Prayers Answered In God’s Time

Transcript

GR 1529
05-10-09
Prayers Answered in God's Time
Revelation 8:1-7
Gil Rugh

We're in the book of Revelation in our study together and we come to a new chapter, chapter 8. The book of Revelation is about the return of Jesus Christ to earth to establish a kingdom over which he will rule, the kingdom that has been prophesied in the Old Testament and continues to be anticipated in the New Testament. Back up to Revelation 1:7, key verse, behold He is coming with the clouds and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen. Reference back to the book of Daniel, the book of Zechariah. That's where the book of Revelation is taking us—He is coming with the clouds and every eye will see Him. That return to earth will occur in Revelation 19, the kingdom will be established in chapter 20. So we are moving in a sequence of events toward that climactic return of Christ to establish His kingdom. Now that return of Christ to earth to establish His kingdom is preceded by seven years of tribulation, turmoil, the pouring out of God's judgment on an unbelieving world, during which time He is also working to bring the nation Israel to its knees and a readiness to acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah and the Savior that God has provided.

We need to come back to Daniel 9. Daniel 9 is the backbone for God's prophetic program for the nation Israel from the time of Daniel really on to the return of Christ. Verse 24, seventy weeks, remember seventy sevens have been decreed for your people and your holy city. And the six things that will be accomplished within that seventy seven-year period, 490 years altogether. This is for your people, Daniel, the Jews, your holy city Jerusalem to finish the transgression, make an end to sin, make atonement for iniquity, bring in everlasting righteousness, seal up vision and prophecy and anoint the most holy place. We will be at the kingdom, we will have the kingdom established with the conclusion of the 490 years. Then as we have noted a number of times it is broken down for us and when we come to verse 26, after sixty-two weeks which were after seven weeks, we haven't read everything. It's broken down into a seven seven-year period, 49 years, and then there will be sixty-two weeks. So that gives us a total of 7 + 62 = 69 weeks, 483 years. Then there is a break between the 483 years and the last 7 years. Then in verse 27, he, referring to the prince who is to come, will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, one seven. This is a seven-year period. This will get even more clearly identified for us as we get further toward the middle of the book of Revelation. We will get a variety of ways of identifying the time as a period of years. He will make a firm covenant with the many for one week. In the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering. So that seven-year period is divided in the middle, because in the middle of the week, the seven, the week of years and not a week of days, 3½ years in there is a change. So we have a total seven-year period that will climax with the return of Christ. The 490 years completes God's program with Israel in preparation for the establishing of the kingdom. It doesn't complete God's program for Israel because God's promises to Israel are eternal. But for their salvation and the establishing of their kingdom that will happen.

What we are doing, as you come back to Revelation 8, chapters 6-19 are about that seven-year period. Here we have details of this seven-year period, climaxing with the return of Christ to establish His kingdom. The removal of the church happens prior to the beginning of this seven-year period. We have looked at some of the reasons for that in a previous study. This seven-year period has a series of judgments that occur throughout it, beginning with seven seals, followed by seven trumpets, followed by seven bowls. They are sequential, one following another so that when we get to the last bowl we will be ready for the return of Christ and the resultant establishing of the kingdom.

Six of the seals were opened in Revelation 6. Every time a seal was broken in this scroll, it could be opened so far, a judgment came out. And in Revelation 6 six of those judgments occurred, the first four being the four horsemen of the Apocalypse because the judgment that came out was represented in a horse. Chapter 7 was an interlude, it did not move us along but it made us aware of events taking place. In the first part of chapter 7 we had the sealing of the 144,000 Jews, 12,000 from each tribe in Israel. I was reading a new book this week and the person was covering some material related to this because he was disputing the literal interpretation. And it just boggles my mind, it is really a scholarly interpretation because you just don't get it in a normal understanding of the book. 12,000 Jews from each tribe, how clear can it be? And we looked, it even mentions the tribes. Verses 4-8 mention each of the twelve tribes, 12,000 from each. They are sealed. Keep that in your mind, we'll be mentioning that again in an Old Testament passage as a reminder.

