REVELATION LESSON 9

REVELATION

LESSON 9

ARE WE LIVING IN THE END TIMES?

Revelation chapter six described the opening of the first seals, but it ended before the opening of the seventh seal. Chapter seven covers the sealing of the 144,000, but also failed to mention the seventh seal.

It is not until chapter 8 that we learn about the final seal. The opening of the seventh seal reveals the appearance of seven angels with seven trumpets.

The seven seals are broken down into two sets. Likewise, the seven trumpets will be broken down into two sets. Four of the judgements are called one third, followed by three judgements which are called woes.

Revelation 8:1-2   8 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.

² And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.

When this seal is broken, nothing will remain to be restrained. The carrying out of the remaining judgements. Before they begin there will be a silence in heaven for about half an hour.

The flashes of lighting and rumblings and thunder coming from the throne of God will cease. The four living creatures will cease their talk about the holiness of God. The twenty-four elders will suspend their declaration about the worthiness of the Lamb of God.

The heavenly host will stop their singing, and the tribulation saints will cease their praises. There will be total silence across heaven. Everyone will wait in anticipation of what is to come next. Something of tremendous importance is about to happen.

Out of all the angels in heaven, only seven particular angels constantly stand in the presence of God. They are most commonly known as archangels, but some call them the angels of the presence.

The king James bible identifies only two angels, Michael and Gabriel. But the non-canonical books identifies the other five as, Uriel, Raphael, Raguel, Remiel and Sariel.  These seven archangels will each be handed a trumpet on this day which is named trumpet and battle cry.

Notice that these are angels that receive the trumpet in heaven as they stand before the throne of God and Jesus. God will judge the earth, but not without purpose. Society can not expect God to ignore the persecution and death of the saints on Earth.

Society should not expect Him to not be offended by the blasphemy of the anti-christ and the false prophet. Society can not expect God to delay His answer to the prayers of the righteous forever.

2 Thessalonians 1:6-7   ⁶ Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;

⁷ And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

It is a righteous thing for God to repay those who harms his people.

Revelation 8:3-4   ³ And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

⁴ And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.

Even though this angel is not identified some experts believe he is Jesus, however I feel it is probably just another powerful angel. We do know that this angel holds a special position of service before the golden alter of God.

The golden censer is similar to the one used in the old Testament Jewish temple. It contained charcoal that was burned under a layer of incense. When the hot charcoal warmed the layer of incense, a sweet fragrance was produced.

This fragrance or aroma may be that of the spice frankincense. One of the gifts the wise men gave to the baby Jesus. frankincense was also one of the spices burned in the censer at the Jewish temple. The fragrance reminds God of his son who came and died for the sins of the world.

This eighth angel will come with a golden censer and stand before the alter of God. He will be given a great quantity of incense to mix with the prayers of the saints. Then he will place the censer on the golden alter before the throne of God.

We may never know what all those requests may be. Assuredly one of them was a prayer of the tribulation saints asking, how long Lord until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the Earth.

Judgement is not Gods first choice, but patience is. He is patient and will hold off his judgement longer than any man could, nevertheless when all options fail, His judgment will fall. The angel will take the censer containing the hot incense and the prayers of the saints and wave it around, causing the smoke to drift toward the throne of God. The almighty God will smell the incense, hear the prayers and prepare an answer.

Revelation 8:5   ⁵ And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

When the incense and all the prayers of the saints have been consumed in the censer the angel will take the empty censer and go back to the alter. He will fill it with fire and hurl it down to the Earth. The prayers go up to God and the answers go down to Earth. God will avenge the death of the tribulation saints with fiery trials on Earth.

The antichrist and the false prophet will rise to power leading the inhabitants of the earth to worship Satan, while at the same time gods people will be hunted down, persecuted and killed. These martyred saints will arrive in heaven. Praying to be avenged. At first, they will be told to wait until the number of the saved is increased.

