Rev 16:17-21  The 7^th Vial, Part 3

[Study Aired April 6, 2025]

Rev 16:17  And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
Rev 16:18  And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
Rev 16:19  And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
Rev 16:20  And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
Rev 16:21  And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

Those few who have not been “conformed to this world, and have been transformed in their minds by proving what is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God”, will “not bring judgment upon themselves by that which they have proven.” Those who are weak in the faith will “be conformed to this world” and will not take the time to prove what is the good, acceptable and perfect will of God, and will continue to be offended by the sum of God’s Word, and will abuse Roman 14:5-6 and verse 22 as an excuse to not even consider our Lord’s example of how we are to live our lives concerning the observing of day, months, times and years.

Rom 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day [alike]. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
Rom 14:6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

Rom 14:21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
Rom 14:22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

When these verses are perverted into a doctrine which teaches that those who eat strong meat should give up that strong meat, and give up following the example Christ has given us concerning this very subject, that is a double mind which will inevitably cause a brother to be “made weak… to stumble and be offended… because of the Word.” This perversion of these verses of Romans 14 will cause us all to give up that fiery way of life, which brings upon us the hatred of all men, and we will exchange their strong meat for the herbs of the weaker infirm brother who esteems one day above another and cannot eat all things because he does not want to offend a weaker brother.

Should we offend a weaker brother by expecting him to eat strong meat? Absolutely not! But should we take Romans 14 and use it to contradict and nullify Galatians 4?

Gal 4:1 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child [is “weak in the faith”], differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
Gal 4:2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
Gal 4:3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

“Carnal… babes in Christ” cannot eat the meat of the word, and we are commanded to “receive them but not to allow them to dispute our strong meat.

Rom 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
Rom 14:2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
Rom 14:3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.

Who are these brothers who are “weak in the faith”? Here is who they are. They are not really deep into the Word of God or the things of the spirit. They do not have and will not take the time to “study to show themselves approved unto God.” They are ‘too busy’ to have time to fellowship, and they care about the events of their daily lives (the pride of life) more than they do about the body of Christ. They would much rather identify themselves with certain men whose teachings are more to their liking. Here are the “weak in the faith”.

1Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, [ even] as unto babes in Christ.
1Co 3:2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
1Co 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
1Co 3:4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I [am] of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

Those who are given to “prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God”, will find it very instructive that the word “child”, “the heir, as long as he is a child“, in Galatians 4:1, and the word “babe”, “I could not speak to you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ”, is the same Greek word, ‘nepios’. It is babes in Christ who are weak and infirm in the faith, and whose weakness we are commanded to “bear with”.

Rom 15:1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
Rom 15:2 Let every one of us please [his] neighbour for [his] good to edification.
Rom 15:3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

Paul did not break his epistles up into chapters. The weak of this first verse of this 15th chapter is “He that is weak in the faith” in the first verse of chapter 14. It is Paul to declares this brother in Christ to be “weak and infirm” and in need of our patient forbearance and Christ-like example, not our apostasy, or our enabling of his weakness and his sickness, and his spiritually damning, immature diet of milk and herbs. It is “he that is weak in the faith” who simply cannot as yet “eat all things.” This is especially true of following the example of Christ who “esteemed every day alike”. It is the perversion of the message of Romans 14 which Galatians 4 burns out of us if we are given to follow in Christ’s footsteps:

Joh 5:16 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.
Joh 5:17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
Joh 5:18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

This does not say ‘They supposed He had broken the sabbath’, it says “He not only had broken the sabbath, but said God was His Father.” Both were true, and both are written for our admonition that we “should follow His [foot]steps.”

1Pe 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

Anyone who uses part of God’s Word to exclude and nullify other parts of the Word,  will also very likely continue to ignore the example Christ has given us to “follow [in His] steps.” Truth is not found in any one chapter of God’s Word. It is found in its sum, and the sum of God’s word tells us that Christ and His apostles were foresaken of and hated of all men because, among other things, they “esteemed every day alike.” Following Christ’s example will bring upon us what it brought upon Christ. Christ put what He saw His Father doing above what He saw men doing. If we honor Christ in this same way, we will be honoring God above men, as we are instructed.

Joh 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
Joh 5:20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.
Joh 5:21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.
Joh 5:22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
Joh 5:23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

Here is the example the Father set for Christ to follow concerning the subject of esteeming of one day above another:

Joh 5:17 But Jesus replied, “My Father never stops working, so why should I?” (NLT)

It is the traditions of men which are the last strings keeping us tethered to Babylon. The law of Moses and the law which the Gentiles are unto themselves, are both laws for the lawless and not for a righteous man.

1Ti 1:9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

It is “the lawless and disobedient” who esteem one day above another, and who judge those who do not esteem one day above another. The strong in the faith are to bear with the weak until they are no longer carnal babes in Christ. Those to whom it is given to “follow Christ’s steps” will honor Christ by doing what He did, just as He did what He saw His Father doing. Those who are strong in the faith do not enable the weak and infirm to remain weak and sick, and they most assuredly do not give up spiritual strength and health to become weak and sickly.

Rom 14:1 Welcome those who are weak in faith, but do not argue with them about their personal opinions. (GNB)

Rom 14:1 As for the man who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not for disputes over opinions. (RSV)

Our discussions must revolve around the word of God, and our conclusions must be based on that alone, or we will not long  “be of one mind”, which is what we are repeatedly commanded to be, beginning right here in the book of Romans.

Rom 15:6 That ye may with one mind [and] one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2Co 13:11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

Php 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

Php 2:2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

1Pe 3:8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:

“Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind” is intended to help us deal with “carnal… babes in Christ” by being pitiful and courteous to them. It is meant as an admonition to avoid disputing with babes about their own personal opinions concerning any topic with which they are not yet informed. The tradition of eating only herbs, and the tradition of esteeming one day above another, are but two examples of things we are told we are not to argue about. These verses were never intended to keep us from “being of one mind”, being likeminded, and speaking the same thing with one mouth in one spirit.”

Rom 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day [alike]. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

Romans 14 certainly is not designed to take away mature spiritual “strong meat” from those who are given to receive “the things of the spirit… things hard to be uttered.”

Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which [be] the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Heb 5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

The weak brothers who “for the time” ought to be beyond the milk of God’s Word will never get past that immature stage as long as Romans 14 is used as a means of contradicting and nullifying all five of the New Testament verses which admonish us all to “be of one mind.” The masses of the churches raised up by the apostles themselves rejected the strong meat which belongs to them that are of full age, “All they in Asia” forsook the apostle Paul and the Galatians apparently considered him to be their enemy.

Gal 4:10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
Gal 4:11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
Gal 4:12 Brethren, I beseech you, be as I [am]; for I [am] as ye [are]: ye have not injured me at all.
Gal 4:13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
Gal 4:14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
Gal 4:15 Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.
Gal 4:16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?

Those who “forsook’ the apostle Paul were no doubt “famous in the congregation [and were] men of renown”, but they never came to know the seven plagues of the seven angels, and will not enter into the temple of God until they have fulfilled those seven plagues.

Num 16:2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:

There can be no doubt that both the apostles Paul and John honored Christ, just as Christ honored His Father by refusing the traditions of men who esteemed one day above another. The masses of the churches which were raised up by the apostles were clearly “observing days, months, times, and years”, and had clearly lost their first love for the apostle of the Lord. The story of King David’s son Amnon is the story of us “leaving our first love.

2Sa 13:15 Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her [ was] greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone. 

Amnon signifies  us when we leave our first love and become lukewarm. Our Lord asks of us “Where is the blessedness you spake of” at the beginning? Has Christ and His example become our enemy? What became of all the churches Paul had raised up in Asia? Did they forsake the apostle?

2Ti 1:15 This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.
2Ti 4:9 Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me:
2Ti 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
2Ti 4:11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.
2Ti 4:14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
2Ti 4:15 Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
2Ti 4:16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
2Ti 4:17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

“The Lord stood with me” because the Lord is His word. When we follow Christ and His Word, the Lord stands with us also. What did Jesus do? What example has He left for us concerning this subject which caused the Galatians to consider Paul their enemy?

Mat 12:1 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.
Mat 12:2 But when the Pharisees saw [it], they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.
Mat 12:3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;
Mat 12:4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?
Mat 12:5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

That is “our example that we should follow in His steps”, and remain “of one mind and one spirit.” Until that is done within us, this seventh vial is yet to begin to be fulfilled and “the great city… Great Babylon” still has its tentacles in our heavens and in our earth.

Rev 16:19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
Rev 16:20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
Rev 16:21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, [every stone] about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

There are many “islands and mountains” to be vanquished from within us all, before all of the influences of that great city are burned out of us. Mountains are kings, which kings will beg for the mountains to fall when this, the great day of God’s wrath is come. As is the nature of our flesh, we will blaspheme God because of the plague of this hail, because it is an “exceeding great plague of hail”, and what does spiritual ‘hail’ do?

Isa 28:17 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.

That is why after the pouring out of the seventh vial, we are told:

Rev 16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

“It is done” is both the death throes of our man of sin, and the victory shout of our new man within. It is all accomplished “in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound.”

Rev 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

Christ, His doctrines, His example, and His Words, are the hail, the water, and the purifying fire with which He will try us, cleanse us, and sweep away all “the refuge of lies” of the great harlot, Babylon. We can now begin to enter into the temple in heaven, which is now being cleansed of all the pollutions of that great city, which we can now look back behind us and witness her judgment. The Seventh Trumpet has begun to sound, and the seventh vial has brought each of us to our wits’ end, and we have all experienced a great earthquake. Babylon the great is now being judged within each of the Lord’s elect who are now being judged in this present time:

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

The judgment of Babylon the Great within each of us is the subject of the next two chapters of this, ‘the revelation of Jesus Christ’ which we are to ”read, hear, and keep.” Revelation 17 and 18 are nothing more or less than a summary of the judgments of these seven plagues of the seven angels upon “mystery Babylon the Great” within us. “It is done… it is come to pass”, and that is why we are shown these things by “one of the angels which had the seven plagues”.

In our next study, Lord willing, we will begin to cover the judgment of the influence of this great whore over our lives in these verses of chapter 17:

Rev 17:1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
Rev 17:2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
Rev 17:3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Rev 17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
Rev 17:5 And upon her forehead [was] a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

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Rev 16:17-21 The 7^th Vial, Part 2

[Study Aired April 4, 2025]

Rev 16:17  And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
Rev 16:18  And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
Rev 16:19  And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
Rev 16:20  And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
Rev 16:21  And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

This seventh and last of the seven last plagues fills up the wrath of God against all the ungodliness and uncleanness in our lives. There has been and still is uncleanness in each of us if we are still abiding in these bodies of corruption as we each are:

Rom 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

1Co 15:50  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption [flesh and blood] inherit incorruption.

We paused our last study quoting these following verses which demonstrate the extent to which Christ identifies with us and we with Him even as we live in these corruptible bodies:

Act 22:6  And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
Act 22:7  And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Act 22:8  And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

1Jn 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

The curse that was placed upon Christ’s body as it hung upon the cross, signifies the curse of the spiritual type of our crucifixion with Christ while we are yet alive in these clay vessels:

Isa 54:7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.
Isa 54:8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.

Act 5:30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.

Gal 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.

So Christ has partaken of everything we endure, including being “forsaken of God… in a little wrath”, and we, too, must accept that “all things are ours… things present and things to come”:

1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
1Co 3:22  Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;

Lo and behold, we are to follow in the footsteps of, and live by the pattern set for us by our Savior. What a radical concept:

Col 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
Col 2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

1Pe 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

It is the function of these seven plagues to burn out of us “the traditions of men… the rudiments of the world” which are not after the “steps” of Christ. How have we received these things? Do we receive the traditions of men “after Christ”, or do we receive the rudiments of this world through “the example Christ has left us”? No, we receive them through human “philosophy and vain deceit”, and we simply reject those who follow the example and “steps” Christ has left us as an example for us to follow.

Gal 4:1 What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate.
Gal 4:2 He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father.
Gal 4:3 So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. [Which includes verse 10 below]
Gal 4:4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law,
Gal 4:5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.
Gal 4:6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,[1] Father.”
Gal 4:7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
Gal 4:8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.
Gal 4:9 But now that you know God– or rather are known by God– how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? [Here is what Paul is referring to:]
Gal 4:10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!
Gal 4:11 I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.
Gal 4:12 I plead with you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong.
Gal 4:13 As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you.
Gal 4:14 Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself.
Gal 4:15 What has happened to all your joy? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.
Gal 4:16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?  [BSB]

According to the scriptures, there is a very close link between the pain we experience in life and the darkness in which we live due to the “unclean spirits” which come out of the mouths of the dragon, the beast and the false prophets which dominate our lives until the seven plagues of the seven angels are fulfilled in us.

Jud 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. [‘Darkness’ is God’s judgment which causes us to “gnaw our tongues for pain” (Rev 16:10)]

Rev 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Rev 15:4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments [the seven plagues of the seven angels] are made manifest.

Rev 16:10 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,
Rev 16:11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
Rev 16:12 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 [the way of Truth which destroys Babylon] might be prepared.
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.

While it is absolutely true that “the sword does not depart from our house”, even after we repent of our sins, it is nevertheless also true that as our unrighteousness and ungodliness are replaced with “Christ in us”, the wrath of God subsides until we can say with the apostle:

Eph 2:1 And you [hath he quickened], who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

So in the gospel of John we read:

Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him [It does not continue to abide on “he that believeth on the Son”].

The corresponding seventh trumpet

Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
Rev 11:16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
Rev 11:17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
Rev 11:18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged [“The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God” (1Pe 4:17)], and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.[Our old man]
Rev 11:19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple [“which temple we are” (1Co 3:15-16)] the ark of his testament [His Truth within our lives]: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail [Which all “sweeps away the refuge of lies” (Isa 28:17)].

In the seventh vial we are told “It is done.” In the seventh trumpet we read “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever”.

Both the vials and the trumpets are declared to be judgments of God, and in both the seventh vial and the seventh trumpet we are told there are “lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.”

Rev 16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
Rev 16:18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, [and] so great.

Rev 16:21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

Once again, this seventh trumpet corresponds perfectly with this seventh vial because each trumpet is but the second, middle part of the same three-step process which makes up and fills up the judgments and the wrath of God against all of our ungodliness and unrighteousness, in which we hold and claim Christ, who is the Truth of God.

Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Christ never in His life says “I know the Truth”, rather, He tells us “I AM the Truth”, simply because that is the Truth.

“He who has an ear let him hear”

This entire “revelation of Jesus Christ” is addressed to “the seven churches.” We come so very far in our service that we are fighting wars in the heavens, before we are caused to “Remember the height from which we have fallen.”