That is followed by martyrs in verses 9-17 that have come out of this time of tribulation. Verse 14 told us, these are the ones who come out of the great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. They are seen before the throne of God in heaven. So on the 144,000 God sends an angel to seal them in their foreheads, to spare them from the coming judgments to be poured out on the earth. And then we see a large group of redeemed who have trusted Christ but have suffered death during this tribulation time. They are gathered in God's presence in heaven.

Now when you come to chapter 8 we are ready to resume the series of judgments. And what we have in chapters 8-9 are six of the seven trumpet judgments recorded. So in Revelation 6 we had six of the seven seals and in chapters 8-9 we will have six of the seven trumpets. Then we're going to have another interlude telling us about events taking place that don't move us along in time in the tribulation. And then we will pick up with the bowl judgments and then we will be ready for the return of Christ and the establishing of the kingdom.

Now as we come to the next series of judgments, the trumpets which follow the seals, they are more severe than the seal judgments were, they are more devastating. But they are not as severe as the coming bowl judgments that will follow the trumpet judgments. You'll note chapter 8 begins, when the Lamb broke the seventh seal. Remember it is only the Lamb, back in chapter 5, who is qualified to break the seals because He is the One who has provided redemption and you could not have Him return to establish a kingdom comprised of the redeemed if there hadn't been a redeemer, if there hadn't been redemption provided for sinful people. So the Lamb broke the seventh seal.

So we are back now, if you go back to the end of chapter 6 verse 12, when He broke the sixth seal, and you have the judgments come out and there is an awareness of the people on the earth of the seriousness of the situation and that it is God who must be bringing this on the world. It does not result in their repentance but there is a growing recognition that this is beyond normal events. Then we had chapter 7, the interlude. Now you come to chapter 8, the Lamb breaks the seventh seal. There was silence for about half an hour. Now understand what is happening here, the seventh seal contains everything else to come. There is no specific judgment mentioned in the seventh seal. The judgment is the coming trumpets and the coming bowls, they come out of the seventh seal. So out of the seventh seal come the seven trumpets. Out of the seventh trumpet will come the seven bowls. So they are all contained within the seven seals.

Now this is important. Come back to chapter 5 verse 1, I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back and sealed up with seven seals. The One on the throne, remember, is God the Father. He has in His right hand this seven-sealed book or scroll. So it's written on the inside and on the back, but you see everything is contained in that seven-sealed scroll. So the trumpets don't occur outside the seven seals, they are within the seventh seal, as are the bowls. So everything is included in this seven-sealed scroll. It's out of the seventh seal will come the remainder of what takes place in the book. Down in verse 5, one of the elder said to me, stop weeping. Behold the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the root of David has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals. There is the reminder, no one is qualified to open this book but the One who has overcome—the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, the One who is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. Christ Himself, of course.

Down in verse 9, they sang a new song saying, worthy are you to take the book or the scroll and to break its seals, for you were slain and purchased for God with your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth. So He is preparing a people to inhabit the coming kingdom and reign in that kingdom, that He is the One opening the seals.

So when we come to chapter 8 He breaks the seventh seal, really the judgment of the seventh seal is the seven trumpets. And what the judgment of the seventh trumpet will be are the seven bowls. And really everything fits within the confines of the seven-seal scroll, including the whole rest of the book of Revelation, because everything is there in that scroll that is given to Christ to open up. It ultimately provides for the redemption of the earth as a result of His salvation work.

When He breaks the seventh seal there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Up until this time heaven has filled with sounds of worship and praise. Turn back to chapter 4 verse 8. Here we are in the throne room of heaven. The four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, they are full of eyes around and within. Day and night they do not cease to say, holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come. And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, will worship Him who lives forever and ever, will cast their crowns before the throne saying, worthy are you our Lord and our God to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things and because of your will the existed and were created.

