Sunday, January 23, 2011
Revelation 8:1
Sunday, January 23, 2011 |
And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
As we come to another chapter in the book of Revelation, we move into the second set of seven judgments, the seven "trumpet judgments". Actually the last of the seven "seal judgments" is found also in chapter 8, verse 1.
The seven "trumpet judgments" come out of the last "seal judgment" as is the case with the seven "vial judgments" coming out of the last, seventh, "trumpet judgment".
Notice, that the seventh "seal judgment" is "silence in heaven about the space of half an hour", verse 1. The reason for the "silence", I believe, is because the "great cloud of witnesses", Hebrews 12:1, is "awestruck" by the six previous "seal judgments" and the seven "trumpet judgments" to follow.
I would like for you to notice what has been termed "ecological judgment", judgments which will be released on the earth in these first four "trumpet judgments". The fact is, we hear a lot about "global warming" and "climate change" in the media these days.
I believe "global warming" is impossible because Jesus Christ created the heavens, the earth and all that is in them, Colossians 1:16, and He holds it all together, Colossians 1:17.
God is in charge and nothing can happen to this "earth" unless He allows it to. No act of man can overrule God's plan. However, as our text tells us, there will be "ecological judgments" upon the earth during the time of the seven year Tribulation Period in the future.
The first "trumpet judgment" is a third part of the trees and all the grass on earth burning up. "Trumpet" number two is a third of the sea turning to blood, one-third of the fish in the sea dying and one-third of the ships upon the seas being destroyed.
Next, the third "trumpet judgment”, is one-third of the rivers, ponds, lakes and fountains of water becoming bitter, so much so that many on the earth will die from drinking this water. The judgments now shift to the heavens, the sun, moon and stars lose one-third of their light and there is more darkness than usual upon the earth, which is the fourth "trumpet judgment”.
Verse 13 reveals that from here, continuing into the Tribulation Period, it gets worse. The three "woes" are to follow, which are the last three "trumpet judgments". We'll look at the "woes" in another devotional reading.
You might ask, "Why study about these judgments if at the Rapture we leave this earth and will not be a part of these judgments?" There are several answers to that question, the most important being, so we can warn our friends and loved ones about coming judgment and how they can escape the terrible time to come.
This is an excellent evangelism tool, prophecy. We all must make it a point to give out the gospel to lost people every day. The Rapture could happen, today.
PRAYER THOT: Thank you Lord, for keeping me from these judgments to come. Help me to warn others and give them the gospel before it is eternally too late.
For further study - Revelation 8:1-13
As we come to another chapter in the book of Revelation, we move into the second set of seven judgments, the seven "trumpet judgments". Actually the last of the seven "seal judgments" is found also in chapter 8, verse 1.
The seven "trumpet judgments" come out of the last "seal judgment" as is the case with the seven "vial judgments" coming out of the last, seventh, "trumpet judgment".
Notice, that the seventh "seal judgment" is "silence in heaven about the space of half an hour", verse 1. The reason for the "silence", I believe, is because the "great cloud of witnesses", Hebrews 12:1, is "awestruck" by the six previous "seal judgments" and the seven "trumpet judgments" to follow.
I would like for you to notice what has been termed "ecological judgment", judgments which will be released on the earth in these first four "trumpet judgments". The fact is, we hear a lot about "global warming" and "climate change" in the media these days.
I believe "global warming" is impossible because Jesus Christ created the heavens, the earth and all that is in them, Colossians 1:16, and He holds it all together, Colossians 1:17.
God is in charge and nothing can happen to this "earth" unless He allows it to. No act of man can overrule God's plan. However, as our text tells us, there will be "ecological judgments" upon the earth during the time of the seven year Tribulation Period in the future.
The first "trumpet judgment" is a third part of the trees and all the grass on earth burning up. "Trumpet" number two is a third of the sea turning to blood, one-third of the fish in the sea dying and one-third of the ships upon the seas being destroyed.
Next, the third "trumpet judgment”, is one-third of the rivers, ponds, lakes and fountains of water becoming bitter, so much so that many on the earth will die from drinking this water. The judgments now shift to the heavens, the sun, moon and stars lose one-third of their light and there is more darkness than usual upon the earth, which is the fourth "trumpet judgment”.
Verse 13 reveals that from here, continuing into the Tribulation Period, it gets worse. The three "woes" are to follow, which are the last three "trumpet judgments". We'll look at the "woes" in another devotional reading.
You might ask, "Why study about these judgments if at the Rapture we leave this earth and will not be a part of these judgments?" There are several answers to that question, the most important being, so we can warn our friends and loved ones about coming judgment and how they can escape the terrible time to come.
This is an excellent evangelism tool, prophecy. We all must make it a point to give out the gospel to lost people every day. The Rapture could happen, today.
PRAYER THOT: Thank you Lord, for keeping me from these judgments to come. Help me to warn others and give them the gospel before it is eternally too late.