The Judgement of Revelation

What Can the World Expect?

The Book of Revelation has so much in it, I feel it almost sacrilegious if I do not write exhaustively about what it means.  But then, this writing would be too long.  We must be careful though.  Revelation contains a warning that I do not want to bear.

“I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.”  Revelation 22:18-19

So then, let us do our best to remember that what we discuss is only a barest fraction of what this wondrous book contains.  I encourage you with profoundest sincerity, to take the time to read the whole book of Revelation.  It can be read in one sitting, or make to two if you need to.  Or read a chapter a day and in 22 days you will have completed it.  The point is to stop what you are doing and read it.  After all, it is the final book in the Bible and sums up life as we know it.

Nor do I want to add my own opinion and transgress the author’s dire warning.  I pray that any observation I make about the words of Revelation may be tempered with the understanding that all interpretations of His word belong to Him and not me.  I only share what I feel as if we were sitting together sharing our common love of God and His word.

The reason I share these judgments is not to frighten anyone.  It is to remind those who care about what the End Times hold for those who reject Jesus Christ and His will for them.  I wish I could say that no one would ever have to suffer the End Times and wrath of God and indeed for those who accept Jesus Christ, they will not.

For those who reject Jesus Christ, all I can say is, please give Jesus Christ a chance.  He will not let you down.  The apostle, Paul, sums up salvation in a few words.

“THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.  For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.”  Romans 10:8-12

Life is busy and we do not pay attention to the things we should.  We do not read our bible often enough.  And we do not come to the throne of Jesus Christ often enough with our praise and worship as well as our prayers and petitions.

Nor are we earnest enough about those who are not saved.  They are the ones who will bear the weight of the tribulation of the End Times.  This is why I share the Judgments of Revelation.  Not only to remember what will happen at the consummation of the ages but to remind us that without Jesus Christ, so many will perish in the second death which is the lake of fire and brimstone.

I cannot bear the thought of even one person suffering for all eternity.  But their choice is not for me to make.  Even though I cannot force them into the kingdom of heaven, I can pray for them that the Lord would remember them and lead them to life where the streets are paved with gold.  May we never forget that when we step from this life to the next, our choices, and the choices for those who reject Jesus Christ, can never be changed.

In my life, I have not spent the solemn effort in praying for all those I love and have held dear.  Too many beloved friends and acquaintances have shared their season with me and left.  Some still live I am sure, but the years have blocked our memories and time together because that is the nature of time.

The weight of my own failure brings us together today.  I want to encourage you that we must pray for those we know.  Each one needs your prayer.  God hears your prayers.  He can answer them if you take the time to lift those prayers up to Him, no matter how small.

I think that if each one of us prayed for those that we know and are in our lives, then we could pray for almost everyone on earth.  We are more connected than you may imagine.  It is a small world, after all.

The Seven Seals

The First Seal—Rider on White Horse

Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, “Come.”  I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer. Revelation 6:1-2

The Second Seal—War

When He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come.”  And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him. Revelation 6:3-4

The Third Seal—Famine

When He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come.” I looked, and behold, a black horse; and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand.  And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine.” Revelation 6:5-6

The Fourth Seal—Death

When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come.”  I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth. Revelation 6:7-8

The Fifth Seal—Martyrs

When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”  And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also. Revelation 6:9-11

The Sixth Seal—Terror

I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.  Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they *said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” Revelation 6:12-17

The Seventh Seal—the Trumpets

When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.  And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.

Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne.  And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand.  Then the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it to the earth; and there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them. Revelation 8:1-6

The Seven Trumpets

The First Trumpet – A Third of the Earth Burned

The first sounded, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. Revelation 8:7

The Second Trumpet – A Third of the Sea Destroyed

The second angel sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea; and a third of the sea became blood, and a third of the creatures which were in the sea and had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed. Revelation 8:8-9

The Third Trumpet – A Third of the Waters Contaminated

The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters.  The name of the star is called Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter. Revelation 8:10-11

The Fourth Trumpet – A Third of the Sky Darkened

The fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.

Then I looked, and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!” Revelation 8:12-13

The Fifth Trumpet – the Bottomless Pit

Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him.  He opened the bottomless pit, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit.  Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.  They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.  And they were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment for five months; and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man.  And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them.

The appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle; and on their heads appeared to be crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men.  They had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions.  They had breastplates like breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to battle.  They have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months.  They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon.

The first woe is past; behold, two woes are still coming after these things. Revelation 9:1-12

The Sixth Trumpet – Army from the East

Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”  And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of mankind.  The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them.  And this is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone.  A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths.  For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm.

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts. Revelation 9:13-21

The Seventh Trumpet – Christ’s Reign Foreseen

Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,

“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”  And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying,

“We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who were, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign.  And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”

And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm. Revelation 11:15-19

The Seven Peals of Thunder

When the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them.” Revelation 10:4

The Bowl Judgments

The First Bowl – A Malignant Sore

So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth; and it became a loathsome and malignant sore on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image. Revelation 16:2

The Second Bowl – The Sea Turns to Blood

The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man; and every living thing in the sea died. Revelation 16:3

The Third Bowl – The Springs and Rivers Turn to Blood

Then the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters; and they became blood.  And I heard the angel of the waters saying, “Righteous are You, who are and who were, O Holy One, because You judged these things; for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. They deserve it.”  And I heard the altar saying, “Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.” Revelation 16:4-7

The Fourth Bowl – The Sun Scorches Men

The fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun, and it was given to it to scorch men with fire.  Men were scorched with fierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory. Revelation 16:8-9

The Fifth Bowl – Darkness and Pain

Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues because of pain, and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they did not repent of their deeds. Revelation 16:10-11

The Sixth Bowl – The Euphrates River Dries Up

The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates; and its water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east. Revelation 16:12

The Seventh Bowl – A Mighty Earthquake & Huge Hailstones

Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, “It is done.”  And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty.  The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath.  And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.  And huge hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague was extremely severe. Revelation 16:17-21

A Prayer from the Author

Father, we are a sinful people.  Please forgive us.  Have mercy on us.  You are the One True God.  There are no other gods.

Please save our families, friends, and acquaintances, those close to us and those not so close.  Please save our neighbors and those we work with, even if they do not like us.

May our hearts be open and tender towards You always.  And may our hearts be tender toward others even if they cause us harm or distress.

May we remember just how long eternity is without You.  And may that knowledge push us to pray for others even in the face of hostility.  For if those who do not know You, knew what we know, then they would believe in You also.

Lord, may we forgive others as you have forgiven us.  May we remember the weight of the burdens we carried before we knew You and rejoice in the knowledge that we no longer carry those loads.  May that knowledge remind us to share Your words with others.

You said, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.

I pray we would remember that those words are for every person who lives, no matter how filthy, unkind, ungrateful, or angry they might be.  For without You, we are by nature, children of wrath.  Without You, we do not know any better than to walk in blindness and darkness and the wrongs committed there.

I pray that we would never forget just how much you have forgiven us.  And may we always remember the words of the apostle, Paul:

“For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.” Matthew 6:14-15

May we take these words to heart and remember the majestic gift that your salvation is and the wonderful hope of life in heaven with You when this life is over.

It is by Your grace that we have been saved.  Please pour out Your grace on all those in my life and in the lives of those who read this.  Please pour out Your Spirit on us and may there be a revival in Your creation, which is Mankind.  May each person come to the knowledge of You and be saved before it is too late.