Seven Bowls - Part 2

 

 

"¹⁷ Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, “It is done.” ¹⁸ And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty. ¹⁹ The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath. ²⁰ And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. ²¹ And huge hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, *came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague *was extremely severe."

Revelation 16:17-21

 

Good Morning my beloved,

 

We welcome you to worship in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is my privilege to have you here with us today. We are especially grateful for those of you who have been sharing the ministry website with all of your family and friends. Your faithfulness and commitment to share God's Word with others continues to bring about tremendous results. People are responding to God's Word! This is all so amazing. We ask you to p ray that God will continue to give us boldness to speak the truth in ministry in the face of adversity in the coming days!

   

I want to let all of you know how grateful I am for all of you. We are so thankful your prayers and continue to pray for all of you. Prayer is such a powerful tool, and a mighty weapon against the adversary. And through your sharing, God continues to bring a number of people to faith in Jesus Christ. Praise God! May He continue to use you and this ministry mightily to effect change in even more lives. All for His glory!  

 

Today, violence and terrorism in just about every part of the world. The United States has utterly betrayed Afghan women and girls, which have been used as political pawns, treated more as symbols than humans by powerful people on both sides of the conflict. Hundreds of U.S service men and women were left stranded, as President Biden withdrew forces from the longest war in history. Afghan forces collapsed and within a short period of time, the Taliban gained control. The Middle East has become the scene of an intractable war with no apparent end in sight. However, one thing is different now. These Afghanistan women who have finally tasted freedom, and took it upon themselves to rebuild their country, are facing a critical time. Unfortunately, they are not the only ones facing this worldwide crisis.

 

There is no doubt, it's a mad, mad world we're living in treacherous times. I believe the only hope for the future of our nations demands a more forceful assertion of the truth.

 

 

Let us pray

Heavenly Father,

Father, we thank You for Your Word. However, as we study these truths together, we cannot help but to think about these things, it's just so overwhelming to think of those we know and love that aren't saved, those who believe that they are safe, who are being deceived by false teaching. Lord, we know that because You are a holy God, You are going to judge sin and sinners. We know that Your judgement is just and fair. We understand that when Your grace, mercy and love are rejected, when stubborn and rebellious men refuse to repent and continue to blaspheme, You will judge. And rightfully so. But we must confess, it is bitter sweet. Bitter because of the damnation that comes to the souls of those we pray for, and sweet because You will at last cleanse the earth of its curse and its sinners and establish Your glorious Kingdom.

 

Lord, we ask and pray that You would be merciful before the day of judgement and damnation, and touch their hearts, softened the hardened places, awaken them to the truth of their spiritual condition. Convict the hearts of those who are teaching a deluded doctrine, offering easy believism and cheap grace. Those who justify their teaching by claiming Your truth is no longer relevant in today's culture, it's too controversial and division. Call them to repentance, and if they refuse, silence and strike down  their platforms. We pray this for Christ's sake and for Your glory and increase in the kingdom. We know that it is Your desire than none should perish, but come to Christ in repentance.

We ask and pray this in Christ's name

Amen  

 

Today's Message: Seven Bowls - Part 2

 

Open with me your Bibles to Revelation chapter sixteen. Revelation chapter 16. As we return to our study of God's Word, in the book of Revelation, the sixteenth chapter we are beginning at verse seventeen. As I pointed out in our last message, the severity of earthly disaster and devastation, is only just a taste of what is to come. Whether hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, pandemic diseases, financial ruin or famine. Tragically, this is a taste of the worldwide devastation that will occur just before Jesus Christ returns to the earth.

 

I invite you to follow along with me as I read to you these last five verses. As we have been looking at these horrifying final judgments, in the first sixteen verses detailing the first six of the last plagues.

We are now entering into even more frightening detail of the coming final wrath of God. The seventh bowl judgement, the very end that finishes God’s wrath on man in this present earth as we know it. The final act of judgement. This is the end that has been promised, the end that has been prayed for by many who have been wronged and have awaited justice. Allow me to remind you, that because men have repeatedly and stubbornly refused God's gracious offer of forgiveness and salvation. So these judgements are right, they are just and they are deserved.

"Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, “It is done.” And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty. The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And huge hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, *came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague *was extremely severe."

