I’m reluctant to keep reading. Yesterday described the
horrors of a world being judged and that was only the beginning of the worst
part. It starts with the seventh seal opened and seven angels with trumpets
announcing severe destruction. Soon the fifth angel blew his trumpet and another
one flew directly overhead and cried out, “Woe,
woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets
that the three angels are about to blow!”
The fifth sound came and the bottomless pit or the abyss
was opened. Out came creatures given the task of tormenting all without the
seal of God on them. Those people would seek death but not find it. This was
the first woe.
The sixth angel sounded his trumpet and four more angels
were released to kill one third of humanity by three plagues, yet those who
were left did not repent and continued to worship idols. Then another angel
came with a scroll. Seven thunders sounded but John was told not to write what
they said. He was told there would be no more delay and that at the seventh
trumpet sound, “the mystery of God would
be fulfilled.”
John was told to take and eat a little scroll and prophesy
again. He was to measure the temple of God and told about two witnesses that
would prophesy for a time, be powerful against anyone who wanted to harm them,
but eventually be killed by “the beast
that rises from the bottomless pit.” People would rejoice over that.
However, in a short time the two would come to life and rise to heaven in a
cloud.
After that, a great earthquake would happen killing 7000
people. This was the second woe but before the third came, those people still
alive after the quake “were terrified and
gave glory to the God of heaven.”
Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.” (Revelation 11:15–18)
Sometimes Revelation reads as a sequence of events and
sometimes it reads as an overlap, thing happening one after the other or mixed
in a jumble. I cannot begin to know what is going on but reading the above few
verses causes me also to give glory to the God of heaven. Christians often say
we know the end: Jesus wins! This is the beginning of the end; the victory is
happening. The promise of God is being fulfilled:
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9–11)
There is a song based on this promise. It says these words
and adds, “Still the greatest treasure
remains for those who gladly choose You now.” I have considered that a hint
that those who reject Jesus before the end described in Revelation had hope but
thought this was incorrect theology. Now I know that the song writer read this
last book with greater care than I had. During the beginning of sorrows,
multitudes are saved and martyred (Chapter 7) and here at the seventh trumpet,
those who survive a great earthquake give glory to God. I see them on their
knees confessing the Jesus Christ is Lord. Such is the power and grace of God
whose mercy triumphs over wrath.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Lord Jesus, this is awful yet amazing. All have sinned and
fall short. All deserve to be separated from You for You are holy and we are
polluted. Yet You save anyone and everyone that calls upon Your name. No one is
turned away and when that horrible day comes, You are still in the business of
drawing sinners to Yourself.
Today’s thankful list . . .
- deepening faith in Jesus Christ.
- delight seeing and hearing the children in our church
doing a prelude and a musical skit that honored the Lord yet made us laugh.
- several edifying conversations with friends.
- good food and a warm home.
- tensor sleeve is giving my tennis elbow some relief.
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