Judgment and Plagues

Scripture:
Revelation 8:6-13 (ESV)

Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them.

The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and these were thrown upon the earth. And a third of the earth was burned up, and a third ofthe trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.

The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the water, because it had been made bitter.

The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night.

Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew directly overhead,“Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!”

Devotional:

These judgments brought plagues upon the earth.  A third of the creation is plagued or destroyed.  To think this is only the beginning.  There are three more trumpets with three more judgments.  The destruction and chaos must be tremendous during these times.  I imagine life will become difficult.  When all this happens I can’t possibly imagine how people could not turn their eyes upon God.  To me it would seem obvious that God is real and the Bible is truth.  I know people will be stubborn or hard of hearts.  They will not believe despite the truth being all around them.

Truthfully though God’s evidence is all around us.  We have disasters, wars, and rumors of wars today.  All you have to do is turn on the radio, TV, or browse the Internet.   You can see where earthquakes hit and storms rage when and where they normally don’t.  Violence is all around us.  People walking into schools and movie theaters shooting and killing people.  Someone could take this as a sign the end is here.  Maybe it is, maybe not.

Adam and Eve sinned.  They brought sin into this world.  God cannot abide by sin.  His judgment must be made.  There are consequences to all our actions, even Adam and Eve’s.  Because sin is in the world we will always have bad things happen.  There will always be disasters and plagues that fall upon this world.  God will judge. 

Where do you stand?  We are all guilty, no questions there.  Romans 3:23-24 (ESV) “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” we are guilty.  Who pays the price for your sin?  Are you going to pay it?  You don’t have to.  There is someone there who already has.  Do you believe?  Will you accept?  I pray you already have…