08 the time has come for judging (part 1) slideshow

The Book of Revelation 4/22/2007

Lesson 8 1

Lesson 8

The Time Has Come For Judging (Part 1)

Amen! Hallelujah! – A Study of the Book of Revelation

By Dale Wells

Text: Rev 8-9

The form of sevens in the Book of

Revelation

Four, then two, then an interlude, then one

Example in the Seals� Four horsemen, then

� The martyrs asking “How long”, followed by the beginning of the judgment, then

� The interlude in Rev. 7 – marking God’s people for preservation & the dead enjoying their reward, now

The seventh seal contains seven

trumpets

Also broken into 4 + 2 + Interlude + 1� Four trumpets (Rev. 8) affect all the earth

� Two trumpets (Rev. 9)

� Interlude (Rev. 10-11:14)

� Seventh Trumpet (Rev. 11:15-19)


Lesson 8 2

The Seventh Seal

Rev 8:1-2 WEB When he opened the seventh seal,

there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

(2) I saw the seven angels who stand before God,

and seven trumpets were given to them.

The Seventh Seal is Judgment

There is silence in heaven before God commences judgment - a dramatic pause designed to get attention.

� Hab 2:20 WEB But Yahweh is in his holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before him!"

� Zep 1:7 WEB Be silent at the presence of the Lord Yahweh, for the day of Yahweh is at hand. For Yahweh has prepared a sacrifice. He has consecrated his guests.

The seventh seal contains seven angels with seven trumpets.

Uses of trumpets in ScriptureGather the assembly

� Num 10:1-8 WEB Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, "Make two trumpets of silver. You shall make them of beaten work. You shall use them for the calling of the congregation, and for the journeying of the camps. When they blow them, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the door of the Tent of Meeting. If they blow just one, then the princes, the heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves to you4

Sound an alarm.

� Num 10:9 WEB When you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets. Then you will be remembered before Yahweh your God, and you will be saved from your enemies.

Fanfare of joy.

� Num 10:10 WEB "Also in the day of your gladness, and in your set feasts, and in the beginnings of your months, you shall blow thetrumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be to you for a memorial before your God. I am Yahweh your God."


Lesson 8 3

The trumpets in Revelation 8 fall into

the second category

They are alarms, warning Rome of coming judgment

God is about to send the enemies of Rome to execute his wrath

This is consistent with the use of trumpets in the OT prophets as harbingers of God's judgment

The trumpet announced God’s

judgment on Judah

Joe 2:1-2 WEB Blow

the trumpet in Zion, and

sound an alarm in my

holy mountain! Let all

the inhabitants of the

land tremble, for the

day of Yahweh comes,

for it is close at hand: A

day of darkness and

gloominess, a day of

clouds and thick

darkness 4

Zep 1:14-18 WEB

The great day of Yahweh is near. It is near, and hurries greatly, the voice of the day of Yahweh. The mighty man cries there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness, a day of the trumpet and alarm, against the fortified cities, and against the high battlements. I will bring distress on men, that they will walk like blind men, because they have sinned against Yahweh, and their blood will be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of Yahweh's wrath, but the whole land will be devoured by the fire of his jealousy; for he will make an end, yes, a terrible end, of all those who dwell in the land.


Lesson 8 4

Jer 4:5-9 WEB

Declare you in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, Blow you the trumpet in the land: cry aloud and say, Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the fortified cities. Set up a standard toward Zion: flee for safety, don't stay; for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction. A lion is gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations; he is on his way, he is gone forth from his place, to make your land desolate, that your cities be laid waste, without inhabitant. For this gird you with sackcloth, lament and wail; for the fierce anger of Yahweh hasn't turned back from us. It shall happen at that day, says Yahweh, that the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the princes; and the priests shall be astonished, and the prophets shall wonder.

The reason for the coming judgment

in Revelation: Prayers of the saints

Rev 6:9-11 WEB When he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed for the Word of God, and for the testimony of the Lamb 4 (10) They cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, Master, the holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" 4

Now the prayers of the living saints

for relief are going up from the altar

Rev 8:3 WEB Another angel 4 stood over the altar, having a golden censer. Much incense was given to him, that he should add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar ...

The prayers of the martyrs (under the altar) and the prayers of the living saints (going up from the altar)

"Intercede" means "enter in with"


Lesson 8 5

Our prayers are accompanied by

intercessionChrist intercedes for us� Rom 8:34 WEB Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who

died, yes rather, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

The Holy Spirit intercedes for us� Rom 8:26-27 WEB In the same way, the Spirit also helps

our weaknesses, for we don't know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can't be uttered. (27) He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit's mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God.

Other Christians intercede for us� 1Ti 2:1-2 WEB I exhort 4 first of all, that petitions, prayers,

intercessions, and givings of thanks, be made for all men: (2) for kings and all who are in high places; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and reverence.

