Saturday, June 16, 2018

Don't Wait for the Plagues to Fall Before Accepting Christ, It Will Be Too Late.


Continuing….. Armageddon- The PLACE of the Battle of the Great Day of God Almighty.

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(WWN)1978 Nov -- THE BATTLE OF THE GREAT DAY OF GOD ALMIGHTY -- Part 2 -- In this second section of our study of the battle of the great day of God, we shall concern ourselves with an over-all look at the Seven Last Plagues as they relate to this battle.

The Seven Last Plagues are outlined in Revelation 16, and declared to be the judgments wherein "the wrath of God" is filled up. (Rev. 15:1)

Rev 15:1  And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. 

 When these final judgments fall upon the earth, the intercession of Christ HAS CEASED in the heavenly temple. "No man" is able to enter the temple "till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled." (Rev. 15:8)

Rev 15:8  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. 

And the only Man who has been able to enter into the presence of God - into that light unapproachable (I Tim. 6:16)

1Ti 6:16  Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen. 

 - is the "one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus." (I Tim. 2:5).

1Ti 2:5  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus

In analyzing briefly each plague, we need to ask ourselves three simple questions: 
1)   What is the plague? 
2)   Why is it given? and 
3)   When was the cause for the plague committed? (for "the curse causeless shall not come." Prov. 26:2)

Plague #1 - ''The first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast and upon them which worshipped his image.'' (Rev. 16:2)

This plague is described as an ulcer breaking out upon the men who had received the mark of the beast, and who worshipped the image to the beast. Now we ask, was the mark of the beast received, and the worship of the beast committed before or after the close of probation? The answer is obvious - "before." IN OTHER WORDS THIS PLAGUE IS GOD'S RESPONSE TO WHAT MEN HAD DONE IN PROBATIONARY TIME.

Plague #2 - ''And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man.'' (Rev. 16:3)

Why a plague of blood? The angel of the waters answers - The powers of earth "have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and [God] has given them blood to drink; for they are worthy." (16:6) When was this blood shed? Before or after the close of probation? The answer is again obvious - "before." In other words-  THIS PLAGUE IS GOD'S RESPONSE TO WHAT MEN HAD DONE IN PROBATIONARY TIME.

Plague #3 - ''And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.'' (Rev. 16:4)

p 2 -- This is the ONLY plague that is compounded. The reason for this plague is the same as for the second plague. (Rev. 16:5-7) Why will God compound this plague of blood? "By condemning the people of God to death, they have as truly incurred the guilt of their blood as if it had been shed by their hands." (Great Controversy, p. 628) This statement in context refers to the "death decree" issued against the people of God after the close of probation. By noting references in Early Writings (pp. 36-37; 282,283), the death decree is issued because the inhabitants of earth seek to stay the wrath of God, and believe that the killing of those opposed to the worldwide religious movement will appease an offended God. This would indicate that the "DEATH DECREE" IS TO BE ISSUED BETWEEN THE SECOND AND THIRD PLAGUES.

Plague #4 - "And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given him to scorch men with fire." (16:8)

Why a plague upon the sun? Because men have worshipped the sun, and honored the day of the sun - Sunday. When - before or after the close of probation? Again the answer is obvious - "before." THIS PLAGUE IS GOD'S RESPONSE TO WHAT MEN HAD DONE IN PROBATIONARY TIME.

(((Note- One false god who seemed to be worshipped universally was- the sun god.
'A solar deity (also sun god/dess) is a deity who represents the sun, or an aspect of it, usually by its perceived power and strength. Solar deities and sun worship can be found throughout most of recorded history in various forms. Hence, many beliefs have formed around this worship, such as the "missing sun" found in many cultures.'



Plague #5 - "And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain." (16:10)

This is an unique plague - darkness, that effects the tongue. Gross darkness has covered the earth (Isa. 60:2) because of the teachings of the beast, and those who have erected an image to the beast for men to worship. With the tongue not only is confession made unto life, but also "all deceivableness of unrighteousness" is communicated to those who will not receive the love of truth. When did this deceptive darkness engulf the inhabitants of the earth - before or after the close of probation? Again the answer is obvious - "before." THIS PLAGUE IS GOD'S RESPONSE TO WHAT MEN HAD DONE IN PROBATIONARY TIME.

