Burunche’s Blog

Revelation 17:6 – 13 “I could see that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and of the witnesses for Jesus. And I was utterly amazed at the sight of her. “Why are you so amazed?” said the angel. “I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and ten horns. The beast that you saw—it was, and now is no more, but is about to come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. And those who dwell on the earth whose names were not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world will marvel when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet will be. This calls for a mind that has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while. The beast that was, and now is not, is an eighth king, who belongs to the other seven and is going into destruction. The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive one hour of authority as kings, along with the beast. These kings have one purpose: to yield their power and authority to the beast. “

The Book of Revelation has confounded Bible teachers for years. There are all kinds of charts, time lines, and diagrams that have been used in attempts to explain these parts of the vision. Rather than get too bogged down in specifics, let’s look at the overall picture.

1. The woman spoken of is an arch – demon representing every city and every economy in the world in which Christians have been persecuted in any fashion. As mentioned yesterday, this figure is a satanic counterfeit of the Virgin Mary but is Mary’s exact opposite in every detail. Where Mary is pure, this figure is called “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” According to this name, this figure represents the source of corruption, fornication, and perversion throughout the earth.

2. This figure is referred to as being carried by the beast, that is being supported and transported by thebeast. At the same time, references are made to the woman sitting on seven mountains. Ancient Rome was built on seven different hills; this reference obviously indicates Rome as a center of corruption. As Roman society deteriorated, the city became incredibly corrupt and perverted. Does this mean that ONLY Rome can be represented here? Remember that God was giving John a vision using images that John would recognize. It’s likely that Rome is being used as a symbol for all the cities of the world.

3. The mystery of the seven heads: This reference was made to the first five emperors of Rome, who were already dead at the time of this vision. The one emperor who was ruling at the time of the vision was Vespasian, who was succeeded by Titus, who only reigned for two years. Barclay comments: The beast which was, and is not, is itself the eighth. It proceeds from the series of the seven, and is on its way to destruction. This can only mean that the emperor who followed Titus is being identified with Nero redivivus(re-born) and Antichrist; and the emperor who followed Titus was Domitian. Domitian was an incredibly evil ruler, described by a writer of the time as “an object of terror and hatred to all.”

“But,” you might ask, “all this refers to ancient Rome. What does that have to do with us?” Visions operate on several different levels, particularly when they are giving information about the end times. While on one level this vision appears to be speaking about the Roman Empire, please remember that Satan repeats patterns. If Satan was able to inspire one man to be as evil as Domitian, why can’t he inspire another man, or other men? Who are the ten horns? There have been all kinds of explanations for those figures, but what is important is that they are political leaders who will appear at the same time as the beast and who will have brief terms of power. 7:13 says, “These kings have one purpose: to yield their power and authority to the beast. “

Today we live in an age in which governments of various countries are attempting to undermine governments elsewhere. The events of Revelation 17 are becoming more believable. Today more than ever before, Christians are being persecuted. Pastors in China are going into hiding. In 2020 alone more than 2200 Christians in Northern Nigeria have been killed for their faith.

Hundreds of years before John received this vision, God also gave the prophet Daniel a vision of the end times. Speaking of the persecution of believers, the angel giving the interpretation to Daniel told Daniel that an evil ruler would arise and, “With flattery he will corrupt those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him. Those with insight will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by sword or flame, or be captured or plundered. Now when they fall, they will be granted a little help, but many will join them insincerely. Some of the wise will fall, so that they may be refined, purified, and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.” Daniel 11:32-35

We have no choice over the time in which we have been born. The major choice each of us must make is this: Will we serve the One True Living God, or will we reject Him? The choice is not necessarily an easy one: choose to follow God and possibly suffer here on earth or reject God and suffer for eternity?

PRAYER: Father God, we are afraid! It has already been a difficult year, full of pain, suffering, loss, and sometimes death. Help us to realize that You are our only Hope and to choose to follow you, no matter what. In the mighty and precious Name of Jesus. Amen.

