Feast of Trumpets 2007

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength" - Mark 12:30

Fall Holy Days 2007

Feast of Trumpets

Fred R. Coulter – September 13, 2007

Greetings, brethren, this is the Feast of Trumpets, 2007, and the way that things are going in the world, we’re going to see that the events are leading up closer and closer until the time of the end. We understand and realize through the Word of God, through the Sabbath and Holy Days, the plan of God—and we have gone from beginning with Passover, which means the way we approach God is through His sacrifice, which is Jesus Christ; and then we have forgiveness of sin, and then we are to be the new creature in Christ; and with the power of the Holy Spirit—and then we are to be faithful unto death until the resurrection, which occurs then at Pentecost.

So here we’ve come to the Feast of Trumpets and we’re going to see some things concerning this and how that without the New Testament and without the book of Revelation, especially, combining with those things that are in the Old Testament, we would not have any understanding. So let’s go forward from here and let’s remember that, as we pointed out on Pentecost, we have the last year from Pentecost to Pentecost, the sealing of the 144,000 and the great innumerable multitude on the next to the last Pentecost, and the resurrection on the last Pentecost. Then we have from Trumpets to Trumpets another year, which then overlaps; and then after the resurrection, continues on until the next Trumpets. So we are dealing with the Day of the Lord and the Feast of Trumpets, which has to do with God’s Divine intervention in the world.

Now, let’s come to Revelation, the first chapter, and let’s see something very important here. And as we’re turning to Revelation, the first chapter, let’s remember what Jesus said: He told His apostles, “If I go I will come again!” And that’s been the promise that all Christians have looked to. And unfortunately, because men try and work out when Jesus is going to return, they unfortunately do not really understand because of the inadequacy of keeping the Holy Days for those who are in the Church of God and also for those who are in the world, they can only make guesses. And I got an e-mail the other day from a man that said he’s disappointed that Jesus didn’t start His return, and the resurrection didn’t occur this Pentecost. Well, you see, there’s so many things that have to take place. It’s not going to be a sudden thing that is going to occur. It’s going to look like that men are going through all the troubles and difficulties that there are in the world for a short time there will be the deception of peace and it will look like that men are going to work out everything.

But with the revelation that Jesus gave to John here in the book of Revelation we want to emphasized something that’s very important that we understand what Jesus told him and how this fits in, because you see, when you understand the breakdown of the Bible in its original order, the book of Revelation is an entire separate section of the whole Bible. And the reason that is is because the book of revelation reaches back and ties in everything from the beginning to the ending. So that’s what we find.

Let’s come here to Revelation 1:7, FV: “Behold, He is coming with the clouds… [And as we’ll see, we’ll back up and pick up a few things that we understood from Pentecost, then move forward.] …and every eye shall see Him… [This is not going to be some secret rapture, done in a corner that no one knows about except as millions of people are wafted off into heaven to escape the tribulation. That isn’t going to happen that way. Now there are a going to be a few in a place of safety, but you’re not going to have the whole Protestant, fundamentalist, evangelical church with the millions of members wafted off up into heaven to avoid the tribulation. That’ll never happen. That’s a lying deception from Satan the devil.] (now notice): …and those who pierced Him… [Now everyone is responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ because He bore the sins of the world. But ‘those who pierced Him’ that’s literally going to happen at the second resurrection when those who actually did the nailing of the hands and thrusting in of the spear into His side will be resurrected, and they will see Him. So you see, whatever is in the Bible, even one statement, that we’ll see a little later in Matthew 24, that expands out so much when you consider the whole Bible and put it all together piece by piece—here a little, there a little.] …and all the tribes of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen.” So the world’s not going to be happy.

Verse 8: “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega the Beginning and the Ending,’ says the Lord… [The way we understand the Word of God is from the beginning to the ending. That’s why if you have only the Old Testament you can’t understand those things. Because, as we will see when we get to some of these Old Testament Scriptures that we’ll cover for the Feast of Trumpets, you cannot understand it unless you have the book of Revelation to finish it. So what is in the Old Testament is the beginning of these things, in telling what’s going to happen; and in the book of Revelation are the ending of these things to finalize what we’re told that happened in the Old Testament and then in the Gospels and the rest of the New Testament on down to the end.] (Notice, says the Lord):… ‘Who is, and Who was, and Who is to come—the Almighty.’” So He is the One Who is going to do it.

Now, let’s come back here to Revelation 21, and let’s see that he emphasizes that again, because when the whole plan is all finished and it is done, then Jesus is going to finalize it. Revelation 21:6, FV—now we’ll come back to this during the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day: “And He said to me, ‘It is done. [or it is finished] I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End.” Now, we can’t understand it unless Jesus gives us understanding; very important. There are two things that you combine. Isaiah 28: ‘To who’s He’s going to teach knowledge? Those who are drawn from the breast and weaned.’ You’re out of the milk and sandbox era, you’re into the Truth and the strong meat of God. That He will teach them ‘line upon line, here a little, there a little, precept upon precept’ and the world will be all mixed up when it comes to it. So when we come to these things we will see that we must put it all together.

Now, let’s come back to Leviticus 23, because as you know—and it’s very clever the way that God did this, because He gives men a choice:

• Do they really believe God, every word of God?

• Do they hold the Word of God true?

• Do they hold the Word of God righteous?

