trumpet – Praying Pint

43.g. “Wilderness” – 7.n. Sinai – “Now when all the people saw”

Exodus 20:18  Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.

Psalms 139:7-8    Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?  If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!

Isaiah 41:10   fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Deuteronomy 13:3   For the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

Deuteronomy 8:2   And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.

Job 28:28     And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

Proverbs 1:7    The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;

Proverbs 3:7   Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.

Joshua 24:14  “Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness.

Deuteronomy 5:5    while I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the LORD. For you were afraid because of the fire

Psalms 97:2    Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

1 Timothy 6:16   who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion.

Deuteronomy 5:23 explains why the mountain smoked; it says the mountain was burning with fire. The awe of all the phenomenon did nothing to draw the people closer to God; it only made them stand afar off. One might think that Israel loved the dramatic experience at Mount Sinai, and especially the honor of hearing God’s voice like a loudspeaker from heaven. Instead, because of the great awe and dread they felt, they wanted God to stop speaking to them directly. This is a typical reaction of those who came into the presence of God, such as Isaiah who felt undone before God (Isaiah 6:1-5) and John who fell as a dead man before the Lord (Revelation 1:17). The people promised to hear and (by implication) obey the word of God that came to them by Moses. In following generations, Israel interpreted the law downward, so it could be more easily obeyed, removing the heart and intent of the law. Jesus exposed this shallow understanding of the law in His Sermon on the Mount.

The people of Israel wanted to separate themselves from the manifest presence of God, but God meant it for good to test them. The test revealed to them what kind of God they served: a God above nature, personal, good, and holy. The test revealed to them their own weakness and need for God’s grace, help, and rescue. The test revealed to them what God’s expectations were, that God is a moral God who expects moral behavior from His people. That His fear may be before you speaks of the attitude of honor and reverence that leads to respect and obedience. Though it is better to obey God out of fear than to disobey Him, God’s ultimate motivation for obedience is love. This is clear from 1 John 4:18-19: There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us. Moses had a relationship with God the common man in Israel did not have. Through the circumstances of his life and the direct revelation of God, Moses was aware of both God’s holy power and also of God’s glorious grace. (Guzik)

This law, which is so extensive that we cannot measure it, so spiritual that we cannot evade it, and so reasonable that we cannot find fault with it, will be the rule of the future judgment of God, as it is for the present conduct of man. If tried by this rule, we shall find our lives have been passed in transgressions. And with this holy law and an awful judgment before us, who can despise the gospel of Christ? And the knowledge of the law shows our need of repentance. In every believer’s heart sin is dethroned and crucified, the law of God is written, and the image of God renewed. The Holy Spirit enables him to hate sin and flee from it, to love and keep this law in sincerity and truth; nor will he cease to repent. (Henry)

The Israelites drew near to the mountain. They were intrigued by what they saw and heard when the 10 commandments were given. Now in closeness to God and the power and might of presence, they heard and saw and felt the holy awesomeness of God and feared for their lives.

What would our lives be like if we would have a reverent, trusting, and reliant fear of God? Would it be different than it is now? Would we fear, hate, anger, and be anxious less? Would we rejoice, praise, and worship more? Would we be content? Would greed, pride, and unkindness be not found in our lives? Would we run to the mountain of God or would we retreat to what we believe is a safe distance? Would we desire to be in the continual presence of God? Would we want to hear His voice with a desire to obey it for His honor and glory? Would things of this earth become less distracting and things of God become more encompassing? Would we know joy and peace that passes all understanding? Would we be more generous? Would we discern the quiet whispers of the Holy Spirit leading us? Would the Word of God be precious to us? Would our thoughts, words, and actions be in line with honor and glory to Jesus Christ? Would we hunger and thirst for His Word and leading so that this honor and glory would be pure? Would we??????

14.i. “sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming; it is near”

Malachi 4:1 “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts.

Ezekiel 7:10    “Behold, the day! Behold, it comes! Your doom has come; the rod has blossomed; pride has budded.

Joel 2:1    Blow a trumpet in Zion; sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming; it is near,

Zephaniah 1:14    The great day of the LORD is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter; the mighty man cries aloud there.