Judgment comes out of the altar

Rev 8:5 WEB The

angel took the censer,

and he filled it with the

fire of the altar, and

threw it on the earth.

There followed

thunders, sounds,

lightnings, and an

earthquake.

The picture comes from Ezek. 10:1-2

Eze 10:1-2 WEB 4 He

spoke to the man

clothed in linen, and

said, Go in between the

whirling wheels, even

under the cherub, and

fill both your hands with

coals of fire from

between the cherubim,

and scatter them over

the city. He went in as I

watched.


Lesson 8 6

Recall the flow of Ezekiel's visions of

the presence of God

Ezekiel, in exile, sees a vision of God � Eze 1:28 WEB 4 This was the appearance of the likeness

of the glory of Yahweh 4

� That raises the question: Why is God in the concentration camp in Babylon and not in Jerusalem where the Temple is?

Later, he saw a vision of God determining to destroy Jerusalem� In Ezek. 8, Ezekiel has a vision of the corruption of the

leaders in Jerusalem, that has gotten so bad that the Lord has determined to abandon Jerusalem and destroy it

� But first, he has his mark put on his people Ezek. 9

� Then, he has the guards go through the city killing everyone who doesn’t have his mark

Finally, the glory of the Lord departs

from the temple & goes to Babylon

Eze 10:18 WEB The glory of Yahweh went forth from over the 4 the house, and stood over the cherubim.

Before leaving, an angel throws fire on Jerusalem

Eze 10:1-2 WEB 4 (2) He spoke to the man clothed in linen, and said, Go in between the whirling wheels, even under the cherub, and fill both your hands with coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city. He went in as I watched.

Revelation 7-8 parallels Ezekiel 9-10

It’s time for judgment to begin

First, God’s people are identified (Rev. 7)

Then, judgment comes from the altar� Rev 8:5 WEB The angel took the censer, and he filled it with

the fire of the altar, and threw it on the earth. There followedthunders, sounds, lightnings, and an earthquake.


Lesson 8 7

The first four trumpets – natural

calamities

The first four need to be

read as a single group –

like the four horsemen

need to be seen as a

group.

These are warnings to

call the wicked to

repent.

The four partial

judgments (only 1/3 is

affected)

First trumpet: Land disaster

Rev 8:6-7 WEB 4 (7) The first sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. One third of the earth was burnt up, and one third of the trees were burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

The first trumpet sounds like the seventh plague

� Exo 9:24 WEB So there was very severe hail, and lightning mixed with the hail, such as had not been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.

Second trumpet: Maritime disaster

Rev 8:8-9 WEB The second

angel sounded, and

something like a great

burning mountain was

thrown into the sea. One

third of the sea became

blood, (9) and one third of

the living creatures which

were in the sea died. One

third of the ships were

destroyed.

The second trumpet sounds

like the plagues against the

Nile that affected commerce


Lesson 8 8

Exo 7:14-21 WEB

4 (17) Thus says Yahweh, "In this you shall know that I am Yahweh. Behold, I will strike with the rod that is in my hand on the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood. (18) The fish that are in the river shall die, and the river shall become foul; and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink water from the river." (19) Yahweh said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Take your rod, and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their pools, and over all their ponds of water, that they may become blood; and there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.' " 4

Third trumpet: Fresh water disaster

Rev 8:10-11 WEB The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from the sky, burning like a torch, and it fell on one third of the rivers, and on the springs of the waters. (11) The name of the star is called "Wormwood." One third of the waters became wormwood. Many people died from the waters, because they were made bitter.

Again, this sounds like the plague on the Nile water

Wormwood is poisonous and is used

in the OT of Divine judgment

Jer 9:12-15 WEB 4 (13) Yahweh says, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein, (14) but have walked after the stubbornness of their own heart, and after the Baals, which their fathers taught them; (15) therefore thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.


Lesson 8 9

Fourth trumpet: Cosmic disaster

Rev 8:12-13 WEB The fourth angel sounded, and one third of the sun was struck, and one third of the moon, and one third of the stars; so that one third of them would be darkened, and the day wouldn't shine for one third of it, and the night in the same way. 4

The fourth trumpet sounds like ninth plague

Exo 10:21-23 WEB

Yahweh said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt." (22)Moses stretched forth his hand toward the sky, and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. (23) They didn't see one another, neither did anyone rise from his place for three days; but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

The background of the first four

trumpets is the plagues of Egypt

The plagues were designed to make Pharaoh repent; instead, he became more belligerent

The enemies of God in Revelation also become more belligerent, so God has to make the warnings increasingly severe


Lesson 8 10

The eagle announces woes to come

This is not an "angel" as in KJV

� Rev 8:13 WEB I saw 4 an eagle, flying 4 saying with a loud voice, "Woe! Woe! Woe for those who dwell on the earth, because of the other voices of the trumpets of the three angels, who are yet to sound!"