So we come back here to Leviticus 23 where all the Holy Days are put. Now they are scattered throughout the rest of the Bible, but it’s interesting—as I’ve mentioned many, many times, which we need to reiterate over again, which is this: they are all listed in the book of Leviticus 23, one after the other; giving the day and giving when it should be and giving us the beginning of the understanding of it. But you see, with the Holy Days, as just given here in Leviticus 23, as I’ve already pointed out, you don’t know exactly what they mean until you have the rest of the Old Testament and then the New Testament and then the capstone of it, the book of Revelation, to understand. So here in Leviticus 23 we have a hint of what it’s going to be. So let’s pick it up here in verse 23 (Lev. 23, KJV): “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets… [Or as the Hebrew says, ‘A day of horn blasting.’ They’re blasting all day long because it is going to announce, in its spiritual fulfillment in the return of Jesus Christ, as we will see at the end of this message. So just like it is a ‘beginning and the ending,’ so we start the beginning of the message and then the ending of the message will be in the book of Revelation.] …an holy convocation. Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD” (vs 23-25).

Now we always take up an offering on the Holy Days and we are always to gauge it upon the blessings that God gives us and He promises that He will give us sufficient. And we need to really believe God and trust Him in that. And so at this time we’ll go ahead and take up the offering so we’ll pause here so that that can be done.

(Pause)

Okay, now that the offering is taken up and we thank you, brethren. Realize that all the things that you are able to provide we use to serve right back to the brethren, so that everyone can grow in grace and knowledge and understanding so that we can do the things that God desires us to do. So we thank you for it very much.

Now, let’s come back to the book of Hebrews, because in the book of Hebrews it also talks about Jesus Christ and the power that He has. Now, Hebrews, the first chapter; now as we’re turning back there, let’s also understand something also that’s important that goes with this. Jesus told the apostles, just before He ascended into heaven, “all power and authority in heaven and in earth is given unto Me.” And so when we come to Jesus Christ and God the Father we are coming to very power and center of the whole universe. And we have access through the Holy Spirit, through prayer and we’ll see that a little later as we get into the sermon as well. But let’s understand something: we’re not dealing with a little religion out here to make good little citizens dutifully obedient to the powers of the world. NO!

• God has called us to eternal life.

• God has called us to be kings and priests.

• He wants us to grow in grace and knowledge.

• He wants us to be educated.

• He wants us to grow in faith and belief and love

• And stand in the grace of God and realize that He has all power and that He is going to bring about everything that has been prophesied of.

So here, Hebrews, the first chapter. Now what Hebrews 1:1 does, it ties in the Old Testament with the New Testament. And it ties in with what God gave then with what He during the life of Christ and through the Church and on down to our day. Hebrews 1:1, FV: “God, Who spoke to the fathers at different times in the past and in many ways by the prophets, has spoken to us in these last days by His Son, Whom He has appointed heir of all things… [Now remember, we’re going to be co-heirs with Christ. And ‘all things’ means the Universe.] …by Whom also He made the worlds; Who, being the brightness of His glory and the exact image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His own power…” (vs 1-3). The universe, the earth, the solar system, the plan of God. All people on the earth are here because of the power that God has given to Jesus Christ. And that’s why in order to use and have the power of God there has to be righteousness. There has to be truth. There has to be the character, so this will always be used in a right way. And whatever judgment and whatever power that is necessary to go against the enemy will also be used in right way.

Now let’s come to John, the fifteenth chapter, and let’s see something very important here. How do we understand the things today? Now you go back and read commentaries like Jameson, Fossett and Brown, and commentaries that were written hundreds of years ago. They can only guess as to what some of these things are and what some of them mean. They don’t have the complete understanding that they need because, as we’re going to see in just a little bit, those things are not given to be understood until the time of the end—and as we’ve already seen, they’re not given to be understood except by those that God has called and opened their minds to understand them. So we need to realize that.

Now here, so that we can understand what God wants us to do—let’s go to John 16:12, FV—Jesus told the apostles on the night before He was arrested, as they were walking out into the garden at Gethsemane, “I have yet many things to tell you, but you are not able to bear them now…. [And even some of the things that He revealed down before the destruction of Jerusalem, they were not able to bear it even then. And so, likewise with us. Now here is the key, verse 13]: …However, when that one has come, even the Spirit of the truth… [the power of the Holy Spirit] …it will lead you into all truth… [now only if you love the truth and obey the truth. It’s not going to lead you into all truth if you don’t love it and obey it.] …because it shall not speak from itself, but whatever it shall hear, it shall speak…. [Because Christ is going to tell the Holy Spirit what to give us. In other words, the Holy Spirit is the power that come to us to reveal the things to us that we need to understand. And also we’re going to see in just a minute that it’s revealed in the time that it needs to be understood.] …And it shall disclose to you the things to come. That one shall glorify Me because it shall disclose to you the things that it receives from Me” (vs 12-14). So anything that we understand, especially about the Holy Days and the plan of God, it is because of the Word of God. Now we can understand some things, but in order to put them together properly, we need to put the whole Word of God together properly.

Now come back to Daniel, the eleventh chapter. Now Daniel is a very interesting book, because for the first time, through Daniel, God gave the outline of the major powers that were going to be on earth from the time of Daniel beginning with Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, down to the end. Now that was the first outline. However, it wasn’t complete, because it needed the book of Revelation to complete it. That’s why if you don’t have our series on Daniel and Revelation you need to write for it right away. Now let’s come to Daniel 11 and let’s talk about the time of the end, because there are certain things, as we’re going to see when we get to Matthew 24 and on into the rest of this sermon, that have to take place. But here is a signal, a thing to watch, for the time of the end. And that can’t be understood until you put it together with the things in the New Testament and book of Revelation and the Holy Days. Now let’s pick it up here in Daniel 11:40, KJV: “And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.” Now there have been many false alarms of this during WWI, during WWII, but as we will see later in Matthew 24, as Jesus said, “When you see ALL these things then know the end is near.” So before the time of the end begins we need the king of the south and the king of the north. Now let’s just continue to watch world news and see how this takes place and watch how they develop, see how things come along, because it’s going to build to this point.

