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TRUMPETS – 2000

Fred Coulter  -  September 30, 2000

This is the Feast of Trumpets, the year 2000.  And as we always do, we always begin in Leviticus 23.  And God gives a command there concerning the Feast of Trumpets.  And of course today we are going to learn about the Feast of Trumpets.  We’re going to review some things we already know.  We’re going to learn some new things that we haven’t understood before.  We’re going to reinforce some of the things that we need to understand even better, and we’re going to tie it all together because all of the holy days fit one after the other.  That’s why in Leviticus 23 it starts out with the Sabbath in the first part, and then it goes through the Passover, the two holy days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, and now here we come to the Feast of Trumpets.  So let’s turn to Leviticus 23:23 and let’s see what God says about that.

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying…”  Now understand something very important.  The law that Moses gave was the law of God.  It wasn’t the law of Moses.  Moses was only the intermediary.  And so everything that God told Moses to do, He said, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying…”  Now here’s the command for the Feast of Trumpets.  “…In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.  Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD” (Lev. 23:23-25). 

Now whenever a person would come before the Lord on these holy days, they could offer an offering made by fire, or as we will see that in Luke 21, we find that those who did not bring an offering to make an offering by fire then they gave an offering in kind according to money to cast it into the treasury. 

Now let’s just come over here to verse 37.  “These are the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations…”  Now this is a summary of all of the feasts coming right on down to the Last Great Day.  “…To offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering [if you can afford that, which was either a bullock or a  lamb], and a [ meal] meat offering [now it says meat offering in the King James but it’s actually a meal offering made of flour], a sacrifice, and drink offerings, everything upon his day:”  Now the priests had all those that they were to do for the nation of Israel.  And you find that recorded in Numbers 28 and 29.  Now these are in addition to that. 

And it says, “Beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts [so there were gifts that were given], besides all your vows [so there were vows that were made, and the vows that were made then they either had a sacrifice to give with it or they had an equivalent of it], and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the LORD” (vs. 38).  Now a freewill offering can also be commanded.  Now some people don’t really understand that.  So let’s go back here to Leviticus 1 and let’s see that.  Let’s look at the one concerning the very first sacrifice that God instructed Moses to give, which was the whole burnt offering in Leviticus 1.

Now verse 1, “And the LORD called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, or of the flock.  If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD” (Lev. 1:1-4).  Now let’s notice something else with this too.  Even though it was his own voluntary…that means whenever he would choose to do it, he had to follow the commands of God concerning it. 

Now notice verse 4.  “And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering [to dedicate it to God]; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.”  Now this was not a sin offering but it was a whole burnt offering and atonement here means to be made at one with God.  Because a sin offering and trespass offering is given a little later. 

Now I need to make one correction which someone pointed out to me when I said during Pentecost that the offering for Pentecost was the only one that was offered with leaven.  Now there was one mistake on that.  During the days of Unleavened Bread, of course, they could not offer this offering with leaven, but let’s go to Leviticus 7:11, so I want to correct something that I made a mistake on. 

“And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he shall offer unto the LORD.  If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving [with it] unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried.  Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offerings” (Lev. 7:11-14).  And so that’s the only other offering.  Now obviously if you’re going to give a thank offering or peace offering during the Feast of Unleavened Bread you cannot use leaven at that time, especially then because all leaven was removed from the whole country. 

Now let’s come to Luke 21, and let’s see something here very important, which shows the attitude behind it.  Now I realize that there have been some people so offended in the past that they just feel they can’t give any money to any man.  But know two things.  One, God commands the tithes, and God commands the offerings.  So understand that.  And I do realize that in the past in other organizations money has been misapplied and misspent in a way that it should not have been.  Now we don’t do that here.  We try and run a very tight ship.  We run everything by cash.  We give an accounting every year for every penny that we have, and send it out with your receipts at the end of the year.  So please understand that. 

Now here in Luke 21:1, and this is as Jesus was speaking.  “And He looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.  And He saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.  And He said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:  For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had” (Luke 21:1-4).  Now let’s understand something concerning this.  It was in her heart to do so.  So Christ did not tell her to withdraw the money back out of the offering, because once she gave it and gave it from the heart that was hers to do.  So the most important thing we need to realize in giving offerings, and we take them up on every holy day, is that it has to be from the heart, willingly, according to the blessing that God has given you.  And over time these blessings mount.  Over time these blessings build.  And of course the most important blessings are the spiritual blessings of God’s Spirit and fellowship with God the Father and Jesus Christ.  And then the fellowship with each other when we can get together.  Those are the most important blessings besides the blessings of the physical things that God has given us. 

Here, let’s go to Matthew 6:33 and let’s see the whole attitude that we need to have in all of this.  And that way then it will be right before God.  That way we won’t be seeking to do our own will.  We won’t be seeking to get something from God, or to buy our way or anything like that because it has to be from the heart.  It has to be with a pure motive.  And it has to be because you love God and desire to give.

Now let’s pick it up here in verse 30.  “Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat?  or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”  Now that’s a promise and we can claim that promise.  And we can look to God for it.  And He will bless us.  But you see our heart has to be seeking the kingdom of God first.  “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.  Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof” (Matt. 6:30-34).  In other words, we have enough time overcoming our human nature and combating the evil around us on every side that we need to take each day a day at a time and go forward from there.  So at this time we will go ahead and pause and we will take up the offering.

(Pause)

Now let’s see what the meaning of the Feast of Trumpets really is.  Let’s understand something that it is not from what we read in Leviticus 23. 

#1 It is not a harvest feast.  That’s why Pentecost pictures the first resurrection because the first resurrection is a harvest.  Trumpets is not a harvest feast.

#2  It is the fourth holy day that we have.

#3  It is actually a feast picturing the second coming of Christ.  And if you want to name what kind of feast this is, the Feast of Trumpets is a war feast, as we will see.  Very important to understand.  That’s why there’s a memorial of the blowing of trumpets.  And the trumpets were to be blown all day long. 

Now let’s see what will the world be like leading up to the return of Jesus Christ?  Let’s go to Matthew 24.  We haven’t been to Matthew 24 for a long time, so let’s go there because there are a lot of important things here that tells us what the world will be like.  And tells us what will be happening.  And then we need to combine that with the other scriptures so we will know how things are going to follow before the things start unleashing which lead up to the Feast of Trumpets with the return of Christ because there are many things that need to take place.

Now let’s begin right here in verse 3.  “And as He sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto Him privately, saying, Tell us,

#1  when shall these things be? 

#2  and what shall be the sign of Thy coming, 

#3  and of the end of the [age] world?” 

