Last night I lay asleeping
There came a dream so fair
I stood in old Jerusalem
Beside the temple there
I heard the children singing
And ever as they sang
Methought the voice of Angels
From Heaven in answer rang
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem!
Lift up you gates and sing
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna to your King!”
And then methought my dream was chang’d
The streets no longer rang
Hush’d were the glad Hosannas
The little children sang
The sun grew dark with mystery
The morn was cold and chill
As the shadow of a cross arose
Upon a lonely hill
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem!
Hark! How the Angels sing
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna to your King!”
And once again the scene was chang’d
New earth there seem’d to be
I saw the Holy City
Beside the tideless sea
The light of god was on its streets
The gates were open wide
And all who would might enter
And no one was denied
No need of moon or stars by night
Or sun to shine by day
It was the new Jerusalem
That would not pass away
“Jerusalem! Jerusalem
Sing for the night is o’er
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna for evermore
“The Holy City” by: Stephen Adams (1844-1913) and F.E. Weatherly (1848-1929)
In this day and age it can sometimes feel like the devil is winning. When we witness on the media all the atrocities that are happening all over the world, it’s easy to be down-heartened. We can clearly see the devil’s handiwork around every corner. What Satan is doing is not fiction!
A Horse of a Different Colour
Rev 6:1-8 According to this prophecy, war, violence, starvation and disease may take hundreds of millions of lives. These disasters will also affect animals, which will also take a large toll of human life through desecration and spread of disease. The phrase you’ve heard many times “the four horsemen of the apocalypse” isn’t fiction, but it is fact yet to be.
The white horse represents our Conqueror. Jesus our Lord, with a bow, and a crown, who goes out to conquer good over all the evil. The fiery red horse, its rider clearly represents conflict on earth. The rider of this horse wants to take away the peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another. The black horse and rider depict famine and scarcity on earth. We already are seeing higher prices for food and goods that we buy, while those of privilege still get what they want, when they want it. One day without the mark of the beast, those remaining after the rapture, will not be able to buy or sell anything. The sickly coloured pale horse represents widespread death on the earth. The sickness and disease that inevitably will follow warfare and food shortages.
“7” Trumpets
In Revelation chapters 8, 9 11, the world is about to become a world ruled by Satan under the judgements of the trumpet. At the various trumpets sound, the world is handed over to the beast and the devil’s false messiah, the man of sin, who takes control.
The First Trumpet, (8:7) vegetation is struck, green grass and trees are burned up. One-third of all vegetation will be destroyed.
The Second Trumpet (8:8-9) the seas will be struck. One-third of the seas become blood and ships and sea life will be destroyed.
The Third Trumpet (8:10-11) the water will be struck. One-third of the earth’s freshwater supply will become wormwood, killing many. Wormwood is a plant with a very bitter taste. It symbolizes the bitterness that comes from sorrow and calamity as in Jeremiah 9:15).
The Fourth Trumpet (8:12-13) the Heavens will be struck. One-third of the heavens will darken, with no moon or stars to shine. The sound of this trumpet will be a warning of the next three trumpets which will bring in great unpleasantness and disaster.
The Fifth Trumpet (9:1-12) there will be locusts from the bottomless pit. Symbolicly the locusts aren’t real but the image represent demons wielding of the Beast’s military power. They will attack those who are not sealed by God. There will be 144,000 Jewish evangelists along with Jews and Gentiles who have been won for Christ. The demon’s power will last five months (which is the average life-cycle of a locust), their king is non-other than the devil who is the angel of the bottomless pit.
In Revelation 11:3, we are introduced to two witnesses, who come on to the scene when the Antichrist makes a covenant with Israel around the mid-point of the seven-year Tribulation. These two witnesses are real people, not symbols, who will be preaching the Gospel. Until these two finish denouncing wickedness and proclaiming Christ as Lord, they will be protected. After which they will be led to their temporary death. They will lie in the street for all to see, to establish the fact they are indeed dead. Yet while they are dead for that time, God will restore them to life as He did Jesus, and they will be raptured also, as God calls them to heaven after their ministry on earth has concluded.
The Sixth Trumpet (9:13-21) the Angels from the Euphrates. These angels are evil angels who have fallen but are high-ranked, and are about to be released upon the earth. So far they have been chained up at the great river Euphrates, until now. In Revelation 6:8 began with 25% of the world’s population being killed. Now one-third of the remaining 75% will be killed. Not including those who belonged to Christ, who were raptured earlier. But with the completion of this judgement, nearly half the world’s population will have perished.
The Seventh Trumpet (11:15-19) The Kingdom of God is declared. It’s God’s final judgement on the earth. After the 7th trumpet is sounded, seven angels with seven bowls will begin pouring out God’s wrath. Revelation 15:5-8.
In Chapter 16 each of the angels will walk out upon the earth and turn their bowls upside down and empty the judgements on the earth.
First Bowl: Loathsome Sores (16:2) God begins His judgment upon those who have denied Him with a scourage of foul and nasty sores. These sores will afflict those who have taken the mark of the beast and who worship his image.
Second Bowl: The Sea Turns to Blood (16:3) The oceans of the world will turn to blood, which results in the death of every living thing in the sea. We already have seen where one-third of the sea was affected, but with the second bowl being poured out, every creature in the sea dies.
Third Bowl: The Waters Turn to Blood (16:4-7) The third bowl extends to all freshwater rivers and lakes turning them all to blood.
Fourth Bowl: Men are Scorched (16:8-9) This bowl involves the sun. The heat from it becomes unbearable on earth, scorching those who did not repent and give God glory. When God created the sun He made it shine down on both the godly and ungodly. The suns effects will be so intense many will die. A picture of a world totally out of control, with nothing functioning normally.
Fifth Bowl: Darkness and Pain (16:10-11) Satanic activity on earth is the target for the fifth bowl judgment. Darkness. The beast’s activities will cause men to gnaw their tongues because of the pain. This reflects the world’s dark heart and soul.
Sixth Bowl: Euphrates Dries Up (16:12-16) This river is a key spot for Armageddon. It will dry up and become a place for battle, where armies of 200 million can cross it.
Seventh Bowl: The Earth is Utterly Shaken (16:17-21) This is the final bowl judgment which brings the Tribulation to a conclusion. The seventh angel tips his bowl, following which is thunder, lightning, hailstones weighing up to 100 pounds. This is the final destruction of every religious, political and educational system that humanity has built apart from God. We heard the words “It is finished!” from Jesus when He died upon the cross taking all our sins upon Him. Now the words “It is done” is the final act of the earth’s judgment, before Christ returns. Next will be the eternal judgment that unrepentant humanity must face in the lake of fire. If you are a Christian, this chapter of Revelation has no direct bearing on you, as you will not be on this earth during the bowl judgments.
Question…If Christ came back today, the events in Revelation 15-16 would take place no later than seven years from now. Do you know anyone who is young enough that they will still be alive seven years from now? Do they know Christ? If the Rapture happened today, would they be left behind to endure the seven bowl judgements?
Make that your goal today to keep those you love and care about from experiencing the pain and sorrow. Introduce them to Jesus, now. This is why He came. To be our Saviour from now through all eternity.
This is not the end of the story. In the next post “The Best is Yet to Come”, God will show us what He has in store for those who love Him and our Lord Jesus Christ, our King of kings and Lord of lords.
Check out the Prayer of Salvation tab. If you don’t know Jesus, start with that little prayer and take Him into your heart. He’s waiting to receive your invitation. God Bless You.