Now verse 41: “He shall enter also into the glorious land… [that is the area of Palestine, commonly known as the Holy Land.] …and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape” (vs 41-42). And at that time then, he is going to gather in lots of wealth, lots of gold, lots of power. Verse 45 (yes, we’ll come back to verse 44): “And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain… [He’s going right into the area of Jerusalem. He’s going to confiscate the temple that the Jews will make. And 2 Thess. 2 tells us that he is going to declare himself to be God on earth with the help of the great religious leader at the end time, called the ‘false prophet’ in the book of Revelation] …yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him…. [And we shall see that today. So, this talks about the beginning of the time of the end and it also talks about when it’s going to come to an end. But verse 44 tells us when the Great Tribulation really begins: “But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.” Now we’ll see that in just a bit when we come to Matthew 24.

Now let’s go on in Daniel 12:1, KJV: “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people… [And that’s when the 144,000 are going to be saved and the great innumerable multitude and the tribulation against Israel will come to an end. But that doesn’t mean that God is done in dealing with the nations of the earth. Because you see, that brings us to the beginning of Revelation 7 and there’s still yet a year and a half left of the Tribulation out of the three and half years.] (Now notice): …and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time… [that is at the end of that] …thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they… [As we saw with the resurrection on Pentecost] …that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever” (vs 1-3). So you see the overlap of these events concerning Pentecost and Trumpets, as we come down in time.

Now, Daniel was told that he couldn’t understand it. “And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end” (vs 8-9). And many shall “to and fro” and “knowledge shall increase.” And we’re living right in that—just tidal waves of knowledge and understanding that’s going on in the world. And millions of people traveling to and fro all the time wherever it is. Now, let’s understand something else that is true: The Word of God is going to be fulfilled in these prophecies to the highest degree. It’s not going to be some little thing done in a corner somewhere that someone needs to search out and wonder, “Well, I wonder if this is it.” or “I wonder if that is it?” No, it’s going to be broad. It’s going to be known. It’s going to be understood.

Now, let’s see what also is going to happen. Let’s come back here to Revelation, the twelfth chapter, and we’re going to see the thing that will signal just before the tribulation begins, just before the three and half years begins. Because there is going to be time that is going to then separate out between those who really believe God and those who don’t. And the thing that does that is a time of persecution. Let’s come to Revelation 12, and we know that it says there in verse nine that Satan “deceives the whole world”—and he’s continuing to deceive it. And when Satan comes to his whole power the whole world is going to be deceived except the true saints of God. Now let’s pick it up here—he’s cast down, salvation of God is going to begin, now Revelation 12:12, FV: “Therefore, rejoice you heavens and those who dwell in them. Woe to those who inhabit the earth and the sea! For the Devil has come down to you, having great wrath because he knows that he has only a short time. And when the dragon saw that he was cast down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who had brought forth the man child…. [So there’s going to be the persecution. It will start—we’ll see part of this in Matthew 24 in just bit—and when that starts, all saints will have a choice. Are you willing to endure the persecution and also possibly the martyrdom, or not? Then there comes the separation and right at this point. So how long the time of persecution will be before he makes war against the saints? We don’t know.] (Now verse 14): …And two wings of a great eagle were given to the woman, so that she might fly to her place in the wilderness, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent…. [There’s the three and half years. That’s where we get the three and half year’s tribulation at the end. Now the separation takes place because there will be people who will want to avoid the persecution, and they won’t be taken to a place of safety. So the few that are in a place of safety will be those very few that are willing to believe God in the face of great adversity. And those who don’t, those who back off, are going then to be martyred. And the martyrdom then begins.

So here we go. Here is the beginning of the Great Tribulation, right here, the beginning of the three and a half years. Now we know, as we read through Revelation 6:1-12, that first there’s going to be the religious deception, there’s going to be the beast power that comes and then the second seal begins with Daniel 12—Daniel 11 & 12. Now, mixed in that are the saints where the persecution comes. And then the “war against the remnant of her seed.” Now let’s see what happens here. “And the serpent cast water out of his mouth as a river, so that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed up the river that the dragon had cast out of his mouth. Then the dragon was furious 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 15-17). That’s very interesting because “remnant” in many people’s mind and it is true that it does mean this, the word “remnant” in English means: the small remaining. However, the Greek means: the others. So this could be a different number of people. And so notice: “…keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” And it says back there in Revelation 9 that they overcame Satan the devil because “they loved not their lives unto death.”

All right now, let’s continue. Let’s put some of these other things together. Let’s come to Matthew 24 and we will see how these things will come along. Jesus gave the outline of it and now He begins to put it together so we can understand it. And we’ve seen these things all along, haven’t we? Every single one of them, beginning with “let no man deceive you by any means.” Yes? And you take that one verse” “For many shall come in My name saying ‘I am the Christ’ and shall deceive many.’” And look what has happened in the world. And look what has happened in the Church. From that one verse. So if you have any doubt that these things are going to take place, you better rethink it again.

So then He says here—Matthew 24:6, FV: “You shall hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you do not let these things disturb you. For it is necessary that all these things take place, but the end is not yet…. [Because the end cannot start until one key event. We saw that has to do with the king of the north and the king of the south. But let’s go on, we’ll see it here in just a few verses]: …For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom… [And we’ve seen that, down through history and in our time right now.] …And there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in different places” (vs 6-7). And of course, we’ve seen those—many of them. There are going to be more. And as we see what’s going to happen in the book of Revelation, there are going to be earthquakes that are going to happen when God begins to intervene in this world, such like has never occurred in the history of the world. Then shall they deliver you up to affliction, and shall kill you; and you shall be hated by all nations for My name’s sake…. [and you can see that developing more and more and more and more, can’t you? Yes!] …And then shall many be led into sin, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another… [That’s talking about what is happening right now in our society and what is taking place, isn’t it? So those things are going to be. ‘Hate one another!’ Isn’t that exactly what is taking place today? Yes! And it’s going to get more intense.] …And many false prophets shall arise, and shall deceive many” (vs 6-11). And it says a little later on there shall be ‘false christs and they shall show signs and wonders’ in so much that they might even ‘deceive the elect.’ So that means we’ve got to really maintain out personal relationship with God the Father and Jesus Christ. And I look and see the state of the Church today. Are there people who are deceived? Are they running off with false doctrines? Are they believe men because they sound convincing? Think about it!