Revelation 17:1- 5 “Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and told me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. The kings of the earth were sexually immoral with her, and those who dwell on the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her immorality.” And the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, where I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. On her forehead a mysterious name was written: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”

One thing about Satan is that he is not original; he copies the things of God, twisting them and perverting them if possible. At Christmas time we celebrate Mary for her faith, her obedience to God, her purity, and her perseverance in believing what God had told her. So if there were to be a satanic counterpart to the Virgin Mary, that female would have to be the worst whore ever imagined, someone without a shred of decency. For two thousand years, Mary has given us an example to follow. It only makes sense that Satan would attempt to create something that would be the exact opposite, and he did. In these last few chapters of Revelation, the imagery can become confused and confusing. For the purposes of this study, it is not necessary to attempt to go into excruciating details.

One of the angels shows John “the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters.” Although parts of the description would certainly fit the city of Rome, please remember that there are major cities throughout the world that sit on major rivers or next to major seaports. So this “great prostitute” might be the spirit of all the world cities that intoxicate rulers and ordinary people with the wine of immorality. Perhaps each of these world class cities might have its own “great prostitute demon,” with the woman shown to John being the chief. Even the name on her forehead suggests this: “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”

This arch – demoness is dressed as the most important courtesans in every age have dressed – with fine clothing, jewels, etc. On her forehead she bears her name. The prostitutes in ancient Rome wore signs on their foreheads with their names inscribed. 1. She encourages gross immorality wherever she operates. 2. She holds a golden cup of abominations of all kinds – anything that can be used to entice, seduce, undermine, pervert, or corrupt is in that cup! The outward appearance of gold is only to deceive.

Today is Christmas. Many people only think of Mary, the mother of Jesus, as one of the figures in the Nativity scene. But Mary is worth far more than that! Consider Mary: Isaiah 9 foretells the coming of the Messiah: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned…. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.” The great prostitute exists only to corrupt, but Jesus, Son of God and Son of the Virgin Mary, has come to set people free, to purify their hearts.

We make a terrible mistake if we fail to value Mary as we should! Luke 1:26 – 39 “In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings,b you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!” “How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God. Look, even Elizabeth your relative has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her”.

Mary had a choice: she could have refused to bear the Messiah, but she said yes. In agreeing, Mary opened herself to public ridicule and gossip. As events developed, Mary was denied the opportunity to deliver at home with her mother and friends around her; instead, she had to endure a donkey ride of 70 miles and deliver in a dark cave that smelled like manure.

From the very beginning, Mary knew that one day she would face unimaginable suffering. Simeon warned her of that when he took the Baby Jesus in his arms in the temple. Luke 2:34-35 “Behold, this Child is appointed to cause the rise and fall of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed— and a sword will pierce your soul as well.”

Today as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, let us thank God for Mary, the pure – hearted, faithful, and holy woman who gave us our Savior. O come, let us adore Jesus! And let us thank God for Mary!

PRAYER Father God, thank you! Please let the peace of Christmas rule and reign in our hearts and let us follow hard after you all the days of our lives. Amen.

“Revelation 16:13 – 21 “And I saw three unclean spirits that looked like frogs coming out of the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. These are demonic spirits that perform signs and go out to all the kings of the earth, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God, the Almighty. “Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who remains awake and clothed, so that he will not go naked and let his shame be exposed.” And they assembled the kings in the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came from the throne in the temple, saying, “It is done!”

And there were flashes of lightning, and rumblings, and peals of thunder, and a great earthquake the likes of which had not occurred since men were upon the earth—so mighty was the great quake. The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. And God remembered Babylon the great and gave her the cup of the wine of the fury of His wrath. Then every island fled, and no mountain could be found. And huge hailstones, about a hundred pounds each,a rained down on them from above. And men cursed God for the plague of hail, because it was so horrendous.”

The dragon, the beast, and the false prophet each have a demonic spirit coming forth from them that resembles a frog. Barclay comments:

(i) Frogs are connected with plagues. One of the plagues in Egypt was a plague of frogs.

(ii) Frogs are unclean animals. Although not mentioned by name, they are included by definition in the list of unclean things in the water and the sea which begins in Leviticus 11:10. The frog stands for an unclean influence.

(iii) Frogs are famous for their empty and continuous croaking-The sound the frog makes is the symbol of meaningless speech.

(iv) In Zoroastrianism, the Persian religion, frogs are the bringer of plagues and the agent of Ahriman, the power of darkness, in his struggle against Ormuzd, the power of light. God might have reminded John of this story.

So, then, to say that frogs came out of the mouth of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet is to say that their words were like plagues, were unclean, were empty futilities, and were the allies of the power of the dark.