Now a great many people have flunked verse 4.  “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.”  And yet how many have been deceived by persuasive speech.  And as we’ve covered concerning the Gnostics and lawlessness, and so forth.  “For many shall come in My name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many” (vs. 4-5).  And they will actually say that Christ is the Christ, but also they will blend it together with other christs because we see down here in verse 24, “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”  Now that is right for our time.  And that’s happening.

Now let’s come back here and see what else Christ said would happen.  Now let’s understand something.  All of these things began from the time of the beginning of the Church on Pentecost in 30 A.D., and runs all the way down through to the end.  Now at the end there’s going to be a brief respite of things were it will really look grand.  And we’ll see that in just a little bit. 

But He says, “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars [we still do today]: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet” (vs. 6).  Now let’s understand something.  Then end is not when people think the end is going to be.  That’s one of the things that is so deceptive about the return of Christ from the point of view of human perception. 

“For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in diverse places.  All these are the beginning of sorrows.  Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you  [and we will see that the coming world court will make that possible]: and ye shall be hated of all nations for My name’s sake” (vs. 7-9).  And that will be because we won’t fit into the One World scheme.

Verse 10, “And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.”  So we will enter into a real time of great difficulty.  “And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many” (vs. 10-11).  Now wherever you hear the word “many”, not only does it mean many, but in the case “shall deceive many” one false prophet can deceive hundreds, maybe thousands, maybe even millions.  And so when it says “deceive many” then we’re talking about the majority of people. 

Verse 12, “and because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall [grow] wax cold.”  This is precisely what is happening today on an increasing scale.  More and more morality is going down.  More and more hate and violence and crime is taking it’s place.  More and more people are just turned off from things and growing cold in their love.  Even happened in the Church, didn’t it, because iniquity abounded in the Church.  One thing that’s for sure: whenever iniquity multiplies then love grows cold.  “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (vs. 12-13).  Now a lot of people have already flunked that verse, because you have to endure to the end.  And you don’t know when the end will be.  Christ says so.  He gives us the signs to look at, the signs to watch for, which we will examine, but no one knows exactly when that day is going to happen. 

Now let’s look at the very first sign, one of the very first signs, verse 14.  “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”  Now preaching the gospel as a witness to all nations entails more than just what we are doing.  It entails more than what one organization is doing.  And also you have to realize the gospel is in the Bible, and in Mark 13, the parallel account it says it will be published among all nations.  The gospel is contained in the Bible, so in effect the publishing part has already been done.  But we also have all of these New Age Bible versions, which are showing, you understand how absolutely it takes away from the word of God and destroys the knowledge of the truth.  Takes away the knowledge of the return of Christ and brings in it all this one world, one togetherness that we’ve already seen what’s happening in the world and is coming more, and more, and more.  And we’re going to see that take place even more.

Then here’s the next one.  Now how he preaches the gospel, let’s understand this too.  As we will see the two witnesses preached the gospel to the whole world for 3 ½ years.  Now that’s going to have a great and profound effect.  Now we have to do our part as God opens the doors and makes it possible.  And He will.  And God will add to us and we will grow.  We in fact we already are growing.  We have new people coming along all the time.  Not a great number, but they’re coming along all the time, who have never had any contact with the Church of God before.  And they recognize the gospel because they understand that they are not getting it in the churches of this world.

Now let’s continue on.  Here is the major event, which is going to key the beginning of the tribulation.  Now let’s understand something concerning the tribulation.  The tribulation, the whole 3 ½ year period is called The Day of The Lord, as we will see beginning in Revelation 6 when we get there, because Christ is the one Who opens the seals.  You also have the day of His wrath, as we will see in Revelation 6.  Then we have the trumpet plagues, and all of that, and all of this is part of the Day of The Lord.  So it continues from this place right here, this is the beginning of The Day of The Lord, and it runs clear down to the time that Christ puts His feet on the earth, and the saints with Him, as we know from Zechariah 14.

So here’s the first one, verse 15.  “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place…”  Question: What is the holy place?  The holy place is the temple.  So this is telling us, and we’ll see a later on when we come to Revelation 11, that there is going to be a third temple built.  Now the Jews will never sign a peace pact unless they are guaranteed to build the temple.  You can guarantee that.  So when the temple is built then the beginning of the tribulation is when “…the abomination [that makes desolate] of desolation, as spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place…”  Now notice the rest of the verse, “…(whoso readeth, let him understand:)”  Now this has nothing…Jesus didn’t say this when He was speaking.  Matthew put that in there.  So we are to read it and understand it, and it’s for our day. 

Now let’s go back and let’s see some more things concerning the end time leading up to this.  We’ll come back here to Matthew 24 again, and we’ll put it together with some other scriptures.  Let’s come to 2 Timothy 3 and let’s see another inspired definition or description of the end times and what we are living in.   Now at the same time we need to understand, at the same time there will be peace, there will be war, there will be prosperity and good times as well as perilous times.  Just like we have in the United States today.  There’s a lot of peace, there’s a lot of prosperity, but there’s a lot of crime and there are a lot of perilous things going on. 

Now here 2 Timothy 3:1, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.  For men shall be lovers of their own selves…”  And didn’t we see that with the Supreme Court ruling against the third term abortion, the third trimester abortion?  Yes.  Didn’t we see that in New Hampshire in enacting laws governing the same-sex marriages?  Yes.  Haven’t we seen that in the education, and everything going down?  Haven’t we seen that in the way of travel?  They actually say, now if you travel to England or Europe you run a greater chance of being mugged and robbed than you do in the United States.  So this is a world-wide phenomenon.  And the reason is men are lovers of themselves, self-esteem.  And that’s what’s being taught in the schools.  And self-esteem leads to the things which they are now bringing in of Satanism and witchcraft.  Into the schools, into the workplace, and everywhere.  It is so pervasive that it is unreal. 

“…Covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection…”  No, ruthless, cruel, homosexual so called love.  That’s homosexual lust.  God says that is a sin and abomination.  “…False accusers [boy, we sure see that taking place, don’t we?], incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God:” (vs. 2-4).  And isn’t that true?  How many sports are there?  I think now ESPN has three sports channels.  That’s not counting all the sports that are on the other ones, or all the events that people go to. 

But notice the strange twist of it.  “Having a form of godliness…”  It isn’t godliness, it’s just a form.  And everybody believing, now being the religions coming together even more, and more, and more as we have already seen.  “…Denying the power thereof [that is the power of true godliness]; from such turn away” (vs. 5).  So we’re not to get involved with them or mixed up with them.

Now let’s come to 2 Peter 3, and let’s see how Peter described it, and we will see almost the exact same thing taking place that was listed there in 2 Timothy 3.  Let’s begin here in 2 Peter 3:1, “This second epistle beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: that ye may be mindful [that means remember them] of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:” (vs. 1-2).  So the New Testament written by the apostles, and compiled by them, and canonized by them, and God preserved for us.  We are to remember those things because God inspired them.  God gave them the words.  These are the words of God, the Holy New Testament.