Now He says here—verse 12: “And because lawlessness shall be multiplied, the love of many shall grow cold…. [Exactly what’s taking place: cruelty, hatred, murders, lying, cheating, stealing, hatefulness, wretchedness] …But the one who endures to the end, that one shall be saved” (vs 12-13). So there are two ways to endure to the end:

1. to the end of your life, remain faithful unto death;

2. and the other is to the end, when Christ returns, if you happen to remain alive in the flesh until He does—and there will be some who will be.

“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be proclaimed in all the world for a witness to all nations; and then shall the end come” (v 14). So stop and think, the Gospel preached in all the world includes everything. The Word of God now is so saturated in the world that of the nearly 6 billion people that live on the earth—and how many more will be by the time the end comes we don’t know—all but 400 million have the Word of God available to them. And now there are means of preaching the Gospel as never, never before. Not only through radio and television, but through the Internet worldwide. And as I’ve said many times before, I wish that all the Churches of God could repent and yield to God so that we could have—if all 374 denominations of the Church of God today, plus whatever ones we don’t know would really believe God and accept the Word of God and do the things that are proper: keep His Sabbath, keep His Holy Days; can you imagine the witness that that would be to the world? Now also, we know that there will be the two witnesses. So we know that the end cannot possibly come until those things take place, especially with the two witnesses.

Now notice, He gives us a key so we know when the end begins. Now that’s why Jesus said, Revelation 1: “I am the Beginning and the Ending.” So we have to know when the end begins. So He tells us: “Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place… [and just put in your margin there: 2 Thess. 2—‘The man of sin, the son of perdition, the one who proclaims himself to be God who comes in the power of Satan, with miracles and lies and great signs and wonders and will deceive the whole world’—because they don’t have the love of the truth. Now then, we have a parenthetical statement here which Jesus did not speak but which was written in there by John when he canonized the New Testament.] …(the one who reads, let him understand.)… [Because John didn’t understand. Just like Daniel didn’t understand because it wasn’t time to know. See, these things are revealed in the end-time. And let’s understand something very important, brethren, whatever knowledge we have, based on the Word of God, as led by the Spirit of God, that we have—let’s not get all hoity-toity and lifted up and exalted that we are some great thing of ourselves. Because we’re not! We need to understand that and realize that. Be thankful for what God has revealed to us so that we know and understand what we’re doing and where we’re going and how we’re doing and so forth. And let God lead us and let the Holy Spirit of God lead you in your life.

Now then, there’s going to be a special condition for those in Judea. “Then let those in Judea flee to the mountains…. [Go to the east, go to the mountains. The rest who are going to go to a place of safety, they’re going to be taken there by the angels, as we’ve seen in Luke 17. It’s going to be so urgent that He says]: …Let the one who is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house… [You’re not going to go back and ‘OOOO, let me get this.’ It’s going to be ‘You get out of here now!’] …And let the one who is in the field not go back to take his garments. But woe to those women who are expecting a child, and to those who are nursing infants in those days! And pray that your flight be not in the winter, nor on the Sabbath” (vs 16-20). And that’s a warning. Isn’t it interesting? Isn’t it interesting that there were a lot of people who were expecting to go to Petra to a place of safety and what some of them did was: they would have a “Petra box” and they would put in the trunk of their cars and they would take it with them to Sabbath services. Now wait a minute, what did Jesus say? They thought that they might go to a place of safety that very Sabbath and they wanted to have their “Petra box.” But two things: #1) don’t go back and get anything and #2) don’t flee on the Sabbath—so in both cases their wrong! (chuckles) Now, it isn’t going to be that way.

Now, when you see the “abomination of desolation” standing in the Holy place, “For then shall there be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until this time, nor ever shall be again” (v 21). Now, that’s what the Feast of Trumpets pictures. The beginning and on into these things for the three and a half years and then the Day of the Lord which constitutes the last year of those three and a half where God directly intervenes personally. And it’s going to be awesome. “And if those days were not limited… [doesn’t mean ‘cut short.’ That’s an improper translation. God has set a time limit. He’s not going to intervene and cut it short. And oh how many preachers I’ve heard say: ‘Well, you better hurry up because God may cut the time short.’ NO! Everything’s going to be fulfilled that are in the prophecies. Not one thing is going to fail. So God’s not going to cut short any prophecies. God is not going to cut short any time. But He has limited the very last of the end-times to three and half years, and He has limited the Day of the Lord to one year. …there would no flesh be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days shall be limited…. [then He gives another warning:] …Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold here is the Christ,’ or, ‘He is there,’ do not believe it. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and they shall present great signs and wonders, in order to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (vs 21-24).

Now let’s understand something profound, that’s important to realize which is this: It doesn’t matter what miracle comes, if they don’t speak according to the law and the testimony and if they don’t keep the commandments of God, have the faith of Jesus Christ, have the testimony of Jesus Christ, keep the Sabbath and the Holy Days, they are not of God! So it doesn’t matter what the miracle is. It doesn’t matter even if it’s fire called down from heaven as the false prophet will do—as shown there in Revelation 13. It doesn’t matter how many people who may apparently be healed because of the power of the beast and the false prophet, because this includes both. You’re going to have war. You have to have someone in charge, who is the beast. And if you’re going to have war, you have to have armies. And if you’re going to have false prophets, then you’re going to have false prophets and you have to have the false prophet that is listed in the book of Revelation, as well. So don’t believe it!

