1. “And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go
your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.
At this
point in earth’s history everyone has heard the last message of mercy and grace for a fallen world: “And this
gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations and then shall the end come.”
Matt.24:14. Jesus Christ is no longer interceding for the sins of men (Rev.22:11). The righteous are no longer
sinning sinners; and the unrighteous are now fully under the control of Satan’s power: they have no more ability to
resist, just as in the days of Noah: “And God saw that the wickedness of man was
great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart
was only evil continually.” Gen.6:5. Those who were blessed of
GOD to participate in the loud cry of Revelation 18:1-5, (enlightening the earth with GOD’S glory of self-emptying love),
have followed the same example set by Christ and His Apostles: they were martyred, imprisoned, tortured, and mocked.
Now, every mind is made up as in the days of Sodom and Gomorrha (Gen.18:20-19:2). A million years of life will not change
that permanent decision welded to their hearts (Rev.22:11) whether for righteousness or unrighteousness. From this point
forward GOD will not allow anymore the death of His servants, for it would serve no purpose. The spilling of His servants’
blood has garnered a harvest, and many who heard GOD’S last appeal, and saw the countenance of the Commandment-keeping
Christians even as they laid down their lives unto death, crossed over to stand on the side of those who honor the Holy Law
of GOD. The reason for the plagues becomes very clear as the plagues progress in their severity.
1. And
the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had
the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.
The first of the plagues falls upon the leaders of Catholicism and Protestantism,
for Rome has been specified in Bible prophecy as the final sinful influence in world history according to the list of world
kingdoms specified in Daniel 2, as well as “the great whore” of Revelation 17, who leads the whole world to become
associated with her adultery with Satan while claiming fidelity in wedlock to Jesus Christ. Jesus warned His followers
that they can only serve Him or the Devil: they cannot serve both: “No man can serve two masters: for either he will
hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
Matt.6:24. The false shepherds have led their flocks to turn to Satan for salvation, teaching that man can be saved
in his sins. This is nothing short of a slaughterhouse for eternal death. The leading churchmen resisted the message
calling for their humiliation and repentance before GOD and their congregations; for all the sins and falsehoods promoted
under their authority they were convicted to the marrow of their bones by the Holy Ghost to repent and change their course.
But they have beat back that last wave of mercy and have now blasphemed the Spirit of Christ which is the one unforgivable
sin: “Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they
shall blaspheme: But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation.”
Mk.3:28,29. The few who are responsible for the loss of so many must now receive their reward: “For the time has come
for the judgment to begin at the house of GOD; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who obey not
the gospel of GOD” (I Pet.4:17).
3. And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every
living soul died in the sea.
It is said that the blood of a
dead man has the density of jelly. The once great oceans whose evaporations form the clouds that cause it to rain over
the soil of the earth are now halted in their contribution to the earth’s ecosystems; thus the chain of events bringing
the earth’s distribution of water that is the basis for the support of all life is now immobilized. As a result,
all life must now anticipate extinction. This only enrages the apostates against the faithful; for once again the evildoers
circumvent their responsibility and cast the blame to the innocent: the only ones who, if honored, would have averted this
last scene of devastation in the earth. In the days of the early church, before the papal corruption of Christianity,
the pagans ruling Rome blamed the Christians for every calamity that befell their kingdom. “Those Christians offend
our gods” was their cry. This was the springboard for the persecution against the faithful of those days.
In the near future this very same leverage will be used again. But this time GOD stays their hand and none of the righteous
will spill their blood regardless of the threats and the legislated death decree of Revelation 13:15.
4. And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers
and fountains of waters; and they became blood.
The second plague
will be ignored by the religious leaders whose cause, they declare is due to the refusal of “heretics” to obey
the dictates of the church. Because the great scourge has not been abated the tyranny increases. And as the religious
tyranny escalates the severity of the plagues also increases (Gal.6:7). Now the sources of fresh water are unusable
to quench the thirst of the people, beasts, birds and creatures. This plague
threatens the immediate extinction of the life on land. But those who remain faithful to the LORD Jesus
Christ shall not be in want. Although destitute of the comforts of home their security is assured: “He that walketh
righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes,
that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; He shall dwell on high: his place of
defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters
shall be sure. Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold
the land that is very far off.” Isa.33:15-17.