Here is what the spirit says to the first two churches:

Rev 2:1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands:
Rev 2:2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.
Rev 2:3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
Rev 2:4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.
Rev 2:5 Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
Rev 2:6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Rev 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
Rev 2:8 “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.
Rev 2:9 I know your afflictions and your poverty– yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
Rev 2:10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Rev 2:11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. (NIV)

These two churches, and the other five, are all being addressed to “He who has an ear.” “What you are about to suffer” is “what is written in the sayings of the prophecy of this book.” It is the seven seals, the seven trumpets and the seven vials, and “no man can enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels have been fulfilled.” So “what you are about to suffer” is the “seals, trumpets and vials”, and there is no way to pick and choose what we want to keep and what we do not want to keep. We must all “keep those things which are written therein… till the seven plagues of the seven angels are fulfilled” in our lives.

Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

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.

This seventh vial is the “great earthquake” which accomplishes what nothing to this time has accomplished. It is greater than any earthquake that has ever or ever will be experienced in our lives, and this earthquake is the turning point in our lives. This ‘great earthquake’ is “[our] wits’ end” of this verse of scripture:

Psa 107:25  For he [the Lord] commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
Psa 107:26  They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble [because of the seven last plagues].
Psa 107:27  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end [Great earthquake].

Here is where the fire is cleansing the temple and purifying our temple for the arrival of our True King, Christ.

Here is this seventh vial in the words of our Lord in Mat 24:

Mat 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

The “great tribulation” Christ refers to here is the “great earthquake such as was not since men were upon the earth”:

Rev 16:17  And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
Rev 16:18  And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.

The “great day of His wrath”, the “great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be”, and the “great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, are all one and the same event we “must [all] suffer [and] endure to the end.”

Rev 2:10  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
Rev 2:11  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

“He who hath an ear let him hear” is always associated in scripture with the fact that the masses of those who come to Christ and believe on Him, still are “not given… to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God.” Notice verse 9 of Matthew 13.

Mat 13:9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Mat 13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
Mat 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given [ears to hear].

So just how does our Lord keep the masses of Christianity from “understanding the mysteries of the kingdom of God?” How does He stop the masses of Christians from “keeping the things written therein”? Here is what we are clearly told:

Mat 13:19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
Mat 13:20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
Mat 13:21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
Mat 13:22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

Let us analyze what we are told here. Those who are “carnal… babes in Christ” (1Co 3:1-4) and those who are “weak in the faith” (Rom 14:1), “understand not the word of the kingdom… are offended when tribulation and persecution arise because of the Word”, and the Word is “choked by the cares of this world and they are unfruitful.”

Conversely those who “go on unto perfection” (Heb 6:1), understand the Word of the kingdom, remain steadfast in tribulation and persecution because of the Word, and the cares of this world do not choke the Word in their lives and they are very fruitful.

None of this is of ourselves, it is all of Christ and His Father. Nevertheless this is how it is lived out in our lives:

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

The word ‘prove’ in Romans 12:2 is the same Greek word translated “alloweth” in Romans 14:22. Those who mature in Christ “prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” They do not simply “agree to disagree” with the elders of the body of Christ. Those who are not “weak in the faith… prove themselves” and are not offended by a weaker brother who has not bothered to prove his doctrine. They bear with his infirmities, while steadfastly “proving what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God”, instead of taking on the infirmities of their weaker, infirm brother.

Rom 14:22 The faith which thou hast, have to thyself before God: happy, he that bringeth not judgment upon himself by that which he approveth; (REV)

Whether we are “weak in the faith”, or we are able to “eat strong meat”, we will be judged “according to our works.”

Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

We will pause our study at this point where we are being informed that being weak in the faith can lead to bringing judgment upon ourselves by “that which [we] approve”. These “great and marvellous” plagues reveal whether that is the case if we are granted to “go on to perfection and stop laying again the foundational doctrines of Christ”:

Heb 6:1  Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
Heb 6:2  Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Heb 6:3  And this will we do, if God permit.

Rev 16:17-21 The 7th Vial, Part 1

[Study Aired March 30, 2025]

Rev 16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
Rev 16:18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, [and] so great.
Rev 16:19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
Rev 16:20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
Rev 16:21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

Introduction

In our last study we saw that the seals, trumpets and vials are all part of “the judgments of the great day of God Almighty” upon the darkness in our lives:

Rev 16:12  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.
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.

 “Spirits of devils” are ‘doctrines of devils’, working miracles that deceive us:

1Jn 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

What this tells us is that all of this takes place while we are still in darkness, and while we are still “children of disobedience…children of… [God’s] wrath”.

Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course [G165: ‘aion’] of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

It is our false doctrines which gather us together to withstand the Lord and His doctrines.

These seven plagues begin to be fulfilled within our lives after we come to know and believe on Christ, but while we still “have no place in us for Christ’s word.” That is an unheard of, but very Biblical doctrine, as Christ demonstrates for us in John 8.

Joh 8:30 As he spake these words, many believed on him.
Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

Joh 8:37 I know that ye are Abraham’s seed [‘I know you are Christians’]; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.

These seven plagues of the seven angels are poured out upon us when we are “building on the foundation of Jesus Christ”, but we are building with the “wood, hay and stubble” of “the commandments and doctrines of men” instead of taking great care of that with which we are building.

Mat 15:9 But in vain they [you and I] do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Mar 7:7  Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Col 2:22  Which all are to perish with the using; [at ‘the great day of God Almighty’] after the commandments and doctrines of men?

1Co 3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1Co 3:12  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the [great] day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

Tit 1:14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth [Christ].

At this time in our walk we are “holding the Truth in unrighteousness.” Here is the apostle Paul speaking of these very same plagues upon our lives, by which we “keep the things written therein”:

Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth [Christ] in unrighteousness;

God’s Truth is the spiritual Words of Christ as exemplified in His life. “The air” is the symbol for that spirit. It is into this part of our walk, when we think we believe on Christ yet we are still rejecting Him and His life and His words, that this seventh vial is poured out. It is while we think we are out of Babylon, but we simply cannot let go of “that great city”:

Rev 16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

Rev 9:1  And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
Rev 9:2  And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

This seventh vial symbolizes spiritual warfare in which we are engaged as we are “coming out of… that great city” (Rev 18:4). Therefore this seventh vial is “poured out… into the air.” The Greek here for ‘air’ is G109, ‘aer’. Here is how this word is used in scripture:

Rev 9:2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

The darkening of our sun and air by reason of the smoke from the bottomless pit signifies the darkening of our understanding of spiritual matters. Here is how this word is used elsewhere in the New Testament:

Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course [the ‘aion’] of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air [G109: ‘aer’], the lying and rebellious] spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

This ‘air’, G109, ‘aer’ of Ephesians 2:2 and Revelation 9:2, is the abode of the “principalities and powers” of the spiritual realm against which we are wrestling and fighting in this verse:

Eph 6:12 For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world [Greek: ‘aion’, same as “course” in Eph 2:2], and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms. (NLT)

Here is the King James Version of this verse:

Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].

So it is for the purpose defiling the spiritual realm of our heavens [the G109, ‘aer’ of Ephesians 2:2 and Revelation 9:2, that this “seventh vial [is] poured out.” It is through the work of this vial that our heavens must be cleansed at the coming of Christ into the ‘air’, the spiritual realm of our lives destroying the ways of our old man while purging and purifying our “air”.

Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Heb 9:23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens [signified by ‘the ‘aer’ of Eph 2:2 and Rev 9:2] should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves [our hearts and minds] with better sacrifices than these.
Heb 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

“The holy places… made with hands” was the physical temple in Jerusalem. What is “heaven itself?” What are the “heavenly things themselves” of which the temple was but a mere pattern? Here is the ‘temple’ of the ninth chapter of Hebrews:

1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

Where does “the man of sin sit as God”?

2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

“All men shall worship the beast”, which ‘beast’ we all first are. This ‘beast’ is even given “to overcome the saints.”

Ecc 3:18  I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

Rev 13:7 And it was given [aorist tense] unto him [the beast] to make [aorist tense] war with the saints, and to overcome [aorist tense] them: and power was given [aorist tense] him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
Rev 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

This is the work of the seventh vial. Our ‘air’, signifying our understanding of spiritual matters, is darkened, and our understanding of spiritual matters is taken from us as we continue in the death throes of our old man, the beast within us, to resist the purpose for this “great and marvellous” work which is the work of these seven last plagues of the wrath of God upon all of our false doctrines and lying spirits which are loath to leave the temple which was his throne but is now through ‘Christ in [us]’, Col 1:27, ours to begin to enter in Christ. Our heavens are now beginning to be cleansed because the seven plagues of the seven angels are now beginning to be fulfilled within us:

Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

So we are now told:

1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air [the realm of the spirit]: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

“The air” is invisible. “The air”, when it is in motion, is called “the wind”, and “the wind” is another symbol of the spiritual realm.

Joh 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Joh 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Joh 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

“The air” is the realm of the spirit. When the seven plagues have been fulfilled and have accomplished their predestined mission of showing us all of the blasphemous nature of ‘the aer’ of our old man, then, and only then, we are told:

Rev 16:17  And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
Rev 16:18  And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
Rev 16:19  And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

The old man has run his course. That which withholds has withheld until he has been revealed for what he is, and he is now slated for destruction. “It is done.” He will now be destroyed by the brightness of the coming of the proper and rightful king of His throne, which is our hearts and minds, “the heavens themselves… the temple of God” in which God will now, through Christ, dwell with us in “this present time” and at the appointed time with all men of all time:

2Th 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let [will withhold], until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

So, as with all things, we must be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, in “earnest” form, in down payment form first, if we hope to do so at “the redemption of the purchased possession”, known as that “blessed and holy first resurrection”:

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5  But the rest of the dead [who do not reign with Christ a thousand years] lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Rev 16:18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
Rev 16:19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

Why are we told “there was a great earthquake such as was not since men were upon the earth?” Why are we being told here in this last vial that “the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath?”

It is very appropriate that Babylon is mentioned at this very juncture in this “great and marvellous” revelation of Jesus Christ within His elect saints. What are the things of this world which we are so loathe to relinquish? What is within “the Jews who believe on Christ, but have no room in them for Christ or His Word?” What is one of the sins that so easily besets us all? What is it that caused “all they which are in Asia” to forsake Christ in His elect apostles who had raised up these seven churches, to whom this revelation is addressed? It was the attachment to the false doctrines of Babylon which caused the whole church to treat the apostles who founded those churches as their enemies?

Here is why “great Babylon” is mentioned here in the last of the seven last vials which fill up the wrath of God. It is because we have been building upon Christ with the lying doctrines of “wood, hay and stubble” of the traditions of Babylon, and we are loathe to separate ourselves from those traditions. We have been so faithful to God in so many ways; we hate the Nicolaitans, we have had good works which were better at the end then at the beginning, but we have left our first love, and have permitted that woman Jezebel to spread her doctrine within our midst.

1Co 3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1Co 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
1Co 3:13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Having seen the opening of the seven seals in this prophecy from God, to Christ, to us, (Rev 1:1) will we now declare we have never built upon the foundation of Christ with wood, hay and stubble? Will we deny that this part of the seventh trumpet, which is an integral part of the seventh seal, is not ours to fulfill? Will we deny these words of God?

1Co 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
1Co 3:22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;

When we deny the need to fulfill these plagues and their function of burning out of us “every sin that so easily besets us”, we are making Christ and His apostles liars and setting ourselves up on Christ’s throne in our hearts.

Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

If all things are ours (1Co 3:21-22), then the “darkness upon the throne of the beast” is ours as long as we are in that darkness. We all come to Christ “out of [that] darkness… [out of] the course, the ‘aion’ of this world, [and out of] the traditions of men.” These are the very things which are the wood, hay and stubble, within us which fuel the fire of the Sun in these seven plagues which scorches us and burns us up. The fire of 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 is the same fire doing the same thing; purifying us before we can begin to enter into the temple.

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

The story of King David’s adultery with Bathsheba and his murder of her husband, Uriah, after being made king over all Israel, demonstrates that God’s wrath is not confined to the sins of our early walk. Nevertheless there in no contradiction in saying that God’s wrath upon the sin and darkness in our lives subsides as we “come out of that darkness into the glorious light” which is Christ. So, too, the wrath of God subsides and we can say “in times past we walked according to the course of this world… and in times past… we were by nature the children of wrath even as others”.

Eph 2:1  And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Eph 2:4  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Eph 2:7  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Being “the children of wrath, even as others” is plainly said to be “in times past.” So where do we stand with God when He brings us “out of darkness, into His marvellous light?”

2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Remember the fifth plague of the seven angels is “darkness upon the throne of the beast.” These plagues are upon us while we are “walking in darkness… walking according to the prince of the power of the air… as children of disobedience.” In Christ we are “called out of darkness into His marvellous light.” So is there now any change in our relationship with our heavenly Father? John 3 tells us we now have “everlasting life”, whereas “the wrath of God abode on us before we believed.” What does the spirit reveal is our relationship with our God now? We read it in Ephesians 2, but let’s read it again in Colossians 3.

Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Col 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Col 3:6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
Col 3:7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

We all “were… children of disobedience… when you lived in them.” However, we no longer live in “our members which are upon the earth”. We are now “seated with Christ in the heavens” and “in time past… we were the children of wrath even as others… when the wrath of God abode upon us.”

Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life;but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Eph 2:6 and He raised us up together and seated us together in the heavenlies [or, heavenly realms] in Christ Jesus, (ALT)

We will pause our study at this point and when we resume our next study we will be shown the extent to which Christ identifies with us and we with Him, by acknowledging that the curse placed upon Christ is also placed upon us as His body:

Act 22:6  And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
Act 22:7  And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Act 22:8  And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

1Jn 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Rev 16:10-16 The 5th and 6th Vials, Part 2

[Study Aired March 28, 2025]

Rev 16:10  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,
Rev 16:11  And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
Rev 16:12  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.
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.

We concluded our last study pointing out how the sixth trumpet and the sixth vial are both concerned with the great river Euphrates.

In the sixth  trumpet we are told that the great river Euphrates is the prison of four angels whose work is “to slay a third part of men”:

Rev 9:13  And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
Rev 9:14  Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
Rev 9:15  And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.

As is always the case, the phrase “the third part”, reveals to us that the process of judgment is leading up to the work of the Lord which “fills up of the wrath of God” in our lives. This “filling up” of God’s wrath we are specifically told is a “great and marvellous” work of the Lord. It is the filling up of the wrath of God:

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.

What we must constantly remind ourselves is that this “great and marvellous” work is the painful process of our judgment at the hand of our God via His “seven angels” in this present time.

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
1Pe 4:19  Wherefore let them that suffer [in “this present time” (Rom 8:18)] according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

The excruciating pain of both the fifth and the sixth vials is associated with the darkness created by the smoke that arises out of the bottomless pit, signifying the lies which are associated with both the fifth and the sixth trumpets:

Rev 11:18  And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

What “the time of the dead, that they should be judged” signifies is our old man who is being destroyed by the brightness of the coming of the Truth of the doctrines of Christ into our lives. That revelation of the mind of Christ is our judgment which is now on the house of God:

1Pe 4:17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God. If it begins with us first what will it be like in the end for those who do not obey the good news of God?
1Pe 4:18 If the righteous is scarcely saved, where shall the ungodly and sinners appear?