“Therefore, if the say to you, ‘Come and see! He is in the secret chambers’; do not believe it” (v 26). Now let’s understand what Jesus said here. It’s very important for us to realize. Let’s come down here a few verses. Verse 32—Jesus said: “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branches have already become tender, and it puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near…. [So this shows us we’re to watch. It has to come to a certain point.] …In like manner also, when you see all these things, know that it is near, even at the [end] doors…. [And the key thing is here, when you see ALL these things. Now if you don’t have the message: The Two Generations you write in for it.] …Truly I say to you, this generation… [and that is the end-time generation] …shall in no wise pass away until all these things have taken place. (now notice verse 35): …The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but My words shall never pass away” (vs 32-35). Now we need to understand that and realize that. And the first thing every false prophet does is come along and tell you God didn’t mean this when He said it.

Is any word of God vain?

Is any word of God something that will not stand?

Is it not inspired of the Spirit of God?

Is it not upheld by the power of God?

Do you think that God—Who cannot and will not lie—will let one word of any prophecy not be fulfilled or to fail?

No! “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall never pass away!”

(Break)

Now let’s continue on, let’s come to Zephaniah, as we read here in the book of Zephaniah, this will also demonstrate that without the New Testament you wouldn’t be able to understand and know when the Day of the Lord would be. So let’s read it—Zephaniah, the first chapter. Here’s this little three-chapter book of the prophets and it talks about the Day of the Lord. But without the New Testament and the book of Revelation you’d never understand what it would be. Let’s pick it up here in verse 14 (Zep. 1, KJV): “The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath… [Now, as we go through this and talk about the Day of the Lord, let’s understand that the finality of it is the last year from Trumpets to Trumpets. And we’ll see that a little later when we get back in the book of Revelation.] …a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung…. [Because God is not going to come back and take what is here and patch it and repair it. He’s going to wipe it out, obliterate it and begin new with the Kingdom of God, with the rule of Jesus Christ and the saints.] …Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD’S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land” (vs 14-18).

Now Zephaniah 2:1, KJV—Now, here’s a message for us. Again, another warning, just like all the way through the book of Revelation in many places—just as we saw previously, “the one who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches.” “The one who has an ear, let him hear!” So likewise we have something similar here. “Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired… [And that’s speaking of the Church.] …Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD’S anger come upon you. Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness… [So there is something that we are to do. Not wait until it’s too late. Not wait until, you know, just like all these weather catastrophes that happen, especially floods. People build right along the rivers, don’t they? Never learn. Never get the point. And it always floods, doesn’t it? And people are all upset and weeping and wailing and crying because the flood came. Well what do you expect when you build right along the river, see? So we have to seek it BEFORE the event takes place. BEFORE the Day of the Lord comes. And]: …it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’S anger” (vs 1-3). So we’ll claim that promise as well, too.

Now, let’s look and see in the book of Isaiah, and in going through and working through the book of Isaiah—as a matter of fact, for the Feast of Tabernacles, I’m going to go through and show it uses the main thing for the Feast of Tabernacles the Kingdom of God in the book of Isaiah. And that’s quite a thing. But it also talks about the Feast of Trumpets. It also talks about the Day of the Lord. So it talks many things, so this time we’re going to look at the prophecies concerning the Feast of Trumpets and how it’s going to happen—then we’ll tie that in with the book of Revelation to finish off.

Let’s begin in here, Isaiah 2:10. Now this ties right in together with Revelation, the sixth chapter and beginning with verse 12. Now, don’t get confused we’re in Isaiah 2, but I referred to Revelation 6:12. If you were busily turning there, come on back to Isaiah _{[transcriber’s correction]} 2:10, because we’re going to see that the Day of the Lord is pictured by the Feast of Trumpets. That’s why it is a day of horn-blasting—Warning! Warning! Warning! of the greatest imperil of death and destruction that’s coming on the earth. Now, Isaiah 2:10 _{[transcriber’s correction]}, KJV: “Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty… [because as we read, ‘every eye is going to see Him.’ And as we saw, as the sign of man comes closer and closer to the earth, looking like the sun, and gets right down here and locks right in over Jerusalem with the ‘sea of glass’ the whole earth is going to know. This is not going to be some secret return of Jesus Christ. It’s going to involved everyone, every person, everywhere all over the world.] …The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low” (vs 10-12). [That’s what’s going to happen to the beast and the false prophet, right? Yes, we’re going to see their final judgment is pictured by this day.] (Now, verse 17): And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. And the idols he shall utterly abolish… [Destroy every temple, every cathedral, every idol, every cross, every crucifix, every Buddha, every serpent. God is going to make a clean sweep of it. Now the Catholics say that the antichrist, when he comes, he’s going to abolish idols. So that tells you what they think about the second return of Christ, right? Yes!] …And they [that is men] shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth…. [Great earthquakes as we saw there in Revelation 6 are going to take place when the heavens roll back as a scroll.] …In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth” (vs 18-19). And it’s going to be a mammoth thing. It’s going to be something to behold.