“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts…”  Now what God is going to do is this: He’s going to let the scoffers increase and increase, and multiply and grow, and it’s going to look like that they are overwhelming, that they are winning.  But you see, God always does that with the enemy first.  He let’s the enemy think that he’s going to win, and then God takes care of it.  So we have the same thing here. 

“…Walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming?”  Now we need not go back and rehearse all the years where we’ve had false alarms, but let’s understand there are going to be many more false alarms.  Because they don’t understand the events leading up to it, so they say “Where’s the promise of His coming?  Why we don’t need the Christ.  Why look, we have this one world government, we have one world religion, we all get along together good.  I’m ok, you’re ok.  We’re able to do everything ourselves.  We don’t need God.  Christ doesn’t need to return.  The Bible is a myth.  The word of God is not true.”  And with the New Age Bible versions and probably with the new One World religion bible that’s coming, it’s going to appear that way.  See because God will let them prosper in their evil until God is ready to deal with them.  That’s why we read there in Romans 9, that’s why God raised up Pharaoh.  And the reason that God blessed Egypt wasn’t because of the worship of their gods, and sun god and all the things that they had.  It was that God was preparing that for the children of Israel.  And I just imagine they thought, “Boy look at all the blessings that these gods give us.”  But remember, the Passover was the judgment against all the gods of Egypt. 

Now they weren’t content with that, notice,  “…for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation” (vs. 3-4).  They’re going to say that more and more.  Religionists are going to say that more and more.  They’ve continued the same, “And now we’re going to improve on it.  And look at all these nice wonderful people getting together.”

Notice verse 5.  “For this they willingly are ignorant…”  They are.  They are willingly ignorant of “…that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:” (vs. 5-6).  And there is evidence of the flood everywhere in the world throughout all the strata, throughout all the rocks, throughout every geological history you would want to know.  And yet they are willingly ignorant of that.  They ignore that, and they don’t take that as a lesson that God is going to punish the sinners. 

Now you see we also have the verse which says, “As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the coming of the Son of man.  For they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered into the ark.”  And I imagine that they were ridiculing Noah and his sons, thinking that he was some sort of nut.  But when it started raining…and remember Noah was in the ark seven days, a whole week, before it started raining.  And I imagine the people thought, “Boy, ha, look at that fool.  Look, where is the rain?”  See, the wicked rose up and thought they really knew better.  But then it started to rain, and the fountains of the deep broke up.  And it rained, and it rained, and it rained the greatest rain that has ever been, and covered the whole earth to the tops of the mountains by the depths of…I forget the exact amount.  I think it’s 15 cubits as I recall.  No land showing anywhere.  And yet the evidence is in all the rocks all around us.  And willingly ignorant.

Now let’s come back to Matthew 24, and then we are going to see how this “abomination that makes desolate” gets set up, and what it is, and who he is, and what takes place.  Now what is this abomination that makes desolate?  Let’s read that again. 

“When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place…” (Matt. 24:15).  Now what is that?  Now we know that Daniel prophesied of Antiochus Epiphanies.  That happened.  We also know in Daniel 12…let’s go back there and let’s see what happens with the abomination of desolation, and we will then go to the New Testament and see why and how that it takes place. 

Now let’s begin here in Daniel 12:9, “And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the word are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.”  Which means that God has to reveal it.  Now that’s why there are so many false alarms, because men are just not willing to put their faith in God.  They want to speed up the prophecy so they can ask for more money, or they want to slow them down, which ever it is.  But understand this, all the prophecies of God are right on schedule.  Right on time.  There’s no such thing as speeding up or slowing down.  God doesn’t work that way.  He works on time.  Christ came at the set time.  The gospel began to be preached by Christ at the set time.  So likewise the time of the end is going to come at the set time.

Now let’s continue here, verse 10.  “Many shall be purified, and made white…”  And that’s what’s happening to us, that we need to be purified by the Spirit of God.  We need to be made white with the righteousness of the wedding garments, whether they’re for the guest or for the bride.  “…Made white, and tried;…”  That’s why we’re going through the things that we do.  God is going to test your faith.  You say you believe in God?  He’s going to send a test.  You say you trust in Christ?  He’s going to send a test.  You say you believe His word?  He’s going to send a test.  You’re going to be tried. 

“…But the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand…”  So the world won’t understand.  Oh, they’re going to scoff, or they’re going to say, “Where’s the promise of His coming.”  They’re going to say, “Everything has continued since creation.”  They won’t understand.  And when you show them the word of God, they won’t believe it. 

“…But the wise shall understand.”  Now just put in your margin there, Matthew 25, cause there’s the wise virgins and there are the five foolish virgins.  The wise will understand.  Who are the wise?  “Great understanding have they that keep His commandments.”  It’s not going to be given to those who don’t keep His commandments.  It’s not going to be given to those who don’t love God.  Why should God reveal it to those who don’t love Him?  Why should God reveal it to those who don’t have a relationship with Him?  He won’t.  He gives a promise, the wise shall understand.  And even in that, we’re going to see that some of those that have the Spirit of God are not going to fully understand because there’s going to be a difference between those who understand and those who understand partially, and so therefore then it’s going to be a different proposition for them. 

Now verse 11, here it is.  “And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.”  Now if you don’t have the two tapes I did on Revelation 1 and 2, just write for the Revelation series, 1 and 2.  We actually have added many more tapes to it, so we probably have about 18 or 19 tapes to the whole Revelation series, but the two go through and show on a time frame layout when these things take place.  And even at that, even if you can put it out on a graph and show it graphically, remember that is just a conception based on our understanding at a given point.  And we may understand even more in the future.  So what understanding God has given us, that doesn’t mean that we aren’t going to have more understanding in the future.  But if we’re going to have more understanding in the future we have to be part of the wise. 

Now let’s see what that abomination that makes desolate is going to be.  Let’s go back here to Revelation 13.  Now as we are coming closer and closer to the end, we’re going to be spending more and more time in the book of Revelation.  And as a matter of fact when we get done with all the holy days this year, what you might do is go back and go through them again and listen them, because we will have gone through all the book of Revelation from the time of Passover to the Last Great Day we will have gone through all of the book of Revelation plus all of the other scriptures that tie in with it.  Now is the time to understand the book of Revelation even more.  And here, let’s before we get to Revelation 13 let’s stop by Revelation 1 and let’s understand something here very important.  What I’m going to do, I’m going to read to you out of my translation.  We hope to have the complete New Testament out and ready by the end of the year. 