The kings of the earth are being summoned to a final showdown! Where is this battle to take place? Many feel that the final battle will be fought on the Plain of Esdraelon before the ruined city of Megiddo. The location is not as important as the fact that absolute good and absolute evil are to fight one last battle and evil will be defeated.

The seventh bowl is poured on onto the air and the weather goes crazy! Thunder and lightning and earthquakes rock the earth! Rome, here represented by the term “Babylon,” is split into three parts. These earthquakes sink the mountains and level the islands. In the last catastrophe, huge hailstones weighing roughly 100 pounds pummel the earth, reducing it to rubble. Do any of these natural disasters cause men to repent? No! Once more, men respond by cursing God.

Years ago, Francis Schaeffer wrote a book entitled, How Shall We Then Live? That question remains valid today. God warned mankind in Isaiah 55:6-7 “Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked man forsake his own way and the unrighteous man his own thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.”

Now is the time to seek the Lord! Now is the time to call on Him. God wants fellowship with us; this is why He sent Jesus to be born as a man and to live as a sinless man and to die for the sins of all mankind. But we must recognize that we are sinners and accept what Jesus has done for us. God has given us a marvelous earth and friends and family, but His greatest Gift of all is Jesus.

PRAYER: Lord, Jesus, we confess that we are sinners. By ourselves, we cannot earn our way into heaven. Thank you for loving us and for dying for our sins. Please forgive our sins and help us to follow you for the rest of our lives. Thank you that if we do follow you, you have promised us eternal life. In your mighty and precious Name, Jesus. Amen.

Luke 2:1 – 20 “Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole empire. This was the first census to take place while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the City of David called Bethlehem, since he was from the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to him in marriage and was expecting a child.

While they were there, the time came for her Child to be born. And she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were shepherds residing in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night. Just then, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! For behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today in the City of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord! And this will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there appeared with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests!”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the Baby, who was lying in the manger. After they had seen the Child, they spread the message they had received about Him. And all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, which was just as the angel had told them.”

It was quiet that night. Well, it was quiet in that cave outside Bethlehem. The cave was one of the places where the lambs were kept wrapped in swaddling cloths, the lambs that would later be used for sacrifices. Bethlehem itself was a mad house! Who knew there were so many people who claimed to be descended from King David? And who knew there were so few inns in Bethlehem?

But out in that cave, there was only a small olive oil lamp to light Mary as she gave birth to her Son Jesus. Joseph had never wanted to act as a midwife, but he had no choice. And really, Joseph did pretty well, apart from the time when he thought he would faint. Mary offered the baby her breast and after he had sucked a little he was content. And then these shepherds came blundering in with wild stories of an angelic host that had appeared to them in the sky. Mary looked and Joseph and Joseph looked at Mary; they knew about angelic visitors. And so Joseph brought the lamp closer and the shepherds admired the newborn baby. And then the shepherds thanked Joseph and Mary and went back to their sheep. But for the rest of their lives, those shepherds would hear that song the angels sang, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests!”

PRAYER: Father God, thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You sent Jesus to live as a man, to die for our sins, and to conquer death and the grave so that one day we might be with you in heaven. Lord, help us to always keep that sense of wonder in our hearts. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Revelation 16:1-7 “Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go, pour out on the earth the seven bowls of God’s wrath.” So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and loathsome, malignant sores broke out on those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. And the second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it turned to blood like that of the dead, and every living thing in the sea died. And the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and springs of water, and they turned to blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say: “Righteous are You, O Holy One, who is and who was, because You have brought these judgments. For they have spilled the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink as they deserve.” And I heard the altar reply: “Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are Your judgments.”

The final plagues have come and they are truly horrible, almost beyond description. Some of these plagues seem very similar to those that afflicted the ancient Egyptians.

1. Malignant sores break out on all those worshiping the beast. As far back as Deuteronomy 28, God warns the Israelites that if they forsake worshiping Him to go after other gods, terrible things will happen. “If you are not careful to observe all the words of this law which are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name—the LORD your God— He will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary disasters, severe and lasting plagues, and terrible and chronic sicknesses. He will afflict you again with all the diseases you dreaded in Egypt, and they will cling to you. The LORD will also bring upon you every sickness and plague not recorded in this Book of the Law, until you are destroyed. You who were as numerous as the stars in the sky will be left few in number, because you would not obey the voice of the LORD your God.” Deuteronomy 28:58-62

2. The sea turns to blood and everything in it dies. Many times, there have been recorded instances of huge “red tides” of algae that have decimated the oceans wherever they have appeared. Why not a world – wide catastrophe?