Now, we find this also in the book of Haggai. So let’s go back to the book of Haggai, which is just the next book after the book of Zephaniah where we were here just a little bit ago. Hold your place in Isaiah because we’ll be coming back there, but let’s come to Haggai, the second chapter, and let’s see here’s a prophecy that could not be understood whatsoever just by reading it here, unless you had the book of Revelation to give you the timing; unless you had the book of Daniel to also give you the beginning of the timing. Haggai 2:6, KJV: “For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while… [Now that’s how God looks at time—‘a little while’] …and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all nations… [It’s going to be a mammoth thing. We’re going to see what this earth is going to be doing when that happens. And that’s why the sun won’t shine and the stars won’t give their light and the moon won’t shine, because of all the shaking that’s going on.] …and the desire of all nations shall come… [that’s Christ] …and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts” (vs 6-7). That is the house that He is going to build, not just the one that they were building there.

Now, let’s come back here to Isaiah 13, and let’s see what God says He’s going to do. Now remember, Babylon the Great, at the end-time is the whole world. It’s not just over there in what we call Iraq today. But it’s the whole world. So here is a vision of that that was given to Isaiah. Isaiah 13:6, KJV: “Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty…. [Now that’s greater than the wars that men are going to do. We will see that, because as you go through the book of Revelation, you start out with the seals. Things begin to happen. Then you come to the trumpet plagues and they increase and get worse and then you come to the seven last plagues, and it gets even more intense.] …Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt: And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames. Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel… [That’s why it says in other place: ‘woe to you who desire the Day of the Lord.’] …cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land… [and we could even translate that ‘the earth.’] …desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. And I will punish the world… [Now when God talks about all the earth and the world, He means ALL the earth and ALL the world.] …for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. I will make a man more precious than fine gold… [Because we’re going to see there are going to be very few men left when the Day of the Lord is finished.] …even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir. Therefore I will shake the heavens… [Now remember Who’s given power over the heavens and the earth—Jesus Christ.] …and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger” (vs 6-13). It’s going to be a tremendous event that’s going to take place, without a doubt!

Let’s come here to Isaiah 24. Now remember, Isaiah, Jeremiah, somewhat in Ezekiel and Daniel were the very first ones to give us any kind of preliminary framework of things that were to happen at the end-time. Before that time, you read all the way through up through 1 & 2 Kings, which are counted as prophets. And you find that there was very little even if a hint talking about the end-times. But beginning with Isaiah and Jeremiah and Ezekiel and some of the minor prophets, and then Daniel who wrote while he was in Babylon gives the beginning of the understanding of the magnitude of God’s plan, which was not preached that way before. See because, God gives the revelation as we come along. Then Jesus comes and He gives so much and then He gives so much to the apostles and it’s in their writings. And then we come to the book of Revelation, which is that special book that ties it all together—the beginning and the end.

Now let’s pick it up here in Isaiah 24:1, KJV: “Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down… [Doesn’t it say ‘every mountain shall be made low and every valley shall be exalted’? Yes!] …and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him. The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word. The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish…. [Boy! That’s something, isn’t it?] …The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws… [sin] …changed the ordinance… [Have they changed the times, changed the seasons, changed the Sabbath and Holy Days? Yes, indeed!] …broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left” (vs 1-6). Very few—so it’s going to be something the way it’s going to take place and how the world is going to be.

Now, verse 19: “The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage…” (vs 19-20). [So, just kind of picture this out there in orbit. It’s going to effect the whole world—so that’s quite a thing!] (verse 23): …Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.” Now we’ll see that here when we get to the book of Revelation—have to hurry along if I’m going to get there.

Let’s come here to Isaiah 34—see, he’s giving prophecies that were never given before. That’s what’s so important when we see how God began to deal with Israel and with Judah and with His prophets to bring things which relate to the end-time. Now, Isaiah 34:1, KJV: “Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it. For the indignation of the LORD is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter” (vs 1-2). And as we will see, that’s where the Feast of Trumpets’ fulfillment ends.

Now, let’s come to Jeremiah. Even Jeremiah—even though he had a special mission concerning Israel and concerning Judah—he was also given this special mission about what it would be like at the end-times. And he was to take this cup and go to all the nations of the world. Now, Jeremiah didn’t do that, but the Word of God does it, and it’s up to us today to preach it so that the word that Jeremiah received from the Lord goes to all nations. That’s why Jesus said, “Go ye into all nations. Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.” Now that has to be done and it has to be done to all the Churches of God. Then he took this cup to all the nations. Now then, come to Jeremiah 25:26, KJV: “And all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another, and all the kingdoms of the world, which are upon the face of the earth… [Now, that’s an awesome statement when you think about that. And what has to be done? What the Churches of God have to do to do that? And especially what the two witnesses are going to have to do to also bring that. So this is something.] …and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them.” And the king of Sheshach is a prophecy of the coming beast at the end.

Now he says, let’s pick it up here in verse 30, continue on with this prophecy that ties in with the end-time and show how they all come to a certain point. Then we will see how Revelation shows us how it gets to that point. Verse 30: “Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The LORD shall roar from on high… [And we’ve seen that, haven’t we? Yes!] …and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth. A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh… [Now, if you go back, circle “all,” “all,” “all,” “whole,” “all people,” “all nations,” “all people that are on the earth.” It shows the magnitude of what this day pictures.] (now, continuing): …he will give them that are wicked to the sword… [We’ll see that in just a bit.] …saith the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth…. [And that is probably a prophecy of the army of 200 million as we’ll see in Revelation 9 a little later.] …And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground” (vs 30-33). So those are quite some tremendous words!

Now, put in your notes there, Joel 2—I’ll let you read that about the Day of the Lord and the army that is coming. But, let’s go forward to the book of Revelation and let’s see how these prophecies come right down and fulfill all that God wants to be fulfilled. Let’s come to Revelation 8, where the seven trumpet plagues begin. There are seven angels who were given seven trumpets and they have the trumpet plagues. And this is a unique time in history as prophesied as we have seen in the Old Covenant, the Old Testament. God is going to, in the Day of the Lord, and a day in prophecy is one year in fulfillment. And it’s very interesting that the last year, if it be correct, is probably a 13-month year. So let’s go on (a leap year). Now, here’s how it starts out—Revelation 8:5—and here’s the beginning of God’s direct and personal intervention in the world, in the Day of the Lord, with His angels. And now we don’t have men fighting against men, but we have angels fighting against men and demons. So the wars get more intense and more powerful.