Down in chapter 5 verse 9 of what they are singing in heaven in praise of God. Verse 11, then I looked and heard the voice of many angels around the throne. The living creatures, the elders, the number of them was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands saying with a loud voice, worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. Every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under earth and on the sea and all the things in them I heard saying, to Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory, dominion forever and forever. The four living creatures kept saying amen, the elders fell down and worshiped. I mean, heaven is filled with the sound of praise and worship. Now the seventh seal is opened and everything goes silent. Nothing for a half hour. Not a long time, no, but you think of all that has been going on in heaven, all of a sudden everything goes deadly silent. Nothing. You know how it is, silence for a little bit and pretty soon people clear their throats. It's creating that sense of awe, of expectation. It's the literal calm before the storm. Really in a way that has never happened before, all hell will break loose. Now we would express colloquially in the sense that what is about to happen is unparalleled and heaven realizes the significance of the opening of the seventh seal that we are moving rapidly now to the fulfillment of all that God has promised.

A half an hour of silence in heaven. That's not the judgment because remember the judgments are poured out on the unbelieving world. This is silence in heaven. So it's not that the judgment of the seventh seal is silence because the silence takes place in heaven. There is no judgment that takes place in heaven, the judgments are poured out on the earth. But the silence in heaven prepares for the awesomeness of what is about to be poured out on the earth.

Verse 2, and I saw the seven angels who stand before God and seven trumpets were given to them. These are seven specific angels who stand before God and are given the responsibility of sounding the trumpets. Now remember it's the Lamb who opens the seventh seal, so He's the only One worthy. Now out of the seventh seal come judgments and angels are involved of course in the carrying out of these judgments. They are each given a trumpet, each of these seven angels. The way it is put, they stand before God. Remember when Gabriel the angel in Luke 1 came to announce to the father of John the Baptist his coming birth? And the father of John the Baptist was a little incredulous about what he was being told. And what does Gabriel say? I am Gabriel who stands in the presence of God. I mean, what do you mean you have doubts, in effect he is saying. I am Gabriel, I stand in the presence of God. Here you have other angels who stand in the presence of God, meaning what? They are ready to do His bidding. But they do come directly from the throne of God. Here they stand before the throne, ready to sound the trumpets.

Another angel came and stood at the altar. So we have a break here before the trumpets are going to be sounded. Another angel, different from the seven, came and stood before the altar holding a golden censor. And much incense was given to him so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. The altar of incense was part of the furniture in the Old Testament tabernacle and then in the temple.

Come back to Exodus 30. And the first 10 verses, you'll see the chapter begins. Moreover you shall make an altar as a place for burning incense. So he knows he has the altar of incense. And then instructions for making it. It is overlaid with pure gold and so on. Verse 6, you put this altar in front of the veil that is near the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is over the ark of the testimony where I will meet with you. And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it, shall burn it every morning when he trims the lamps. When Aaron trims the lamps at twilight he shall burn incense. There shall be perpetual incense before the Lord throughout all your generations. Then warnings and so on about not burning any strange incense. That's the background here. We see the altar of incense in the very throne room of God, before the throne of God in heaven.

Go to Revelation 5. We have a similar scene here, verse 8, in anticipation of the opening of the seal judgments. So in Revelation 5:8, when He had taken the book, Christ took the book, the scroll, out of the right hand of the Father on the throne. The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense which are the prayers of the saints. And in preparation for that judgment we have the prayers of the saints as incense before the Lord.

Now as we come to the next series of judgments in chapter 8 verse 3, the angel came and he has a golden censor and much incense was given to him so that he might add it to the prayers of the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. The same kind of picture, the prayers of the saints associated with incense which would arise as a pleasing and acceptable fragrance to the Lord. It's time for prayers to be answered and God to deal in judgment with an unbelieving world.