The three angels of Revelation 14 signify the process of judgment the Lord is working in our lives as He destroys our old man and his kingdom founded on the lies of Babylon. These are the words of the first angel:

Rev 14:7  Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

The third angel with the third vial poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters causing them to become blood. The great river Euphrates would certainly be one of those “rivers and fountains of waters” and this is what the angels with the third vial says about the fact that the waters are becoming blood in our lives:

Rev 16:5  And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.
Rev 16:6  For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.

We demonstrated earlier how our faithfulness to the lies of Babylon is signified as drinking the blood of all the saints and prophets from Abel to Zacharias.

Luk 11:49  Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:
Luk 11:50  That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;
Luk 11:51  From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

“This generation” is the generation reading these words.

The events of the sixth vial are called “The spirits of devils working miracles” coming “out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet”, and they are the very doctrines and spirits coming out of the mouths of the false prophets of 1 John 4 of whom we are instructed to “believe not” and to “try the spirits to see whether they are of God.” These are the doctrines we all have believed and to which we have all subscribed, and from which we must all, by the scorching heat of the Sun, repent and destroy.

1Jn 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit [doctrine], but try the spirits [doctrines] whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

These are the very doctrines to which we cling so fiercely that they “gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.” It is at our “Armageddon” that we are finally stripped of all those things we have up to now been incapable of relinquishing. Armageddon is our old man’s ‘Waterloo’. It is at this point that the seventh vial is poured out upon us and the wrath of God is being filled up within the kingdom and throne of our beast. It is now that “the seven plagues of the seven angels is fulfilled [and] the mystery of God is finished.”

Rev 10:7  But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

These seven vials are “the voice of the seventh angel when He shall begin to sound.” When we come to see the lies of Babylon, we are “drying up the great river Euphrates”, which flows through and nourishes Babylon. The Sun of Righteousness arises in the east, and the east is the Biblical symbol for the rising light of understanding and of Truth, which will enter into Babylon via her dried-up Euphrates river bed, and destroy her with all of her oppressive lies and false doctrines, which have been used by our God (Jer 29:4 below) to prepare us for the destruction of our old man.

The holy spirit here is alluding to one of the most famous military actions of all time, where Cyrus the Great diverted the waters of the Euphrates and entered the great city of Babylon by night while Belshazzar the Babylonian was partying. He took the city without a fight and slew Belshazzar that very same night.

Here is that story in Daniel 5. It is the Biblical shadow of the fall of our Babylon, and the destruction of our Babylonian kings who rule us and want to keep us in Babylon.

Dan 5:21  And he [Nebuchadnezzar] was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.
Dan 5:22  And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;
Dan 5:23  But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:
Dan 5:24  Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.
Dan 5:25  And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
Dan 5:26  This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.
Dan 5:27  TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
Dan 5:28  PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
Dan 5:29  Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
Dan 5:30  In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain [“Armageddon”, or ‘Waterloo’].
Dan 5:31  And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

Summary

So what is all of this? Is this all something we need to avoid at all cost? Absolutely not! This is “the revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave to Him to show to His servants things which simply must come to pass.”

Rev 1:1  The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

Rev 1:3  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

These seven last plagues of the wrath of God are the “great and marvellous” part of all “those things which are written” in this book which “must shortly come to pass” and be kept by all who read, hear and understand what they are reading. This is the patience and the faith of the saints, which is hidden behind the seven seals, which are upon the sayings of the prophecy of this book. Until that last seal is opened, this book is still sealed from our view, and we will weep with John because there is no one found worthy to take this book and open the seven seals upon it:

Rev 5:1  And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
Rev 5:2  And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
Rev 5:3  And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.
Rev 5:4  And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
Rev 5:5  And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

It is “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David”… it is Jesus Christ who opens the seven seals of this book. Since the seventh seal is the seven trumpets, this book will remain sealed until the seventh trumpet “begins to sound” in our lives. Until the Lord gives us eyes that see and ears that hear, the sayings of the prophecy of this book will remain sealed away from our view. Until the seventh trumpet begins to sound in our lives the “great and marvellous work” of the seven last plagues, which begin to finish the work of God in our lives, we will not be granted to begin to enter into the temple of God and enjoy the fellowship of our spiritual brother and His and our Father:

Isa 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isa 9:7  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

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.

Rev 1:1  The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

Rev 13:1  And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
Rev 13:2  And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as [the feet] of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
Rev 13:3  And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who [is] like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
Rev 13:5  And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
Rev 13:6  And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
Rev 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
Rev 13:8  And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Rev 13:9  If any man have an ear, let him hear.
Rev 13:10  He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

So it is good for us to “keep the things written herein”. It is good for the saints to be overcome by the beast within them. It is good for us to “live by every word” in this prophecy. It is good that our old man is “scorched by the heat of the Sun”, and it is “great and marvellous” in each of us for that old man to be “destroyed by the brightness of His coming”.

Mat 13:5  Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
Mat 13:6  And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

Jas 1:11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. (ESV).

We must live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, and these seven plagues of these seven angels ‘proceed out of the mouth of God.’ It was God Himself who instructed Israel to submit to and endure their Babylonian captivity, and it is while we are yet in the darkness which extends from the time before and continues through our time in Babylon, that the pain of these judgments is being worked within us. Darkness produces excruciating pain in us all, and the throne of our beast is afflicted with deep darkness which causes us to “gnaw our tongues for pain”, while we continue to defend those things in our lives which keep us connected to Babylon. It is all the work of God in our lives, and even the struggle to come out of her while we cling to her ways and her doctrines is all of God and for our good.

Jer 29:4  Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon;
Jer 29:5  Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them;
Jer 29:6  Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished.
Jer 29:7  And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.

We will drink of the cup of God’s wrath, and we will be carried away into Babylon, and it is in “seeking the peace” of that city and accepting its place and function in our development, that we will have peace. It is only in Babylon that we drink of the wine of the wrath of God which these seals, trumpets and vials all symbolize. All of the horrendous events described and “written herein” are ours, by God’s own commandment (1Co 3:21-22):

1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
1Co 3:22  Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
1Co 3:23  And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.

We easily accept that Paul, Apollos, Cephas, and life are ours, but we struggle to understand how ‘the world… death and things present and things to come’, are also ours.

We read it in Revelation 13:10, and we are told a second time, that all of this ”is the patience and faith of the saints” of God, and of those who “keep His commandments”:

Rev 13:8  And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him [the beast], whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Rev 13:9  If any man have an ear, let him hear.
Rev 13:10  He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here [all of this] is the patience and the faith of the saints.

Rev 14:9  And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
Rev 14:10  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Rev 14:11  And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. [Is this a bad thing? Only in the sense that it is a necessary evil to bring about the destruction of the beast within, because we are told:]
Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Is there any possible way to leapfrog these seven vials of God’s wrath? What is the doctrine of scripture? Will the Lord’s elect be raptured out of these persecutions and tribulations of the seven last plagues of the wrath of God? What is the answer of scripture:

Jer 25:27  Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Drink ye, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you.
Jer 25:28  And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ye shall certainly drink.
Jer 25:29  For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the LORD of hosts.
Jer 25:30  Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words [“the things written therein”], and say unto them, The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.
Jer 25:31  A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the LORD.
Jer 25:32  Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.
Jer 25:33  And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.
Jer 25:34  Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel.
Jer 25:35  And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape.
Jer 25:36  A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and an howling of the principal of the flock, shall be heard: for the LORD hath spoiled their pasture.
Jer 25:37  And the peaceable habitations are cut down because of the fierce anger of the LORD.[The seven last plagues which fill up his wrath (Rev 15:1)]
Jer 25:38  He hath forsaken his covert, as the lion: for their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger.

All orthodox churches which teach that they will not drink of the cup of God’s wrath, will do so. All of orthodox Christianity which teaches that they will be either raptured away before God’s wrath, or supernaturally given a “place of safety” to avoid having to keep the things written in this book will drink of His wrath. All who tell you that you have no part in these things written in this 16th chapter are “the shepherds who will have no way to flee” when their lies are exposed, and the waters of that great river are dried up, and all the wealth which had flowed into Babylon upon those waters begins to dry up. In other words, it will be demonstrated that these “shepherds” have been teaching that these things written in this prophecy are not “the patience and faith of the saints”, and those who read hear and keep these things are not blessed at all, but rather are cursed. Nevertheless the truth remains:

Rev 1:3  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Which things? The ones “written therein”, including this sixteenth chapter which fills up the wrath of God on our ungodliness and unrighteousness (Rom 1:18).

Fortunately, for a “blessed and holy” few, this is one of the things written therein which they will live by:

Rev 2:11  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Next week, Lord willing, we will once again see how the seventh trumpet, which sounds in Revelation 11 corresponds with, and helps to explain for us, the meaning of the experience of the seventh vial:

Rev 16:17  And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
Rev 16:18  And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, [and] so great.
Rev 16:19  And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
Rev 16:20  And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
Rev 16:21  And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, [every stone] about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

Rev 16:10-16  The 5^th and 6^th Vials, Part 1

[Study Aired March 23, 2025]

Rev 16:10  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,
Rev 16:11  And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
Rev 16:12  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.
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.

Introduction

Once again we must remind ourselves that the pouring out of these seven vials is a “great and marvelous” work of the Lord in our lives, and they are a vital part of “the words of this prophecy”. We must keep in mind that we are specifically told we are to “read, hear and keep”, “the things which are written” in this “revelation of Jesus Christ” within us.

Rev 1:3  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

We are also told that the multitudes who come to Christ are “not given… to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven”:

Mat 13:9  Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Mat 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them [the multitudes who come to Christ] in parables?
Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

Since we must all live by every word of God, we are therefore all first born blind from the womb of our first bondwoman mother.

Mat 4:4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Joh 9:39  And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
Joh 9:40  And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
Joh 9:41  Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

Gal 4:23  But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
Gal 4:24  Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
Gal 4:25  For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. [All who think “Jerusalem which now is” is “God’s chosen people” are still “in bondage with… the children of the bondwoman” (vs 26-28)]

After we acknowledge that we were born in a spiritually blind condition, then we begin to be healed of our spiritual blindness.

Joh 9:39  And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
Joh 9:40  And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
Joh 9:41  Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

So it is at our own peril of being “hurt of the second death” in the lake of fire, that we put these seals, trumpets or vials off into the future or off in the past or onto anyone else but ourselves. Scripture is not written to others. Scripture is addressed to “he that hath an ear.” Hopefully that is to you and me, if indeed we are granted to know God and His Son. It is addressed to those who are given eyes to see and ears to hear that we ourselves are the beast whose throne and whose kingdom is affected by, and destroyed by, this revelation of Jesus Christ.

2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

This revelation is all about “the brightness of His coming” to judge our old beastly man within by the words of this prophecy which are “the spirit of His mouth”.

Rev 19:15  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

It is all the revelation of our judgment, and our judgment is addressed to all the seven churches of Asia with all of their false doctrines within us. Those seven churches are shown by “the seven angels [of] the seven churches” that their judgment is in this revelation, which consists of a book sealed with seven seals.

Rev 1:20  The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

This ‘revelation’ signifies the entire Word of God, “the spirit of His mouth”, which is completely hidden with seven seals from all who are not given to understand that all of mankind is destined to “live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” [Ecc 9:2, Mat 4:4].

Mat 4:4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

If even one of those seven seals is not fulfilled within each of us, then this entire revelation of Jesus Christ will remain completely sealed from our understanding. The seven seals are seven judgments which are expanded to include seven more trumpet judgments, which are expanded to include these seven vials which “fill up the wrath of God” against all the ungodliness and unrighteousness within all of us.

It is first our own inward armies of false doctrines who are gathered to the great day of God almighty. It is us while we are yet self-righteous sinners in Babylon, who are completely unaware of the coming of our Lord as a thief who plunders and destroys the kingdom of our father, the Devil, within us. With that in mind, let’s see what our Lord is doing within that doomed kingdom within us all, in the fifth and sixth bowls which fill up His wrath against our ungodliness and unrighteousness. Here is this fifth vial:

Rev 16:10  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,
Rev 16:11  And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

The first thing we need to notice is that this is the only one of the seven vials which does not use the exact same language as that used in the parallel seven trumpets. Let us remind ourselves of the fact that these vials are part of the seven trumpets, and that the principles found in the seven trumpets are also to be found corresponding with each of the seven vials. Here is a review of each to make this point:

First trumpet:

Rev 8:7  The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. (1Pe 1:24  For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:)

First vial:

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.

Second trumpet:

Rev 8:8  And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
Rev 8:9  And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.

Second vial:

Rev 16:3  And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea. [Mat 26:27  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave [it] to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; Mat 26:28  For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.]

Third trumpet:

Rev 8:10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;
Rev 8:11  And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter [1Co 15:31  I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.]

Rev 10:9  And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.

Third Vial:

Rev 16:4  And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.
Rev 16:5  And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.
Rev 16:6  For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.
Rev 16:7  And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.

The Word of God is sweet in our mouth, but it is both blood and bitter in our belly where we must digest and live by its every word.

Joh 6:53  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Joh 6:54  Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
Joh 6:55  For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
Joh 6:56  He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

Fourth Trumpet:

Rev 8:12  And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
Rev 8:13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!

2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Fourth Vial:

Rev 16:8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
Rev 16:9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

The apostle Paul who was first known as “Saul of Tarsus” signifies who we all are while we are in the harlot churches of Babylon. At that time we were one and all ‘blasphemers’:

1Ti 1:12  And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
1Ti 1:13  Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

It is while we are in spiritual darkness that we are being “scorched with fire from the Sun.”

Ecc 3:16  And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness [the Lord’s apostate churches], that iniquity was there.

God is calling light out of darkness, and for those who are given to fear Him and hear Him, the outcome is worth the pain.

Mal 4:2  But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

We have all been blasphemers who, like the apostle Paul, “did it ignorantly in unbelief”, and it was at that time that we “repented not to give Him glory.” Instead we returned to our sins “as a dog to his vomit” (2Pe 2:22).

Rev 11:3  And I will give power unto my two witnesses [also called the “seven angels” with the seven vials, (Rev 19:10, 22:8-9) “our fellowservants”], and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
Rev 11:4  These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
Rev 11:5  And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

Jer 5:14  Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

Our old man, our first Adam, must be devoured by the scorching fire of God’s word, the scorching heat of the Sun of Righteousness, before we become that heat and that fire. Once again, good comes through “keeping the things written therein”, and we have delivered ourselves from the curses which are placed upon those who either “add to” or “take from the sayings of the prophecy of this book” (Rev 22:18-19).

The fifth trumpet and the fifth vial

Now we come to the fifth trumpet. Up until now, everything in every trumpet is repeated in the corresponding vial. That corresponding work will continue in the fifth trumpet, but it will be done in a way which will reveal to us that the “bottomless pit” is what the scriptures call ‘the sea’ within us. It will also reveal that this is where the throne of the beast is located. Read the paper entitled What is The Bottomless Pit?

https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/the-bottomless-pit/

Here again is this:

Fifth Trumpet:

Rev 9:1  And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
Rev 9:2  And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
Rev 9:3  And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
Rev 9:4  And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
Rev 9:5  And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment [was] as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
Rev 9:6  And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
Rev 9:7  And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces [were] as the faces of men.
Rev 9:8  And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.
Rev 9:9  And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
Rev 9:10  And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. [Isa 9:15 – … the prophet that teacheth lies, he [is] the tail.]
Rev 9:11  And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
Rev 9:12  One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ [This is what men seek “in those days”]: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Fifth Vial:

Rev 16:10  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,
Rev 16:11  And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

Both this fifth vial and the fifth trumpet are concerned with the effects of the darkness they expose in our lives:

Rev 9:1  And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
Rev 9:2  And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

The revelation of the location of “the bottomless pit” is imparted to us when we see from whence all that darkness resides. It is the smoke out of the bottomless pit of the sixth trumpet which darkens the sun and air. The darkness associated with this 6^th vial corresponds with the darkness that comes out of the bottomless pit, revealing that “the seat (throne) and kingdom of the beast”, and the bottomless pit are one and the same thing. Both are the spiritually blind, rebellious, carnal mind which is revealed to be the source of all that darkness.

Rev 16:10  And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast [our rebellious, carnal mind]; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,

The phrase “bottomless pit” is translated from two Greek words. ‘Bottomless’ is translated from the Greek word G12, ‘abussos’, meaning ‘deep’ and the Greek word ‘phrear’, G5421, “a pit”. So it is our rebellious, carnal mind which is a deep pit, and that deep pit is the home of the locusts [false doctrines] which darken the sun and the air:

Rev 9:2  And he opened the bottomless pit [abussos, phrear]; and there arose a smoke out of the pit [phrear], as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit [phrear].
Rev 9:3  And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

When the devils who were “legion” were being cast out of the demoniac man, they pleaded with the Lord not to send them “out of the country” but to send them into a herd of 2,000 swine:

Mar 5:10  And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.
Mar 5:11  Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.
Mar 5:12  And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
Mar 5:13  And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea [G2281: ‘thalassa’, “lake”].

The Greek word ‘thalassa’ (lake) is replaced with the Greek word ‘limne’ in Luke’s account of this same incident where we learn that the devils requested that they not be sent into the abussos, the deep. They wanted to enter into the herd of swine [They were allowed for their request to be granted as they asked according to God’s plan.]:

Luk 8:30  And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.
Luk 8:31  And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep [G12: ‘abussos’, deep].
Luk 8:32  And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them.
Luk 8:33  Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake [G3041: ‘limne’ “a pond or a lake”], and were choked.

“The deep”, ‘the abussos’ here in Luke 8:31 obviously refers to the “limne, a pond, a lake or sea” [G2281: ‘thlassa’] of Galilee where the herd of 2,000 swine drowned. The “lake of fire” of Revelation 19:20, 20:10; 20:14, 20:15 is the G3041, ‘limne’ of fire’ where the devil who was “cast into the bottomless pit” [abussos, “deep”] at the beginning of the thousand-year reign of Christ and His Christ, is now “cast into the ‘limne’ (G3041) of fire [which] is the second death”, as opposed to the first death which we die with Christ in “this present time” (Rom 8:18, 1Co 15:31, Gal 2:20).

Both this fifth trumpet and this fifth vial are poured out upon the throne of the beast because the Greek word translated ‘seat’ is ‘thronos’, which everywhere else is translated simply as ‘throne’. The sea signifies the “many waters” of our flesh where the doctrines of the harlot and the beast sit on that throne, which rightfully is Christ’s throne. The cleansing of the temple is accomplished through enduring the ‘fire’ of the Word which is called “a sea of glass mingled with fire” with which fire Christ will reclaim His throne.

Once again we see how the events of this fifth vial correspond to the events which take place in the fifth trumpet we can now understand that they both deal with the pain that must be experienced in the “bottomless pit” of our own rebellious carnal mind.

Rom 8:6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Rom 8:7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

Our carnal mind which cannot be subject to the law of God is our own dark bottomless pit which, being the darkened mind of our flesh, cannot inherit the kingdom of God:

1Co 15:50  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

Once again we see how the details concerning the purpose for the process of being judged by all of that pain which is poured out upon “the throne of the beast” are given to us in the fifth trumpet, while the filling up of that wrath and pain is given to us in the fifth vial. It is through the details of the trumpets that we are given to understand the meaning of the symbols of the vials. In this particular vial, we learn that “the seat [throne] of the beast” is ‘abussos’ , “the bottomless pit”. It is up from this abussos that we all rise:

Rev 13:1  And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea [G2281: ‘thalassa’, which Mark 5:13 demonstrates is the same as the G12 ‘abussos’ of Luke 8:31, and the “lake”, G3041, ‘limne’ of Luke 8:33] having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

Rev 17:15  And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

‘Thalassa’, ‘limne’, and ‘abussos’, one and all refer to the deep darkness of our carnal minds which are “enmity against the law of God” (Rom 8:7) and “cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (1Co 15:50).

We certainly do not immediately repent and thank the Lord for the pain we experience. Instead we, like self-righteous Job, first feel that the Lord has unjustly made us His target, and we blaspheme His name when we make that accusation:

Job 16:11  God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.
Job 16:12  I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.
Job 16:13  His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.
Job 16:14  He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.
Job 16:15  I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.
Job 16:16  My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
Job 16:17  Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.

We have already learned that Satan’s throne is our hearts and minds which rightfully belong to our Creator. We have just seen that it is our hearts and minds which are first possessed by “the [self righteous] man of sin… the son of perdition” before the coming of Christ who drives Satan out of our hearts and minds with the brightness of His fiery coming:

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

“The seat of the beast” is our own hearts and minds which are full of so much pain that we “chew [our] tongues” when we finally come to see the depth of darkness we have been in for so long. Everything we have ever believed was a lie, and we blaspheme the name of the Lord because the pain of losing it all seems to be more than we can bear. The Lord wants us to know that the only way He can change our rebellious old man is through severe mental and spiritual pain. ‘Chewing our tongues’ is just another way of saying that He makes us eat our own words by judging us with our own iniquity and judging us “out of [our] own mouth”:

Jer 2:18  And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?  
Jer 2:19  Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

The waters of Sihor and the waters of Assyria signify the lying, smooth, false doctrines of all the harlot daughters of Babylon.

Luk 19:22  And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:

The sixth trumpet and the sixth vial

Sixth trumpet:

Rev 9:13  And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
Rev 9:14  Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
Rev 9:15  And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
Rev 9:16  And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.
Rev 9:17  And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.
Rev 9:18  By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
Rev 9:19  For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.
Rev 9:20  And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
Rev 9:21  Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

The sixth vial is also poured out upon the great river Euphrates:

Rev 16:12  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.
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.

We will pause our study at this point, and in our next study we will consider what the spiritual significance of “the great river Euphrates” is.  The Euphrates was the artery through which the wealth of all the provinces of Babylon flowed into that great city, and in our next study we will see that this great river signifies all the lies and false doctrines which keep the wealth of the whole world flowing into modern day spiritual Babylon the great, the mother of harlots. This river is referred to as “the waters of Assyria” in the Old Testament:

Jer 2:18  And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor [The Nile]? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river? [Euphrates]

]]> https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/rev-164-9-part-1-the-third-and-fourth-vials/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rev-164-9-part-1-the-third-and-fourth-vials Sat, 15 Mar 2025 16:48:33 +0000 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=32328 Study Audio Download

Rev 16:4-9 Part 1, The Third and Fourth Vials

[Study Aired March 16, 2025]

Rev 16:4  And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.
Rev 16:5  And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.
Rev 16:6  For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.
Rev 16:7  And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous [are] thy judgments.
Rev 16:8  And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
Rev 16:9  And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

We concluded our last study with these very revealing and revolutionary verses of scripture:

Rom 2:28  For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29  But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise [is] not of men, but of God.

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Adding the writings of Paul to the doctrines of Peter, it becomes clear that ‘judgment must begin at… he… which is… a Jew… inwardly’.

For all those who struggle to understand how Gentile Christians can possibly call themselves the true spiritual ‘Jew’, Romans 2:28-29 makes that case as clearly and concisely as it can be stated. Some disdainfully refer to such a doctrine as ‘replacement theology’. If Roman’s 2:28-29 is ‘replacement theology’ then Peter and Paul were the original replacement theologians. These are Peter’s own words at the Jerusalem conference:

Act 15:8  And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them [Gentile Christians] the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
Act 15:9  And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
Act 15:10  Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Act 15:11  But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

Notice that Peter did not say, “They shall be saved even as we are.” The holy spirit inspired him to tell us that Jewish Christians “shall be saved, even as they [Gentiles, are saved]”.

“He is not a Jew which is one outwardly… but he is a Jew which is one inwardly” is one of “the first principles of the oracles of God”, a truth which we can all read and see with our own eyes. Nevertheless we “hold [this truth] in unrighteousness” and deny that “he is not a Jew which is one outwardly” while these seven plagues are being poured out upon us. This blind rebellion against the words of God is what turns “the rivers and fountains of waters” of God’s Word into blood.

Luk 11:50  That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;
Luk 11:51  From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

“This generation” is the generation reading these words in every generation.

That blood we are given to drink is the blood of Christ which is now on our own hands, even as we profess that we “believe on Him” and serve him when in fact we do not:

Joh 16:2  They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

Like Saul of Tarsus, we are those who “kill you thinking we do God’s service”, before we become Paul the apostle who truly does service to God by “dying daily” to the things of this age.

It is very instructive that several of these trumpets are said to affect “the third part”, whereas there is no such language in the description of the seven last plagues which “fill up the wrath of God”, bringing this process of judgment to its conclusion. The trumpets describe this ongoing process of judgment, while the seven last plagues describe the filling up in our lives of these judgments of God.

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.

Rev 10:7  But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound [his trumpet], the mystery of God should be finished [the seven last plagues which “fill up the wrath of God”], as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

There is no mention of “a third” of anything because this is what “finishes… the mystery of God.”

In the third trumpet “the third part of the rivers and fountains of water… become… bitter” and many men die, but in the third vial we are “judged thus” to have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and we are given blood to drink, and again we are told “true and righteous are your judgments.” No mention of “a third part” of anything in the pouring out of the vials.

The bitterness of the star, which makes the rivers and fountains of waters ‘wormwood’, is the same perversion of God’s Word which we drink as blood in the third vial which is also dealing with our rivers and fountains of waters of God’s Word which we hold at this time in our walk “in unrighteousness”:

Rom 1:18  For the wrath of God [the seven last plagues] is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

These plagues are God’s chastening judgments upon our own “ungodliness and unrighteousness”:

Tit 2:11  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12  Teaching [G3811: ’paideuo’, chastening] us [with the seven last plagues] that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

It behooves us to “read, hear, and keep the things written herein” because we are told:

1Co 11:31  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
1Co 11:32  But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

So those who teach that these seven plagues are not God’s chastening judgments, but are designed simply to harden hearts for destruction in the lake of fire, will be judged out of their own mouths, and will find themselves in that very position because they refuse to acknowledge that “all things are ours”, and that we “must live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God”, especially the “great and marvelous” words of this 16th chapter of Revelation.

Mat 4:4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
1Co 3:22  Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;

Anyone who denies that these ‘seven last plagues’ are to be experienced by the Lord’s elect are denying The Truth of 1Co 3:21-22 and The Truth of these words:

Rev 15:7  And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
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 [In his life].

According to those who believe that they need not experience these seven last plagues of the wrath of God Revelation 15:8, they think that verse should read “No man [except those who were raptured, or those who “need no repentance”, or those who ‘never blasphemed the name of God’] was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.’

These seven last plagues come straight out of the mouth of God:

Mat 4:4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Rev 1:1  The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified [it] by his angel unto his servant John:

Rev 1:3  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

“The time is [always] at hand [for us] to keep… these seven last plagues… which are written in this book”, generation by generation. These plagues are part of the “one event [which is] to all men” (Ecc 9:2), as is the fourth vial also.

The fourth plague and the fourth trumpet as well as all seven trumpets and all seven vials must be “fulfilled” in our lives (Rev 15:8):

Rev 16:8  And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
Rev 16:9  And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

At this point the fourth vial or bowl is poured out upon the sun. With what is the fourth trumpet concerned?

Rev 8:12  And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
Rev 8:13  And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!

Again we see that the trumpets involve “the third part” whereas the vials “fill up the wrath of God” upon our sins and rebellions while we blaspheme the name of God. While we just naturally assume those who blaspheme the name of God do so knowingly, the scriptures actually reveal that we do so unknowingly.

Joh 16:2  They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

So how do the scriptures reveal that we will all unknowingly blaspheme the name of God within our lives? Here is how we all blaspheme the name of God, before we come to even know we are doing so:

Rom 2:17  Behold, thou art called a [spiritual] Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,
Rom 2:18  And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;
Rom 2:19  And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,
Rom 2:20  An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.
Rom 2:21  Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
Rom 2:22  Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
Rom 2:23  Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
Rom 2:24  For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

Romans 2 is addressed to Gentile Romans converts who Paul considers to be his spiritual “brethren”. This epistle is not written to people who don’t even know God and His Son. The church at Rome was not raised up by the apostle Paul. The church at Rome long preceded Paul’s ministry and without a doubt included the Jews who were in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost when the church first received the holy spirit as recorded in Acts 2:

Act 2:1  And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
Act 2:2  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
Act 2:3  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
Act 2:4  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Act 2:5  And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
Act 2:6  Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
Act 2:7  And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
Act 2:8  And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
Act 2:9  Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
Act 2:10  Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,

This book is addressed to those in Rome who claim to know Christ, and that certainly included many Gentiles because Paul addresses this book specifically to the Gentiles in Rome:

Rom 1:13  Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.

Paul is not accusing Caesar or his subjects of blaspheming the name of God in Romans 2. He is speaking to those who consider themselves to be God’s own people, who teach others not to steal, commit adultery and commit sacrilege, while they are doing the very things they have condemned in the lives of others. In other words, these words are all addressed to you and to me. It is we who have blasphemed the name of God among the Gentiles, and we continue to do so all the time we spend in the churches of Babylon, truly believing all the lying false doctrines of Babylon even as God judges us for all of our rebellious hypocrisy. That is how we are guilty of the blood of all the prophets including the blood of Christ. Even so this is how merciful our Lord is towards us while we are killing Him and His Christ:

Luk 23:33  And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
Luk 23:34  Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

When the seven plagues of the seven angels are fulfilled in our walk, we will repent of our blasphemous lives. We will have read, heard, and kept all these things written in this book, and then we will be cleansed in the sea of glass mingled with fire. Only the priests of God can stand on that sea with the harps of God, and through the fire mingled with that glass, they are given to enter into the temple of God which temple is us in Christ and Christ within us. In that day we will understand the meaning of this verse:

Joh 14:20  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

That, too, is the mystery of God declared to us by His servants the prophets. It simply adds to our understanding of the same mystery spoken of by Paul in Colossians 1:

Col 1:26  Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Col 1:28  Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

What John calls seals, trumpets, and vials, Paul simply refers to as “much tribulation” and “all your tribulations”, which he equates with “the righteous judgment of God”:

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

2Th 1:3  We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith [“of Jesus”, Rev 14:12] groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
2Th 1:4  So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
2Th 1:5  Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

This statement in Acts 14:22 is made immediately after telling us that Paul had just been stoned and left for dead, but he had been raised up to continue his testimony. This is an example of what is meant by the “sea of glass mingled with fire.” Those who are granted to stand on that sea, with the harps of God, have already endured the seven last plagues. Christ has entered into His temple and has taken the dominion of their hearts and minds, and they will not be deterred by a mere stoning to death.

Rev 10:7  But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel [the seven last plagues] , when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

Summary

In this study we have seen that it is the pouring out of the seven last plagues of the seven angels which is essential to bring us to see our need for being cleansed in the sea of glass mingled with fire.  The fire that is mingled with that glass is the judgments of the Word of God upon all the blasphemous sins that are within us, even as we claim to be doing God a service. That fire brings on us the fulfilling in our lives of the seven plagues of the seven angels. They must begin to be fulfilled before we can be cleansed and stand on the settled ‘sea of glass mingled with fire’ and before we can enter into the temple of God.

We also saw that the destruction of the man of sin of 2Thessalonians 2, “with the brightness of [the] coming [of Christ]”, is the same event as the pouring out of these seven plagues. Both result in the same thing; “the mystery of God should be finished”. That mystery is “Christ in you”, and we saw that “the mystery of God… as He has declared to His servants the prophets, commences where “the mystery of iniquity… the man of sin” holding the dominion in our body, ends and the dominion of the mind of Christ begins to dominate our lives.

We have seen that these seven vials are God’s judgments upon our ungodliness and unrighteousness, which “fill up the wrath of God”, while the seven trumpets which precede the seven last plagues, and which perfectly parallel the seven vials, are characterized by the phrase “the third part”, signifying the process of judgment is ongoing and God’s wrath is not “filled up” in the trumpets as it is in the vials.

We have seen how we have perverted the truths of God’s “rivers and fountains of waters”, His own word, which we have twisted and perverted into deadly lies which we used to kill the prophets of God who have been sent to us with His Truth. In this way we have been made to drink the blood of our own Savior and His Christ, thus being guilty of that blood.

Mar 10:38  But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?
Mar 10:39  And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:

Mat 26:27  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
Mat 26:28  For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

We have seen that we have all blasphemed the name of God among the Gentiles for the plague of heat, which as “the Sun” of the fiery Truth of God’s Word, is poured out upon our old man and his doctrines. We saw that we do this by holding Truth in unrighteousness, even as we think we were serving God:

Joh 16:2  They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

We have seen that the mystery of God within us actually begins in the opening of the seals and should be finished in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, the pouring out of the seven last plagues, when he begins to sound. In other words, “He that has begun a good work in us, will perform it until the day of Christ.”

Php 1:3  I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
Php 1:4  Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
Php 1:5  For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
Php 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: [The finishing of the mystery of God].

In our next study, Lord willing, we will see that the bottomless pit and “the seat of the beast are one and the same within us.

Rev 16:10  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,
Rev 16:11  And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
Rev 16:12  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.
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.

Rev 16:1-3 The First Two of the Seven Last Plagues

[Study Aired March 14, 2025]

Rev 16:1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.
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.
Rev 16:3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.

Introduction

This and the next several studies will be a powerful demonstration of the ‘is, was and will be’ character of the word of God as it relates to the seven seals, the seven trumpets of the seven angels and these “seven angels with these seven last plagues (which) fill up the wrath of God. In each case we will see that the number seven signifies a completing, rather than a certain order of events. When we forget that Truth of the meaning of the spiritual symbolism of the number seven, we inevitably become dispensationalists who ask “Where am I in this process? How far have I come, and how much further do I have to go?” instead of realizing that no one is ever perfected before “the third day”, and that again has nothing to do with the number three itself, but it rather has to do with the process of judgment signified by that number.

In the next few studies we will see that the “seven last plagues” of these vials or bowls are actually part of the seven seals upon this book, inasmuch as these seven plagues are the seventh trumpet, which in turn is the seventh seal.

Until that last seal is opened, this book is still sealed, and until the last trumpet sounds, the judgments of God are still working in our lives, and the seventh seal is still not opened. Since the seven trumpets of the seven angels are the seventh seal, this book is completely sealed from our vision until those seven angels sound in our lives. Now, since the seventh trumpet of God’s judgment is the seven last plagues “which fill up the wrath of God”, we are under that yet unfilled wrath until the “mystery of God should be finished” in us “till the seven plagues of the seven angels” have begun to be fulfilled within our lives.

Rev 10:7  But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

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.

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.

We must take notice at this point that the statement… “no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled” is in the aorist tense.

Rev 15:8  And the temple was filled^{[G5681: aorist tense]} with smoke from the glory  of God, and from his power; and no man was able^{[G5711: imperfect tense]} to enter^{G1525 [G5629: aorist tense]} into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled^{G5055 [G5686: aorist tense]}.

Who is “the earth” of verse one?

“In the days… when he shall begin to sound the mystery of God should be finished… filling up the wrath of God”, makes it abundantly clear that this is all speaking of an ongoing process of judgment within “the earth” which is us, and it all adds up to the fact that this book cannot be unsealed to be “read, heard or kept… till the seven plagues of the seven angels have begun to be fulfilled within our lives.”

Jer 22:29  O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD.

Who is the “earth” which is supposed to “Hear the word of the Lord”? We need not guess:

Rev 1:3 Blessed is he [the “earth”] that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Rev 22:7  Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he [the “earth”] that keepeththe sayings of the prophecy of this book.
Rev 22:8  And I John [and you and me, Lord willing] saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
Rev 22:9  Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets [“the earth” that “hears these things”], and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.
Rev 22:10  And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.

“The time is at hand” that “the mystery of God… Christ in you, the hope of glory… should be finished” in “the earth”; within each of us. That is why this prophecy is called “the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Col 1:26-27, Rev 1:1-3). This book is all about the revelation of Jesus Christ within His elect, and that is why we are admonished in the third verse of the first chapter, and the 10th verse of the last chapter, to “keep the things written therein, for the time is at hand”.

Rev 16:1  And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.

Since we are “the earth” to whom Christ has been sent by the Father, and since we are also “the temple of God” (1Co 3:16-17), it is obvious that this “great voice from within the temple” is Christ and His Words speaking to us from within us. It is of utmost importance that we notice that these seven last plagues are poured out at the behest of this “great voice” which emanates “out of the temple”. What this tells us is that God really does do all that He does through Christ whom the Father has sent to do His will on this “earth”. Since this voice comes “out of the temple” and we, in Christ, are also that temple, it follows that we are sent by Christ to do all that Christ does. What that means is that we are called to live the life He lived. That is exactly what Christ has told us. Just as His Father operates all through Him, He also operates all through His anointed and sent ones; through His Christ; through His anointed; through His church (Eph 3:9-10):

Joh 20:21  Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

2Co 1:21  Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed [Greek: Chrio, Christed, or anointed] us, is God;

1Jn 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

“As He is, so are we”? What does that mean? God sent Christ for one purpose, and that purpose was “to save the world, not to condemn the world” to everlasting torment or to everlasting death.

Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

1Ti 4:10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially [but not exclusively] of those that believe.

1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also [“each in his own order” 1Co 15:23] for the sins of the whole world.

Who are these seven angels?

While we have discussed this much earlier, we need to put what we see here with what was said earlier to know for certain who these seven angels symbolize.

That these seven angels are God’s own physical servants in this age is not to be doubted, because we are twice told that they are those who are admonished at the beginning of this prophecy to “keep the things written therein”.

Rev 17:1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

Rev 21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.

There it is, twice we are told that it was “one of the angels which had the seven vials” who shows us 1) the judgment of the great whore, and 2) the bride, the Lamb’s wife. Where are we told that these seven angels are those who are told in chapter one, verse three, to “keep the things written therein”? Here it is. Here is where the symbolism of these seven angels is revealed to us. Notice who “the angel who showed John these things” tells John he symbolizes:

Rev 19:10  And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

“I am your fellowservant, and of your brothers that have the testimony of Jesus.” These seven angels are you and me, if indeed we “have the testimony of Jesus.” This same amazing revelation is repeated in the 22nd chapter of Revelation:

Rev 22:7  Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
Rev 22:8  And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
Rev 22:9  Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.
Rev 22:10  And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.

Which angel is this angel? Here it is again. Here is “the angel which showed these things unto John:

Rev 17:1  And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

Rev 21:9  And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.

So the seven angels are “our fellowservants, our brothers who have the testimony of Jesus, and them which keep the sayings of this book.” The seven angels are John and you and me.

So the same angels that have the seven last plagues are also showing us who is the “great whore that sits upon many waters”, as well as showing us “the bride the Lamb’s wife.”

However, the “mystery of God which He has declared to His servants” is not finished, and no man is given to enter into Christ, our temple, “till the seven plagues of the seven angels has been fulfilled” in the life of every man who is given to enter into Christ with Christ being in Him, fulfilling the mystery of God which He declared to His servants the prophets.

Joh 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple [Christ Himself], and in three days I will raise it up.

Rev 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

What is this, the greatest mystery of all time? Here it is:

Col 1:26  Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Joh 14:20  At that day [the days of the voice of the seventh angel] ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

What this tells us is that we are in Christ, as all things are “in Him” (Act 14:22), but Christ is not really in us “till the seven plagues of the seven angels has been fulfilled” in our lives.

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.

So now let us examine what begins to happen in the days of the seventh angel, when he begins to sound His seventh trumpet. Let’s examine what must be done before “the mystery of God, as He has declared by His servants the prophets”, can be finished us us,.

Rev 10:7  But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

The “beginning of the sounding of the seventh angel” is these seven vials which “fill up the wrath of God.” These are the worst trials of our life as the first Adam, and they are poured out upon all of the ungodliness and unrighteousness that is within each of us. This is what is required to separate from us all of our heart’s idols and all of the pulls of the flesh which, until this point, have had the dominion over the throne of our hearts. That is why we are told in chapter fifteen, which is dedicated solely to the introduction of these seven angels with these seven vials, that the introduction of these angels with these vials is a “great and marvelous” event in our lives.

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.

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.

At this point we will begin to demonstrate that this entire “revelation of Jesus Christ” is to primarily and spiritually be understood only in its ‘is, was and will be’ nature as one whole prophecy which is to be kept within the lives of each of us.

Here we are finally arriving at “the days of the seventh angel, when he is beginning to sound his trumpet”, which trumpet is these “seven last plagues which fill up the wrath of God.” What does this tell us about the seven seals that are upon this prophecy of our walk? What does this tell us about the seven angels with the seven trumpets of the things we are to keep in the things written in the words of this prophecy? Let’s go back and notice just a few verses in the sixth seal which will help to open our eyes to what this entire revelation of Jesus Christ within us is all about:

Rev 6:12  And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
Rev 6:13  And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
Rev 6:14  And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Rev 6:15  And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
Rev 6:16  And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
Rev 6:17  For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

If we were to take the time to look at the four horsemen of the first four seals upon this revelation of Christ within us, along with “the souls under the altar who were beheaded for the word of their testimony” and who comprise the fifth seal, we would see that they are nothing less than the judgments of God which lead “the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man” within us to “say to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”

In other words, there is no possible way that the events of these seven seals were ever intended to be thought of as being anything other than judgments of “the great day of God’s wrath” upon our first Adam. The judgments of these seven seals are neither before nor after any of the events which we find in the events we are to keep which are opened up and revealed in the reading, hearing and keeping of the seven trumpets of the seven angels. Those seven trumpets, as a whole, are the seventh seal that is upon this book. Without the opening of that seventh seal, we cannot “read, hear or keep the things written therein”. So it is not possible to open the seventh seal without reading, hearing and keeping the sounding of the seventh trumpet.

Stated another way, we cannot, as all of orthodox Christianity wants us to believe, say that some men can enter into the temple of God in heaven without keeping the seventh trumpet with all of its plagues which simply must fill up the wrath of God on our stubborn and rebellious first man Adam, if we hope to “stand on the sea of glass mingled with fire, or enter into the temple of God in heaven.

Let’s take the time to see just how interconnected all of the seals, trumpets and vials of God’s wrath are. To make this clear we will display both the first trumpet and the first vial, side by side, and we will comment upon the fact that the work being accomplished in each of us is being accomplished upon the exact same object, and that object, in every trumpet and in every vial or bowl, while described each time in seven different terms, is all really just different symbols of what God is doing within each of us, to conform us to “the revelation of Jesus Christ”. Here are both the first trumpet and the first vial:

Rev 8:7  The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

Now notice what is the object of the pouring out of the first vial.

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.

Notice that the object of both the first trumpet and the first plague which fill up the wrath of God, is “the earth”, which of course is us (Jer 22:9). Both are simultaneously working to conform us to the image of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. The trees and grass of the first trumpet, are simply a less severe trial than the noisome and grievous sore upon the men within us which had the mark of, and worshiped the image of the beast. Both the wrath of God and His judgments are working in us for that one and same end.

Now let’s look at the second trumpet and the second vial and see what they might have in common. First, the second trumpet:

Rev 8:8  And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
Rev 8:9  And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.

Now the second vial:

Rev 16:3  And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.

The mention of “the third part” in both the first and the second trumpets, tells all with eyes to see, that these words are speaking of the process of judgment within us:

Rev 8:6  And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
Rev 8:7  The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
Rev 8:8  And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
Rev 8:9  And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.

The ‘fire’ of the first trumpet and the ‘fire’ of the second trumpet both signify the work of our Lord’s ‘fiery words’ in the mouths of His messengers, His angels:

Jer 5:14  Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

It is the Lord’s fiery words which will judge and save “every man”:

1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Our old man is not saved, yet it is through his judgment and destruction that our new man is saved; “yet so as by fire”.

In the first trumpet and the first vial that judgment is upon our earth. In the second trumpet and the second vial it is upon the sea as the symbol of the body of our flesh, out of which comes “the blood of a dead man”, which “dead” man is called “creatures… in the sea” in the second trumpet.