2 Peter 3:7    But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

Psalms 21:9-10    You will make them as a blazing oven when you appear. The LORD will swallow them up in his wrath, and fire will consume them.

Matthew 3:12    His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Nahum 1:5-6    The mountains quake before him; the hills melt; the earth heaves before him, the world and all who dwell in it.  Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him.

Isaiah 5:24    Therefore, as the tongue of fire devours the stubble, and as dry grass sinks down in the flame, so their root will be as rottenness, and their blossom go up like dust; for they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts, and have despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

To deny Jesus Christ will end with eternal consequences as declared in the culmination of these scriptures. To deny there is one true living God might make the believer of such thoughts feel secure in their decision but it does not eliminate the consequences. To deny God certainly means there is no need for Jesus Christ and will end in judgment and fire. To deny Jesus Christ means there is no need for forgiveness, redemption, or salvation and will end in judgment and fire. To defy God is to willfully disregard the price that was paid for your sin by Jesus Christ and to live a life that is self-centered, self-reliant, and very full of pride. To deny God is to deny He is the creator of all there is and all there is to be. To deny God is to call Him a liar and His Holy Word a book of lies. In these scriptures are clear declared warnings for denying and defying God.

However, will there is still breath in your lungs there is time to repent, seek forgiveness, and trust in Jesus Christ. We like to quote John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” To continue on with verses 17-19 “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

How we live, how we think, how we act, and how we speak is a direct reflection of our commitment, or the lack of, to Jesus Christ. How can we read these scriptures today and not stand in awe, worship, thankfulness, and humbleness for the light of the Gospel opening up our heart, mind, and soul to saving grace knowledge and wisdom found in and through Jesus Christ?

13.v. “Worship the King, the Lord of hosts”

Zechariah 14:16 Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths. And if any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, there will be no rain on them. And if the family of Egypt does not go up and present themselves, then on them there shall be no rain; there shall be the plague with which the Lord afflicts the nations that do not go up to keep the Feast of Booths. This shall be the punishment to Egypt and the punishment to all the nations that do not go up to keep the Feast of Booths.

Revelation 11:15-17 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.

Romans 11:26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;

The millennium time is a bit of a mystery. A thousand-year reign with Christ as King. A time of peace and no wars. A time of being in the physical presence of Jesus Christ. Do you ever wonder why there would be people who do not want to or see the need to worship Jesus during this time? Is it possible that we are no different? Do we come to Jesus when convenient and other times we just can’t find the time or make the time? What drives us to come to Him and worship Him? Is it forgiveness of sin? Is it His sacrifice for us? Is it His promise of eternity? Is it His blessings on the work of our hands? Is it the blessings of our family? Is it the blessings of the indwelling Holy Spirit? Is it a peace that passes all understanding? Is it comfort in the storm? Is it courage in the face of whatever we are battling? Is it the understanding of grace, mercy, and love He showered on us? Is it the promise that He will never leave or forsake us? Is it …..? The point is that when we seek and desire Him with all of our heart, mind, and soul, and strength, worship will flow from our heart and mind and soul for Him. When we give the world any place in our heart, mind, and soul it seems to take the worship of Jesus Christ captive and releases our self-centered, self-reliant, self-serving desires. Take a look at your worship of Jesus Christ and place it first above all else.

9.u. “For the LORD of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it?”

Amos 3:1 Hear this word that the Lord has spoken against you, O people of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt: “You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. “Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet? Does a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey? Does a young lion cry out from his den, if he has taken nothing? Does a bird fall in a snare on the earth, when there is no trap for it? Does a snare spring up from the ground, when it has taken nothing? Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid? Does disaster come to a city, unless the Lord has done it? “For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.

Genesis 50:20    As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

Isaiah 14:24-27     The LORD of hosts has sworn: “As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stan  that I will break the Assyrian in my land, and on my mountains trample him underfoot; and his yoke shall depart from them, and his burden from their shoulder.”

This is the purpose that is purposed concerning the whole earth, and this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations.  For the LORD of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?

Isaiah 45:7   I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the LORD, who does all these things.