Verse 4, the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints went up before God out of the angel's hands. The mixture of the incense, what did it symbolize as the incense provided by God to go with the prayers of the saints? These are the prayers which are pleasing to God, they are a pleasing fragrance to Him. Remember a similar kind of analogy in II Corinthians 2 as we are giving off the knowledge of Christ in every place. It ascends as a pleasing fragrance to God. So here the prayers of the saints now come up with the incense and they are pleasing to Him.

Psalm 141. I haven't counted but I've mentioned to you some who have done the comparisons say there are over 500 allusions to the Old Testament in the book of Revelation. No direct quotes, but 500 allusions. So we could go back even more than we do. Look at verse 2. He starts out, oh Lord I call upon you, verse 1, hasten to me. Give ear to my voice when I call to you. May my prayer be counted as incense before you. The lifting up of my hands as the evening offering. You see that my prayers come as incense, that which is pleasing to you. My prayers are received, accepted by you. The picture is you will respond and that's the picture here. God is now ready to answer prayer, prayer that it seems like has gone unanswered for so long. But there are no unanswered prayers, they are all answered according to God's timetable. And that's what is going to happen here now.

So back to Revelation 8:5. You take the incense, you mix it with the prayers. The angels aren't mediators here, they are simply acting, taking the prayers now. It's in God's time. So they bring the prayers before Him, the incense indicating He is now ready to receive them and act upon them. Verse 5, the angel took the censor and filled it with the fire of the altar and threw it to the earth. And there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake. And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. What awesome preparation in heaven. The seventh seal is opened and everything goes deadly silent for half an hour.

Then you have the seven angels given the seven trumpets, then you have another angel come to take the prayers of the saints and mix them with incense to bring before the Lord. And now the angel takes the censor with these prayers and it is hurled to the earth. In other words, here is God's response, He is answering the prayers in bringing judgment upon an unbelieving world, judgment upon those who have persecuted His servants and so on. This is a picture again very similar to the Old Testament.

Back to Ezekiel 10. Back up to Ezekiel 9 to see the context. Remember I mentioned the sealing of the 144,000? We were back here then, but just a refresher. In chapter 9 we are preparing for destruction on Jerusalem in the judgment of God. So the executioners are called, verse 1, who will bring destruction on the city. But before the destruction, verse 4, there are instructions to them and who has appeared, clothed in linen with a writing case at his loins, verse 2. And what he is to do, verse 4, go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which are committed in its midst. And then he gives instruction to the destroying angel. Verse 5, go through the city after him and strike and do not let your eye have pity—old men, young men, maidens, little children, women. But do not touch any man on whom is the mark. You see we've had a similar kind of pattern. In chapter 7 we had that interlude and the 144,000 were sealed. I take it that it is the same person, the judgments that are about to take place, the 144,000 will be spared.

Then you come to chapter 10 and pick up with verse 2. And he spoke to the man clothed in linen, and it's in the throne room as verse 1 makes clear, the One on the throne doesn’t sit. Enter between the whirling wheels under the cherubim, fill your hands with coals of fire between the cherubim. Scatter them over the city. You see the similarity? The angel took the censor, filled it with the fire from the altar and throws it out on the earth. Similar picture here. Before the throne they take the coals and they throw them on the earth, after having sealed those that were to be spared the judgment. The picture of the heavenly scene developed. Verse 4, the glory of the Lord went up from the cherubim to the threshold of the temple, the temple was filled with a cloud, the court was filled with the brightness. Because where we're going the glory of the Lord is about to depart form the temple. This is the departure of the shekinah glory, the resident glory of God in the midst of Israel as He brings judgment on the unbelieving nation.

Verse 7, the cherubim stretched out its hand from between the cherubim to the fire which was between the cherubim, took some and put it in the hands of the One clothed in linen and took it and went, and on to describe. And then you'll have the glory of the Lord departing in verse 18. From the threshold of the temple stood over the cherubim, verse 19, they stood still at the entrance of the East Gate of the Lord's house and the glory of the God of Israel hovered. He departs over the eastern gate and the glory is gone from Israel. But we see here, the pattern, the sealing, the judgment. This was a historical even in chapters 9-10 related to the Babylonian devastation and captivity of Jerusalem and Judah. But now we see a similar kind of thing with coming final devastation and judgment when we come to the book of Revelation. And you have a picture, the sealing of God's servants to preserve them, then the pouring out of judgment on the earth, the fire dumped out on the earth.

