Tag: seventh angel

7.k. The nations raged, but your wrath came

Revelation 11:15   Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying,  “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.” Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.

We see the 7th trumpet is blown.  This is at the time just following the death and resurrection of the two witnesses.  People had no more been celebrating the death of these two when the seventh trumpet is sounded.  People were foolishly thinking that by killing the two witnesses they could destroy God’s Word against their sin.  They think they could escape punishment by killing those who tell them of the coming judgment/punishment.

We are shown what is taking place in heaven when the 7th trumpet is blown.  It is as if those in heaven before the throne are aware of the significance of this 7th trumpet.  They seem to know that the kingdom of God on earth is imminent. “for you have taken your great power and begun to reign” – “the nations raged but your wrath came” – “time for the dead to be judged” – “for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear you name” – “for destroying the destroyers of the earth”.  This is or seems to be, a summary of what is to come with the sounding of this 7th trumpet.  There is the worship of God knowing the final stages of the tribulation period has been put into motion.  There are many things and judgments to take place in these last three and one-half years of the tribulation period before the end actually comes.  God’s plans and purposes are so certain that the hosts of heaven are essentially saying “it is here”.  Christ will reign forever and ever.

We will see in the coming chapters that man will still reject and fight Christ.  All they have seen of His great power being displayed both by wonders and signs and judgment will be rejected and they will harden their hearts more if that is possible.  Harden hearts and rejection of Christ and salvation are signs of and the manifestation of sin in mankind.  Denying the need for forgiveness and rejecting the great sacrifice Jesus Christ paid on the cross will be at an all-time high.  Right now, in our time, it is a passive rejection, where people know of the need and but deny the need for themselves.  How tragic it will be for their soul.  Just because we live in a time of prosperity and presence of the Holy Spirit on earth does not for one second deny the need for salvation.  Far too many miss this personal need in their life.  Far too many passively go about their lives rejecting the Son of God, Jesus Christ, and think because there is still time in the future to “get right” with God, or that they are good enough.  They deny their whole heart, mind, and soul commitment and surrender to Jesus Christ.  So, what we see is that during the time of great blessing through the presence of the Holy Spirit, at time of grace, mercy, and love, and during the time of great judgment, wrath, and anger, people reject salvation, forgiveness, redemption, and will suffer the full wrath of God for this rejection.  When you look deep into your heart is it filled with a desire to humbly serve, honor, worship, follow, trust, and obey Jesus Christ, if not, make an intentional choice to surrender to Him.

7.f. No more delay

Revelation 10:1  Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded. And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.

We see an interlude in here.  It is not as though there is a gap in time between the judgments of God, but rather an explaining of something, kind of like how we would use parenthesis.  When we read in verse 6 that there should be no more delay, we have to wonder if what is about to transpire has to do with what the martyred had said, “How long, O Lord….until You judge and avenge our blood….?  At that time, the Lord’s answer was that they should wait a little while longer.  But now He is saying that the wait is over.  Judgment is about to be completed.  There will be no more delay in the fulfillment of the seventh trumpet.  John was not allowed to write down what he saw but what ever it was the mystery of God would be fulfilled. No more delay.  Those in heaven and on earth will see the mystery of God will be fulfilled.  I am not sure what this mystery will reveal.  Will it be a fuller understanding of His grace, mercy, and love, or will it be more understanding of the righteousness of His judgment, wrath, and anger on those who have rejected His grace, mercy and love?  Do you ever think about those who resist His grace, mercy and love?  They resist with harden hearts of stone, deaf ears, and turned backs.  I wonder what I may be resisting in my life.  Am I resisting giving all my soul, heart, and mind and strength?  Am I resisting by not actively listening to what the Holy Spirit is whispering into my mind through the Word of God?  Am I resisting an act of kindness, a kind word, or a word of encouragement to someone God has place in my life?  Am I resisting seeking His guidance?  Am I resisting time in His word?  Am I resisting being a humble servant?  Am I resisting trusting in and cling to Him.  Am I resisting obedience?  We all do well to search our heart and mind for the resistance toward living fully and totally for God that is there and actively pursue eliminating it from our life.