3. All fresh water sources turn to blood as well, forcing those left upon the earth to literally drink blood in punishment for the martyrdom of the saints and prophets.

How can an altar speak? Remember that every part of heaven has angels assigned. The voice coming from the altar is the angel of the altar bearing witness to the greatness of God.

8 – 12 “Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was given power to scorch the people with fire. And the people were scorched by intense heat, and they cursed the name of God, who had authority over these plagues; yet they did not repent and give Him glory. And the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness, and men began to gnaw their tongues in anguish and curse the God of heaven for their pains and sores; yet they did not repent of their deeds. And the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings of the East.

4. Next the ozone layer that has protected the earth is ripped away, leaving people at the mercy of the sun’s rays. All the time that those who remain on the earth are suffering, not once do they praise God but they rather curse Him!

5. The fifth angel pours his bowl directly on the throne of the beast, plunging its kingdom into darkness. Could this be dust storms and air pollution stirred up as a result of the destruction of the ozone layer and unopposed sunlight?

6. The Euphrates River dries up completely! In the past, armies have diverted the Euphrates, most notably to conquer ancient Babylon. But now with the scorching heat of the sun beating down on the earth, the Euphrates goes completely dry, leaving the countries on the west side of it exposed.

The amazing thing is that as each of these plagues further devastate the earth, those who worship the beast refuse to worship God but curse Him instead. There is no point in cursing someone if you refuse to believe that they exist, so obviously those worshiping the beast believe in God. But these poor people are so deceived that nothing matters to them anymore apart from their suffering and they persist in worshiping the beast.

In the last book of the Narnia Chronicles, C.S. Lewis describes a group of dwarves who refuse to believe in Aslan, the Christ figure, but who persist in chanting that “the dwarves are for the dwarves!” While those around the dwarves are entering into heaven, the dwarves cannot because they refuse to believe.

“Why are we studying such a gloomy book at Christmas?” you might ask. “Revelation is about as grim a book as the Bible possesses. Perhaps our problem is that we have sentimentalized Christmas to the point of the absurd. Jesus did NOT come as a baby so that He could adorn sweet greeting cards 2000 years later. Nor did Jesus confront Satan, death, hell and the grave so that He could simply be made the subject of a few carols, tuneful as they are. Jesus was born as a human baby for one reason: he was to be the sinless blood sacrifice that would pay for the sins of all those who would believe in Him. The red of Christmas originally stood for the Blood of Jesus. And the Green of Christmas stood – and stands – for eternal life. The message of Christmas is that Jesus has made a way for all sinners – and we are all sinners – to have eternal life, if we will accept what He has done for us and will believe in Him. Jesus has given the very best Gift of all – eternal life. But we can choose to accept or reject that gift. The decision is up to each one of us.

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for sending Jesus to live as a man, to die on Calvary, and to defeat death and the grave so that we might have eternal life. Help each of us to accept that greatest gift. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Isaiah 43:1 – 2 “Now this is what the LORD says— He who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

In the center of a candle flame, there is a small still area of peace. And in the midst of our troubles, we can have peace as well. Peace is not a passive emotion but an active one. If we are to have peaceful spirits, we must guard our hearts against the things that can destroy our peace.

Does this mean that we have to be ostriches with our heads stuck in the sand? Far from it! True people of peace realize that there are problems; the question is this: Where is your focus? Are you obsessing about all the things going wrong in your life? Are all your energies engaged in trying to avoid unpleasantness? Life happens, and no matter how hard we try, we will have problems. But we also have the promises of God, promises of hope and promises of peace.

Do you feel isolated and frustrated? God is there. Do you feel that you are carrying heavy loads with no help in sight? God is there. Do you feel that nothing will ever go right in your life? God is still there.

It sounds like a cliche to say that God is only a prayer away, but it is still true. “But,” you say, ”I don’t know how to pray.” Well, fortunately, God hears the cries of our hearts. And even if your prayers consist of “God, help me! I’m in a mess and I can’t get out!” that is a very valid prayer.

