December 28
Revelation 7:1-10:11
As we move through the book of Revelation and the intensity of the judgments in God's wrath intensify, we must never forget the character of God. Some would misrepresent God as somehow taking pleasure with a grin on His face as those on the earth are being tormented. This is wrong. The same God who in His justice is exerting His wrath, is still the same God who embodies perfect love, mercy, and grace. Realize that evil must be judged by a just God, but God didn't have to spread out this wrath over 21 judgments and over seven years. It wasn't to torment the people more, it was to give them one last chance to repent and spend eternity with Him in heaven. As terrible as the fate of those undergoing these judgments, the fate of spending the rest of eternity in Hell is far worse. As bad as this is, one is temporary, the other is forever. Understand, on earth, those who do not bow their knee to the antichrist will be tortured, persecuted and martyred for their faith. In fact we see their desire in Revelation 6:9-10, "When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of all who had been martyred for the word of God and for being faithful in their testimony. They shouted to the Lord and said, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?” Understand, these individuals specifically were martyred during this seven year period of the Tribulation. We, His children, the believers in Jesus Christ have already been removed from the Earth in the Rapture. This event is described in multiple areas such as 1 Thessalonians 4-5, and that we do not experience God's wrath which is poured out during the Tribulation as evident in portions of Scripture, such as Revelation 3:10 (NKJV), "Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth."
The judgments are coming in succession and are worsening as they move forward. The judgment described in Revelation 9:1-12, with the demonic locusts, might be difficult to envision. We read in 9:3-6, "Then locusts came from the smoke and descended on the earth, and they were given power to sting like scorpions...They were told not to kill them but to torture them for five months with pain like the pain of a scorpion sting. In those days people will seek death but will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them!" Realize that the poison of ordinary scorpions affects a victim's nervous system, causing the victim to feel as though their whole body was set on fire. It is said that one who takes the full brunt of a scorpion's sting writhes on the ground, foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth in agony. Realize this is a foreshadow or a taste of hell on earth. This experience will last for 5 months, then this hell-like experience will go away. Will this be enough for the inhabitants of the earth to follow the God of heaven, rather than the antichrist who has no power to remove their torment? For the majority the answer is no, as we read in 9:20-21, "But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood—idols that can neither see nor hear nor walk! And they did not repent of their murders or their witchcraft or their sexual immorality or their thefts."
We are watching a world now in which between the media and social media the truth is being hidden and twisted. Though there is much evil now behind these entities, just imagine the power to spin when the antichrist has complete control over every facet of the media. So, trusting one's ability to discern is not as obvious as it might seem. Also, many would scoff at the concept of worshipping lifeless idols, but realize those idols of worship are alive and well and more powerful than ever. If you worship your intellect, you are worshipping Baal, the god of the intellect. If you are worshipping sex, you are worshipping Ashteroth, the goddess of sex. If you worship power, and the desire to do what it takes to be number one, then you are worshipping the God of Mammon, and if you worship pleasure, then you are worshipping the god of Molech. Oh, the names have changed, but the sins have not. God loves us so much that He sent His Son, to die for our sins and make the payment which is necessary to escape the wrath which we deserve for our sins. God loves us so much that He has sent His Spirit to reside within us to help us navigate and discern. He loves us so much that He left us His love letter, His instruction manual, the Bible for us to read. It is up to us, His saints, His priests, His ambassadors, His messengers, in this very dark world, to point others to Jesus the Author of salvation before it is too late for those who have refused to repent and accept Him as their Messiah while there is still time.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: