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 Sermon > Official Service |
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Title |
Revelation Lectures(70) |
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Speaker |
Rev. Jaerock Lee |
Bible |
Revelation 16:8-15 |
Date |
2008-08-01 |
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Revelation 16:8-15
[8] The fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun, and it was given to it to scorch men with fire.
[9] Men were scorched with fierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory.
[10] Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues because of pain,
[11] and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they did not repent of their deeds.
[12] The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates; and its water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east.
[13] And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs;
[14] for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty.
[15] ("Behold, I am coming like a thief Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.")
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ.
I'm safely back home from the 7th Mission Trip to Israel.
My sincere thanks go to all of you who support me with all your heart, mind, and soul.
This mission trip was very significant.
That's because it was the start point to open the door of the gospel toward the orthodox Jews.
In other words, it was the beginning of the actual mission aimed at the orthodox Jews.
This is the love of God the Father who doesn't forsake them and gives the final opportunity until the very end.
It is exactly just as written in Deuteronomy 4:30-31, which reads, "When you are in distress and all these things have come upon you, in the latter days you will return to the LORD your God and listen to His voice. For the LORD your God is a compassionate God; He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them."
Dear brothers and sisters.
From Chapter 16, the book of Revelation records the final 7 plagues that conclude the 7 Year Great Tribulation.
And among them I explained up to the 3rd plague.
Environment pollution reaches its peak due to wars and destruction of the natural environment.
Even the sea will become dark red like blood and dies.
As the sea dies, all living things in the sea also die, and this results in the chain-linked destruction of nature.
The ground water sources also become contaminated.
Water is an absolute necessity for human survival.
Since the ground water sources have also become polluted, there are terrible plagues coming that threaten the existence of human beings
Because of the polluted water, skin diseases and infectious diseases are prevalent, and people die because there is no water to drink.
As time passes, food is in an unquestionably short supply.
The allied governments that will have seized power during the 7 Year Great Tribulation try all means to solve the problem, and it is not something that can be solved by human power and ability.
All of these things are the results according to the Law of Justice.
It is the retribution for the evil that human beings have been doing.
It is the fruit that is yielded from countless sins of standing against God and of insulting God.
God has endured again and again, and given opportunities in His love and mercy.
When the time that God has set comes, however, the judgment of justice finally comes.
The judgment of God is righteous and true.
He is never partial, and He never forsakes Justice because of personal affection.
Psalm 89:14 says, "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; lovingkindness and truth go before You."
All the truth will be clearly revealed at the truthful and just judgment of God.
I hope for you to wait for the day with joy and hope, not with fear.
Now, let's continue to look into the plagues from the 4th.
Revelation 16:8-9 says, "The fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun, and it was given to it to scorch men with fire. Men were scorched with fierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory."
During the 3rd World War, various powerful weapons such as nuclear weapons are used.
And, it brings disruption to nature, and can even cause significant changes in the weather.
For example, the whole world is concerned about global warming even now.
When it's close to the end of the 7 Year Great Tribulation, the situation becomes worse.
Because of the scorching heat of the sun, extreme drought, and water shortage, people will be dropping everywhere.
There is no exception for animals.
For this, tonight's scripture describes it by saying, "it was given to it to scorch men with fire."
By the way, the scripture says that the reason for this situation is because "the angel poured out his bowl upon the sun."
It means that the order and connection between the sun and the earth is not normal.
In other words, there is a problem between the two.
It indicates that the earth loses its abilities to block the harmful rays from the sun.
One of them is the disruption of the ozone layer.
The ozone layer is a layer which contains relatively high concentrations of ozone in the stratosphere. (The stratosphere is situated from about 10 km to 50 km altitude above the earth's surface.)
It is mainly located at approximately 15 km to 35 km, though the thickness varies seasonally and geographically
Ground-level ozone is an air pollutant with harmful effects on the respiratory systems of animals and humans.
However, it plays an important role for the survival of the animate nature of the earth when it is situated in the stratosphere.
Ozone filters potentially damaging ultraviolet light of the sun rays keeping them from reaching the Earth's surface, and it also absorbs the re-radiated energy of the sun to warm the stratosphere.
By doing so, it has great impact on maintaining the current weather so that the natural environment can survive.
As ozone concentration decreases by 1 %, it is predicted that the incidence of skin cancer increases by 2 %.
When it decreases by 3 %, it is forecast that the occurrence of skin cancer in the US alone will increase by 18,000 cases annually.
The drain of the ozone layer brings the sudden lack of ultraviolet light filtering, and it increase the UV light reaching the earth.
As its result, skin caner will increase, aging of skin will speed up, eye diseases will increase, immunity will fall, crop harvest will decline, the natural environment of the oceans will be destroyed, and the pollution of the earth will become increasingly more serious.
Moreover, the disruption of the ozone layer will bring in the increase of the earth temperature; it will affect the humidity and evaporation loss.
As its result, the formation of deserts on the earth will speed up; the losses from storms, floods, and droughts will be greater.
All of these are the phenomena of nature that will take place when "the angel pours out the bowl of plagues upon the sun."
The scripture expresses the natural environment becoming unsuitable for human existence in these words: "it was given to it to scorch men with fire".
However, even in this terrible situation, people don't repent of their sin.
They begrudge God instead of repenting and they blaspheme the name of God.
They put blame on God.
They seek their own benefit all the more just for the chance to survive.
They use all sorts of knowledge and apply every technology available to find a way to survive.
However, since they already crossed the limit, the whole world falls into a more and more chaotic situation.
The order that had been maintained by the unified government is destroyed, and the foundations of the union start to break down.
Finally, the sign of the collapse of the unified government starts to show.
When the unified government strictly controlled the world, the forces that were in dissention were quieted.