Mat 8:21  And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
Mat 8:22  But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

The fact that the object of both the trumpets and the vials are exactly the same, corresponding to their number, is not a coincidence. We will see that this holds true for all of the seven trumpets and all of the seven vials. What does this mean? It means that the seals, trumpets and vials are one and all expressions of God’s wrath upon the hardhearted and stubborn beast we all are as that “first man Adam” (1Co 15:45-47). The fact that the trumpets and the vials are judgments of the exact same thing means that they are all essential prerequisites to finishing the mystery of God within us, revealing who has been granted the patience of the saints, the gift of keeping the commandments and the gift of the ability to keep the commandments through the faith of Jesus (Rev 14:12). It is only those who are granted the strength to endure these trials who are given the honor of standing on that sea of glass, having the harps of God and being given the privilege of  entering into the temple of God in heaven.

The solemn significance of the seventh seal which is the seven trumpets is emphasized by being introduced with ‘silence in heaven for the space of half and hour’:

Rev 8:1  And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
Rev 8:2  And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.

The enormous significance of the seventh trumpet is indicated with these words:

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.
Rev 15:2  And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

The fact that there are three sets of seven – seven seals, seven trumpets and seven vials, for the one who is given eyes that see and ears that hear, is “the acknowledgment of the mystery of God” and His ability to finish the process of His judgment which He has begun in each of us:

Col 2:2  That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

It is these seven last plagues of the wrath of God which begins to finish this “mystery of God”:

Rev 10:7  But in the days of the voice of the seventh [trumpet] angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

It is only the rebellious flesh of our old man who is terrified by the words of this prophecy. To our new man these are words of comfort from the God of all comfort:

Joh 14:18  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Joh 14:19  Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
Joh 14:20  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
Joh 14:21  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

2Co 1:3  Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
Summary

What we have learned in this study is that the seven seals, the seven trumpets and the seven plagues, are all one single is, was and will be work of God’s judgment upon our old man who, as “the first man Adam”, is also called“the earth” with its “sea and fountains of water” within us.

We have seen that “the earth” in scripture symbolizes Adam and all who are in him. We have seen that it is we, as God’s elect, who as “the earth”, including the sea and the fountains of waters, are those upon whom all these last plagues begin to be poured, before we can enter into the temple of God in heaven.

We have seen that the “great voice out of the temple” is “Christ in us” preparing our hearts through His fiery judgments, to take up His permanent residency as He is destroying our old “man of sin… with the brightness of His coming” (2Th 2:3-8).

We have seen that Christ has sent us just as His Father sent Him, to be the saviors of this world by living His life within us, and by suffering as He suffered. As such we have seen that we are these seven angels who pour out these seven plagues at the behest of Christ who is doing His judging of us within us.

1Co 11:31  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
1Co 11:32  But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

We have seen that these seven angels reveal to us, both the judgment of the great harlot within us as well as “showing us the bride the Lamb’s wife”.

Rev 21:9  And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.
Rev 21:10  And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

Next study, Lord willing, we will see this is, was and will be character of these words continue to be demonstrated as we witness the striking correlation between the seven trumpets and the seven plagues of the seven angels. Here are the next two plagues:

Rev 16:4  And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.
Rev 16:5  And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.
Rev 16:6  For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.
Rev 16:7  And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous [are] thy judgments.
Rev 16:8  And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
Rev 16:9  And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

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Rev 15:1-4 Angels With The Seven Last Plagues

[Study Aired March 2, 2025]

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.
Rev 15:2  And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, [and] over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
Rev 15:3  And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
Rev 15:4  Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.

Introduction

This fifteenth chapter of the book of Revelation is only 8 verses long and is essentially nothing more than the introduction to the sounding of the seventh trumpet which we are told is ‘great and marvellous’ because of the importance which scripture places upon this event within our lives. It consists of the pouring out of the “seven vials” or the seven bowls of the seven last plagues. This trumpet is part of a complete sounding of the trumpet which is called “seven trumpets”, and it cannot be considered apart from the other six trumpets. To separate this trumpet from the others would be like saying the first six vials of God’s wrath are for most people, but the seventh is only for the really wicked. Or ‘the first six seals are for most people but the seventh seal is only for the extremely wicked.’ God’s word is never to be handled in that way. We live by it all (Mat 4:4), and it is all for ‘he that reads, hears and keeps the things written therein’ (Rev 1:3). So these seven last plagues are brought into our spiritual view by “seven angels”, or messengers, and the very fact that the spirit has inspired the use of the number ‘seven’ tells us that if our understanding is to be complete, then every word is to be kept by those who are given to ‘read, and hear and keep what is written here’.

So we are about to finally discover what happens “in the days of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound…” We are about to discover what must take place before “the mystery of God [which is “Christ in you” (Col 1:27)] should be finished” within us. Here it is again:

Rev 10:7  But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

Once again, we are reminded in verses 3 and 4 of this fifteenth chapter of Revelation, that these seven last plagues are the “works… ways… and manifest… judgments of our Lord”, and in 1Peter 4:17 we are told that God’s judgments “first begin with us”.

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

We know this is all “within” us because we are told that Christ is come to judge this world, and we are told that His coming is “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” We are even told what qualifies him to judge this world within us:

Joh 5:25  Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they [the dead] that hear shall live.
Joh 5:26  For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
Joh 5:27  And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

There it is. That is the qualification for those who will “execute judgment.” They must all be “the son of man”. “The hour now is that the dead hear the voice of the Son of God”, and that ability to “hear the voice of the Son of God”, and to understand “the mystery of God… is made manifest [only] to His saints”.

Col 1:26  Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Col 1:28  Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

If we forget that it is the sounding of the trumpet of this seventh angel in our lives which facilitates the “finishing of the mystery of God” within us, then we will never realize the finishing of that work in our lives. If we deny that the sounding of the trumpet of this seventh angel with his “seven last plagues of the wrath of God” has anything to do with the finishing of the mystery of God in our lives, then “we will be judged out of our own mouth”, and we will never “enter into the temple” of God, until “the seven plagues of the seven angels is fulfilled” (Verse 8).

Rev 15:8  And the temple [“which temple ye are” (1Co 3:16-17)] 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.

Luk 19:22  And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:

Rev 22:18  For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Rev 22:19  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book

So these seven plagues are going to be fulfilled in the lives of “every man” who has ever lived, and we are plainly told that it is a bitter experience for us all. Here are the verses from chapter ten which follow verse seven, and which tell us of the bitterness of having to “keep… every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God”.

Rev 10:7  But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
Rev 10:8  And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.
Rev 10:9  And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.
Rev 10:10  And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
Rev 10:11  And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

As we have demonstrated, it is “the Israel of God”, including Gentile Galatians (Gal 6:15-16), who are “redeemed from every nation…” (Rev 5:9). We all rejoice to learn the truths we are learning. These wonderful truths are sweet in our mouths as we first hear and learn about them. But here is what happens when we “eat this book”:

Eze 2:3  And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.
Eze 2:4  For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD.
Eze 2:5  And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.
Eze 2:6  And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.
Eze 2:7  And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious.
Eze 2:8  But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth,and eat that I give thee.
Eze 2:9  And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein;
Eze 2:10  And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe. [“the seven plagues of the seven angels”]

It is when we discover that we are required to “prophesy before many people” and live out these words in our lives that we all end up praying this prayer:

Luk 22:42  Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

We will one and all “eat this book”, and in doing so, we will “fulfill the seven plagues of the seven angels” in our own lives. It is at our own peril that we think we can eat all but “the seven plagues of the seven angels”. We will eat this entire book, including the seven last plagues. It will either be while we live in these vessels of clay, or they will be fulfilled in our lives as resurrected spirit bodies in a place called “the lake of fire”. In the end, “the mystery which has been hid from ages and generations” will be fulfilled and realized in “every man”, and “every man” will experience that same “one event” which we have referenced so many times in Ecc 9:2.

Ecc 9:2  All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

Now let’s remind ourselves what that “mystery of God, which He declared to His servants the prophets” really is. Here are the scriptures:

Col 1:26  Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Col 1:28  Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

Col 1:28 is the fulfillment of Rev 10:9-11. Let’s read it again:

Rev 10:9  And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.
Rev 10:10  And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
Rev 10:11  And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

“Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings”. It is this commission, to be a faithful witness to the words of this prophecy, which is an integral part of the experience of the seven vials of the seven angels, and the “finishing of the mystery of God” and the birth of “Christ in you”.

So “every man will be presented perfect in Christ Jesus” in his own time, and “every man” will, at his own appointed time, “enter into the temple, when the seven plagues of the seven angels are fulfilled” in his life. So there really is but “one event… which comes alike to all men”. All of “man[kind really] shall… live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God”, and “all things [really] are ours, things present and things to come”, and “every day we live [really] was written in God’s book before any of them ever were.”

Psa 139:16  Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them. (NASB)

Ecc 9:2 All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

Mat 4:4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
1Co 3:22  Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;

With this Truth firmly in place, let’s begin our study of “the words written in this book” which we are instructed from the beginning of this prophecy to read, hear and keep (Rev 1:3).

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.

Here we are again plainly told that these seven angels with these seven last plagues are a “sign in heaven”. What does that mean? We will not again go through all the scriptures which demonstrate that “heaven” is the spiritual place of God’s dwelling within the hearts and minds of His saints. We have already demonstrated this to be what the scriptures teach. What we are being told that is “great and marvellous” is that these seven angels with these seven last plagues upon us and upon our lives, are a sign to God’s elect which prepares our hearts for the fulfilling of these plagues within the hearts and minds of every man who will ever enter into the temple of God. Paul tells us the same thing in these words:

2Th 1:3  We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
2Th 1:4  So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:

Now look at what Paul reveals that “all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure” are. This is what our  sufferings in His body is all about:

2Th 1:5  Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

That is the purpose of these “seven last plagues” and that is why are we told that they are a “great and marvellous sign” in [our] heavens! That is the purpose for all of God’s wrath upon our “ungodliness and unrighteousness”:

Rom 1:17  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Rom 1:18  For [Greek: gar, because] the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

“The just shall live by faith because the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men…” That wrath of God, is first revealed against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of those who are chosen to become “the house of God”, and that chastening fire is just as hot and burning against our ungodliness and unrighteousness as it is against those who are predestined to be in that lake of fire. There is “one event to all”.

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

1Pe 4:16  Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Fiery trials are called “fiery” because they are painful. “Fiery trials” and “great earthquakes” are both symbols of how God speaks to and judges the ungodliness and unrighteousness within us. Both are “plagues” upon our weak, flesh and blood, “shapen in iniquity, conceived in sin” bodies.

Why are these plagues called the “last plagues”? The answer is clear. We are told that they are “the manifest judgments of God” (Rev 15:4), and we are told “for in them is filled up the wrath of God.” They are “last” because they are those experiences in our lives which are required to finally finish and “fill up the wrath of God… against our ungodliness and unrighteousness” (Rom 1:18). In other words, these are the experiences which are timed to be so earth-shaking and so severe as to change us from within, in our hearts.

Rev 16:18  And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.

At this point we need to ask, is God’s wrath only against certain evil people whose sins are so egregious that they deserve God’s wrath, whereas others are not? That is exactly what Job’s “miserable comforters” thought about Job:

Job 22:1  Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
Job 22:2  Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?
Job 22:3  Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
Job 22:4  Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?
Job 22:5  Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?
Job 22:6  For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
Job 22:7  Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
Job 22:8  But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it.
Job 22:9  Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Job 22:10  Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;

The story of Job signifies the story of the Lord’s rejected and despised elect. The experiencing of God’s wrath is something which, in the Lord’s own time, becomes common to all men. That is what the scriptures teach about this seventh trumpet which “fills up the wrath of God”.  There really is just “one event [that is common] to all men”.  It is the Lord’s elect who are intended to be the first to “read, hear, and keep the things written in this book”, and that includes the seven last plagues of the wrath of God which is this seventh trumpet.  We cannot say that we are to see ourselves as sinners in need of a Savior and perhaps in need of some chastening from our heavenly Father, but never once in need of experiencing His wrath against us.

Do we ever need to experience His wrath? The answer to that question is to simply ask if you or I have ever “held the truth in unrighteousness”?

Rom 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

Have you ever been ungodly or unrighteous? Have you ever been an unbeliever? Have you ever taught anything contrary to the truth, while at the same time claiming to be a teacher of and a witness for the Truth? If you have ever done any of these things, and we all have (Rom 7:17-21, Psa 51:5), then this is the Truth concerning God’s wrath as it relates to each of us:

Joh 3:36  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath [Greek: orge] of God abideth on him.

Eph 2:1  And you hath he quickened [given life], who were dead in trespasses and sins [did not believe];
Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath [Greek: orge], even as others.

Col 3:5  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Col 3:6  For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
Col 3:7  In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

According to the apostle Paul, we have all been “the children of wrath” and “the children of disobedience” and were all “dead in trespasses and sins… held the truth in unrighteousness, and are chief of sinners” before we were “given life in Christ Jesus”.

1Ti 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

Is this simply a rhetorical statement by the apostle Paul? Or is this not how we are all to come to view ourselves? There are those who contend that God’s wrath is never poured out upon his elect. God’s elect, they contend, are somehow raptured away, or in some way protected from and never, ever exposed to the wrath of God. The whole orthodox Christian world quotes 1Th 5:9 as proof that God has promised to keep his elect from ever having to endure or experience His wrath which is being discussed here in Rev 15-16. Let’s look at that verse and see if it really does guarantee that God’s elect never have and never will endure His wrath upon their ungodliness or unrighteousness. Here is 1Th 5:9:

1Th 5:9  For God hath not appointed us to wrath [Greek: orge], but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

It is pointed out by some that the Greek word translated ‘wrath’ in Rev 15:1 is ‘thumos’ and God’s ‘thumos’ wrath is said to be much more severe than God’s ‘orge’ wrath.

For those who make such a clamor and distinction between the Greek words ‘orge’, and ‘thumos’, it is interesting to note that the Greek here in 1Th 5:19, which is touted as proof that we are never to experience God’s wrath, is ‘orge’ and not ‘thumos’. But where in that verse are we told that we never have had and never will have God’s ‘thumos’ or his ‘orge’ wrath poured out upon our ungodliness and unrighteousness? One thing is very clear, there is nothing in 1Th 5:9 that states that God’s elect do not experience His ‘thumos’ wrath.

So is there really any Truth to the argument that the ‘thumos’ wrath of God is somehow disconnected from or different from the ‘orge’ wrath of God? To answer that question we need to remember what we read in the previous chapter of Revelation. Notice how these two Greek words are used in the same verse and are both experienced by all who receive the mark of the beast:

Rev 14:9  And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
Rev 14:10  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath [Greek: thumos] of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation [Greek: orge]; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

So the ‘thumos’ of God is poured out without dilution into the cup of His ‘orge’. This “cup of God’s ‘orge’, which is full of God’s ‘thumos’” is then drunk by “any man who has ever worshiped the beast and his image, and received his mark in his forehead, or in his hand”. That doctrine is in complete accord with all the rest of the New Testament writings on this subject. Notice who God’s thumos and orge are upon in the writings of the apostle Paul:

Rom 2:5  But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath [Greek: orge] against the day of wrath [Greek: orge] and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
Rom 2:6  Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
Rom 2:7  To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
Rom 2:8  But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation [Greek: thumos] and wrath [Greek: orge],
Rom 2:9  Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

So ‘indignation’ and ‘wrath’, ‘thumos’ and ‘orge’, are as closely associated as “tribulation and anguish”. Now since we know that “all things come alike to all” (Ecc 9:2) and since “all things present and things to come are ours” (1Co 3:21-22), and since God’s thumos and His orge are “upon every soul of man that does evil”, and since “all have sinned” (Rom 6:23), how can we not conclude that we do indeed “fulfill the seven plagues of the seven angels”, and that we “keep the things which are written” in this 15th and 16th chapters of Revelation?