Come back to Revelation 8, then we have to go back to the Old Testament. And he filled it with fire from the altar, threw it to the earth. There followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake. There is an awesome scene of the presence of God.

Back to Exodus 19. At Mt. Sinai when God came down on the mountain to meet with Moses and give him the Law. Verse 18, now Mt. Sinai was all in smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire and smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace. The whole mountain quaked violently. Verse 16 started this, the third day when it was morning there was thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain. The people trembled. Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God and they stood at the foot of the mountain. You see what is being pictured here, God is personally and directly intervening again in the affairs of the earth. He is always involved, but here you have the direct intervention. God was always present, but now He is coming in a special and unique way on Sinai. Now in Revelation 8 He is coming again in a special and direct way in judgment. So that picture of the peals of thunder and the earthquake and so on. What is being unfolded here is the prayers of the saints mixed with the incense, thrown out on the earth. And the picture of God's devastating and awesome presence. The prayers of the saints have ascended to the Father and He responds by pouring out His wrath on the unbelieving world. He is coming in response at long last.

Come back to Deuteronomy 32. Deuteronomy 32 contains what is known as the song of Moses. As you prepare for the death of Moses who has brought Israel to the edge of the Promised Land but will not be able to take them in. Verse 3, I proclaim the name of the Lord, ascribe greatness to our God, the Rock. His work is perfect, for all His ways are just. A God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and right is He. They have acted corruptly, and so on. Their unbelief, the anger of God toward them for their unbelief. Verse 18, you have neglected the Rock who begot you, you forgot the God who gave you birth. Verse 22, a fire is kindled in my anger and burns to the lowest part of Sheol. Come down to verse 35, vengeance is Mine and retribution. Verse 39, see now that I, I am He, there is no God beside Me. It is I who put to death and give life, I have wounded and it is I who heals. There is no one who can deliver from My hand. Then the last part of verse 41, I will render vengeance on My adversaries, I will repay those who hate Me. Verse 42, I will make My arrows drunk with blood, My sword will devour flesh with the blood of the slain and the captives, from the long-haired leaders of the enemy. Rejoice oh nations with this people, for He will avenge the blood of His servants. There is where we are, He will avenge the blood of His servants. This is a day of vengeance when we get to Revelation 8. He will be avenging the blood of His servants, He'll render vengeance on His adversaries. He will atone for His land and His people.

There is judgment on the world, there is judgment on Israel. But the judgment on Israel is redemptive in its purpose. It is to bring Israel to turn from their rebellious ways to the Messiah. There will be Gentiles saved during this time, we saw that in the last part of Revelation 7. But God is pouring out His wrath on those who have mistreated His servants.

Come over to Psalm 76:7, you, even you are to be feared and who may stand in your presence when once you are angry. You know we just fail to appreciate the seriousness of God. He is One that must always be respected and honored and revered, feared in the sense of revered and honored and obeyed. And nobody can withstand His anger.

When you come to Psalm 79 the whole psalm is about God's destruction on His enemies. Oh God the nations have invaded your inheritance, which refers of course to Jerusalem and Israel, that's God's inheritance. They have defiled your holy temple, they have laid Jerusalem in ruins, they have given the dead bodies of your servants for food to the birds of the heaven, the flesh of your godly ones to the beasts of the earth. They have poured out their blood like water round about Jerusalem. We have become a reproach to our neighbors, a scoffing and derision to those around us. How long, oh Lord, will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like a fire. Pour out your wrath. In other words, how long will you be angry at us, at Israel? Pour out your wrath upon the nations which do not know you, upon the kingdoms which do not call upon your name. They have devoured Jacob and laid waste his habitation. So that prayer is stored up, that will get a response. They ask for God to have compassion and forgive their iniquities.