Remember when Jesus taught about the two men who went to the temple to pray? The religious leader prayed a long elaborate prayer, praising himself. The poor tax collector, overwhelmed by a sense of his own sin, simply said, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” That simple prayer from the heart reached the Throne of God.

PRAYER: Father God, help! We are stuck in all kinds of problems. Our money is dwindling. Our businesses are failing. Christmas is coming and we aren’t sure how to care for our families. But you have promised to be with us. You said that one of Jesus’ names is Immanuel, “God with us.” Lord, be with us and help us. Amen.

 “Revelation 15:5 – 7 “After this I looked, and the temple—the tabernacle of the Testimony—was opened in heaven. And out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues, dressed in clean and bright linen and girded with golden sashes around their chests. Then one of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever.”

Originally, Moses took his tent and pitched it away from the camp as recorded in Exodus: 7-11. But later God gave Moses the plans for the tabernacle in the wilderness and the priestly garments. (Exodus 35-40) These blueprints that were later modified to build Jewish temples throughout the world. It was always understood that the original tabernacle was a model and a forerunner of what would come later on. As a Jewish believer, John would have been extremely well acquainted with these scriptures. Now John is having “AHA!” moments; after years of reading these scriptures, he sees the heavenly tabernacle and is amazed!

Here is Barclay’s description:

It is from within the tabernacle that the seven avenging angels come forth. In the center of the Holy Place within the tabernacle lay the Ark of the Covenant, the chest in which were contained the tables of the ten commandments, the essence of the Law. That is to say, these angels come out from the place where the Law of God rests and come to show that no man or nation can with impunity defy the Law of God.

They are clothed in a shining white robe and are girt about the breasts with a golden girdle. The robes of the angels are symbolic of three things. (a) Their dress is priestly dress. The robe of white fine linen and the gold embroidered girdle about the breast is the dress of the High Priest. The High Priest might well be called God’s representative among men; and these angels come forth as the avenging representatives of God. (b) Their dress is royal dress. The white linen and the high girdle are the garments of princes and of kings; and these angels come forth with the royalty of the King of kings upon them. (c) Their dress is heavenly dress. The young man at the empty tomb of Christ was clothed in a long white garment (Mark 16:5; Matthew 28:3); and the angels are the inhabitants of heaven, come to execute God’s decrees upon earth.

It is one of the four living creatures who hands them the bowls of the wrath of God. When we were thinking about the four living creatures when they first emerged on the scene (Revelation 4:7) we saw that the first was like a lion, the second like an ox, the third like a man, and the fourth like an eagle; and that, they may well symbolize all that is strongest and bravest and wisest and swiftest in nature. if that be so, it is fitting that one of them should hand the bowls of wrath to the seven angels. The bowls of wrath are to bring disasters in nature to the world; and the symbolism may well be that nature is handing itself to God to serve his purposes.

15:8 “And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter into the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels had been completed.” Time after time in the Bible, when the Glory of the Lord fills a place, the place is filled with smoke. When Solomon dedicated his magnificent temple, the Glory filled the temple. While the Glory of the Lord filled the temple, nobody could approach. 1 Kings 8:10 – 11 “And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, the cloud filled the house of the LORD so that the priests could not stand there to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.”

Barclay comments: There is the idea that the purposes of God will often be clouded to men, for no man can see into the mind of God; and there is the idea that the holiness and the glory of God are such that man in his own right can never approach God.

But in addition, there is the fact that no man could come into the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels have been completed. God’s timing is perfect. When the time has come for judgment to be executed, nothing can stop it.

There is a legend about King Canute, who was King of England, Denmark, Norway, and parts of Sweden (995 – 1035 A.D.) King Canute was a believer. Canute set his throne up on the seashore and allowed the tide to come in, apparently to prove a point about Kings and God: ‘Let all men know how empty and worthless is the power of kings, for there is none worthy of the name, but He whom heaven, earth, and sea obey by eternal laws.’ The legend continues that once Canute had carried out this demonstration, he hung his crown on a crucifix and never wore it again in honor of Almighty God.

“God Is Working His Purpose Out”

Source: Ancient and Modern: hymns and songs for refreshing worship #646

God is working his purpose out, as year succeeds to year,
God is working his purpose out, and the time is drawing near;
nearer and nearer draws the time, the time that shall surely be,
when the earth shall be filled with the glory of God as the waters cover the sea.

