Seven Angels, Seven Plagues

Scripture:

Revelation 15 (ESV)

Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished.

And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,

“Great and amazing are your deeds,
    O Lord God the Almighty!
Just and true are your ways,
    O King of the nations!
Who will not fear, O Lord,
    and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
    All nations will come
    and worship you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

After this I looked, and the sanctuary of the tent of witness in heaven was opened, and out of the sanctuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues, clothed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes around their chests. And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever, and the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.

Devotional:

As bad as Revelation has been so far I can’t help but think the worst is about to come.  The seven plagues are about to be released upon the earth.  This is God’s final pouring out of His wrath.

Are there times in your life when you have vented your anger upon something or someone?  We vent out our anger letting loose some steam.  We watch movies full of rage.  People in them venting out their wrath upon others.  Whether you see fits of rage in real life or in the movies there usually is some amount of devastation.  It is never a good sight or ends well. 

God is justified in His wrath that is not the question.  God’s wrath is not the same as our petty fits of rage.  However, I can’t help but think of how much worse it will turn out when God pours out His wrath upon the earth.  As bad as Revelation has been to this point I ponder on how much worse it might get… 

Winepress of Wrath

Scripture:

Revelation: 14:14-20 (ESV)

Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.

Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse's bridle, for 1,600 stadia.

Devotional:

Reading this I picture Lucile Ball in “I Love Lucy” stomping grapes in a wine press.  I can still see her face as she is squishing grapes.  I can see a giant version of that winepress with the unsaved thrown in. I picture the blood rising higher and higher seeping through the winepress, and over it.

This is definitely not a place I want to end up.  Full of God’s wrath nothing but pain and misery.  When the earth is ripe God will poor out his wrath.  I think about the hell, damnation, fire and brimstone sermons we never hear anymore.  I use to think we didn’t need to hear them anymore.  They got old and outdated.  But, looking at where we are today I wonder if it might be possible we need more of those sermons.  For those who are saved it makes a great reminder.  For others hopefully a wakeup call. 

Do you need a wakeup call?  Do you know someone who does?  Revelation 14 shows us God’s wrath.  It also shows us what will happen to those who remain lost.  I am glad to know where I will reside in eternity.  Do you know where you will spend eternity?  What about your family and friends?  What about your neighbor? 

Tattoos, Marks, and Other Signs

Scripture:

Revelation 14:8-13 (ESV)

A second angel followed and said, “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,’ which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.”

A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.

Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”

“Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”

Devotional:

Tatoos and other markings are often used as a sign or symbol of belonging.  We have a desire to be identified with a group that accepts us.  Gang members sometimes will have identifying tattoos or wear certain colors to show their allegiance.  As kids we often will have some sort of symbol or sign to identifiy us with our closest friends.

When the end is here and Satan’s reign is high there will be a mark.  Those who worship him will receive this mark.  People will be forced to have this mark in order to get food or even be able to purchase things.  However, this mark is not one I personally would want.  It seals your fate forever.  The mark of the beast will mean eternity of torment. 

I can’t imagine what life will be like in those days.  I pray I am not around to live through them.  I do hope that no matter what I will always bear the mark that shows I belong to Christ.  He alone is worthy.  He alone can save.  It is through Jesus that we are saved and can have an eternity of peace.  Jesus is the way.