Revelation 8:5, FV: “And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire from the altar, and cast it into the earth; and there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings, and an earthquake…. [We’re going to see there are going to be many earthquakes.] …Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound their trumpets…. [So this is what the day of Trumpets pictures—a day of horn blasting! or memorial of trumpets.] …And the first angel sounded his trumpet; and there was hail and fire mingled with blood, and it was cast upon the earth; and a third of the trees were burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up…. [This is a horrendous time! That’s why Jesus said that ‘unless those days were limited there shall be no flesh saved alive.’ Now these first five trumpet plagues come rather quickly. Probably just days apart.] …Then the second angel sounded his trumpet; and there was cast into the sea as it were a great mountain burning with fire, and a third of the sea became blood… [Now how many programs have you seen where they’re talking about a meteorite coming in and plunging into the earth? Well this one comes plunges into the sea.] …And a third of the living creatures that were in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed…. [Mammoth, great huge tidal waves and tsunami waves and going across the earth!] (verse 10): …And the third angel sounded his trumpet; and there fell out of heaven a great star, burning like a lamp; and it fell on a third of the rivers, and on the fountains of waters… [Now, this is a special punishment that comes from God, because they curse God, go against God, reject His Word; worship the beast, the false prophet, receive the mark of the beast, bow down to the idols. NOW, comes their punishment.] …Now the name of the star is Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood; and many men died from drinking the waters because they were made bitter…. [shortly after that] …Then the fourth angel sounded his trumpet; and a third of the sun was smitten, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened…[just like we read in Isaiah right? What you read in Isaiah then shows how it’s going to be done in the book of Revelation and shows the approximate time period when it’s going to be done.] (Now, verse 13): …And I looked; and I heard an angel flying in the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, ‘Woe, woe, woe to those who are dwelling on the earth… [So there are still people alive after this, right? Yes!] …because of the voices of the remaining trumpets of the three angels who are about to sound their trumpets’” (vs 5-13). So now then, it becomes more intense. And as we see, when the third angel sounds his trumpet, then there is going to be a great host of demons let loose out of the abyss. And now the fight is going to be something! So here we have, is this when the king of the north hears tidings out of the north and the east? And is this when he calls forth all of his powers? Could be.

Revelation 9:1, FV: “And the fifth angel sounded his trumpet; and I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to the earth, and there was given to him the key to the bottomless abyss. And he opened the bottomless abyss; and there went up smoke from the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke from the pit. Then locusts came onto the earth from the smoke… [Demons coming out of their imprisonment—now they have a special power:] …and power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power…. [And so what they did, they caused great pain for all of those who did not have the Spirit of God.] (verse 4): And it was said to them that they should not damage the grass of the earth… [Because it grew back then, because when it burns up, you get some rain, it starts growing immediately.] …or any green thing, or any tree, but only the men who did not have the seal of God in their foreheads…. [Just exactly like God separated the children of Israel in the land of Goshen when He was bringing the plagues upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians before they released the children of Israel from their captivity. God separated out and stopped those plagues from coming on them. Likewise here, the 144,000 and the great innumerable multitude who have been sealed with the seal of God are separated from those plagues that come.] …And it was given to them that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented 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 but will not find it; and they will desire to die, but death will flee from them…. [Now look at these creatures that they were.] …And the appearance of locust was like horses prepared for war; and on their heads were crowns like those of gold; and their faces were like the faces of men; And they had hair like women’s hair; and their teeth were like those of lions. And they had breastplates like iron breastplates… [Now today they have them to keep men from getting wounded, begin to heal the wounds if they are wounded, and so forth—so this ties right in with Joel 2, that they ‘jump upon the houses, they climb upon the walls, they leap into the windows.’] (Now verse 11): …And they have over them a king, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but the name he has in Greek is Apollyon” (vs 1-11).

Now if you think that’s something: “The first woe is past… [Hold on there’s more!] …Behold, after these things two more woes are still to come…. [So then it gets even more intense. Now, all of those from the north and the east, after five months recover from whatever it was they were able to sting them with.] …And the sixth angel sounded his trumpet…And it said to the sixth angel, who had the trumpet, ‘Loose the four angels who are bound in the great river Euphrates..’ Then the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were loosed… [They’re not going to be loosed until it’s time!] …so that they might kill a third of men; And the number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred thousand thousand…” (vs 12-16). Two hundred million! Quite an army. So it’s going to strong all the way from the Euphrates all the way back to the far east—into China, Cambodia and Laos and all of the countries of the north: Russia, Mongolia and all of the Kazakhstan and the Kreghastans and all of the ‘stans’: Pakistan, Afghanistan, all of those—including all India. There will be armies from all of these nations. You can’t get 200 million in one place at one time. Can’t do it. So their strung out. And they come in waves. And so the wave is going to come and come against them, come across the Euphrates. And they’re going to have great power! They’re going to have awesome weapons.

Let’s pick it up here in verse 17: “And so I saw the horses in the vision, and those sitting on them, who had fiery breastplates, even like jacinth and brimstone. And the heads of the horses were like heads of lions, and fire and smoke and brimstone shoot out of the their mouths. By these three, a third of men were killed: by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone that shoot out of their mouths. For their power is in their mouths; for their tails are like serpents, and have heads, and with them they inflict wounds…. [Now notice how stubborn do men become, especially under the influence of all of these demons?] …But the rest of the men who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent… [Isn’t that something? Didn’t repent] …of the works of their hands, that they might not worship demons, and idols of gold and silver and brass and stone and wood, which do not have the power to see, nor to hear, nor to walk. And they did not repent of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornications, nor of their thievery” (vs 17-21). Amazing thing, isn’t it?