God is working His purpose out. The question for us is will we work with God or attempt to oppose Him? King Canute was right; we can no more oppose God than we can order the tide to stop coming in. God loves us and wants us to love Him and to serve Him, but He will never force us.

PRAYER: Father God, thank you that you have given us guidance ever since the beginning of time, if we will only listen to you. Lord, help us to hear your voice and to let you have your way in our lives. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Isaiah 26:3 – 4 “You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You and hopes confidently in You. So trust in the Lord, for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock.” (NKJV Amplified)

In 24 hours last December, my Facebook prayer groups exploded with pain! A thirteen year – old dying with septic shock. Two young mothers dying with heart failure. Law enforcement officers who wanted nothing more than to serve and protect and to celebrate Christmas with their families – all gone! U. S. military dying thousands of miles from families and friends. Facing such horrible losses, it seems ridiculous to speak about peace. How can we have peace in the face of these tragedies? And yet, the Bible tells us that God wants us to have peace and that Jesus came as the Prince of Peace.

Social media is great for connecting people, but it also allows us to hear about suffering in places we have never heard of before. Is there more suffering now than there was in the past? Probably not. But the difference is that now we hear about all of this misery in a concentrated form.

There have always been wars. There have always been refugees. There has always been starvation somewhere in the world. Climate change is not actually new; floods, droughts, earthquakes, tsunamis – all have shaken the earth since time began. Even Jesus once told his disciples that they would face tribulation in this world. So, if having peaceful spirits depended on earthly events, peace would be an impossibility. And yet, God promises us peace in His word. How can we achieve this peace?

1. We must “stay our minds” on the Lord; we must constantly focus on the Lord and not on our problems. Worrying about problems only eats up your stomach lining and constricts the blood vessels in your heart.

2. How are we to “stay our minds” on the Lord? We must commit ourselves to the Lord, praying, and listening for His Voice and studying His Word, the Bible.

3. We must lean on the Lord and hope confidently in Him. Here “leaning” means to put all the weight of the cares that upset us and torment us on the Lord.

4. We must trust the Lord, who is our Rock. Here the idea is of a huge monolith such as the Rock of Gibraltar, something solid, dependable, unmovable, and unshakable, a place of refuge and safety. David the Psalmist wrote “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge..”(Psalm 18:2)

PRAYER: Father God, your children need you! We need your protection! We need your comfort! We need Someone we can lean on and trust completely! But most of all, Lord, we need your peace! Please help us to keep our minds fixed on you and give us that peace that passes all understanding, so that we can face the threatening things in our lives without fear. In the matchless Name of Jesus. Amen.

Isaiah 9: 6 – 7 “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end… The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”

When God was giving the Prophet Isaiah this prophecy, there was no such thing as peace. The Jews were steadily moving further away from God and leaving His commandments. It’s possible that wicked King Manasseh, the most wicked of the kings of Judah, ordered Isaiah’s murder. And yet, God gave this prophecy. And this prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

When Elizabeth and Mary come together, John, Elizabeth’s baby, leaps for joy in the womb and both Elizabeth and John are filled with the Holy Spirit. When the Angel Gabriel went to Mary and to Joseph individually and greeted them, it is likely that the first thing the Angel said was “peace be with you.” And when the angels appeared to the shepherds in the fields of Bethlehem, they proclaimed “peace on earth, good will to men.” In each of these situations, the Holy Spirit was there, and the mark of the Holy Spirit is peace. In Galatians 5: 22 – 23 we are told, ^“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control.”

Throughout Jesus’ ministry, He proved that He was truly the Prince of Peace. Whether calming storms on the Sea of Galilee or casting out demons, Jesus spoke peace into situations and brought peace to those who were troubled. And this peace wasn’t just some kind of “feel good” temporary manipulation. This peace was deep and abiding.

Peace is something that many people pursue, but sometimes it seems that the more one pursues peace, the more elusive it becomes. There are many methods touted as ways to achieve peace, but peace is not a thing. Peace is found in the person of Jesus Christ. Philippians 4: 4-7 tells us “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Today, we don’t need one more program or one more diet to achieve peace, even though programs and diets can certainly be useful. But the “diet” we need is a diet of our thoughts.

