Signs Everywhere! Jesus Is Coming Soon!

From WWN5(87) - The Jewish Equation -- Part 2:

The Seven Last Plagues

There is a principle to the interpretation of the revelations given in the Seven Last Plagues chapter which is frequently overlooked.

All the plagues, save one, constitutes God's RESPONSE to what man has done in probationary time. (The one exception is the third plague which is a repeat of, "blood" due to the death decree against the "saints". See comment, Great Controversy, p. 628)

'When Christ ceases His intercession in the sanctuary, the unmingled wrath threatened against those who worship the beast and his image and receive his mark (Revelation 14:9, 10), will be poured out. The plagues upon Egypt when God was about to deliver Israel were similar in character to those

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more terrible and extensive judgments which are to fall upon the world just before the final deliverance of God's people. Says the revelator, in describing those terrific scourges: "There fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshiped his image." The sea "became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea." And "the rivers and fountains of waters . . . became blood." Terrible as these inflictions are, God's justice stands fully vindicated. The angel of God declares: "Thou art righteous, O Lord, . . . because Thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and Thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy." Revelation 16:2-6. 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. In like manner Christ declared the Jews of His time guilty of all the blood of holy men which had been shed since the days of Abel; for they possessed the same spirit and were seeking to do the same work with these murderers of the prophets.

From <http://www.whiteestate.org/books/gc/gc39.html> '

This principle of understanding Revelation 16 is easily seen by noting the first plague. (16:2)

Rev 16:2  And 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. 

The "grievous sore" falls on those who "had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image." When was this mark received, and when was this worship begun? Before or after the close of probation? The answer is simple - prior to the close of probation.

Using this same principle for the sixth plague, we find the plague itself falls "upon the great river Euphrates." (16:12) Its results carry over into the seventh plague "great Babylon comes into remembrance before God." (16:19) But what causes God to pour out this plague? The answer is that the triumvirate of evil - the dragon, beast (Rev. 13), and the false prophet (2nd beast of Rev.13) - gather the rulers of earth to Har-Magedon.

Lest there be a misunderstanding, let it be clearly understood that all the Seven Last Plagues come after the close of human probation. However, the explanation as to WHY the plague is poured out is distinctly separate from the plague itself. This needs to be understood and distinguished in the study of Revelation 16.

(((Knowing WHY the plague is poured out, knowing the REASON for the plague is important. God has never allowed a single plague to fall- not in the days of Moses and not ever- without reason. Do you imagine that perhaps God wants us to comprehend the plagues and why they are given because He is trying to open our comprehension to the reality of His wrath to come in punishment for our actions? How can we not understand that throughout history God has only ever revealed the truth of our condition and His willingness to love us in spite of our sinfulness. He OFFERS a way to reunite with Him, but He doesn't force anyone to join with Him. Time and time again throughout the Old Testament God's people would repent and follow God only to allow time to pass and their willingness to follow God to fade away so that once more than are need of repentance and forgiveness. This happened over and over, and we might be tempted to say- why didn't they ever learn their lesson and just stay faithful to God? Individually we fight the spiritual battle and often fail and need to repent and seek forgiveness. Corporately it is the same way, though you'd perhaps think that it should be a lot harder because the more people involved there is accountability to each other. Yet our failings time and time again will not end, not until probation is over and we are completely and utterly protected under the Holy Spirit until our Savior comes to claim us and take us to heaven with Him.

You see, it is important to KNOW that there ARE plagues to come, perhaps maybe, just maybe it can put a fear into  us, a fear of receiving those plagues. Prayerfully that fear will be a godly fear as we turn towards God in all truth and reverence, knowing that His powerful wrath is something we do NOT want to feel.))))

'Thus Revelation 16:13-16 will be fulfilled PRIOR to the close of probation.

Rev 16:13  And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 

Rev 16:14  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. 

Rev 16:15  Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. 

Rev 16:16  And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. 