Verse 9, help us, oh God of our salvation for the glory of your name. Deliver us and forgive our sins for your name's sake. Why should the nations say, where is their God? Let there be known among the nations in our sight vengeance for the blood of your servants which has been shed. Let the groaning of the prisoner come before you, according to the greatness of your power preserve those who are doomed to die. There is where we are going, in anticipation. God didn't intervene and spare them on that occasion, but God will intervene and He will bring judgment on the world that has mistreated His servants.

Come over to Luke 18. We won't go into the parable on prayer but just look at the application of it. Verse 7, Jesus here giving this parable and the application. Now will God not bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night? And will He delay long over them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth. You see He will bring justice. They cry out to Him day and night. I mean, for all their suffering, for the martyrdom, justice is coming, justice on an unbelieving world and then of course the judgment of hell at the Great White Throne in Revelation 20, upon every single individual unbeliever. God has heard the prayers. Where are you Lord? Where were you when your servants were being martyred, when they are being so mistreated? Where were you when your people were so abused? Why didn't you do something? How many of us in time of difficulty and trial not had a similar thought, if we haven't actually voiced it in prayer. Lord, where are you? Lord, do you know what is going on? Lord, have you forgotten about me? All those prayers are stored up for God's time, not ignored, not discarded. Just awaiting the proper time for the right answer.

So you come back to Revelation 8. Prayer is effective. The fervent prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much. The judgments about to be poured out are answers to prayer of God's people. So even when the answer doesn't come immediately, a reminder of what God does with our prayers. Here the prayers are for judgment on an unbelieving world. But a reminder, our prayers don't go unanswered, they come before the throne of God and they are dealt with then according to His purposes in His time.

Look at verse 6, and the seven angels who have the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. Now we are back to verse 2. So you see what happened in verses 1-2, when the Lamb broke the seventh seal there was silence in heaven for about a half an hour. The seven angels who stand before God and the seven trumpets were given to them. No we are told it is time for answered prayer. So we have that scene we just looked at with the prayers of the saints mixed with the incense and then casting them out on the earth. And the scene of God now stepping forth and His presence demonstrated, with awesome power, and how He intervenes to bring judgment on a world that has mistreated my servants.

Now we are ready for the seven angels to sound their trumpets, we have it in proper context. The judgments will be severe of these seven trumpets. But there is mercy during this time. As we have seen in chapter 7, there are people saved from among the Jews, from among the Gentiles. There is mercy in these trumpets. Only a portion of the earth is destroyed. In verses 7-12 we'll be told twelve times that only a third of the earth is destroyed. That's a lot, think about it, a third of the earth impacted by these judgments. But there is mercy, that means two-thirds of the earth is spared. God's purpose is not to destroy everyone, of course He could do that in one overwhelming judgment. We see people talk about that in speculations in programs. What would happen if a large asteroid or meteorite or something would strike the earth? It could wipe out life on the earth. I mean, God should do it in an instant. His purpose is not to destroy everyone. In fact even in judgment there is mercy. But you know what? Those who survive these judgments for the most part are unrepentant.

Look in chapter 9. We come to the sixth trumpet here. So you have these devastating judgments, you've had the seal judgments and now you have the trumpet judgment and six of them have taken place. And verse 20 tells us, the rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues did not repent. Verse 21, they did not repent. See there is mercy in judgment. At the end of verse 15 you can see it affects, kills a third of mankind. You say, that's terrible. But you understand two-thirds are left, but they don't repent, they don't repent. You know what will happen after we have six bowls?