As we pointed out earlier, Job is the Old Testament type of us as we endure these seven plagues which fill up the wrath of God against all of our “ungodliness and unrighteousness”. Just like every one of us, Job thought he was totally undeserving of God’s wrath upon his ungodliness and unrighteousness. Job considered himself to be anything but ungodly and unrighteous. If you have any doubt about that then please take the time to read Job 29. Job, just like each of us, despised the judgments of God in his life. Here is what Christ said to Job, in response to Job’s accusations against God’s “righteous judgments”:

Job 40:6  Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
Job 40:7  Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
Job 40:8  Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?
Job 40:9  Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?
Job 40:10  Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty.
Job 40:11  Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him.
Job 40:12 Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.
Job 40:13  Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret.
Job 40:14  Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee.

We will pause here and continue our study of our judgment by the seven angels with the seven last plagues in our next study.

Rev 8:7  The First Trumpet-Hail and Fire Mingled with Blood, Part 1

[Study Aired July 5, 2024]

Rev 8:7  The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

Introduction

As we read this entire prophecy, it is of utmost importance to remember what the words we read signify and not be distracted along with the rest of the world by the words themselves. As a quick example to remind ourselves of this principle for understanding this prophecy, let’s look again at these verses:

Rev 5:5  And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
Rev 5:6  And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

A lion is a dead lamb with seven horns and seven eyes??? We have already established that this book was “signified” to John, as things he and we are to read, hear and keep “for the time is at hand.” This entire prophecy is “things which must shortly come to pass” in the lives of all to whom it is given to “read, hear and keep the things written therein.”

Rev 1:1  The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

Rev 1:3  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

“The time is at hand, [and] things which must shortly come to pass” are one and the same thought. This prophecy is for the person who can read, hear and keep the things written within this prophecy. It is definitely not for a single generation some two thousand years after the giving of this heavenly vision.

So the lion and the lamb actually have nothing at all to do with a literal, physical lion or lamb. These are spiritual symbols of Jesus Christ the Lord of glory. In like manner seven horns and seven eyes have nothing at all to do with the literal, physical number seven. Seven, as we have already discussed in great depth (see The Spiritual Significance of the Number Seven), is the symbol of that which is complete. So the “seven horns and seven eyes are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” In other words, these seven spirits are the complete work of the spirit of God in each of us. “The earth” as we will see below, and as we have already discussed in earlier chapters, signifies mankind in general, and in particular those of mankind in whom the spirit of God dwells and is doing His fiery work at this time.

The spirit of God is not physically divided into seven separate spirits. The church of God and the overcomers in that church are not in seven different literal churches in Asia. The angels or messengers to the church of God are not divided into seven literal messengers or angels. This entire prophecy is addressed to “He that hath an ear.” ‘He that has an ear’ is counseled to hear what the spirit is saying to all of the churches:

Rev 2:7  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

In like manner, the mysteries of the kingdom of God are not hidden by seven physical seals, on a physical scroll. Seven will always, without fail, signify that the subject with which it is connected is spiritually complete. The seven spirits are the complete spirit of God.

1Co 6:17  But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

1Co 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

The seven seals completely seal and hide the mysteries of the kingdom of God within you.

Luk 17:20  And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Luk 17:21  Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

The seventh seal is the last seal that has kept us from seeing the mysteries of the kingdom of God within us. It is now being loosed from the book of this prophecy, and we are about to learn what signifies the complete (seven) judgment (trumpets) of our beastly man of sin. That complete judgment is presented to us as seven trumpet judgments upon “the earth” of our flesh, which causes our “kings, great men, our rich men, our chief captains, mighty men, every bondman, and every free man” within us to say the things we heard in these verses:

Rev 6:12  And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
Rev 6:13  And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
Rev 6:14  And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Rev 6:15  And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
Rev 6:16  And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
Rev 6:17  For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

The sixth seal tells us what to expect in the seventh seal. What we are to expect is the judgment of the kingdom of our old man, signified by “a great earthquake” which will introduce “the great day of His wrath”, and according to Christ, this “great earthquake” is just “the beginning of sorrows.” Something extremely painful to our old man must take place in our lives which is so painful that the Lord finally now has our attention. For one person that “great earthquake” which preceded “the great day of His wrath” was to be struck down and physically blinded on the road to Damascus. For others it is other extremely painful experiences like losing everything we have worked for all our lives. That was part of what happened to Saul of Tarsus. Everything he had ever worked for and accomplished was lost in a moment. Job and Saul of Tarsus typify how our judgment begins, and those experiences are signified by “a great earthquake” preceding “the great day of His wrath” which signifies the beginning of the judgment which is now on the house of God:

Mat 24:3  And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world [Greek: aion, age]?
Mat 24:4  And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
Mat 24:5  For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Mat 24:6  And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
Mat 24:7  For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
Mat 24:8  All these are the beginning of sorrows.
Mat 24:9  Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Jer 50:46  At the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth is moved, and the cry is heard among the nations.

So this earthquake of the sixth seal is but the beginning of sorrows for our ‘earth’, signifying our life with Babylon’s harlot daughters. This “great earthquake” begins “at the taking of Babylon.” We “read, hear and keep”, meaning we live through this ‘earthquake.’ This earthquake isn’t a one-time only earthquake. Like all of Christ’s Words, this earthquake has that same “is, was and will be… shall never pass away”, aorist character about it, and it is mentioned again in “the things that are written therein” (Rev 1:3). This earthquake will continue to be lived and kept, culminating in the complete judgment and destruction of “great Babylon” within us. All of that is the work of the great earthquake of the seventh trumpet which signifies the seven last plagues.

Rev 16:17  And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
Rev 16:18  And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
Rev 16:19  And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
Rev 16:20  And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
Rev 16:21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven [The Truth of Christ exposing the lies of Babylon and her doctrines], every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great [Truth utterly destroys all lies].

Isa 28:17  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.

These seven trumpets, according to Revelation 6:17, reveal “the great day of His wrath” because they culminate in the seventh trumpet, which is simply the seven last plagues. They are not the seven only plagues. The seven last plagues are preceded by the plagues found in the first six trumpets, but seven does not mean a literal ‘seven plagues’. What ‘seven last plagues’ signifies is that “the great day of His wrath” is come, and these seven plague “fill up” His wrath.

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.

The trumpets are not completed until the last of the seven trumpets sounds and its seven plagues have been poured out upon our sinful flesh, which is the beast upon which up “great Babylon” sits within us. Here is the reason for the trumpets we are beginning to study:

Isa 58:1  Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.

Rev 6:13 And the stars of heaven [all the false doctrines of Babylon] fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

It is the “stars of [our defiled] heavens, falling to the earth”, accompanied by “a great earthquake”, both in the sixth seal, that bring us to the point of being able to begin to hear these seven trumpets of “the great day of God’s wrath” and to begin “to read and hear and keep the things written therein”, which are right now being revealed to us in these seven trumpets of the seventh seal. This whole process is also called “war is in the heavens”, and it takes place during “the great day of His wrath” which is designed to purify and cleanse our heavens.

Rev 6:17  For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Heb 9:23  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves [purified] with better sacrifices than these.

Rev 12:7  And there was war in heaven [The heavens of our hearts and minds]: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, [What and Where is Heaven]
Rev 12:8  And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
Rev 12:9  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. [His false doctrines and those who proclaim those false doctrines begin to be exposed within us]

‘There was war in heaven and the dragon and his angels prevailed not’ because The Truth, Christ, will always prevail over all lies.

So here is…

The first trumpet

Rev 8:7  The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

We have in this verse six symbols: 1) hail, 2) fire, 3) blood, 4) the earth, 5) the third part of the trees burned up and 6) all green grass. Let’s take each of these symbols and allow the Word of God, not the fertile imagination of some man, to tell us what they signify spiritually. Before we get into the meaning of these six symbols, let’s remember and take note that this is “the beginning of sorrows” (Mat 24:7-8), and the beginning of God’s judgments upon His own house (1Pe 4:17). With that in mind, let’s remember these verses concerning the meaning of the words ‘fire’ and ‘hail’ and how those words are connected with God’s judgment which “first begins” upon His own house.

Mat 24:7  For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
Mat 24:8  All these are the beginning of sorrows [Judgment upon the house of God].

1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
1Pe 4:14  If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
1Pe 4:15  But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.
1Pe 4:16  Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Our trials are to be expected. We will be “reproached for the name of Christ,” if we are faithful to His Word.

Mat 13:21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

Christ is that “root”, and those who experience “judgment first beginning at the house of God” are those who “have… root in themselves”, because they were first offended, as Peter was, and they repented of being offended and are now no longer offended when they are “reproached for the name of Christ.” Never forget that ‘living by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God’ necessitates that we can only be those who are not offended because of the Word, if we have first lived through that offense and have come to acknowledge that we “have no root in ourselves.”

Therefore what we are about to discover in each of these seven trumpets is that “the fiery trials which are to try us” must first expose the weakness of our old man and his kingdom within us. Then, and only then, with Christ, “the root of Jesse,” in us we too, with Peter, can “rejoice inasmuch as we are partakers of Christ’s sufferings.”

Let us take these symbols in this first trumpet, and see what the scriptures reveal them to be. Whatever they are in this trumpet is what they will be throughout this entire prophecy.

What does ‘hail’ signify in scripture?

It is instructive to note that hail in nature comes down from the heavens and is very destructive to the things on the earth. That is exactly how this symbol is used spiritually. Here is what spiritual ‘hail’ accomplishes in the judgment of our earth in this verse of Revelation 8, which we are commanded to “read, hear and keep.” (Rev 1:3)

Exo 9:19  Send therefore now, [and] gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die.

This is the story of the ten plagues which God poured out upon Egypt in the process of delivering Israel out of Egypt. “The field” is where the grass grows, and Christ tells us plainly that “the field is the world.”

Mat 13:38  The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

We are “in and of the world” until we begin to “die to this world.” Only then are we, by the process of judgment, “in the world but not of the world.”

Eph 2:1  And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Eph 2:4  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by [fiery chastening (Tit 2:11-12)] grace ye are saved;)

So the ‘hail’ of scripture destroys the “cattle” and all else we have in our “field” because the things of this world “are not of God.”

Gal 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Where does this lust of the flesh originate? It originates in our “field… the lust of the flesh… the world” that is within us all by nature.

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

“All that is in the world” is encapsulated in these three overarching sins. Like the two overarching commandments of loving God and loving neighbor, all sins “hang upon” these three sins.

Mat 22:37  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38  This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

It is on the three sins of 1 John 2:16 that all the sins and all the lies of the churches of this world hang.  It is “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” that keep us from “coming out from among them” and being separate so that we ‘partake not of their sins and receive not of their plagues.’

Rev 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

It is not human or natural to be willing to be “hated of all men.”

Mat 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

The hail in particular symbolizes that part of God’s Word which destroys the doctrinal lies which are all the doctrines of Babylon.

Isa 3:1  For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water.

When “the whole stay of bread and water is taken away from Jerusalem and Judah” all that is left is “the refuge of lies.”

Isa 28:17  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.

What is fire in scripture?

We have discussed this in depth and will not belabor this point but to quote a few verses demonstrating that ‘fire’ symbolizes the Words of the spirit of God.

Jer 5:14  Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

Christ said His fiery words were also spirit, and that is is His fiery words which will judge us all.

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Joh 12:48  He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Paul again makes these words that judge us all, words of fire:

1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

So what is fire mingled with blood?

Let’s allow the fiery Word of God to demonstrate for us what is “fire mingled with blood.”

All Joseph ever wanted from his brothers who had wanted him dead, was that they acknowledge and give an accounting to their father of what they had done to him and to their Father. He tells us as much when he informs them that their evil deed wasn’t really their evil deed at all:

Gen 45:4  And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.
Gen 45:5  Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
Gen 45:6  For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet [there are] five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.
Gen 45:7  And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
Gen 45:8  So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

Before any of us are Joseph, you and I are first Joseph’s brothers. We think of ourselves as better men than to sell our Lord for thirty pieces of silver, or in the case of Joseph, twenty pieces of silver. Christ told His own disciples that He wanted them all to “drink of the cup of My blood in the New Testament.” In doing that, Christ was telling His disciples, who thought that they were better men than to ever deny Him, that they would indeed deny Him, and that in doing so they were no better of themselves than Judas, of whom God had already written in His book to be the betrayer of our Lord. So this is what happened just a few hours after drinking Christ’s blood.

Mat 26:72  And again he [Peter] denied with an oath, I do not know the man.
Mat 26:73  And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.
Mat 26:74  Then began he to curse and to swear, saying I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.
Mat 26:75  And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

Mar 14:27  And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.
Mar 14:28  But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee.
Mar 14:29  But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.
Mar 14:30  And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, [even] in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.
Mar 14:31  But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all.

We all know that Christ was right and Peter was wrong, and that before the cock crowed Peter was looking Christ in the eye, cursing the air blue, and denying that He had ever known Christ.

Luk 22:60  And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.
Luk 22:61  And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
Luk 22:62  And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

“And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.” That is “fire mingled with blood”, and you and I are all Peter and have all denied our Lord. We can delude ourselves that “we will not drink of such a cup as that cup,” but we will through “fire mingled with blood… drink of that very cup.”

We will stop here for now and continue our study of the spiritual significance of the first trumpet in our next study.

1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

“Every man” means there are no exceptions to this “hail and fire mingled with blood” which is “cast into the earth.” Christ Himself drank of this cup. Who, then, are we to think that “Yet will not I” as Peter told our Lord? No, Christ did not deny His calling to die on the cross, but His flesh sweat blood resisting being murdered at the early age of thirty three, and he told His disciples that He would drink of this cup of the wrath of God upon His own “body made of a woman, made under the law.”

Mat 20:22  But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
Mat 20:23  And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.

Mat 26:39  And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Gal 4:4  But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

1Pe 3:18  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

What cup did Christ drink of? His Father forsook His body which was “made of a woman, made under the law… in the flesh.” He drank of the same cup that He commanded His disciples to all drink. It was “the cup of His blood”, and He wants us all to know that it was for our sins against Him and His Father, that He died for us.