Now Revelation 1:3, “Blessed is the one who is reading, and those who are hearing the words of this prophecy, and are keeping the things that are written therein…”  Which means heeding all the warnings that are given to the seven churches.  Now remember we went through the seven church harvest leading up to Pentecost.  And if you go through and understand in all the commandments of God are applicable and drawn out of this.  We’ll see there are several sections which refer to those who are the saints of God who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.  So you keep the things that are written there.  Not only keep them but also keep them in mind.  “…For the time is at hand” (Rev. 1:3, AT).

Now let’s go to Revelation 13, and let’s see what is coming upon this world, and the things that are going to take place.  How they are going to happen.  And this is a summary.  Now I know that I have covered this, or I will, I’ll cover part of this when we get to the Feast of Tabernacles and the coming world government, because this applies.  Here now, Revelation 13:1.  “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon its horns ten crowns, and upon its head the names of blasphemy.”  Now this refers to Revelation 17 and the harlot daughters of Mother Babylon. 

“And the beast which I saw…”  Now the reason it is depicted like this is because when you go back to the book of Daniel, each one of these beasts were a different and separate one.  But now they’re all combined together.  And this is what we are having with the coming One World Government, with the United Nations, with all that’s taking place there.  So this is telling us that it’s all going to be amalgamated.  And coming up out of the sea makes it appear that this is a spontaneous thing that people bring about.  But we’re going to see that no it isn’t.  It’s not a spontaneous thing. 

Now notice verse 2,  “And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and its feet  as the feet of a bear, and its mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power , and his throne and his great authority.  And I saw one of his heads as if it were slain to death, but its wound of death was healed; and the whole earth, in complete amazement, followed after the beast” (vs. 2-3).  Now what takes place that is going to cause this wound unto death?  Let me just say this: I believe it’s stopping the sacrifices at the temple.  And then the Jews are going to rise up and they’re going to ambush this man and attempt to kill him.  And then the false prophet will raise him up and he’ll come back to life.  Then he will go stand in the holy place.  That’s when the abomination of desolation will take place, because you see you take away the daily sacrifices, and then the abomination is set up.  Now we’ll see that in just a minute. 

“And they worshiped the dragon…”  That’s what we have today, Satan worship. The One World religious system is Satan worship.  “…Who gave authority to the beast.  And they worshiped the beast saying, “Who is like unto the beast?  Who has the power to make war against him?” (vs. 4).  And you’ll see that when I cover that during the Feast of Tabernacles.  I’m going to cover it in great length.

“Then a mouth was given to him speaking great things and blasphemies; and authority was given to him to continue for forty two months [or 3 ½ years]” (vs. 5).  So when that abomination of desolation stands in the holy place that’s when the last 3 ½ years begin.  That’s when the Great Tribulation is set off.  Now we’ll see how this is done in just a little bit.  We’ll put some other scriptures together.

Now notice, “And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, and His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.  Then it was given to him to make war against the saints, and to overcome them; and authority was given to him over every tribe, and language, and nation” (vs. 6-7).  An all inclusive one world dictatorship.  We need to understand that.  It breaks down a little later.  But that’s how it starts. 

“Now all who dwell on the earth shall worship him…”  Why will they worship him?  We’ll see in just a minute.  “…Whose names have not been written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.  If anyone has an ear, let him hear” (vs. 8-9).  It’s the only way we’re going to be wise. 

Now let’s understand how this is going to come about.  Let’s come to 2 Thessalonians 2:1.  And this is important for us to realize brethren.  And we need to put all these scriptures together that we don’t be deceived.  We need to hold fast to what the truth is and grow in grace and knowledge in addition to it.  You just can’t stay static.  You just can’t stand still. 

Now here 2 Thessalonians 2:1, “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ…”  You can’t have anything more profound in beseeching the brethren by.  “…And by our gathering together unto Him [that is by the resurrection], that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit [because there will be many demonic spirits], nor by word [and that is message or logos], nor by letter [or epistle] as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.”  Now this was happening during Paul’s time.  Already then.  So, can you imagine what’s it’s going to be in the end?  And it’s the Christ they are talking about is going to be a false christ, which we will see here in just a minute.  The true Christ, they will say, “Hah! He’s not coming.” But the false Christ, The Beast, the Man of Sin, the Son of Perdition, as we shall see.

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there shall come a falling away first…” (2 Thes. 2:3) Or, the Great Apostasy. There’s the apostasy within the church, which has taken place. There’s the apostasy in the world by rejecting all the true things of God and bringing in all this New Age, one-world religion.

So, there’s a dual apostasy taking place. In the world they’re rejecting everything to do with the true Christ. And in the church, they’re going back to the world. Or, they’re watering down the Word of God, or they’re misinterpreting the Word of God. Or, they’re getting carried away with their own covetous selves; to heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears because they want some new doctrine! And, it’s going to come upon them unawares.

Now, notice. “Except there shall have come,” (as it reads in the Greek-the apostasy first) “and that Man of Sin be revealed, the Son of Perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God..” (2 Thes. 2:3-4) There has never been a man like this. And this is not referring to the Pope, by the way. This is referring to the coming one-world ruler who is going to be declared God by the Pope, who will be the False Prophet. Or that is worshipped, so that he as God, sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Now, there can be no greater Abomination of Desolation than that!

Now, when that happens, when that happens, hold your place here and let’s go to Matthew 24. Let’s see what they are to do in Jerusalem. Let’s see that. When that happens, it’s going to be something. And then we’ll tie this together with another prophecy back in the book of Revelation.

Matthew 24. Let’s pick it up here beginning in verse 15. “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place,” (It’s in the temple of God) “…whoso readeth, let him understand…” (Mat. 24:15)

Let’s pick it up in verse 16, see what is to happen to those in Jerusalem, in the area of Judea. Verse 16. Then, when is then? When you see the Abomination of Desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet. See, the Tribulation will not begin until then. He must stand in the Holy Place first. Then the Tribulation begins. And it begins with fury. That’s the beginning of the 42 months that we read in Revelation 13.

“Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains,” (Mat. 24:16) Get out of there. “Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house.” (Mat. 24:17) You’re not even to stop to take anything. And yet there have been people been saying, “Well, we ought to prepare to go to Petra.” Listen! If you’re not prepared to go spiritually, you’re not prepared. Because, it’s not going to be physical preparation that’s going to get you. It’s not going to be how much you’ve crammed into your Petra box that’s going to get you there. Matter of fact, if you have a big Petra box chances are you won’t get there, because you’re seeking to save your life and you’re going to lose your life.

Part 2

Now, we’ll see in a minute, God is the one who’s going to make the choice. And we’ll see that the angels are the ones who are going to take them to a place of safety. Now this here is talking about those in Judea. What about those in the rest of the world? Ok. We’ll see that in just a little bit.