Turn over to chapter 16. Look at verse 9, this is after the fourth bowl is poured out. Men were scorched with fierce heat, they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues. They did not repent so as to give Him glory. The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast. Verse 11, they blasphemed the God of heaven, they did not repent of their deeds. And so we have the sixth angel. We say, could God do this, pour out such severe judgment? Do you understand how sinful man is? I mean, as these judgments pile up, one on the other and the earth is being destroyed and people are being destroyed by the millions and the billions, what are the survivors doing? Repenting? Calling upon God for mercy? No, they do not repent. They blasphemed the name of God, they did not repent, they did not repent. The book of Revelation reminds us of how sinful we really are and how great the grace of God is that saved a lost sinner. And some say, you can't take them literally, I can't think that God would do that. Well we ought to be amazed, can you believe that after all these judgments going on people are still unrepentant and so planted in their opposition and hatred of God that they'll blaspheme Him. And are determined they will not repent.

Like your children, sometimes you are disciplining them and just like a steel will, they will not give in. Like when you give a spanking and they say, that didn't hurt. Maybe the next one will. Sometimes you are amazed, you say, I don't know, I may lose this battle. It seems they are determined. Here is where they are, they are determined, they will not repent. There will be people right up to the Great White Throne unrepentant of their sin.

Come back to Revelation 8. I want to say something here. Though many take the judgments as symbolic of various things, we're not going into all those things because it would take endless amount of time if we gave all the wrong views of interpreting Revelation. Just take it the way it is, this is what God says. Will these judgments be literal? I take it the judgments of the seals were literal, the judgments of the trumpets will be literal. These judgments are not so unbelievable. In fact a number of these trumpets will be very similar to the judgments that were poured out in the plagues God poured out on Egypt as He prepared to deliver His people from bondage in Egypt. And the similarity of those judgments showed that there is no problem with these being literal judgments. Do you believe the judgments and the plagues on Egypt in the early chapters of Exodus were literal? They are presented as literal, historical, factual judgments. Well just the very similar characteristics in these judgments.

Let's look at the first trumpet here just to get us prepared for the trumpet judgments. The first angel sounded. So just like when you broke a seal, a judgment came out. Here an angel blows the trumpet and a specific judgment came. The first angel sounds his trumpet, there came hail and fire mixed with blood. They were thrown to the earth and a third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up and all the green grass was burned up. A third of the earth just burns up, consumed. This is caused by the hail and the fire mixed with blood.

Come back to Exodus 9, we'll look at the seventh plague that God brought upon Egypt. Verse 18, behold about this time tomorrow I will send a very great hail such as has not been seen in Egypt from the day it was founded until now. And so He gives warning in grace, the people who believed what God said went and protected their livestock. Everybody got into shelter to protect them. Verse 20, the one among the servants of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord made his servants and his livestock flee into the houses. He who paid no regard to the word of the Lord left his servants and livestock in the field. Then the Lord said to Moses, stretch out your hand toward the sky that hail may fall on the land of Egypt and on the beasts and on every plant and so on throughout the land of Egypt. And verse 23, Moses stretched out the staff toward the sky, the Lord sent thunder and hail, fire ran down to the earth. The Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt. There was hail, fire flashing continually in the midst of the hail. There is this ferocious lightning with the hail, very severe, such as has not been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. The hail struck all that was in the field through all the land of Egypt, both man and beast. The hail struck every plant of the field, shattered every tree of the field. And you have the devastation taking place.

It may be as you'll note here that verse 25, man and beast, of course everyone caught outside is destroyed in this. That may be why it said hail and fire mixed with blood, because naturally there will be great loss of life, human life and animal life in such a devastating judgment as it is poured out on the earth.

Back up to verse 13, and you see in this context that God's purpose is to make Himself known. There is progressive judgment. What happens? Pharaoh keeps hardening his heart, he won't let His people go, they won't repent, they won't acknowledge God. Verse 14, for this time I will send all my plagues on you, your servants and your people so that you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth. For if by now I have put forth my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence you would then have been cut off from the earth. But indeed for this reason I have allowed you to remain in order to show you my power, in order to proclaim my name through all the earth. Still you exalt yourself against my people by not letting them go. See what God is doing, He is displaying His power. With each judgment it is a further manifestation of the awesome power of God. It is judgment but it is mercy. We see down in verse 20, the one who feared the word of the Lord, even among the Egyptians, could experience mercy. Because if you believe what God said you responded accordingly.

