eternal destruction.

We are given many great promises from God through His Word. There are promises of eternal life through trusting in, relying on, and clinging to Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin, if we but believe and follow, serve, honor, and obey Him. There are promises of eternal damnation, torment, and weeping and gnashing of teeth when there is an intentional choice to reject salvation through Jesus Christ. The second angel proclaims a time when Babylon falls. All of it pomp and lure to people will be gone and with this fall multitudes will be entering eternity in hell forever and ever.

7.s. “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come

Revelation 14:6 Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

Matthew 24:14 says that “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” The goodness during the Tribulation that Christ is soon going to return to earth to establish His kingdom and that all should be prepared to enter this kingdom by receiving Him as Savior. We see two aspects of the good news. Those living during the Church Age (now before the rapture) it is emphasized that they need to receive Christ as Savior so that they can become a part of the Body of Christ and be prepared for heaven. But to those living during the Tribulation, it is emphasized that the King is coming and they need to be prepared to enter the kingdom. One thing is always stressed throughout the various proclamations of the gospel – the finished work of Jesus Christ when He paid for sin on the cross. John says that this angel preaches the everlasting gospel to “those who dwell on the earth, to every nation and tribe and language. That which has not been finished in the age which we are living will definitely be finished during the Tribulation. “Fear God and give Him glory” – reverential fear of God is the beginning of all wisdom. It is a reverential trust in God and giving glory to Him. It is acknowledging and believing Him as creator, live-giver, and sustainer of this world. He alone is able to do all things and He alone is worthy to be praised. It seems as though we live in a time in the world when people think there is no God or there is no need for God. The proclamation of this angel is urgent, the hour of His judgment is come!! The final call before the final judgment – Believe in Jesus Christ and be eternally saved

7.r. These have been redeemed from mankind

Revelation 14:1 Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless.

The Book of Revelation can get heavy on our hearts at times. The amount of death, judgment, and tribulation is extensive and can be overwhelming. Our hearts should break with the knowledge of what we are reading is going to impact real people someday. The violence recorded in Revelation is both a warning and before it happens and foretelling of what will happen. This great tribulation is God’s wrath and anger and judgment, and where Satan has been given leeway on earth to carry out God’s plan of persecutions, destruction, death, famine, disease, war, and false prophecy. Here in Chapter 14, we see a message of hope, a break from these judgments, not that there is a break in what is happening on earth but more for the reader to keep their eyes on the Lamb of God and the importance of this over pending judgment. With all that we have read so far during the tribulation period and the death of those who have been martyred for their faith, these 144,000 having been sealed by the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, have been kept whole. What a glimpse of God’s grace. He keeps His messengers safe and from harm to proclaim salvation in and throughout the tribulation time. It may not seem like it with all that we have read so far. However, during this time of the wrath, anger, and judgment of God we still see His grace. Those who will listen and open their heart, mind, and soul to the message of Christ will be eternally saved but will suffer the consequences of their delayed obedience. It is their delayed obedience in trusting Jesus Christ, repenting, seeking forgiveness, redemption, and salvation, which has resulted in them missing the time of God’s grace on earth with the presence of the Holy Spirit.

7.q. It deceives those who dwell on earth,

Revelation 13:11 Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.

We get to some very interesting passages now. Satan was cast down from heaven, he gave certain powers to the antichrist, and now we have the false prophet introduced. He also has the same powers that were given to the antichrist but goes one step further in that he is able to get people to actually worship the antichrist. He sets up a one-world economy and everyone must either take the mark of the beast or be persecuted and likely put to death. The shadow of this prophecy certainly will be seen in part by those alive just prior to the rapture and the beginning of the Tribulation period. It will be very hard to imagine what the world will be like and what chaos will arise when the rapture occurs. Certainly, there will be much confusion, anger, fear, uncertainty, and turmoil for all who remain. Imagine in the 7 years of the tribulation period, Satan is cast out of heaven down to earth, the antichrist comes into power, the antichrist sustains a mortal wound, the false prophet comes into power, the antichrist is given life, an image is erected of the antichrist is erected, this image is able to speak, people are swayed into following and worshipping the image, and a one-world economy is set up with the requirement of taking a mark on either your forehead or right hand. Wow, this is quite a bit to happen in a short time but make no mistake it will happen and those who come to Christ during this period of time will face trials and death for their belief in Christ. This false prophet will do things that many will think him a god. He will lead them astray and on a path directly into hell. He who has an ear let him hear. All of this will happen and as the day approaches more and more people are rejecting any need for Christ. They seem to be willing to take the chance they are good enough or that they will have more time. We don’t have to read many obituaries to know that death comes without warning many times. We do not get to pick the day or time, it just happens. Now is the day of repentance, redemption, and salvation. Open your heart to Jesus Christ and humbly honor, follow, worship, trust, and obey Him.