“And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter..” (Mat. 24:19-20) So we know it’s not going to happen in the wintertime. “..Neither on the sabbath day..” (Mat. 24:20)  You’re not to break the Sabbath by fleeing that way. “For then” (when you see the Abomination of Desolation stand in the Holy Place) “then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened..” (Mat. 24:21-22)  Now it actually means in the Greek: limited. And shortened here has led to people believing that God is going to cut the time short. So therefore events are speeding up, because God is going to cut it short. Nonsense! It means limited. Limited to what time we saw-42 months! Otherwise, “there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened…” (Mat. 24:22)

Now, let’s come back to the book of Revelation. Let’s come back to Revelation 12. And let’s see how that brings in the place of safety and so forth. And then we’ll go to Luke 17, and we’ll tie that together. Revelation 12. Just turn the page back here. Let’s pick it up here beginning in verse 9.

Now there has to be war in Heaven. Ok? That’s also going to precipitate it. So first you have the war in Heaven. You have the Beast cast down with Satan possessing him. You have him going into the temple, saying that he is God, after the assassination attempt on him and he is revived.

And then, now let’s pick it up here in verse 7. “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels…” (Rev. 12:7) So that’s why the Feast of Trumpets is the feast of war, because at the time of the destruction of all this human society.

“And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world…” (Rev. 12:8-9) That’s what he’s doing right now. He’s deceiving the whole world through every means possible; infiltrating even into the very churches of God. “…he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night...” (Rev. 12:9-10) But Christ is right there to intervene for us. Now this shows the job that we have to do.

Verse 11. “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb…” (Rev. 12:11) That is through the protection of Christ, repentance of sin, yielding to God through the redemption that He gives. “…and by the word of their testimony…” (Rev. 12:11) And we are going to be called upon to bring a testimony.

You can just put in your notes there, Matthew the 10^th chapter, where we will be hauled up before councils. And we are to have the Word of God in our mind. And the Father is going to inspire us what we should speak and what we should say. We’re going to be brought before kings and governors and rulers. And that’s because they will have a world court set up and they’re going to drag us up there and we will give them the word of God.  So you have to have a testimony.  “…and they loved not their lives unto death” (Rev. 12:11, AT)  Now for any of you who are political, and you sort of want to mince around and sort of work around things, and you don’t want to offend anybody.  “Oh, we shouldn’t speak about the Sabbath unless someone is offended.”  Then you love your life, and you’re going to lose it.  Now I have learned it’s better to offend someone temporarily that they may have a chance to repent when the truth comes, than to placate and back down and play politics.  And if it cost us our life it cost us our life.  Sooner or later it’s going to cost you your life because you made a covenant with Christ at baptism and gave your life to Him, and He gave His life to you.  We are not to love our lives unto death. 

Verse 12, “Because of this the heavens and those who dwell therein rejoice.  Woe to those who inhabit the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.   And when the dragon saw that he was cast out into the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.”  Now that’s the Church.  “And to the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished there for a time, and times, and half a time [3 ½ years], from the face of the serpent.  And the serpent cast water out of his mouth as a river that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood.  But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened it mouth, and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth.”  So God is even going to let the earth help us.  “And the dragon was wroth with the woman and went to make war with the rest of her seed, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (vs. 12-17, AT).

Now let’s understand something.  The King James version says “remnant of her seed”, and a remnant is not a proper translation.  A remnant is a small remainder that’s left, giving the indication that the greatest majority of those have gone to a place of safety.  But this gives no indication in the Greek as to a remnant being a small number.  It just says “the others or the rest”, which could be a greater number.  Undoubtedly will be.

Now let’s go to Luke 17 and see how you’re going to get to a place of safety if you’re going to go.  God is the one Who’s going to make the selection.  It says here we’re going to be on the wings of a great eagle, which is a type of God’s protection for us.  And also that means that the angels, as we will see here in Luke 17, will take us there. 

Now let’s begin in Luke 17:22.  “And He said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man…”  Like I explained, the days of the Son of man at the end, the Day of the Lord is the 3 ½ years, the day of wrath is the last 18 months, the day of the Lord includes the whole 3 ½ years.  “…And shall not see it.  And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.  For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven…”  Now we’re going to see in Matthew 24, that is the sun.  It’s just like a sun.  Not the sun, but it’s like a sun.  “…So shall also the Son of man be in His day.  But first must He suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.  And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.  They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.  Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded…”   Sounds like I just gave the economic report on the economic news, right?  Yes.  “But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.  Even thus [that means “exactly in the same way”] shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed” (Luke 17:22-30).

Now then we have this.  This shows what’s going to happen to the rest who are not in Judea and they go to a place of safety.  “In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.  Remember Lot’s wife” (vs. 31-32).  Now that takes care of all of those who were in Judea.  Remember Lot’s wife.  She did not believe.  She thought that she could look back and she was turned into a pillar of salt. 

Verse 33, “Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it…”  That’s why if you’re preparing a Petra box it isn’t going to do you any good.  Even if you had it you wouldn’t have time to go get it.  And even if it were right there you wouldn’t be able to take it because when the angels take those to go to a place of safety, as we will see, you’re not going to have time to get it.  “…And whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.”  You’re to lose your life in Christ and in His way, then you’ll preserve it. 

“I tell you…” Now I want you to understand.  Let’s look at the timeframe that’s here and we are going to see that this is like looking down on the earth from heaven.  When you look down on the earth half of it is night, and half of it is day all the time as it turns.  Now notice the phenomena that we have hear.  “I tell you, in that night [yet it’s talking about the day of the Lord, because certain places in the day of the Lord it’s going to be night] there shall be two … in one bed: the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.  Two … shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.”  Now it says taken.  Those in Judea are to get up and run.  Here these are taken.  Taken by whom?  Taken where?  Well, how did Lot leave Sodom?  The angels came and took him, right.  So to go to a place of safety, which Lot was taken to wasn’t he?  Yes.  The angels will take us.  That’s what it’s talking about.  One shall be taken the other left.  “Two … shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.”  Now in the field, this is on the day portion of the earth where it’s daytime.  And normally grinding would take place early in the morning.  So we’ve got night, early morning, and daytime.  And Christ told them exactly where it would be.  “And they answered and said unto Him, Where, Lord?  And He said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together” (vs. 34-37).  That doesn’t tell us where it is.  I was being a little fictitious there. 

Please understand this.  If you know where the place of safety is and you don’t get there, the knowledge doesn’t do you any good.  If you don’t know where it is and you do get there then you’ll find out where it is when you arrive.  Now there are even some people going over trying to get space in Petra hotel.  They’re trying to work out their own salvation.  That’s not faith in Christ.  It isn’t going to happen that way.