But a similar judgment, the hail, the fire and the devastating loss of human and animal life presented by the shedding of the blood. You can think what the impact of this would be on the world. It doesn't say how this is spread, it's just one-third of the earth is destroyed in this judgment. The trees, the grass, I mean it is devastating between the impact of the hail, the impact of the fire. We've seen devastating fires brought about with lightning and so on. You think about the change, you talk about climate change, people worried about climate change. We don't have anything to worry about. There is going to be significant climate change but it has nothing to do with what kind of car you drive. I'm not against, if you want to drive a certain kind of car and we go green, fine. But I have my perspective. The devastation that is coming on this planet, there is nothing man can do to hold it back. Again, I'm not against conservation, whatever. But you see what is coming. This world is doomed, destruction like has never, ever been experienced. What would be the impact on the climate when you have these kinds of things? You have one-third of the earth destroyed, but that spreads out. You have one-third of the food supply and all of that gone, what is the impact as that spreads throughout the world? You see these judgments are increasing and now you have one-third of the earth. All the green grass and the trees gone. I mean, just an awesome judgment.

That's where we're going. You know God is so gracious, He has told us ahead of time, He has warned us. There are evidences that come even in minor ways now—earthquakes and hailstorms and fire and destruction. Man doesn't learn anything. It's Mother Nature, it's anything but acknowledging God. God is patient.

We close with II Peter 3. You and I want to put this in perspective. We talk about an unbelieving world, but you and I are believers and we ought to demonstrate our belief. Do we really believe the Bible is telling us the truth about what is going on. II Peter 3, this is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder. That you should remember the word spoken beforehand by the holy prophets, the commandment of our Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles. Verse 7, by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the Day of Judgment and destruction of ungodly men. Tell people, they want to talk about climate change and they want to talk about these kinds of things. We say, we ought to talk about that. You know God is preserving the present heavens and earth today, but He is preserving them for a coming day of destruction that will be complete. Why is He doing this? Do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. Do we really believe that, that God is holding back judgment so that people can believe. But how can they believe in whom they have not heard? And how they shall hear without someone to proclaim it, a preacher, a proclaimer, someone to tell them. And since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct in godliness, looking forward, hastening the coming of the day of God, in which all this destruction will take place. These are days of grace. If the Lord gives us a Monday, it is a day when He is holding back, He is being patient so that others can come to repentance. But I look at a day like that, a day that the Lord has withheld His judgment for another day, it's another opportunity for people to repent, another opportunity for me to tell them of coming judgment, to tell them of the Savior that will spare them judgment to come and the ultimate wrath of God in hell.

We sometimes think, the unbelievers are so hard hearted. But sometimes we as believers walk around like our heads are in the clouds. Is this a reality to us, do we really believe this is where the world is going. What an opportunity to live in the day of grace and tell people this is a day of salvation, this is a day of opportunity. You can be saved today, who knows if you can be saved in the future. You may be caught up in the judgment of God, but you can be saved today because I can tell you the message that will bring you salvation. And if you believe it, you'll be saved. Praise God that we live in days of salvation as we anticipate days of wrath.

Let's pray together. Thank you, Lord, for your grace. Thank you for your Word that is clear. It was given to be understood and obeyed. We are to live in light of it, we in the church are to put these things into practice. We believe devastating judgment is coming on this world and then the awesome consummation of judgment with the sentencing of unredeemed sinners to an eternal hell. But you are a God of patience, not wishing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance. How honored and privileged and we are to have been brought to repentance, to salvation by faith in Christ. And how privileged we are to be able to give this message to those we come in contact with. May we be bold in representing you in the days of your patience. We pray in Christ's name, amen.