1. Rejoice in the Lord always! Notice, there are no restrictions placed on this rejoicing. We are not advised to merely rejoice when we feel like it, but to rejoice always, trusting that God will work things out for us.

2. Let your gentleness be evident to all…why? Because the Lord is near. If the Lord is really near, you don’t have to force because the Author of the Universe, the Supreme Authority, is near.

3. In every situation, in prayer and thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

4. And what is the result of these practices? The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, sometimes we feel as if you are very far away and we are lost children, desperate for peace. Please, Lord, send your Holy Spirit peace into our hearts and minds and spirits. Help us to remember that you are very near indeed, closer than our heartbeats. And thank you for sending your Son Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Amen.

Revelation15:1-2 “And I saw another sign in heaven, great and wonderful–it was seven angels, with seven plagues which are the final ones, because in them the wrath of God reaches its climax. And I saw what I can only call a sea of glass intermingled with fire; and I saw standing beside the sea of glass, with the harps of God, those who had emerged victorious from their struggle with the beast and with his image and with the number of his name.”

“The storm is passing over! The storm is passing over! The storm is passing over! Hallelujah!” The choir from an inner city church sang those words triumphantly, and I have never forgotten them. So many have weathered terrible storms – physical, spiritual, emotional, and financial attacks that have left them reeling. Despite their faithfulness, they suffered martyrdom. But now the time has come for these persevering saints to be rewarded. Jesus said: “Whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:25).Barclay states: The real victory is not prudently to preserve life but to face the worst that evil can do and if need be to be faithful to death. “May God deny you peace,” said Unamuno the Spanish mystic, “and give you glory.”

15:3-4 ”and they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: Great and wonderful are your works, O Lord, God the Almighty; Just and true are your ways, King of the nations. Who shall not fear and glorify your name, O Lord? Because you alone are holy; Because all the nations will come and worship before you; Because your righteous judgments have been made plain for all to see.”

These victorious martyrs sing two songs: the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. Moses first sang his song when the Children of Israel were delivered from the Egyptians at the Red Sea, and it is found in Exodus 15:1-19. The short version of the Song of Moses is “The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation…. Who is like thee, 0 Lord, among the gods, who is like thee, majestic in holiness, terrible in glorious deeds, doing wonders?… The Lord will reign for ever and ever.”

The Song of the Lamb is one that only these martyrs can sing and is made up of quotations from the Psalms. “Great and wonderful are your works, O Lord, God the Almighty; Just and true are your ways, King of the nations. Who shall not fear and glorify your name, O Lord? Because you alone are holy; Because all the nations will come and worship before you; Because your righteous judgments have been made plain for all to see.” Notice that these martyrs don’t mention themselves at all; they are lost in their praises of the magnificence of the God whom they have served and for whom they have died, the God who has redeemed them. All suffering is past and now those who have suffered can see how that suffering has contributed to building the Kingdom of God.

Many times, people become discouraged and begin to hate God when bad things happen. “If God were REALLY a God of love, my child wouldn’t have died of a drug overdose!” “If God were REALLY a God of love, my elderly parent wouldn’t have died by himself in a nursing home isolated from the rest of the family by COVID restrictions!” “If God were REALLY working in my life, I wouldn’t have lost my [job/house/car/business/family/money]! We easily forget that we are living in a fallen sinful world, one in which all of us are subject to things going wrong. God has created us as beings with free will, not as puppets; and when we or others make bad choices, then terrible things can result. St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 tells us that we see “but a dim reflection as in a mirror;” in other words, we only get a small part of the big picture.

Bad things can happen. The question is, how will we respond? Will we blame God or will we allow God to use the bad things that happen in our lives to mold us and to perfect us into the men and women God wants us to be? Moses said in Psalm 90:10 “The length of our days is seventy years— or eighty if we are strong— yet their pride is but labor and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.” Our lives are only moments in eternity. The suffering that seems to go on forever will pass; the question is, how will we respond? Will we allow God to mold us or will we become increasingly bitter?

PRAYER: Father God, thank you that our suffering does not go on forever! Thank you that no matter what we are facing, you are always there watching, encouraging, and shaping us. Lord, help those who read these words to turn to you so that you will be able to shape them into the glorious beings you want them to become. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.