(Read Part 34) Introduction The old adage, “If I had a nickel for every time I heard someone say that, I would be a rich person,” certainly applies to the many times friends and family members have stated to me that the lack of sunlight for a long stretch of dark and gloomy weather makes them feel lethargic—and even depressed. God reveals in the fourth trumpet judgment that a major change will one day take place with the sun, moon and stars: [...]
(Read Part 33) One Third of Rivers and Water The Apostle John reveals that not only will God allow the destruction of one third of the seas, but also of the rivers and springs by causing them to become lethally bitter as Wormwood. In Scripture, wormwood represents Divine punishment associated with bitterness and sorrow (cf. Jer. 9:15; 23:15; Lam. 3:15). Revelation 8:10-11 states: Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell [...]
(Read Part 32) Last time we looked at the first of seven trumpet judgments, as illustrated by this chart: This week we turn out attention to the next judgment that follows this first one. Introduction The human body contains approximately 78 percent water at birth, with adult males dropping to 65 percent water and adult females 55 percent water.[1] Fresh water and nutritional food are essential for humans to survive. The oceans, rivers and springs of the world provide a large percentage of the food [...]
(Read Part 31) Introduction The world is no stranger to devastating destruction. However, the future seven-year tribulation period will bring far-reaching devastation that will destroy more land and property than has ever been experienced in history. The trumpet judgments major on the prophetic concept that God will execute the destruction of one-third of a stated item or items in the world.[1] There is no indicator in Scripture that God will confine the judgments to a specific area. All Scriptural indicators point to [...]
(Read Part 30) Introduction Thunder, lightning, torrential rain storms, hail, an eerie darkening of the sky and other cosmic disturbances cause many to experience great fear and angst. The Apostle John, in Revelation 8:1-6, presents the opening scene as the Lord Jesus Christ opens the seventh seal. The setting begins with complete silence, and crescendos into a major cosmic display of God’s power. We will examine the four final preparations John reveals in the opening of the seventh seal—which contains the catastrophic [...]
(Read Part 29) More on The Seventh Seal Judgment Part I of the Parenthesis: Protective Sealing of the 144,0000 (Continued) Revelation 7 is categorized as a parenthetical chapter between Revelation 6 and 8.[1] The Apostle John's description of the seal judgments stops (Rev. 6:17) and he introduces two groups of people. Scripture tells us plainly that God will seal 144,000 Jewish people and will bring them through the tribulation (Rev. 14). The Bible further reveals that God will protect one-third of the Jewish people during the tribulation [...]
(Read Part 28) The Seventh Seal Judgment Introduction The painful process of purging the Earth of evil begins with the first six seal judgments (Rev. 6:1-17). God inserts a parenthetical chapter (Rev. 7) before revealing the next set of more intense judgments (Rev. 8). The Apostle John describes the sealing of a group of 144,000 Jewish male virgins who will survive the tribulation period (Rev. 7:3-8; 14:1-7). He then describes a very large group of individuals that suffer martyrdom during the tribulation (Rev. [...]
(Read Part 27) This week we continue our consideration of the distinctly dispensational doctrine of the birthing process of the theocratic millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ. Sixth Seal: A Great Earthquake Great Upheaval of the Sun, Moon, Stars and Sky The sixth seal further reveals that the sun, moon, stars and the sky will all be affected during the sixth seal judgment. The Apostle John uses several similes to describe the changes. Notice the descriptive language that he employs in Revelation 6:12-17: And I beheld when he had [...]
(Read Part 26) We begin again this time with this basic chart, which shows that there are four main categories of tribulation judgments: the seal judgments, the trumpet judgments, the thunder judgments and the bowl judgments. These judgments will continue to grow more severe all during the seven-year tribulation period. Jesus spoke about the progressive nature of the tribulation judgments in His Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24-25). We continue our consideration of the distinctly dispensational doctrine of the birthing process of the theocratic millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ. Sixth Seal: A Great Earthquake And [...]
(Read Part 25) As we have seen illustrated on the following chart, there are four main categories of tribulation judgments: the seal judgments, the trumpet judgments, the thunder judgments and the bowl judgments. Throughout the seven-year tribulation period these judgments will become progressively worse. Remember that Jesus discussed the progressive nature of the tribulation judgments as He taught His disciples in the Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24-25).We have been thinking about the distinctly dispensational doctrine of the birthing process of Jesus Christ’s theocratic millennial kingdom. In Part 25, we began [...]