When
Christ “had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward
an hungered.” Matt.4:2. Jesus fasted until His Father determined the moment when Jesus had conquered His appetite.
And after the temptations of Satan were overcome by the Savior “then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came
and ministered unto him.” Matt.4:11. This ministering of holy angels included life-giving food for the Savior,
because this had happened before in the story of the prophet Elijah. When he was forced to flee into the wilderness
because of the threat of Jezebel, GOD did not allow his faithful prophet to suffer starvation: “And as he lay and slept
under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and
eat. And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and
a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. And the angel of the LORD came again the
second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey
is too great for thee. And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the
strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.” I Ki.19:5-8.
5. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous,
O LORD, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.
GOD is declared “righteous” by the angelic host involved in the carrying out of
GOD’S purposes. The laws of GOD and the laws of science are in agreement: “For every action there is an
equal and opposite reaction.” “Be not deceived GOD is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth that shall
he also reap.” Gal.6:7. What has man sown to be worthy to reap such a colossal destruction? The following
verse answers this.
6. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets,
and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.
The time
of the seven last plagues is the time of the last battle in the long standing Civil War of Christendom. This is the essence of Armageddon: where one group professing the faith of Jesus unites with the
civil authorities to murder another group who also profess the faith
of Jesus, but whose characters reflect the character of Jesus. “They loved not their lives unto the death”
(Rev.12:11). They “walk, even as He walked” (I Jn.2:6).
They “do always those things that please Him” [the Father] (Jn.8:29). Their obedience to the laws that Jesus
died to uphold truly exalts His sacrifice. The other group uses the sacrifice of Christ as a license to sin and carry
forward the lawless behavior of Satan.
7. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, LORD GOD Almighty, true and righteous
are thy judgments.
The world has pronounced the death sentence to the faithful
servants of Jesus Christ: “the image of the beast should both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the
image of the beast should be killed.” Rev.13:15. In the eyes of heaven the world has pronounced that sentence
of death upon themselves. In the days of the Hebrew exodus from Egypt GOD’S judgments were perfectly calculated
to meet the afflictions that the Egyptians imposed on the Hebrew slaves. Since Pharaoh hadn’t as yet pronounced
the death decree upon the slaves, the Egyptians were spared their lives. But when Pharaoh determined to destroy the
Hebrews at the Red Sea he closed forever the probation granted to him for everlasting life; and all who were accomplices with
him in his determinations shared in his fate of destruction. The decision of one determined the fate of a nation.
This scene was a microcosm of the coming epic event of the seven last plagues. And once again the fate of many is determined
by the decision of one: the pope of Rome.
8. And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given him to scorch men with fire.
The issue over the final persecution is all because men refuse obedience to the
4th Commandment. The holy Sabbath of GOD has been removed and replaced with the unholy day ordained of sinful
man: Sunday: the day GOD did not bless; the day GOD did not sanctify; the day on which GOD did not rest; the day Jesus did
not follow; the day His Apostles nor the church in the wilderness never showed any allegiance. The worship of the sun,
the world’s oldest heathen tradition whose origins go back to the tower of Babel, a time when the LORD had to come down
and confuse the language of men to halt this united front against the Gospel, is finally allowed to come to pass and be legislated
into federal law throughout the United States. A national Sunday law is even built into the Emergency Powers Act; for
it is believed by the apostates that if Sunday sacredness is imposed during a crisis the blessing of GOD is assured and the
survival of our land will be certain. This is the springboard for the final religious tyranny that is to take hold of
the earth. Roman Catholicism takes all the credit for establishing Sunday worship: “Sunday is a mark of her ecclesiastical
power and authority in religious matters.”—Cardinal Gibbons. A day that no one really cares about today
in most Christian circles will soon become viewed as vital to human survival. The seventh-day Sabbath, given by Christ
in the garden of Eden, held by Him during His life as a man, obeyed its rest even in the time of His death, and prophetically
assured of its eternal significance in the new earth (Isaiah 66:22,23), is cast aside for a “tradition of man”
outside of Bible guidelines. The easiest Commandment to follow: the day GOD ordained for men to enter the joy of His
rest is rejected. But the day of rest, which was appointed by Christ Himself (John 8:58, 14:15) signifies the seal of
His sovereign power to redeem the human race; for the Sabbath contains His Name, His Title, His authority, and His domain,
just as the seals of kings have done throughout the centuries on earth. This is why the Sabbath is “the seal of
GOD” and Sunday is “the mark of the beast.” The beast is Rome (Dan.7:23) and her mark is the age-old
idol of men, “the venerable day of the sun” (Dan.7:25). And this will never change.