Readers would think of a vulture

� Mat 24:28 WEB wherever the carcass is4 the vultures gather 4

� Mat 24:28 KJV 4 there will the eagles be gathered 4

Bad as the first four calamities were, worse is yet to come.

Fifth Trumpet (First Woe): Internal

decay

Rev 9:1-2 WEB The fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from the sky which had fallen to the earth. The key to the pit of the abyss was given to him. (2) He opened the pit of the abyss, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke from a burning furnace. The sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke from the pit.

Out of the abyss comes smoke & supercharged locusts.

Greek abyssos: adjective meaning

"bottomless" or "unfathomable"

The abyss in Greek thought

was the underworld, the

realm of the dead.

In the NT this realm of the

dead is pictured as a

prison, smoldering with

fires, where demons are

captive.

In Revelation, it is where

Satan and his minions are

imprisoned, and from which

they emerge to do their

dastardly work.


Lesson 8 11

We will see the abyss again

Rev 11:7 WEB When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them4

Rev 17:8 WEB The beast that you saw was, and is not; and is about to come up out of the abyss and to go into destruction 4

Rev 20:1-3 WEB I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. (2) He seized the dragon, the old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole inhabited earth, and bound him for a thousand years 4

The description of locusts is a

common Oriental description

Rev 9:7-9 WEB The 4locusts were like horses prepared for war. On their heads were something like golden crowns, and their faces were like people's faces. (8) They had hair like women's hair, and their teeth were like those of lions. (9) They had breastplates, like breastplates of iron. The sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, or of many horses rushing to war.

The description is reminiscent of

Joel's description

Joe 1:4-2:10 WEB What the swarming locust has left, the great locust has eaten 4 (6)4 His teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he has the fangs of a lioness. 4 (2:4) The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses, and as horsemen, so do they run. (5) Like the noise of chariots on the tops of the mountains do they leap 4 (10) The earth quakes before them. The heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.


Lesson 8 12

The unique thing about these locusts

is their stingers

They do not harm crops (the normal function of locusts), they torment people

They do not harm the people who have been marked by God

� Rev 9:4-5 WEB They were told that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those people who don't have God's seal on their foreheads. (5)They were given power not to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion, when it strikes a person.

Their leader is called “Destroyer”

Devil is limited by God.� Job 26:6 WEB Sheol is

naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering.

� Pro 15:11 WEB Sheoland Abaddon are before Yahweh-- how much more then the hearts of the children of men!

� Pro 27:20 WEB Sheoland Abaddon are never satisfied; and a man's eyes are never satisfied.

The background, again, is the

plagues of Egypt

Exo 10:1-20 WEB 4 (12) Yahweh said 4 "Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up on the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail has left." (13) Moses stretched forth his rod 4 and Yahweh brought an east wind on the land all that day, and all the night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. (14) The locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the borders of Egypt. They were very grievous. Before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such. (15) For they covered the surface of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened, and they ate every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. There remained nothing green, either tree or herb of the field, through all the land of Egypt


Lesson 8 13

The first three Egyptian plagues

affected Israel as well as Egypt

The last seven plagues only affected Egypt� Exo 8:22 WEB I will set apart in that day the land of

Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end you may know that I am Yahweh in the midst of the earth.

In the trumpets, as in the plagues, God makes a distinction between his people and the enemy

So, here, the sealed are protected from the locusts

Joel shows that destruction is

designed to bring about repentance

Joe 1:14-15 WEB Sanctify a fast. Call a solemn assembly. Gather 4 to the house of Yahweh, your God, and cry to Yahweh. (15)Alas for the day! For the day of Yahweh is at hand, and it will come as destruction from the Almighty.

Joe 2:12-13 WEB "Yet even now," says Yahweh, "turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning." (13) Tear your heart, and not your garments, and turn to Yahweh, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity.

The Sixth Trumpet (Second Woe):

External Enemies


Lesson 8 14

Rev 9:13-21 WEB

The sixth angel sounded. I heard a voice from the horns of the golden altar which is before God, (14) saying to the sixth angel who had one trumpet, "Free the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates!" (15) The four angels were freed who had been prepared for that hour and day and month and year, so that they might kill one third of mankind. (16) The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million. I heard the number of them. (17) Thus I saw the horses in the vision, and those who sat on them, having breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of lions. Out of their mouths proceed fire, smoke, and sulfur. (18) By these three plagues were one third of mankind killed: by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur, which proceeded out of their mouths. 4

Four winds had been bound – They

are the riders of the first four seals

Rev 7:1 WEB After this, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, so that no wind would blow on the earth, or on the sea, or on any tree.