7.p. Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them.

Revelation 13:1 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”

And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. If anyone has an ear, let him hear: If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.

Think of all of the ruthless, charismatic, cruel, and cultic rulers there have been over the course of history. Some of these are recent and some more distant. One thing is for sure they despise God and think of themselves as “god-like”. The antichrist will rise to power through Satan and he will be worshiped by the masses. He will persecute those Christians who have come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ during the tribulation period. He will kill many but he will also take great pleasure in tormenting them physically, financially, and mentally. He will do supernatural things so that multitudes of people we flock to Him. He will have a way of convincing people to follow Him and allow how he is treating Christians.

This will not be a time you would want to live through and most definitely would not want this to be what opens your heart to the message of Jesus Christ. Now is the time to repent and come to Him. Now is the time of salvation. Now is the time to live for Him. Seek and desire Him more than the things that are keeping yours for giving Him your whole heart, mind, and soul.

7.o. To make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus

Revelation 12:13 And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.

Satan, being cast out of heaven and no longer having access to accuse believers before God, comes to earth and is seeking to destroy Israelites and those who have a testimony in their life of Jesus Christ. Satan’s attack is fierce and cruel, but God has placed His protective loving arms around the Israelites so that Satan’s attacks are fruitless, whereas God’s protection is fruitful. Satan then turns his focus on those who have a testimony to Jesus Christ. They will be the focus of Satan’s attacks/wrath. Certainly, they will die during these next 3.5 years. We can’t even come close to understanding the tribulation they will face because of their faith in Jesus Christ. I am certain those who find faith during this time will have a peace that passes all understanding because they have come from a place in their heart, mind, and soul to know they rejected the greatest gift ever, forgiveness, redemption, salvation, and eternal life and now they have fully surrendered their life to Jesus Christ. Their surrender means certain death. And yet, they hold fast, stand firm, and their faith is solid in Jesus Christ alone. They will not take the mark of the beast, they will not deny faith in Jesus Christ, and they will proclaim His testimony unto death. Do you ever wonder if your faith would stand firm in the face of death for that faith? Our faith can not be based on prosperity and ease in this life. It must be so deep in our heart, mind, and soul that things of this world do not distract us from continually purifying, growing, and maturing in our walk with Jesus Christ. Examine your heart and know what is there. Examine your mind and know what is there. If more of the world and what it has to offer is there than love for Jesus Christ then repent and intentionally choose to change. Intentionally choose to spend time in His Word, listening to His whispers of guidance in and through His Word, and walk humbly before Jesus Christ, honoring, following, obeying, trusting and relying on Him.

7.n. But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

Revelation 12:7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

The roaring lion, father of lies, deceiver, accuser, tempter, murderer, destroyer, stumbling block, crafty, and schemer all describe Satan. He is now cast out of heaven and turned loose on earth. He knows his end is near and comes in great wrath. Can you imagine what it will be like on earth with the Holy Spirit removed and Satan turned loose? We will see in later chapters what it will be like for those who are living during this period of the tribulation time. Everything God had done previously in terms of His anger and wrath was done by His power and might. Now He has released Satan for a time on earth, and earth will experience his wrath too.

There are many fictional movies that try to give a picture of what life is like at the “end of the world” scenarios. They show very hard times, murderous times, and strange happening and people in the worst conditions possible. These will not even come close to revealing what it will be like during the time of God’s wrath and the time of Satan’s wrath. Just know that these end times come upon mankind for the rejection of Christ and the intentional choice of self-sufficiency, self-reliance, and self-satisfaction. The acts of wrath that come on earth and the people of the earth will get more and more intense and severe. Each progression throughout the tribulation period will be worse than the previous. Each act of wrath brings the final judgment seat of Christ closer, where those who have been born again will live eternity in heaven and those who have rejected Him (have not sought forgiveness of their sin, redemption, and salvation through Christ, repentance) are cast into the lake of fire that burns forever and ever. where there is constant torment beyond what we can imagine forever. Denying that this will happen will not stop it from happening. Denying Christ into your life will usher in this judgment at your death and there is nothing you can do to change this outcome. Now is the time of salvation. Now is the time to seek forgiveness of sin, repent, and trust in, rely on, follow, and obey Jesus Christ.