There are many Bible prophecies with reference to the seven last plagues.
Among them are these verses: “The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried
up, the oil languisheth. Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandman; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley;
because the harvest of the field is perished. The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree,
the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field are withered: because joy is withered away from the
sons of men….The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down; for the
corn is withered. How do the beasts groan! The herds of the cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea,
the flocks of sheep are made desolate. O LORD, to Thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness,
and the flame that burned all the trees of the field. The beasts of the field cry also unto Thee: for the rivers of
waters are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness.”
Joel 1:10-12,17-20. “And the songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith the LORD
GOD: there shall be many dead bodies in every place; they shall cast them forth with silence. Hear this, O ye that swallow
up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail.” Amos 8:3,4.
9. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of GOD, which hath
power over these plagues: and they repented not to give Him glory.
The
great call of the Gospel is to repent of all known sin. The innocent and ignorant sins are covered by the righteousness
of Christ (Num.15:25; Acts 17:30). The faithful held to their trust and gave the message GOD led them to give.
With deep love and hope for those who listened it was given with the convicting influence of the Holy Spirit behind it and
“having great power the earth was lightened with his glory.” Rev.18:1. But this message calls for humiliation
on the part of the religious leaders; for now their nakedness in misleading the multitudes is exposed. The sins of Babylon
are laid open to public scrutiny. And while some will follow the light shining from heaven and repent before their congregations
during the last appeal prior to the seven last plagues, the great & exalted ones will refuse to separate from their sins,
thinking they can bully their way into heaven with no humility, no repentance, and no companionship with the Holy Spirit,
while claiming their unswerving obedience to GOD and commanding all others to follow their example. “There can be no
room for doubt” is today’s declaration of apostate Christianity. This is why Christ will say to the leaders
and the multitudes of professing Christians in the great judgment day, “I never knew you.” Matt.7:23.
Christ can have no association with anything that works to the destruction of life.
10. And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was
full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,
This
is the time when everyone realizes that the Vatican of Rome is not the gateway to heaven and Sunday sacredness only secured
Satan’s objective to lead the world’s population to reject the same laws of heaven that have condemned him.
Professing to be the expositors of heaven’s light the church leaders lead the world to a millennium of night (Amos 5:18,20).
When “the wicked” realize that those they entrusted with their very souls were in fact betrayed and everlasting
torment in the fires of hell is thought to be in their near future those servants of the church who were once the most zealous
become the most vengeful against the rulers of Christendom. Laying their hands on the religious leaders, who, a short
time before were crowned with the throne of human government, they now tear them limb from limb. “Therefore is
judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold, obscurity; for brightness, but we walk
in darkness. We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noon day as in the
night; we are in desolate places as dead men. We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment,
but there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us. For our transgressions are multiplied before Thee, and our
sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them.” “The
harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” “She is empty, and void, and waste: and the
heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness.”
“And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their
flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue
shall consume away in their mouth. And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be
among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbor, and his hand shall rise up against his neighbor.” Is.59:9-12; Jer.8:20; Na.2:10; Zech.14:13.
11. And blasphemed the GOD of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not
of their deeds.
Even when it is made known to the leaders that their decisions
are causing the literal extinction of all life on planet earth there comes no apology. Their minds are only subject
to the will of Satan and the power of sin, for this became their everlasting choice when GOD’S last plea was rejected:
“Come out of her My people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues” (Rev.18:4).
The mask of piety and godliness are now removed, and the true hideous character of all humanity without the influence of GOD
is revealed before the on-looking universe. Today, there is no understanding of the base metal of human character without
the influence of the Holy Spirit. Men today, and even families who appear courteous, caring, and even loving to one
another, will become demonic in character when the influence of GOD leaves their souls. As the world divides into two
classes of men the words of Christ will meet their greatest fulfillment: “Think not that I am come to send peace on
earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter
against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of
me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth
after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall
find it.” Matt.10:34-39.
12. And the
sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings
of the east might be prepared.
The lesson of this plague
is drawn from the fall of Babylon, when Darius the Mede dried up the rivers entering under the protective walls of Babylon.