2 Kings 22:13     “Go, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.”

God is saying; “Will there be any evil, or calamity inflicted on a wicked city, which does not proceed from me, as the effect of my wrath?” These the examples were intended to convince the people that they had cause for alarm, as their monstrous iniquities called down the vengeance of God to punish them with these calamities. Time after time prophets were sent to warn the Israelites of pending action from God. This warning came with a call to repent and turn away from their sinful ways. I am sure there were those who did take this seriously even while most others did not. Such is the way of mankind when the Word of God is void and humble service, honor, praise, worship, trust, obedience, and reliance no longer are even a thought in their mind. The process of blindly following after that which is not pleasing to God will always start with losing desire, hunger, and thirst for God’s Word. When this happens that void is filled with what the world has to offer. That first day of thinking you are to busy to spend time in God’s Word is a slippery slope of more days to follow. At first, there may be some void that is felt somewhere in your soul but after repeated days this void is no longer felt. It has been replaced by things of this world that we so easily claim bring satisfaction into our life. I heard on the radio that some governors are proclaiming that abortion is not an elective procedure and federal judges are agreeing. I have a friend who needs a triple by-pass and that is deemed elective, some prostate and cancer surgeries, for the most part, are called elective, as well, some knee, hip, and other orthopedic surgeries. Think about this: taking the life of an unborn and healthy child is deemed medically necessary while treating other life-enhancing surgeries not. When has a nation that tolerates pornography (adult entertainment) ever survived judgment coming from God over it? When as a nation that promotes, supports, and tolerates homosexual activity survived coming judgment from God? There has not been any since the creation of the world. Denying God and that He exists does not mean it is true. It does not protect a nation or person from His judgment. “For great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our father have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us”

9.i. ‘Where is their God?’”

Joel 2:15 Blow the trumpet in Zion; consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Consecrate the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber. Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep and say, “Spare your people, O Lord, and make not your heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”

The trumpet horn was used to awaken the people as well, to arouse them to get moving. Many places we hear of the trumpet being used to signal the armies into battle. The sound of the trumpet meant; “now we start”, “now we begin”, and for every man to fight with all their strength for their lives and the lives of their families. All of the Jewish people knew that at the sound of the trumpet they all started as one unified unit. Everyone knew their place and what they had to attack or defend. Here we see Joel using the “Trumpet” as a call to urgently gather as one before God and seek His forgiveness and withdrawal of His judgment upon them. The urgency in his prophecy is fully evident. Elders, children, nursing infants, bridegroom, and bride are all to listen and urgently and humbly come before God with pleas of healing their land. Joel had previously called the people to return to God and repent of their disobedience. This call to sound the trumpet seals the call to return and repent with humble repentant hearts. The trumpet call does no good to those who will not react to its sound. It does no good to those who reject the thought of humbly coming before God. It does no good to those who reject the thought of God being in control and can reverse the course of their trials and troubles. But to those who hear the sound and humbly come before God with repentant hearts, they will see His mighty hand at work with renewed hope and trust.

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.

7.e. You will not know what hour I will come upon you.

Revelation 9:12 The first woe has passed; behold, two woes are still to come. Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of mankind. The number of mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand; I heard their number. And this is how I saw the horses in my vision and those who rode them: they wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire and of sulfur, and the heads of the horses were like lions’ heads, and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths. By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths. For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails, for their tails are like serpents with heads, and by means of them they wound. The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

Make no mistake about the timing of God. He has set a time for His wrath, anger, and judgment on those who do not and did not repent (But of this be assured, that if the master of the house had known the hour at which the robber was coming, he would have kept awake) and (Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.). It is not as though He has not given promises of blessings and warnings of judgments. Yet the heart of stone and unrepentant heart of many will experience the wrath of God in ways that unleash a flood of torment on their soul and physical bodies. We have already read of 1/4th of the earth’s population dying previously and now we read of another 1/3 dying. This equals a total of 1/2 of the world’s population (3 to 4 billion) people dead. No one with half a brain would want to experience the wrath and anger of God and yet they still reject His witnesses He sealed to proclaim salvation, redemption, and eternal life. Can you imagine seeing an army of 200 million coming at you with intent to kill and torment you? What chance would you have to withstand this force? Remember this, an army of 200 million is nothing but an ant compared to the power, might, and strength of Almighty God. If you understand and realize that you could not withstand an army of 200 million then how much more so standing up against God and rejecting Him. Luke 17:28 Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all— so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