Now then, let’s come back to Revelation 6 and let’s put this together a little bit more.  Let’s understand there will be a place of safety.  Let’s understand that some people are going to go, some people are going to be left behind.  And those that are left behind are going to have to give their lives.  That’s just the way it’s going to have to be.  Now we cannot choose.  We’re not capable.  We always thought the ministers would pick up the phone and call you, say, “Ok, time to go.”  But God looks at the heart, and men do not know.  And just think of the political mess it would be.  And besides, stop and think about all of the different leaders who would…the various churches of God…would get there.  And do you think that Gerald Flurry would give up being in charge?  Or, you know, can you imagine the fight that would take place between Rod Meredith and Gerald Flurry, and Les McCullough, and whoever else would be over there.  Who’s going to be in charge?  Listen: when we get to a place of safety, if we get there, we’re all going to trust in Christ and we’re all going to be yielded to God. 

Now if it is in the area of Petra please understand that God can put a cloud cover over just like He did the children of Israel when they were in the wilderness.  Please understand that God can also put a magnetic shield over so no weapons of destruction can get in there.  So we have to have faith in God.  Just like the children of Israel, have to realize even though we see the impossible like it was when they were standing alongside the Red Sea, God parted the Red Sea and they walked on dry ground.  Now God will do the same miracle for us if we have the same kind of faith. 

Now let’s come to Revelation 6.  Let’s understand something here very important.  In the fifth chapter it says Christ was found worthy to open the seals.  So this begins The Day of the Lord.  So the Day of the Lord begins when the Lord opens the seals. 

Now verse 1, “And I looked when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying, as a voice of thunder, “Come and see!”  And I looked, and behold, a white horse, and the one who was sitting on it had a bow, and a crown was given him, and he went out conquering and to conquer” (Rev. 6:1-2, AT).  And I think this is the great false religious movement, which is already out there and moving, and moving, and moving, and generating.  And I think that it’s going to be crowned with a one world bible, and that’s when this will be fulfilled.

Verse 3, “And when He opened the second seal I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see!”  And a horse went out that was red: and to the one sitting on it was given to him to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given to him a great sword” (vs. 3-4).  Now that ties in with Revelation 13 that we already read, where the Beast is going to have power to make war against the saints for forth and two months.  That’s when it takes place.  This is when the last 3 ½ years begin.  Right here.  This is the beginning of the Great Tribulation.

“And when opened the third seal I heard the third living creature saying, “Come and see!”  And I looked, and behold, a black horse and the one sitting on it had a balance in his hand.  And I heard the voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, “A measure of wheat for a [coin] denarius, and three measures of barley for a [coin] denarius: and see that you do not damage the oil and the wine.”  And when He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see!”  and I looked, and behold, a pale horse, and the one sitting on it, and his name was Death, and the grave followed him; and the authority was given to them to kill over the fourth of the earth with the sword and with famine and with death, and by the beasts of the earth” (vs. 5-8).  Once the war starts all of these things follow, and it will follow very quickly.  Famine will be very quick because everybody lives from week to week out of the supermarket.  And that’s all going to come to an end.

Now verse 9.  “And when He opened the fifth seal…”  Now this is when Satan is wroth, which we read back in Revelation 12 where he’s wroth and went to make war against the remnant of her seed.  So you can tie in Revelation 12.  You can tie in Revelation 13.  Here is when the actual war and the killing of the saints begins in earnest.  And it’s going to make Auschwitz and Dachau, and all of those places look like kindergarten.  “…When He opened the fifth seal I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the Word of God, and because of the testimony which they held;”  And there were many, beginning with Stephen the very first martyr who stood right up before the Sanhedrin and said, “You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart.  You always resist the Holy Spirit.”  And that’s the kind of message that we’re going to have to give.

Verse 10, “And they were crying out with a loud voice, saying, “How long O Lord, holy and true, do You not judge and avenge our blood on those who are dwelling on the earth?”  And white robes were given to each one of them; and it was said to them that they should rest yet for a short time, until it shall be fulfilled that both their fellow servants and their brethren should be killed as they also were killed” (vs. 10-11).  Now when that happens it will come down and it will be the only ones who will be alive in the flesh as Christians at that time will be those in the place of safety.  When it comes down and they kill the very last one that Satan makes war against.  And that they will.  And Satan will think, boy he’s really got it now.  Then Christ is going to intervene.  Then is going to happen one of the greatest events that’s going to take place.  The opening of the sixth seal.

Let’s read it.  “And when He opened the sixth seal, I looked and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as the hair of sackcloth, and the moon became as blood,  and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, as a fig tree casts its untimely fig, when being shaken by a mighty wind.  Then the heaven departed as a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places” (vs. 12-14).

Now let’s go to Matthew 24 and see that that is the sign of the Son of man.  This is really something.  It’s going to look like, and it will be true, the earth will be about to be invaded from outer space.  And hasn’t the world been programmed for that?  Hasn’t the world had all of these things just all lined up?  Aren’t we looking for aliens from outer space?  And truly Christ is an alien to this earth, isn’t He, to the people of the world, isn’t He?  So when the heavens are rolled back like a scroll…

Let’s pick it up here in Matthew 24:26.  “Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.  For as the lightning cometh out of the east…”  Now this means the light of day.  It’s going to be as the light of day.  “…Cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west…”  So there is going to be a brand new sun, as it were, in the heaven that they never saw before.  That is the sign of the Son of man.  The heavens depart like a scroll.  “…So shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (vs. 26-27).

Now notice verse 29.  “Immediately after the tribulation of those days…”  Now this is not the full 3 ½ years.  This is the tribulation leading up to the sign of the Son of man.  “…Shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light [just as we read], and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:  And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in  the clods of heaven with power and great glory” (vs. 29-30). 

Now let’s go back in Revelation 6 and see that.  And let’s pick it up here in verse 14.  “Then the heaven departed as a scroll that is being rolled up…”  And then there is the sign of the Son of man.  “…and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.  And the kings of the earth, and the great men and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the powerful men, and every bondman, and every free man hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him Who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb;  because the great day of His wrath has come and who has the power to stand?” (Rev. 6:14-17, AT).  Great and awesome time that’s going to be brethren.  And the very first thing Christ is going to do is He is going to save the 144,000 and the great innumerable multitude.

Now we come to Revelation 7 and we find that the 144,000 of Israel are saved and the great innumerable multitude are saved.  And these have come out of great tribulation.  Now then when we come to chapter 8 we begin the trumpet plagues.  And this is what the Feast of Trumpets pictures.  Because after the sealing of the 144,000 and the great innumerable multitude, on what I believe to be the next to the last Pentecost during the last 3 ½ years, then beginning on Trumpets, that’s when the trumpet plagues start.  So you have that time from Pentecost unto Trumpets where then 144,000 are sealed, the great innumerable multitude are sealed, and so forth. 