Rev 6:1-8 WEB 4 the Lamb opened one of the 4 seals 4 (2) 4 behold, a white horse 4 (3) 4 he opened the second seal 4 (4) 4 a red horse. 4 (5) 4 he opened the third seal 4 a black horse 4 (7) 4 he opened the fourth seal 4 (8) 4behold, a pale horse, and he who sat on it, his name was Death. Hades followed with him 4

Now we see a cavalry of 200 million

Greek literally says twice ten thousand times ten thousand

This is not a literal number. � Combined strength of all

armies in WWII was just over 50 million.

Roman army consisted of 30 legions of 5,000 soldiers each, for a total of 150,000. � Every legion had 120

cavalry, so the ratio was 40 infantrymen for each cavalryman

A cavalry of 200 million would be part of an army of 8 billion – more people than live on the earth! This is not a literal army!


Lesson 8 15

The army is on a mission from God –

it comes from the Euphrates

Twice in OT an army

came west across the

Euphrates to execute

God's discipline:

� The Assyrians came

across to discipline Israel

in the late 8th Century BC

� The Babylonians crossed

it to defeat Assyria &

Egypt at Carchemish,

and to subjugate Judah

in the late 7th Century BC

Jer 46:1-28 WEB

The word of Yahweh ... (2) Of Egypt: concerning the army of Pharaoh Necoh king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon struck 4 (10) For that day is a day of the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour and be satiate, and shall drink its fill of their blood; for the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, has a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates. 4 (13) The word that Yahweh spoke to Jeremiah the prophet, how that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon should come and strike the land of Egypt. 4 (25) Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says: Behold, I will punish Amon of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with her gods, and her kings; even Pharaoh, and those who trust in him: (26) and I will deliver them into the hand of those who seek their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants 4 says Yahweh. 4

Fire, smoke & sulfur – God’s

judgment on the wicked

Gen 19:24-28 WEB Then Yahweh rained on Sodom and on Gomorrah sulfur and fire from Yahweh out of the sky. (25) He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew on the ground. 4 (27) Abraham got up early in the morning 4 (28) He looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and looked, and saw that the smoke of the land went up as the smoke of a furnace.


Lesson 8 16

More fire, smoke & sulfur

Eze 38:18-23 WEB It shall happen in that day, when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, 4 that my wrath shall come 4 (22) 4 I will rain on him, and on his hordes, and on the many peoples who are with him, an overflowing shower, and great hailstones, fire, and sulfur

Psa 11:6 WEB On the wicked he will rain blazing coals; fire, sulfur, and scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.

Luk 17:28-30 WEB Likewise, even as it happened in the days of Lot: they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; (29) but in the day that Lot went out from Sodom, it rained fire and sulfur from the sky, and destroyed them all. (30) It will be the same way in the day that the Son of Man is revealed.

The horses have lions' mouths &

serpents' heads for tails

Rev 9:19 WEB For the

power of the horses is

in their mouths, and in

their tails. For their tails

are like serpents, and

have heads, and with

them they harm.

They get the enemy

coming or going.

Shows inescapable

character of God’s

judgment.

The purpose of the six trumpets was

to warn men, so they would repent

Rev 9:20-21 WEB The rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, didn't repent of the works of their hands, that they wouldn't worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood; which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk. (21) They didn't repent of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their sexual immorality, nor of their thefts.


Lesson 8 17

God wants people to repent and turn

to him

2Pe 3:9 WEB The Lord is not slow concerning his

promise, as some count slowness; but is patient with

us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all

should come to repentance.

But when God's warnings are persistently rejected, only

judgment remains

Eph 5:5-6 WEB Know this for sure, that no sexually

immoral person, nor unclean person, nor covetous man,

who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom

of Christ and God. (6) Let no one deceive you with

empty words. For because of these things, the wrath of

God comes on the children of disobedience.

Heb 10:26-31 WEB

For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge

of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins,

(27) but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a

fierceness of fire which will devour the adversaries. (28)

A man who disregards Moses' law dies without

compassion on the word of two or three witnesses. (29)

How much worse punishment, do you think, will he be

judged worthy of, who has trodden under foot the Son of

God, and has counted the blood of the covenant with

which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted

the Spirit of grace? (30) For we know him who said,

"Vengeance belongs to me," says the Lord, "I will repay."

Again, "The Lord will judge his people." (31) It is a fearful

thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

In spite of God's warnings, some

people will not repent

Pharaoh & the plagues

Jews & Jesus� Do miracles & we’ll

believe; He did miracles & they said “Power of Devil”

� Come off the Cross & we’ll believe; He came out of the grave & they didn’t believe

Some people won’t repent – no matter what

Only thing left for God to do is to finish the job

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08 the time has come for judging (part 1) slideshow