He diverted the flow of the water in order to enter and conquer the apostate kingdom. So likewise, Christ makes null
and void every fortification of sinful man to prevent His rescue of those who are faithful from among men. Satan determines
to blot out the Commandment-keeping class of Christians; and because GOD gave His Word assuring their safety Satan attempts
through his servants among men to overturn GOD’S Word and destroy the faithful before the coming deliverance of Christ.
But now, all government support for the religious apostasy comes to an end, and the people now view things in a different
light although they leave no stone unturned that would secure them the victory. It is at this time that a most profound
prophecy will be fulfilled: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a
famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and
from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it. In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst.” Amos 8:11-13.
Such loss of life because of the few whose lust for power knows no bounds! The course of our religious leaders
is speeding the multitudes into harms way no less than the captain of the ill fated Titanic commanded, “Full speed ahead,”
right into an iceberg.
As the vials of the wrath
of GOD are poured upon the earth and the plagues unfold, all nature is out of course. The things that once brought a
sense of serenity and security to people: the exchange of goods, the beauty of landscapes, streams, parks with the wildlife,
all are now withered as a flower just as the prophet foretold: “Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty and maketh it
waste and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof….The land shall be utterly emptied
and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word. The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and
fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish. The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because
they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath the curse devoured
the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.”
Isaiah 24:1-6.
13. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast,
and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
The three-fold
union of witchcraft, Catholicism, and Apostate Protestantism lead priests to utter words of retribution against the obedient
servants of Christ. It is this union that will fulfill the Savior’s words,
“Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy
against the Holy Ghost shall
not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh
against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world
to come. Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the
tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being
evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure
of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I
say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For
by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Matt.12:31-37.
This union of sinful men, having united to the intent of destroying
those faithful to the laws of heaven now see the sinfulness of their course of action. Satan has long utilized the human
desire for survival, leading men to unite in sinful fanaticism to preserve their lives. “All that a man has will
he give for his life.” Job 2:4.
14. For they
are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather
them to the battle of that great day of GOD Almighty.
Leading
up to the seven last plagues is a host of supernatural manifestations, all designed to deceive men to continue their course
of sin. Today, miracles are evident all around to secure men’s rejection of the plain “Thus saith the LORD.”
People follow miracles regardless of their source (Acts 8:9-11) or their purpose of leading them to their eternal ruin (Jn.8:21).
Satan’s healing of disease (Jn.5:1-4) through his many ministers who live in open sin (II Cor.11:13-15) conceals a most
basic rudiment of salvation: GOD will never lead His children into sin. He will not encourage it, nor allow His association
with anything that threatens the safety of His children (Ja.1:13). “If GOD won’t heal, and Satan will, I’ll
follow Satan” is the declaration of the spiritualists professing Christ.
Even when they know full well their rebellion against the Gospel they would leave no
stone unturned that could secure them the victory even to the deaths of the innocent. But there will be some among sinful
men who will acknowledge the mocked and persecuted servants of Christ: “For the nation and kingdom that will not serve
thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted…The
sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down
at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Whereas
thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will
make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.” Isa.60:12-15
15. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments,
lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
It
is in the last great peril that Christ interposes for the rescue of His bride. Although she has been kidnapped and threatened
with death, Christ will turn the tide. Tokens of His soon coming are at hand. Praises for His deliverance begin
to be sung: “And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our GOD; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this
is the LORD: we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.” Isaiah 25:9. Songs of
praises ascend. Faces aglow with heaven’s beam. How different now is the class of men who spurned the Love
Born of Heaven: the other woman of Revelation: seductive and terminally infected with sin: the corrupt church clothed in the
filthiness of her abominations: “She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together,
and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness.”
“And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more…And
the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from
thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all…For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster,
and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, And cried when they saw the smoke
of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! And they
cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all
that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles
and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown
down, and shall be found no more at all. And the voice of harpers,
and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft
he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall
be heard no more at all in thee; And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom
and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries
were all nations deceived. And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon
the earth.” Na.2:10; Rev.18:11-24.
16. And he gathered them together into a place called in the
Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
Literal meaning is comprised of
two words “mount” and “slaughter.” Technically, Armageddon is defined “mount of slaughter.”
The destiny of global destruction was guaranteed ever since sin took dominion of this world: “Every kingdom divided
against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.” Matt.12:25.