 

Let’s look then at verse 17. "Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, "It is done." In the original language the verb "gínomai,"  would indicate that God's actions have emerging from eternity and is simply this: "It is finished and it will remain so." That is reminiscent of our Lord on the cross, Who said "It is finished," and He bowed His head and gave up His spirit in John 19.  I'm sure that you will recall that when God judged sin at Calvary, darkness fell upon the land and also that the earth shook.

 

I'd like you to notice the word "loud,"  is the word "megalēis," meaning great and it is used seven times with this bowl. Everything about this judgement is great. This is a judgment with no grace. God is going to renovated the earth appropriately for the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ in His universal reign. This will be a time, when the configuration of the world will completely change. The curse will be removed. People will live to a very old age, and if someone dies at the age of a hundred years old, the prophet Isaiah says, they die as a child.

 

Then, in verse 18, John sees the action starting, "And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty." Much like the seventh trumpet, we immediately see flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake, except there was a great hailstorm. The seventh bowl is introduced the same way. This represents the fury coming out of the throne of God. 

 

The word "seismos," translated earthquake, is where we get the term seismograph, which is the instrument that records seismic waves by measuring ground motions, caused by earthquakes. This earthquake however, will be like nothing the world has ever experienced, it will be unprecedented. As the end of verse 18 says "such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty." This signals the end of man's life long rebellion against God.

 

As we noted previously, in spite of all the political and environmental agencies attempts to prolong and preserve it, this planet is cursed, it was not designed to last. Even the solar system is cursed. Huge massive chunks of the solar system are going to come crashing into the earth. You will remember, the Lord spoke through the prophet Haggai who predicted this. The writer of Hebrews in fact, quoted this very text in chapter 12. It is really unimaginable to comprehend the entire earth shaking at the same time. 

 

Hebrews 12:27 says "This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain."

 

Look at verse 19, "The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath." Notice, there’s that word great again. There are many who disagree on what this great city is. Some think it's Babylon. I believe that Jerusalem that is the great city.  In fact, Zechariah chapter 14 says that when the Lord comes He’ll stand on the Mount of Olives which is in front of Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives will be split. And, in verse 8, he says "And in that day living waters will flow out of Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea; it will be in summer as well as in winter."

 

God’s going to split Jerusalem, and according to verse 19, it will be into three parts. The original language indicates to fall utterly to the ground, meaning to completely collapse. Babylon, which is a symbol of idolatry is going to be singled out as a special object of divine wrath. By the way, more details on the destruction of Babylon are coming in chapter 17 and 18.

 

Then, verse 20, "And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found." The Lord is preparing to establish His kingdom, even in the midst of this judgment. The topography of the whole earth is altered drastically. The mountains are going to flatten, they will not be found and the islands are going to disappear. And, people are going to be swallowed up into the earth as it moves and shakes, and people will drown as water begins to go in places it’s never been before. That’s going to be pretty frightening for people who are living on the earth during that time.

 

According to Micah 4, And it will come about in the last days that the mountain of the house of the Lord will be established as the chief of the mountains. It will be raised above the hills,and the peoples will stream to it."

 

That brings us to verse 21, "And huge hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, *came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague *was extremely severe." Those who love darkness rather than light are now standing in the presence of almighty God in pitch blackness. Literally there will be one hundred pound hailstones smashing people,  while the earth is violently shaking. The Greek word used here is "talantiaios," meaning a talent in weight, which weighs 108-130 pounds. That is massive sized hail pummeling the earth and those who are still alive. This is just an inconceivable!

 

In Closing...

 

This is where the world is headed. All of man’s hopes and dreams, his fortunes and kingdom will crumble, pretty much everything, except his hardened heart. God hates sin and when His grace is exhausted, His come in fury, acting in judgement. 

 

If you are a Christian, this should cause you to realize that were it not for the grace of God, we might be among the number of the deceived and the damned, facing this awful judgement. This should penetrate our hearts to bring the gospel to the lost, and to pray that today will be the day of their salvation. May we pray for courage and boldness to share the life saving truth, with authority and with love that many might be saved.

 

May it be so..
 

And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;

the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.

Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen

 

 

 

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