(See use made of Rev. 16:13-14 in Great Controversy, pp. 561-562)

'Marvelous beyond expression is the blindness of the people of this generation. Thousands reject the word of God as unworthy of belief and with eager confidence receive the deceptions of Satan. Skeptics and scoffers denounce the bigotry of those who contend for the faith of prophets and apostles, and they divert themselves by holding up to ridicule the solemn declarations of the Scriptures concerning Christ and the plan of salvation, and the retribution to be visited upon the rejecters of the truth. They affect great pity for minds so narrow, weak, and superstitious as to acknowledge the claims of God and obey the requirements of His law. They manifest as much assurance as if, indeed, they had made a covenant with death and an agreement with hell-- as if they had erected an impassable, impenetrable barrier between themselves and the vengeance of God. Nothing can arouse their fears. So fully have they yielded to the tempter, so closely are they united with him, and so thoroughly imbued with his spirit, that they have no power and no inclination to break away from his snare.

Satan has long been preparing for his final effort to deceive the world. The foundation of his work was laid by the assurance given to Eve in Eden: "Ye shall not surely die." "In the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." Genesis 3:4, 5. 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

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unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty." Revelation 16:13, 14. 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.

Saith the Lord God: "Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it." Isaiah 28:17, 18.

From <http://www.whiteestate.org/books/gc/gc34.html> '

'While the sixth plague is poured out on what is termed "the great river Euphrates," the "spirits of devils" had gathered the leadership of earth with their forces to a place with a Hebrew designation. Herein is a factor of the Jewish equation. God's wrath reveals how He views this development. To Him it is what He has always revealed it to be - Babylon, the epitome of rebellion. Thus the symbolism of "the great river Euphrates," and the fact that the "whore" is carried by the beast that "was, and is not, and yet is" who makes war with the Lamb. (Rev.17:14) But the spirits of devils do not gather their devotees to the river Euphrates, but rather to a place called in the Hebrew, Har-Magedon. . . .

Har-Magedon

In the Hebrew language - har - means, mountain. This rules out "Megiddo" for it is a valley. (Zech. 12:11) However, there is a mountain named in the Old Testament which meets linguistic requirements. It is called, har-mo'ed - Mount of the Congregation. It is described as being "in the sides of the north" or Mt. Zion "the city of the great King." (See Isa. 14:13; Ps. 48:2) By noting the objectives of Lucifer in Isaiah 14:12-14, it is he who plans to "sit upon the mount of the congregation" - har-mo'ed. To this end, the spirits of devils gather the nations of the earth. Daniel simply states - "He shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain." (11:45)

To John it revealed that "the spirits of devils" coming from the dragon, beast and false prophet gather the nations to the mount of the congregation. But the prophetic message behind this symbolism is that literal Jerusalem is to be made "an holy city" from man's view-point, while God's view-point the deception is in reality, Babylon the Great. The significance to us is that when this occurs, the prophecy states - "And at that time shall Michael stand up." (Dan. 12:1) "But the true leader of all of 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 unite in exaltation of Satan, the sentence will go forth, 'Therefore shall her plagues come in one day...'" (TM, p. 62) How near are we to the fulfillment of this Divine edict? (Bold and italicized emphasis added.)

From <http://adventistlaymen.com/Documents/MARK_OF_THE_BEAST.html>

(((Right now Jerusalem is in the news quite extensively. Truth be told, Jerusalem has been in the news for quite some time. Peace in the Middle East has been something people are striving towards for a long while. Just last month the president of the United States made a huge ripple in the Jerusalem pond by moving the United States embassy to Jerusalem, signifying that Jerusalem is in fact Israel's Capital. The Palestinians are up in arms against this move because they want Jerusalem as theirs. The Papacy wants Jerusalem to be a holy city for all faiths. Truly we can see the hand writing on the wall, can't we? Things are quickly coming to pass as prophesized. Jerusalem is going to be center stage in this prophetic countdown and we really shouldn't take our eyes off it, right? These things will transpire before probations closes but right after they occur… probation does close and the plagues come.  This is truth for our times, truth for right now! Our Savior is going to return! Please, please pray He knows you! I pray He knows me, that my Christian walk isn't all lip service, that my candle isn't hidden under a bush, that I HAVE extra oil for my lamp as I await the Bridegroom! Please, Lord, I would be YOURS! Please, Father! This is my prayer, my request, my supplication- to belong to You- thank You, Lord, THANK YOU!!!!!!! ))))