Now, let’s come to Revelation 11 and let’s see when the seventh trumpet sounds. And that happens on Pentecost—when the resurrection occurs. Now we saw that, we ended the day of Pentecost here, didn’t we? Yes! And we went to Revelation 15—we’ll go there in just a minute—but you see, when this occurs, the resurrection takes place, then that’s going to usher in the worst kind of battle that God is going to bring on the earth; because now all the saints are resurrected and are on the “sea of glass” and they are going to see the vengeance of God. So that’s why the resurrection takes place on Pentecost, because they’re there until you come down to the time of Trumpets again. So we find here, let’s pick it up here in Revelation 11:14, FV: “The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming 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 and His Christ, and He shall reign into the ages of eternity’” (vs 14-15).

Now let’s come back over here to Revelation 15 & 16 and let’s see what is going to happen leading up to the final Feast of Trumpets before Christ and the saints put their feet on the earth. We’re all going to see this—everyone from Abel clear down to the last two witnesses are going to see all of this take place that we find in Revelation, the last part of 15, 16 and on into 19. Let’s pick it up in Revelation 15:1, FV: “Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and awesome: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is filled up…. [That’s why they’re more intense and more powerful.] (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 who had the seven last plagues came out of the temple; they were clothed in linen, pure and bright, and girded about the chest with golden breastplates. 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 inside the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled” (vs 5-8).

Revelation 16:1, FV: “‘Then I heard a loud voice from the temple say to the seven angels, ‘Go and pour out the vials of the wrath of God onto the earth.’ And the first angel went and poured out his vial onto the earth; and an evil and grievous sore fell upon the men who had the mark of the beast, and upon those who were worshiping his image. And the second angel went and poured out his vial into the sea; and it became blood, like that of a dead man; and every living soul in the sea died…. [Everything! We are talking about a destroyed, disrupted, turned upside down catastrophic earth. So when we come back to the earth with Christ and start to rule, we are going to have to begin with this terrible works that have occurred because of the sins of man. And the wrath of God to destroy the whole system of the beast and the false prophet and of rebellious men going against God. There will be FEW men left, like it said.] …And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers, and into the fountains of waters; and they became blood…. [Now notice how great that this is. Notice how the angels who are righteous view these things, and how we ought to view them.] …Then I heard the angel of the waters say, ‘You are righteous, O Lord, Who are, and Who was, even the Holy One, in that You have executed this judgment. For they have poured out the blood of saints and of prophets, and You have given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.’ And I heard another voice from the altar say, ‘Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments. And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given to it 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 1-9).

Now the last finale is going to take place. God is going to give a little reprieve. “And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the throne of the beast; and his kingdom became full of darkness, and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain, And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; yet they did not repent of their works…. [So here comes the reprieve]: …And the sixth angel poured out his vial into the great river Euphrates… [So after it was dried up] …before, now it starts flowing again. So it dried it up; and its waters were dried up, so that the way of the kings from the rising of the sun might be prepared…. [In order to facilitate this now they’ve got to be further deceived and encouraged to do it.] …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, going forth to the kings of the earth, even of the whole world, to gather them together to the battle of that great day of the Almighty God” (vs 10-14). And we’ll see that in just a minute in Revelation 19. Then the last one comes, the last plague: “Then the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, ‘IT IS FINISHED’” (v 17). And so here there were still men left. The hail weighing a talent, or 180 pounds and fell on men. Those who lived “blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, for the plague was exceedingly great” (v 21).

And now comes the finality. This is the final fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets and why we’re here, brethren, so that we can look forward to having our part in our time with it. Now all of us on the “sea of glass” are going to be given a horse. We’re going to get on it. We’re going to follow Christ Who is our Champion, our Hero, our King, our Lord, our Master and we are going to come down with Him to take over this world. Revelation 19:14, FV—we are those armies in heaven. “And the armies in heaven were following Him… [and ‘He is King of kings and Lord of lords’ (v 16), and ‘in righteousness does He judge and make war’ (v 11).] …and they were clothed in fine linen, white and pure. And out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He might smite the nations; and He shall shepherd them with an iron rod; and He treads the winepress of the fury and the wrath of the Almighty God…. [So here are all of these armies gathered there to fight against Christ. They see all of us coming down out of heaven and here they are gathered. They are ready to fight. They are looking, they are waiting, they have the last bit of their ammunition, the last bit of their tanks and planes and everything that they have. And so it says here, verse 17:] …Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, ‘Come and gather yourselves together to the supper of the great God So that you may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of chief captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all, free and bond, and small and great’”(v 18). God’s going to clean up the messes as quickly as He can. And as we saw back there in Zechariah 14, the sword that goes out of the mouth of Christ is such that it’s going to afflict them so that their flesh just falls right off of their bones, their eyes out of their sockets, and the flesh and everything falls to the ground in a bloody mess. So that’s why these birds have to come.

Now then comes the great fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets. The end of the war! Verse 19: “And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies, gathered together to make war with Him Who sits on the horse, and with His army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet who worked miracles in his presence, by which he had deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. Those two were cast alive into the lake of fire, which burns with brimstone; And the rest were killed by the sword of Him Who sits on the horse, even the sword that goes out of His mouth; and all the birds were filled with their flesh” (vs 19-21).

And now we take over the world with Christ, but there’s one thing that has to be done first: So you come back for the Day of Atonement and we’ll see what that is.

(The End)