Plague #6 - "And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared." (16:12)

Now why this plague? John is shown:       And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. (16:13, 14)

Was this gathering together done before or after the close of probation? If the same principle is applied that applies to all the preceding plagues, save the third, then the answer must be - "before." THIS PLAGUE IS ALSO GOD'S RESPONSE TO WHAT MEN HAD DONE IN PROBATIONARY TIME. Observe closely the following reference and how Revelation 16:13-14 is used: p 3 -- Satan has long been preparing for his final effort to deceive the world. ... Little by little he has prepared the way for his masterpiece of deception in the development of Spiritualism. He has not yet reached the full accomplishment of his designs; but it will be reached in the last remnant of time. Says the prophet: I saw three unclean spirits like frogs; ... they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty." Except those who are kept by the power of God, through faith in His word, the whole world will be swept into the ranks of this delusion. The people are fast being lulled to a fatal security, to be awakened only by the outpouring of the wrath of God. (Great Controversy, pp. 561-562 emphasis mine)

According to this statement, Rev. 16:13-14 is to be fulfilled in the "LAST REMNANT OF TIME." These verses tell of the final great deception that will take in "the whole world." The inhabitants of earth will NOT awaken from their "fatal security" UNTIL the pouring out of the wrath of God commences.

Another reference states the same truth. It reads:       In this age antichrist will appear as the true Christ, and then the law of God will be fully made void in the nations of our world. Rebellion against God's holy law will be fully ripe. But the true leader of all this rebellion is Satan clothed as an angel of light. Men will be deceived and will exalt him to the place of God, and deify him. But Omnipotence will interpose, and to the apostate churches that will unite in the exaltation of Satan, the sentence will go forth, "Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her." (Testimonies to Ministers, p. 62)

Since Revelation 16:13-14 will be fulfilled before the close of probation, what then is the place of this battle to which the leadership of the whole world is to be gathered for the exaltation of Satan when he appears as Christ? At what place will the bishops, prelates, and ministers join in the coronation of Satan as the long awaited Messiah? Where will the chorus ring forth from thousands of voices - "Christ has come. Christ has come"? We shall seek to find the answer to these questions in the next thought paper when we analyze Rev. 16:16.

(((To be continued…))))

(((Today what have we gleaned from this study?

1. The seven last plagues are ONLY given AFTER probation closes- in response to thing done BEFORE probation closes.

This is a very sobering thought isn't it? When those plagues begin to fall there is NO MORE intercession between Christ and Us, none, it's over, all cases have been decided. There is no more pleading our cases, as if we had anything to plead. People have this belief that they'll get their chance to accept Christ at the 'pearly gates' after they've died. They'll automatically go to heaven and God will tell them if they can enter right away or if they'll have to wait, and work off some of their bad deeds. This fictional belief is one of many fictional tales Satan has used to prevent people from realizing the truth and responding to the truth accordingly. We need DAILY spiritual and physical bread according to our Savior. Not weekly, not monthly, not yearly, not once in a lifetime bread, but DAILY. Our relations with God must be DAILY, hourly, minutely, secondly… there is NOT a single moment of our life we are to set God aside and take a break from Him, not a single moment! Truly, many will be deceived in the end, MANY. We can't wait until the plagues start falling to turn our lives over to Christ, by then it will be way too late. The wrath comes only after all has been decided. Not a single person will suffer under the plagues undeservedly, not one. Some will burn, some will be sore infested, others will be bloody, the plagues will not hit everyone at once but here and there, some receiving more than one punishment of the wrath of God. And not a single plague receiver will be able to repent and find forgiveness in Christ, not one. And it's not because God is horrible, it's because the cup was finally full and things had to be finished once and for all. It's because all had been given plenty of opportunity before the plagues to repent and find forgiveness. Not ONE person will be able to say in truth that they weren't given a chance, not one! They might lament that if they'd only known, if God had only made sure they really knew, but HE HAS, HE HAS TRIED EVERYTHING short of forcing people to believe.

We CANNOT wait for the plagues to fall before we seek God, people need to know this!

God help us all!!!!!!!

In Christ Jesus, our LORD and SAVIOR, may we be HIS, wholly His right now and forever!!!!!!!


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