Continuing…..
Armageddon- The PLACE of the Battle of the Great Day of God Almighty.
*******
(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.'
Pasted
from <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_deity>
))))
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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