Repent, believe, and cling too, rely on, and trust in Jesus Christ. Live to humbly serve, honor, glorify, worship, follow, and obey Him. The only thing that is keeping you from this right now is your heart choice to live for self rather than living for Him, thinking you do not need His redemption, thinking you are good enough, thinking you are not good enough, and thinking there will be time to do this later. “For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

7.d. And in those days people will seek death and will not find it.

Revelation 9:1 And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone. And in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them. In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle: on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces, their hair like women’s hair, and their teeth like lions’ teeth; they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle. They have tails and stings like scorpions, and their power to hurt people for five months is in their tails. They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.

Being sealed by God is a promise. He knows those who are His. During the church age (the time from the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ until the rapture) those who believe (rely on, cling too, and trust in Jesus Christ) are sealed with the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption. God still displays grace during the tribulation period. His wrath and anger unleashed on unbelieving and non-repenting people in ever-increasing measure, and yet in this, we see there are those with a mark (either visible or not) who are spared this torment. This torment is unbearable but God does not allow it to kill. The torment is so great that men will seek death but God does not allow it. We see that even in severe torment there are those who do not and will not repent. Their heart is hard as stone to the things of God. They have chosen this path and are living the consequences of that choice.

God gives us promises of His grace, mercy, and love. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God gives this precious promise of eternal life, redemption, and forgiveness. This offer (promise) comes with peace, rest, joy, hope, love, and the indwelling Holy Spirit to lead us on paths that glorify and honor Jesus Christ. The love of God comes first. It does not come as an ultimatum. It comes as a promise, an offer, blessed salvation. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me”. God’s love pursues us. “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and open the door, I will come into him”. God’s offer of love, grace, and mercy is an offer and a promise of eternal life. Rejection of His grace, mercy, and love ends in unfulfilled lives on earth, torment for the soul, eternal torment upon death. This 5th trumpet is a promise too for all who have rejected His grace, mercy, and love in and through Jesus Christ. The torment during the time of this 5th trumpet sound is unbearable but will be nothing like the eternal torment received at the final judgment where all of those who have rejected His love promise will be cast into the lake of fire for eternity.

6.m. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live;

Revelation 4:1  After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”

Matthew 11:28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

Isaiah 55:1-3    “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.  Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.  Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.

John 6:37     All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.

John 7:37     On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.

Revelation 22:17    The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

Matthew 7:13 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.

“a door standing open in heaven!” Do you ever give thought to what it means to have the door open and an invitation to come? The invitation is to come through the door. The one giving the invitation is Jesus Christ. The Son of God opens the door to forgiveness of sin, faith, hope, joy, healing, peace, rest, love, heaven, and eternity. He may reach out and get your attention, tap you on your shoulder, whisper into your conscience, or with the sound of a trumpet, but He will not pull you through the door. He gives the invitation to come and He is holding the door open for you to come in. When He says come, it is with the same open invitation like follow Me, listen to Me, obey Me, trust in Me, love Me, have faith in Me. None of these will be forced upon anyone. These invitations are offers from Jesus Christ the Son of God and require a willing humble desire. Do you ever wonder if we take His invitations serious? Imagine getting an invitation from a celebrity and know they are waiting at the door, with it open and waiting for you. Would you go? Would you tell others? Would you be excited? Would you be happy to see this celebrity waiting at the door for you? What value does this celebrity offer should you willing to accept their offer to come?

The truth is they can offer worldly things but nothing that will last for eternity. They can offer no forgiveness of sin, faith, hope, joy, healing, peace, rest, love, heaven, and eternity. And yet, we seem to think this is a very big deal should we receive their invitation, when in fact, we should be willingly, excitedly, humbly, and with reverence accepting the invitations from the Son of God.