Now then we have the seventh seal that is opened.  Revelation 8:1, “And when He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about half-an-hour.  Then I saw the seven angels, who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.  And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.  And the smoke of the incense ascended up with the prayers of the saints, out of the hand of the angel, before God.  And the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth; and there were voices, and thunders and lighnings and an earthquake.”  You go through the book of Revelation, there are many, many, many earthquakes.  “Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves so that they might sound their trumpets” (Rev. 8:1-6, AT).    

“And the first angel sounded his trumpet;…”  Now notice all of these are the weapons of God, and there is no modern weapon that can beat the weapons of God, and these are the same that God used against Egypt.  “…And there was hail and fire mingled with blood, and it was cast upon the earth: and the third part of the trees were burnt up, and all the green grass was burnt up.”  That is worldwide.  When we’re talking about these events, these are worldwide events.  “And the second angel sounded his trumpet; and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea and the third part of the sea became blood; then a third of the creatures which were in the sea that had life, died; and the third of the ships were destroyed” (vs. 7-9).      

“And the third angel sounded his trumpet; and there fell out of heaven a great star, burning as a lamp, and it fell upon the third of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters.  And 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.  And the fourth angel sounded his trumpet; and the third of the sun was smitten, and the third of the moon, and the third of the stars; so that the third of them were darkened, and the third part of the day did not shine, and the night likewise.”  Great upheavals.  That’s why back in the book of Haggai 2, it says that God will arise yet once more and He will shake the earth.  He will shake the heavens.  He will shake the dry land.  He will shake the seas.  Then Christ will come. We’re seeing it right here.  “Then I looked, and heard one angel flying in mid-heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe, to those who are dwelling on the earth, because of the voices of the remaining trumpets of the three angels who are about to sound their trumpets.” (vs. 10-13).

Then we have the fifth angel sound his trumpet.  And this is a tremendous time where this takes place.  The sixth angel sounds his trumpet, which then is the second woe. Now let’s read that one and let’s see the army that is there. 

Revelation 9:13, “And the sixth angel sounded his trumpet; and I heard one voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Loose the four angels who are bound in the great river Euphrates.”  Then the four angels were loosed [obviously these are evil angels], who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, so that they might kill the third part of men;”  Now you see it’s all done according to time.  There’s no speeding up of anything here.  “And the number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred thousand thousand…”  That’s 200,000,000.  The greatest army that has ever been.  “…And I heard the number of them” (Rev. 9:13-16, AT).  They come with great power and great fury.

Then we come over here to chapter 11 where the seventh trumpet is sounded.  Let’s pick that up, Revelation 11.  Now I covered the two witnesses and their resurrection on Pentecost so let’s go beyond.  Let’s pick it up here in verse 14.

“The second woe is past: Behold the third woe comes immediately.  Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, “the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord’s and His Christ’s, and He shall reign into the ages of eternity.”  And the twenty-four elders, who sit before God on their thrones, fell upon their faces and worshipped God, saying, “We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, Who is, and Who was, and Who is coming, that You have taken to Yourself Your great power and have reigned.”  That is the beginning of His reign.  “Then the nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time for the dead to be judged [that’s the first resurrection at the seventh trump – the last trump], and to give the reward to your servants the prophets, and to the saints, and those who fear Your name, the small and the great; and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”  So that’s really quite a type.  “And the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple: then there were  lightnings and voices and thunders and an earthquake and great hail” (Rev. 11:14-19, AT).  I mean these are great an momentous events.  That’s why it says back in the book of Zephaniah: What is the day of the LORD to you?  There are a lot of people, “Hurry up, let’s bring the Day of the LORD.  Hurry up, let’s bring the Day of the LORD.  What is it to you but to merchandise and gain from the brethren?  No.  The day is going to come when it comes, how it’s going to come, the way that God has determined it.  And it’s right on time according to the schedule of the book of Revelation and it isn’t going to come any other way. 

Now let’s come to Revelation 15 because we have that with Pentecost so let’s pick up where we left off with Pentecost and let’s see what is going to happen because part of the things that are going to take place with the great destruction is going to take place in chapter 16.  And God is going to have all the saints see His vengeance and His wrath.  And it’s going to be awesome.  And this earth is going go through some the worst times it has ever been, as Christ said since the beginning of the creation until this time, and no nor ever shall be after that. 

Now, all the saints are resurrected, meet Christ in the air and go to the sea of glass.  Verse 2, “Then I saw a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing upon the sea of glass, having the harps of God.  And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and awesome are Your works, O Lord God Almighty; righteous and true are Your ways, King of the saints.  Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name?  For You only are holy; for all the nations shall come and worship before You; for Your judgments are revealed.” (Rev. 15:2-4).  They’re all going to come and worship God.  Now He’s going to have to convince them of it.  He is going to have to send these plagues upon them.  And as we will see when the millenium begins there’s still war that continues for a short time.  We’ll see that a little later.

Now verse 5.  “And after these things, I looked, and behold the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened; and the seven angels, having the seven last plagues, came out of the temple clothed in linen—pure and bright—and gird about the chest with a golden chestplate.  And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden vials, full of the wrath of God, Who lives into the ages of eternity.  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from His power; and no one was able to enter into the temple, until the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled” (vs. 5-8).  

Now this is leading up, now beginning the first trumpet on the Feast of Trumpets, we come down through the seven trumpets.  The seventh trump sounds on Pentecost.  The saints are all resurrected, meet Christ in the air on the sea of glass.  Now we go from Pentecost down through to the next trumpets and that’s when Christ literally comes on the earth and all of us with Him.  But first, between Pentecost and Trumpets there are going to be these seven last plagues.  And this is all a part of the events leading up to the return of Christ.  And these are so powerful, and these are so mighty, and these are so great, and so awesome that we need to realize and understand this.  And who is it that is not going to fear God?  That is not going to love God because of this? 

And we’re going to see what the angels say of God for bringing these things.  Now in the world, Satan will say, “Well how can this be a God of love?  How can this be a God of compassion and concern?  Look at all the destruction He is bringing.”  While God is a God of love and compassion and concern He’s also judge.  And because of sin He must judge.  And these are His judgments because of the sin of the whole world.  Now let’s read it. 

“Then I heard a loud voice from out of the temple, saying, to the seven angels, “Go, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.”  And the first angel went and poured out his vial upon the earth; and an evil grievous sore fell upon the men who had the mark of the beast, and those who were worshipping his image.  And the second angel went and poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became blood…”  Now notice how the trumpet plagues only was a third of it.  Now we come back for a repeat performance and its all of it.  “…upon the sea; and it became blood, as of the blood ofadead man; and every living soul in the sea died” (Rev. 16:1-3, AT). Now this is talking about the whole oceans worldwide. 