Mat 26:26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
Mat 26:27  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
Mat 26:28  For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

We also will all “drink indeed of Christ’s cup” and we also are required to relinquish these temporal, corruptible bodies of flesh and blood. However, the reward is well worth the sacrifice of an already dying body:

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Rom 8:20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Rom 8:21  Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

In our next study we will consider the spiritual significance of the earth, the trees and the green grass, and how the fire of the Lord’s word affect each of this spiritual symbols within us:

Rev 8:7  The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

Revelation 8:1-6 – The Seven Angels Prepare to Sound Seven Trumpets, Part 1

[Study Aired June 23, 2024]

Rev 8:1  And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
Rev 8:2  And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
Rev 8:3  And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
Rev 8:4  And the smoke of the incense, [which came] with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand.
Rev 8:5  And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast [it] into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.
Rev 8:6  And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

Introduction

If we condense these first six verses into only the first and sixth verses, it becomes clear that the seventh seal on this revelation of Jesus Christ, is the seven trumpets which include the seven last plagues which “fill up the wrath of God” in the seventh trumpet:

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.

Every seal we have seen the Lamb open to us has served to keep the message of this book very well hidden from the world within every man because the world is interested only in clairvoyance and in knowing what lies ahead in the physical future for this world. No one wants to hear how any of this revelation of Jesus Christ is to be “read, heard and kept” personally at this very moment:

Rev 1:3  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

This is the seventh seal because it completes the sealing of this book away from the eyes of all who have no interest in “reading, hearing and keeping the things written therein…” No one who comes to this prophecy hoping to become a clairvoyant, or someone who passes these days for a prophet, believes that “the time is at hand… to keep the sayings of the prophecy…” of this seventh seal, which is these seven trumpet judgments.

Let’s read the first and sixth verses only.

Rev 8:1  And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.

Rev 8:6  And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

Now if we are given to apply verse 3 of chapter 1, then we should be able to understand that whatever is the reality behind the symbols of this chapter, we will know that this is not for some future generation, but “every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” in this seventh seal and these seven trumpets are words we are to personally “read, hear and keep because the time is at hand” to do so.

Nevertheless we must ask and answer the question:

How many of these seven trumpets are we to keep?

I tell the story of a beloved brother who became so frustrated with me when I posed that question to him, that he literally screamed at me, “Only the ones the Bible says we are to keep!” However, that is not what the Bible says. The only Biblical answer we have to that question is this: “Keep those things which are written therein, for the time is at hand.” Then we also have this somber warning right at the end of this prophecy, concerning how many of these seven trumpets we are to keep:

Rev 22:18  For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Rev 22:19  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Rev 22:20  He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Here again, as is always the case whether in Matthew 24, Revelation 1, or Revelation 22, or any of the epistles written by any of the apostles or any of the New Testament writers, the emphasis is always on the fact that “I come quickly… this generation will not pass till all these things be fulfilled… the Lord is at hand… and the time is at hand.” The subject is always the same. The subject is “the things written therein,” the good and the bad, are to be kept. As despised as they are, all these words are part of the sum of God’s Word on this subject of how many of the words that proceed out of the mouth of God are for each of us personally:

Ecc 9:2  All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
1Co 3:22  Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;

We dare not add to or take away from our part in “the sayings of the prophecy of this book.”

Rev 22:7  Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth [all] the sayings of [all] the prophecy of this book.

If there were any hint that parts of this prophecy were not to be kept by the reader, then the somber warning of verses 18-20 of chapter 22 would have no place in this book. Nevertheless verses 18-20 of chapter 22 are instead in complete accord with Revelation 1:3 and Revelation 22:7, and we dare not add to or take away from there. All who read and understand the things written therein will “live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God”, and this seventh seal with all seven of its trumpets is to be lived out in our lives.

Mat 4:4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Luk 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

Now let us clarify what “Man shall… live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” means. Christ tells us that we can do the works of the Father by simply believing and doing “the things I say.” Notice how He answers those who asked Him how they can work the works of God:

Joh 6:28  Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
Joh 6:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

“This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent”, means that we are to believe what He says and do the things He says to do. Therefore if Christ tells us there are only two resurrections and that all men of all time will arise from among the dead in one of those two resurrections, then we ought to believe what He is telling us:

Joh 5:28  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
Joh 5:29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto [1] the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto [2] the resurrection of damnation [G2920: krino, judgment, the “great white throne… judgment”].

If the Lord tells us the first resurrection is at the beginning of His thousand-year reign then, if we believe truly that we must “live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God”, we must accept that these words are true:

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection [“of life” (Joh 5:29)].

Finally, if the Lord tells those who are being judged in this present time the second death will have no power over them, then, if we believe that we must live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God then we ought to accept this promise as being true for us:

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Here we are plainly informed that those who are judged in “this present time” will be raised in the first resurrection, “the resurrection of life”, and they will rule with the Lord over the kingdoms of this world for a thousand years, and they will never be hurt of the second death. This is the second time this promise has been made to those who are given eyes that see and ears that hear the things of the spirit. Here is the first time this promise is made to those who can hear:

Rev 2:11  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh [“in this present time” (Rom 8:18)] shall not be hurt of the second death.

You and I will do well to believe those words, and pray that we are granted to be judged in this present time:

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

The phrase “Man shall… live by every word of God” must never be twisted into meaning that because we are told that Christ “emptied himself” of His divinity to become dying flesh (Php 2:7 ACV), that therefore you and I must also empty ourselves of our non-existent divinity to become dying flesh. In like manner, the fact that the words “lake of fire… is the second death” have proceeded from the mouth of God (Rev 20:14), does not necessitate that those who are granted to be judged in this present time and who are given to have a part in the first resurrection must also “be hurt of the second death.” To the contrary, ‘living by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God’ means that we are obliged to believe that ‘the second death/lake of fire will not hurt us and has no power over us.

It is Christ Himself who tells us to “keep the things which are written therein”, so let’s take these words verse by verse and see what is written therein which we are to “read, heard, do and keep.”

What is the spiritual significance of half an hour of silence in heaven?

Rev 8:1  And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.

The Greek word for ‘silence’ is ‘sige’, and it appears only one other time in the New Testament. That one other time gives us the sense of this statement that is made at the beginning of the sounding of the seven trumpets, which is the opening of the seventh seal.

Act 21:40  And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,

This is the account of the apprehension of the apostle Paul at the hands of the same Jews who had killed our Lord just a few years earlier. Now Paul finds himself in the shoes of our Lord and in the shoes of Stephen, the first Christian martyr, of whose unlawful death ‘Saul of Tarsus’ had been the overseer.

Act 7:58  And cast him [Stephen] out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.

‘Saul’ of course is the one whose name is later changed to Paul, and who is now about to give his own witness for Christ, just as Stephen had done when Paul was Saul and had conducted Stephen’s stoning. So Paul knows what is about to happen, and now as he stands to give his own testimony, he waits until everyone is completely still. Until everyone is completely attentive, until “there was made a great silence”, and then Paul, who used to be a Christ-hating Saul, begins telling those Jews in Jerusalem all that God had put him through that has brought him to this day where he is being tried to see if he is as faithful a messenger, as faithful a witness, and “an angel” of God as was Stephen, whose life Saul was so instrumental in taking.

Act 6:15 And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him [ Stephen], saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.

There has to be a period of silence before a defendant such as Stephen can begin to speak in his own defense.

The “silence in heaven for the space of half an hour” signifies the time we are granted to give our undivided attention to the angel who is about to show us these things. This “half hour” of silence signifies the gravity of what lies ahead of us if we are given the grace to be called and chosen and to remain faithful to the words of our Lord to the very end of these seven trumpet judgments, which include the seven last plagues of the seventh trump. Saul of Tarsus had three days of total blindness in which to be “silent in heaven” and prepare to receive the words of Ananias, which were given to prepare ‘Paul’, as he later came to be known, for the trumpet judgments which yet lay before him.

Act 9:15  But the Lord said unto him [Ananias], Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
Act 9:16  For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.

These are words just as much for us as they are for Paul.

Here is what Paul tells the Jews who had found him in the temple and had stirred up the people to go about to kill him just as they had killed Stephen a few years earlier.

Act 22:1  Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.
Act 22:2  (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)
Act 22:3  I am verily a man [which am] a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
Act 22:4  And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
Act 22:5  As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.
Act 22:6  And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
Act 22:7  And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Act 22:8  And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
Act 22:9  And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
Act 22:10  And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
Act 22:11  And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.
Act 22:12  And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,
Act 22:13  Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
Act 22:14  And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.
Act 22:15  For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
Act 22:16  And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
Act 22:17  And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
Act 22:18  And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
Act 22:19  And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:
Act 22:20  And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
Act 22:21  And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
Act 22:22  And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.

Paul had said nothing about these Jews that he himself had not already lived and that he himself had not already done and had kept. He had persecuted the church, and in so doing had persecuted Jesus Himself. ” I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.” God’s elect do not seek to escape God’s judgments but rather to rejoice in them.

Psa 107:25  For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
Psa 107:26  They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
Psa 107:27  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.
Psa 107:28  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
Psa 107:29  He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Psa 107:30  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
Psa 107:31  Oh that men would praise the LORD [ for] his goodness, and [for] his wonderful works to the children of men!

They understood him to be condemning them for their actions, when the simple truth is that it was their own words, and it is our own words and deeds that condemn us.

Job 9:20  If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.

Isa 59:12  For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them;

Tit 3:11  Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.

Now Paul and all who are given the grace to be faithful to the end find themselves right back in the position of facing the seven trumpet judgments, which are an important part of “all things which are appointed for us to do”, which are the testimony of all who remain faithful to the end. All of God’s true witnesses will find themselves to be spiritually dead in the streets of spiritual “Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage with her children.”

Act 21:31  And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.

Rev 11:8  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

Isa 1:1  The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

Who are “Judah and Jerusalem” in a spiritual sense?

Isa 1:3  The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.
Isa 1:4  Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

Who are these seven angels who sound these seven trumpets?

Isa 1:10 Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

As the Lord used Isaiah to warn His people what lay ahead in Isaiah’s day, and as He had used Stephen to witness for Him when the New Testament church was first formed, now it is Paul’s turn to be the messenger, witness and an angel of the gospel of our Lord “in the streets of that great city wherein our Lord was crucified.” That is how God spreads His message to us all. We have all heard the word of our Lord via one of His “angels”, the complete complement of whom are said to be “seven angels before the throne of God.”

Rev 8:2  And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.

Christ uses us just as His father used Him. Christ was His Father’s ultimate messenger or angel. Yes, I am aware of Hebrews 1.

Heb 1:5  For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

The answer to that question is, it was the angel of the Lord which brought Israel up out of Egypt to whom the Father said ‘Thou are my Son, this day have I begotten thee.” Here is the scripture:

Exo 3:1  Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, [even] to Horeb.
Exo 3:2  And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush [was] not consumed.
Exo 3:3  And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
Exo 3:4  And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here [am] I.
Exo 3:5  And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest [is] holy ground.
Exo 3:6  Moreover he said, I [am] the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.
Exo 3:7  And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which [are] in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

We know this is Christ because Christ tells us that no one had ever seen the form of the Father, nor had anyone ever heard the Father’s voice:

Joh 5:37  And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.

Yahweh, the Hebrew word for “the LORD” in all caps in the KJV, was Christ, simply because many Old Testament men and women “heard His voice and saw His shape.”

So Christ is the ultimate archangel, and the angel of the LORD who brought Israel up out of Egypt. We in turn are Christ’s angels who are sent to the seven churches, whom we have shown to be the whole church. Here are Christ’s own words on this subject:

Joh 20:21  Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

These seven angels we are told blow the trumpets and also pour out the vials of God’s wrath.

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.

These are the same seven angels to whom this whole prophecy is addressed:

Rev 1:10  I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
Rev 1:11  Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

We are first told that this whole prophecy is addressed “to the seven churches. To this it is added that it is all addressed to the seven angels of the seven churches.

Rev 1:19  Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;
Rev 1:20  The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

Christ, we are told, is seated with His Father in the heavens. Being with Christ and “in his right hand” and seated with Him in the heavens, we, too, are these seven angels who are sent by Christ to the seven churches. As such we are “before the throne of God in heaven.”

Rev 8:2  And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.

Are any of these “seven angels” different from those messengers sent to the seven churches, with this revelation of Jesus Christ to be “read, heard and kept” (Rev 1:3)? Who are these seven angels, and what are these angels? Here is what they are:

Rev 21:17  And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.

These angels of these seven churches are men, and these men are angels. Who are these angels? We need not speculate. The scriptures are clear for those who are given eyes that see and ears that hear. Here are who the scriptures reveal these angels to signify. They themselves tell us plainly who they are, but we must pay close attention to whom the Lord uses to tell us the things which are in this prophecy. It is all right here before our eyes if we have eyes that see and ears that hear.

So let’s take note of who it is that reveals to us the judgment of the great harlot of Revelation 17 and 18. Here is what we are told.

Rev 17:1  And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

Through whom do the scriptures tell us God will always work to show us what He is doing?

Amo 3:7  Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

God reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. Who are the prophets? Here is what the scriptures teach:

1Co 14:3  But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

Think of a prophet in any other way and you will miss the message of what the word of God and the word of the true prophets of God are all about. God’s prophets and God’s prophecies are all for the purpose of edification, exhortation and comfort from men of God to others who are God’s people. In other words, a prophet is someone who exhorts you to “keep the things that are written therein… and live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”

Now with this in mind let go to chapter 19, the first chapter after the revelation of the judgment of the great harlot by “one of the seven angels which had the seven vials”, and we will learn who are these seven angels we see throughout this “book of the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Here is who that angel tells us he is:

Rev 19:10  And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

If we are fellow servants and brothers in Christ, and if we have the spirit of prophecy and a desire to share the testimony of Jesus Christ, then these seven angels are you and me! Can we be sure that such a fantastic thing is the case? Yes, we can because this same message is repeated in chapter 22, right at the end of this prophecy.

Rev 22:8  And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
Rev 22:9  Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

This angel is “those who keep the sayings of this book.” One of those sayings is that we will all make the mistake of tending to give too much credit to the messenger and not enough credit to the message which says “See that you do it not… worship God.” Here instead, is what you and I are to be doing.

Rev 22:10  And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
Rev 22:11  He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

We have no commission to make anyone read, hear or keep the things written in this prophecy, but we are to have “the testimony of Jesus Christ which is the spirit of prophecy”, and we are to be ready to give an answer to anyone whom the Lord places before us. We are to be His witnesses of these things:

Mat 7:6  Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

Isa 44:8  Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, [there is] no God; I know not [any].

Luk 24:44  And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and [in] the prophets, and [in] the psalms, concerning me.
Luk 24:45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
Luk 24:46  And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
Luk 24:47  And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Luk 24:48  And ye are witnesses of these things.

The way we are to witness of these things is to “keep the things which are written therein… the sayings of this prophecy, because as He is so are we in this world,” and Christ was dying daily in this life and was being judged in this present time and was never cast into the lake of fire [which] is the second death”.

Next week, Lord willing, we will discuss the spiritual significance of the golden censor, the golden altar, the fire of the altar and that ‘fire’ being cast into the earth.