The battle of Armageddon is simply the corporate climax of the two branches of mankind in a death match first begun when Cain
murdered his little brother Abel; and finishes when vast numbers of men join the same demonic spirit of Cain and attempt to
exterminate those whose faith in the Word of GOD gained them the respect of the hosts of heaven and of the LORD, Jesus Christ
Himself. The defenseless, unarmed Christians are finally delivered by Christ, just as Judah, under King Jehoshaphat
was delivered from the threat of superior armies when he said, “we have no might against this great company that cometh
against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.
And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.” II Chron.20:12,13. Through the prophet
GOD responds to this threat: “Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude;
for the battle is not yours, but GOD’S…Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still,
and see the salvation of the LORD with you.” II Chron. 20:15,17.
17. And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air, and there came a great voice out
of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
Three times
Christ says those words, “It is done;” and each time represents His deliverance. First: on the Cross when
His deliverance from sin was secured for man as He passed from life to death on Sabbath Eve (Jn.19:30). Second: at the
end of the seven last plagues when His deliverance secures those who “loved not their lives unto death” (Rev.16:17).
And third: at the time when Christ recreates the earth as it was in its pristine beginning (Rev.21:6).
18. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and
there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
The earth shakes at the voice of Christ, just prior to His second
advent. “The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings
lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.” “Canst thou thunder with a voice like Him?” Ps.77:18; Job 40:9. The earth sustains its greatest upheaval when every
part of earth is devastated from the turbulence of this globe-encompassing earthquake.
19. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the
cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before GOD, to give unto her the cup of the wine of
the fierceness of His wrath.
GOD signifies
in this verse the separation of the three-fold union of Catholicism, Apostate Protestantism, and Spiritualism, never again
to unite in the rule of earth. Wrote Jeremiah: “And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of
the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung
upon the ground. Howl ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes; ye principal of the flock: for the
days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel. And the shepherds
shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape.” Jer.25:33-35.
20. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
In 70 A.D., when Titus of Rome laid siege against Jerusalem, all the Christians
escaped and none perished, while all others who had rejected the words of Christ did perish. And grievous was their
death: through starvation, disease, and even civil war among themselves within the walls. Likewise none of the faithful
Christians are to perish when the islands sink below the red and turbulent oceans. The Savior’s deliverance sees
to this. But those who claim to be His servants but reject His simple words and laws shall litter the whole earth: “They
shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.”
21. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every
stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed GOD because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding
great.
The hailstones
weight has been measured between 50 and 150 pounds each. This combined with the accumulated force from their speed as
they descend from the sky will obliterate all the objects remaining of man’s idolatry and admiration: the sky scrapers,
the memorials, all the things where men worshipped the works of their hands without acknowledging that GOD provided the intellect,
the emotion of inspiration, and the materials to accomplish the great feats of men. Jeremiah was given prophecy concerning
this moment of earth’s history after Christ rescues His bride from the murderous hypocrites who boast of their obedience
to GOD, taking the name of Christian and defaming it before the on-looking universe. There is to be no millennium of
temporal peace on earth.
“I
beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void [barren and lifeless]; and the heavens, and they had no light.
I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly [like waves of the sea]. I beheld, and,
lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heaven were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness,
and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by His fierce anger. For thus hath the
LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end. For this shall the earth mourn, and the
heavens above be black: because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it.”
Jer.4:23-28.
Now is the time that Revelation
chapter 20 will be fulfilled and brought to view: “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless
pit [the Greek word is synonymous with the translated Hebrew word for the lifeless earth, without form and void] and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent,
which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and
set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that
he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and
I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the Word of GOD, and which had not worshipped
the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned
with Christ a thousand years.” Rev.20:1-4.
Said Christ, “In My Father’s house are many mansions. If it were not so I would have told you. And
because I go to prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto Myself. That where I am there you may
be also.” The Savior takes the redeemed of earth to the paradise of heaven to live there for a thousand years
and review all the history of earth, judging every angel, man, woman, and child (of the age of accountability) by the eternal
Law of Christ: the Ten Commandments. Satan is left on a barren planet with no one to hurt, tempt or destroy. He
waits a thousand years in darkness and great anguish for the return of Christ with His saints to carry out the guilty verdict
against him and all those who refused to obey the perfect Law of heaven.
