In this new series about the Trumpet Warnings - Revelation chapter 8 - we will find this chapter rife with symbolism and riddles. In order to understand the message we must define the symbolism. After Jesus opened the seven seals revealing His judgment upon Israel - Four Horsemen - for rejecting Him as their Messiah, John was shown...seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound...Rev. 8:6.
What is the timeline for the judgments within the trumpet warnings to transpire, and who will experience these judgments? After the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. the people of Israel were scattered across the planet, initiating the Times of the Gentiles era. Now Jesus turned His judgment upon the sins of all the inhabitants of the earth, until the times of the gentiles era has been completed.
When Jesus Christ rose from the grave, He conquered sin and destroyed the works of the devil. What works of the devil? Satan brought death to human beings when they sinned against God, so they feared death more than anything else. Jesus destroyed men's fear of death - conquered the law of sin & death...Rom. 7:6. It is at this time that Satan was thrown out of Heaven, where he had been allowed to come and go freely, even after he had sinned against God...Job 1:6.
Because Satan is still God of this world, but now confined to the earth and the atmosphere around the earth, he will terrorize God's kids with greater vengeance, because he knows his time to prevail upon the earth is short....therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time...Rev. 12:12.
What Satan doesn't know - God is actually using him to judge the idolatry and immorality of every human being, through trials and tribulations, which will be revealed in the trumpet judgments. Satan can only do what God allows him to do. We will find that the trumpet warnings reveal some pretty horrific judgments - devastation & death - that will come upon the earth, beginning right after Israel lost its nation status in the war of 70 A.D.
The woes - grief - perpetrated by Satan and his demonic hordes, will be accomplished by stealth in the guise of prophets of God, who are actually false, propagating doctrines of demons...for such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ...and no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light...therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works...II Cor. 11:13-15.
What is the viewpoint of present-day scholars of the modern end-time doctrine on Revelation chapter 8? Since these scholars don't believe that anything in Revelation has been fulfilled beyond chapter 4, the trumpet blast revelations are still in the future to them. They must attempt to interpret prophecy of scripture - future to them - ignoring the admonition of the Apostle Peter...no prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation...for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit...II Peter 1:20-21.
What did James, the brother of Jesus, say about the future? Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit;"...whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow...for what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes...James 4:13-14.
While this reference is not about prophecy of scripture, it does reveal that we really know nothing about the future. We are dependent upon God to show us each day how He wants us to proceed, trusting that He knows the way to fulfill His plans and purposes for each of us.
Prophecy of scripture is a thumbnail sketch of future events meant for one reason only - what is that reason? Stay tuned...
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~
No comments:
Post a Comment