“And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; and they became blood.  Then I heard the angel of the waters saying, “You are righteous, O Lord, Who are and Who was—even the Holy One—because You have judged this way.  For they have poured out the blood of the saints and the blood of the prophets, and you gave blood to them to drink! For they are worthy!” (vs. 4-6).  Now doesn’t that show you what you are worth in God’s sight?  God is going to avenge it.  God is going to take care of it.  Christ is going to execute this.  He’s going to send His angels out with the seven last plagues to carry them out. 

“And I heard another voice out of the altar saying, “Yes, O Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.”  Absolutely true.  Absolutely righteous.  “And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given to the sun to scorch men with fire.  Then men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God, Who has authority over these plagues, and did not repent to give Him glory” (vs. 7-9).  See, in each one of these cases God is giving a space of repentance.  But just like at the end of chapter 9, they refused to repent of their murders and idolatries, and sorceries, and the worship of idols of gold and idols of silver.  They refused to repent and give Him glory.

“And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the throne of the beast; and his kingdom became full of darkness [just like it was in Egypt, darkness so thick they could feel it]; and they were gnashing their tongues from the pain.”  So apparently this darkness brings pain and agony.  “And they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and yet they did not repent of their works” (vs. 10-11).

Now then, God is going to give just a little bit of respite.  And just like Pharaoh, who hardened his heart and refused to let the children of Israel go, now God is going to give a little respite to all of this and there is going to be an interlude where it looks like that maybe men can get together and defeat God.  Of course they will think it’s invasion from outer space.  Let’s read it.    

“And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and its waters were dried up so that the way of the kings [of the east] from the rising of the sun might be prepared.  Then 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; for they are spirits of demons working miracles…”  Just like the miracles that the sorcerers of Pharaoh were able to perform.  They go out and convince men that they can come and win this battle.  But no, God is letting them think that they are going to succeed.  In spite of all the destruction, in spite of all the things that come along, because you see the hard-heartedness of men, and the stubbornness of Satan, and the evil of them combined together is going to make them fall for this trap.  “…Working miracles, which go forth to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them together unto the battle of that great day of God Almighty” (vs. 12-14).

“Behold, I come as a thief.”  Now here is a warning for us.  “Blessed is the one who is watching and is keeping his garments so that he may not walk naked and they see his shame” (vs. 15).

“And He gathered them together into the place that is called in Hebrew, Armageddon” (vs. 16).  Now Armageddon is not the last war between human beings and great powers on the earth.  Armageddon is the last war before Christ puts His feet on the earth between God and men who are inspired by Satan the devil and the false prophet and the beast.  They are gathered together for the battle.  And I imagine they are all there.  Just like on “Independence Day” {the movie}.  All the armies got together, they were all happy.  Now let’s understand, you can’t get all the armies of all the world in one place.  That’s why it says in Isaiah 2 that He’s going to have to rebuke large nations afar off until they beat their spears into pruning hooks and their swords into plowshares.  So there’s still more to take place.  But all those armies that could get there.

Now verse 17, “Then the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and a loud voice came out from the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying “IT IS DONE!”  ”  This is the day.  Brethren this is the day that we are looking for.  This is the day when it is finished.  This is the day when the end of Satan is going to come.  The end of man’s rule is going to come.  The end of all the hellishness that has been down through the whole history of the whole world, and God is judging great Babylon, as we read in Revelation 17 and 18.  All the judgment of Babylon there in Revelation 18.  Great is that judgment.  You read it.   

Verse 18, “And there were voices and thunders and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were on the earth, so mighty an earthquake—so great!”  Remember Isaiah 40.  Every valley shall be exalted.  Every hill and mountain shall be made low.  That’s when it’s going to happen.  “And the great city was divided into three parts; and the cities of the nations fell…”  Just collapsed.  All the buildings coming down.  And I can’t help but think of that double huge twin tower down in Malaysia, the two biggest tower buildings in the world.  And how they are so proud.  And they even said it’s just like the tower of Babel reaching unto heaven.  God is going to smash it.  It’s going to come down flat to the ground.  “…Then Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give to her the cup of the wine of the fury of His wrath.  And every island disappeared and no mountains were found; then [fell] great hail, each stone the weight of a talent [that’s 180 pounds], fell down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God, because of the plague of the hail, for the plague was exceedingly great!” (vs. 18-21).

Now then, let’s come to Revelation 19.  Ok, this is something.  When we come back down to the earth, boy it’s going to really be a spectacular thing.  Now let’s pick this up in verse 9.  Again, this backs us up to Pentecost and carries us forward to Trumpets.  You see how all the holy days are connected together.  There’s a plan.  There is rhyme.  There is reason.  But the only way you can understand these things is to stick close to the word of God.  And some of the things we know for sure.  Some of the things we know a little bit about.  Other things we can guess and give our opinion, and when we do we need to make it clear that we are doing that. 

Now verse 9, “and he said to me, “Write! Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”  And he said to me, “these are the true word of God.”  He inspired every bit of it.  “Then I fell at his feet to worship him.  And he said to me, “See, that you do it not!  I am your fellowservant and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus.  Worship God!  For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”  Not only prophesying events to happen, but also the spirit of prophesying in a testimony by the word of God.  “And I saw heaven opened [it’s going to open again], and behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness does He judge and make war.  And His eyes were as a flame of fire, and upon His head were many crowns, having a name written on it which no one knows except He Himself.  And He was clothed with a garment dipped in blood; and His name is called, The Word of God.  And the armies which were in heaven were following Him upon white horses, and they were clothed in fine linen [that’s us]--white and pure.  And out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should smite that nations [and all He has to do is speak the word and it happens]; and He shall shepherd them with a rod of iron; and He treads out the wine press of the fury and the wrath of the Almighty God” (Rev. 19:9-15).

“And He has upon His garment and upon His thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”  Boy, I can just hear the Handle’s Messiah where that is sung.  That is awesome.  “Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the Great God, so that you may eat the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and those who sit on them, and the flesh of all, free and bond, and small and great.  And I saw the beast, and kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war with Him Who sits on the horse, and with His army” (vs. 16-19). 

Here is the great thing that is going to take place on this Feast of Trumpets.  Verse 20, “Then the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet, who worked the miracles in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image.  Those two were cast alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone; and the rest were killed with the sword of Him Who sits on the horse, even the sword which goes out of His mouth; and all the birds were filled with their flesh” (vs. 20-21).  What a great day of Feast of Trumpets this is going to be.  And on that day He puts His feet on the Mount of Olives.  And it splits in two, and He has all the saints with Him.

So brethren, this is a great and fantastic feast day.  A day of war and vengeance to bring the final complete war from God.