Then after a short time God will hear their prayers and respond by having his angel hurl the burning censer, (possibly in the form of a meteor).  It will be followed by loud thunder and flashes of lightening and earthquakes.

The prayers of Gods hurting people will finally reach into His wrath and cause a response that will be felt by the whole Earth.

2 Thessalonians 1:10   ¹⁰ When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

May the name of our Lord Jesus Christ be glorified in you and you in Him.

Until our next lesson….

REVELATION Lesson 8

REVELATION

 Lesson 8

ARE WE LIVING IN THE END TIMES?

Revelation 7:10-11   ¹⁰ And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

¹¹ And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

This is a great worship service of victory and rejoicing whose central theme is salvation, the glory of salvation that belongs to God and his Son, Jesus. God has narrowed the way to heaven to one, Jesus, the Lamb of God.

People try many methods to remove the guilt of sin: good deeds and even blaming others. The crown in heaven however praises God, saying that salvation comes from Him and from the Lamb. Salvation from sins penalty can come only through Jesus Christ.

John 14:6   ⁶ Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Jesus is saying that he is the only way to the Father. Some people may argue that this way is too narrow, in reality its wide enough for the whole world. If the world chooses to accept it. Instead of worrying about just one way we should saying thanks be to God for providing a sure way.

Revelation 7: 12-13   ¹² Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

¹³ And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?

This may very well be the greatest worship service ever when this multitude of tribulation saints stand before the throne praising and glorifying the father and the son. All of the angels of heaven will join in.

Followed by the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures. Notice all the different groups. The tribulation saints, the twenty-four elders (representing the church) the angels and the four living creatures. Everyone in heaven will participate in this service. 

AMEN, indicates that the angels will agree with the tribulation saints. Salvation belongs to God and his Son, and they deserve the credit for getting this great multitude to heaven.

Now the angels will break forth with a seven-fold declaration of worship, blessing, glory, wisdom, thanks, honor and power and might. All belonging to God forever and ever.

One of the twenty-four elders will ask two questions. Who are they and where did they come from? He already knows the answer but he will ask them anyway to make sure everyone else knows.

Revelation 7:14   ¹⁴ And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

White symbolizes sinless perfection or holiness, which can be given to people only by death of the sinless lamb of God. On our behalf this is a picture of how we are saved through faith.

It is difficult to imagine how blood could make any cloth white. The blood of Jesus Christ is the worlds greatest purifier because it removes the stain of sin.

Some say the church will convert the world. Daniel spoke about a time when the anti-christ will dominate the saints.

Daniel 7:25   ²⁵ And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

Jesus talked about a time of tribulation when the saints will be killed.

Matthew 24:9   ⁹ Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

Paul talked about a time when the antichrist will oppose everyone who worships God.

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4   ³ Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

⁴ Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Revelation 7:15-17   ¹⁵ Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

¹⁶ They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

¹⁷ For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

This is a very special promise. On earth the saved will not be safe anywhere. They will either starve, die of disease or be murdered. There will be no way of escape from the antichrist. Suddenly they will find themselves in the throne room of God, face to face with Jesus. They will be surrounded by angels and be clothed in white robes, protected by God.

God will always provide for his children’s needs in their eternal home. There will be no hunger there, no thirst or pain, and He will wipe away all their tears. If you are suffering or torn apart by sorrow take comfort in this promise of complete protection and relief. All who have been faithful through the ages are singing before Gods throne.

Their tribulations and sorrows are over. All sins are forgiven. For all the believers have been resurrected to die no more. They will be in a fortress, a refuge of the Almighty God, in a place of constant protection that cannot be breached. Gods promises in heaven, we will never suffer again. This is Gods promise.

The Lamb who stands in the midst of the throne of God will preserve the tribulation saints. He will feed the saints from the tree of life and let them drink from fountains of living water.

The bible speaks of one heaven and one lake of fire. You will spend eternity in one of the two places. Both are real, make the right choice by accepting Jesus as Lord and savior now.

There is no plan B.