Soon!

Here is a link to last week’s series, Soon!

As we watch our world descend into a moral darkness that makes no sense, believers cannot help but think of how Noah must have felt as he labored to complete the ark.

But even in the darkness surrounding Noah, he kept his heart set on God and completed the task.

As a believer your attitude should be sorrow for the lost and broken world. But even before that, shouldn’t our hearts be broken over their sin and ours that is so offensive to our God?

Even now many people still reject God’s patient offer to be saved, and believers are not as devoted as they should be.

But when  the days described in Revelation arrive such disregard for God will be most plain.

The judgements to come will grip every heart with terror. Yet, the people in chapter ten will reject salvation with the full knowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Let’s look at the sixth trumpet otherwise known as the sixth woe.

The Sixth Trumpet

Revelation 9:13-21 (CSB)

The sixth angel blew his trumpet.

From the four horns of the golden altar that is before God, I heard a voice say to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels bound at the great river Euphrates.” 

So, the four angels who were prepared for the hour, day, month, and year were released to kill a third of the human race. 

The number of mounted troops was two hundred million; 

I heard their number. 

This is how I saw the horses and their riders in the vision:

• They had breastplates that were fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow.
• The heads of the horses were like the heads of lions,
• From their mouths came fire, smoke, and sulfur. 

A third of the human race was killed by these three plagues—by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur that came from their mouths.  

For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails, because their tails, which resemble snakes, have heads that inflict injury.

Look at the response of those who survive the terror.

The rest of the people, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands 

• to stop worshiping demons 
• nor to stop worshipping idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which cannot see, hear, or walk. 
• And they did not repent of their murders, their sorceries, their sexual immorality, or their thefts.

That is extreme arrogance, similar to their father, Satan.

How sad that people follow him so eagerly when all along he has a deep, murderously cruel hatred for those he influences.

Can you conceive of such self-destructive rebellion?

You and I would be part of that number of foolish souls had it not been for the patient mercy and grace of Jesus.

Thank Him, right now, and let that thought drive you in your desire to honor and please your Redeemer every moment.And tell your world that the Gospel ofJesus is for them if they will have it.

Tell your world that the Gospel of Jesus is for them if they will have it.

Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.