That's because the order of the world was restored, and the food and resource problems were solved.
But now, the unified government is no longer able to control the situation.
The order of the world again crumbles, and it's difficult to be provided with food and water.
Therefore, people start to look for a way of survival.
In the current situation, instead of following the control and order of the union, they try to find their own way of survival.
Such a situation is described in Revelation 16:10-11.
It says, "Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues because of pain, and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they did not repent of their deeds."
'The beast' indicates the forces of the antichrist that controls the whole world during the 7 Year Great Tribulation.
It is the unified government that plays the role of representative of the antichrist.
This union uses a huge computer system to seize its power and exercise control over the world.
I explained already that this unified government or the computer that the government uses is called, 'the beast.'
Now, the angel pours his bowl on the throne of the beast.
'The throne of the beast' refers to the core of the forces.
When the worldwide plagues aggravate the chaos of the world, the top-level of the unified government loses its power and authority.
Since the infrastructure and communication network are destroyed, it's also impossible to control the world through the computer system.
The world that the allied government controls becomes more and more confused.
The scripture describes this situation as 'the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became darkened.'
When the situation becomes like this, the people who have followed the government of the beast, and those who have worked as its perpetrators grieve and deplore.
That's because they gradually lose their authority.
For this, the scripture says that 'they gnawed their tongues because of pain.'
'Sores' indicates, in a fleshly sense, that they actually suffer from skin diseases such as a sore. But it also means that they suffer because they lose their authority and their life is threatened.
Just as sores fester, it implies that the allied government starts to fester inside.
Even in this situation, the forces of the antichrist still bitterly resent God.
They put blame on God for the bad situation, and they blaspheme God all the more.
This is what the evil people do.
Even when a problem rises due to their evil, they try to put the blame on others around them any way they can.
In order to cover their transgression, they do greater evil.
Revelation 16:12 says, "The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates; and its water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east."
'Its water was dried up' indicates the situation that the unified government loses its power and authority.
And the reason for that is because its power over the world economy greatly shrinks.
In fact, the foundation that permits the allied government to control the world is its economic power.
And the background of its economic power is oil.
During the 3rd World War, the allied government seizes power over the Middle East.
It is the power over the oil resources.
Now, the scripture says, "The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates; and its water was dried up." It means that the oil resource is running dry.
It eventually means that the unified government loses its power and authority.
Due to serious plagues, the demand for oil increases, but in this situation, the oil runs dry.
This news is spread to the whole world, and each country makes a frantic search for securing oil.
Previously, the resource has been controlled by the unified government. But the situation has been changed.
At the news of the drain of oil, each country desperately looks for a way to secure oil.
Even the remaining oil is not properly controlled and distributed.
Since the unified government also has to survive, it provides the oil to countries that are directly allied with the union.
Naturally, there appear to be countries that are relatively alienated.
Their complaints pile up and break out.
In addition, other complaints regarding the problems that have been silenced also break out.
They have been silenced for the matters which the unified government has treated unfairly, but the matters cannot be endured any longer.
And this drives the situation to turn into a war.
The scripture says, "the way would be prepared for the kings from the east." It implies the situation that another sign of war is presented in the Middle East again.
Former powerful countries break their support to the unified government; they rather stand against the union.
For the benefit of their own countries, in order to secure oil, they are willing to go to war.
That's because they decide that cooperating with the unified government doesn't benefit their countries any more.
Furthermore, they also have national intentions to extend power and authority in the world once again.
Revelation 16:13-14 says, "And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs; for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty."
The unclean evil spirits that are controlled by Lucifer aggravate the chaos of the world.
These unclean spirits are 'coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet.'
The dragon is the actual authority holding power over the darkness on behalf of Lucifer.
The unclean spirit coming out of the dragon controls and incites the evil people of the earth.
Especially in this situation, the unclean spirit coming out of the mouth of the dragon works through the head leadership of Israel.
The beast refers to the unified government; especially the chief leadership position in this scripture.
'The unclean spirit coming out of the beast' means that the unclean spirit tempts people with the words coming from the mouth of the leadership of the union, and drags them to the darkness.
Lastly, the false prophet refers to the head (leadership position) of the religion that conspires with the unified government during the 7 Year Great Tribulation.
It is the force that pretends to serve God outwardly, but it is actually incited by Lucifer to tempt people.
The unclean spirit comes out of its mouth and tempts people.
Just as the scripture says, "they are spirits of demons," they belong to the darkness and evil. They bring chaos, wars, and destruction.
The scripture says, "They go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war."
In this way when the time that God has set comes, another war breaks out.
This war appears to be a war for the oil resource.
But it is the result of the piled-up complaints being revealed and breaking out.
You may wonder how the situation that has been controlled by the strong unified government turns into a war like this.
However, the reason the Union has been able to enjoy such strong power is because the powerful countries have cooperated.
For example, in the beginning of the 7 Year Great Tribulation, China and Russia support the Union, and the US had no other way but to cooperate.
That's because the unified government is so powerful, and because cooperating with the Union also benefits them as well.
In order to stabilize the confusion of the 7 Year Great Tribulation, and to get economic benefits, they have to cooperate with the powerful government.
But now, when the world becomes chaotic again, former powerful countries look for a way of their survival.
Even though their power is not like before, some of them still have strong power.
These countries ally with each other to oppose the unified government.
It is to seek for their own way of survival because they realize the economic benefits that the allied government has promised cannot be given.
Moreover, they desire to break down the unified government and hold sway over the world.
Since they had allied themselves with each other for their benefits, they now scatter again for their benefits.
Likewise, at the end of the 7 Year Great Tribulation, the whole world is drawn into a war, and falls into a chaotic situation.
Revelation 15:15 says, "Behold, I am coming like a thief blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame."
It is a warning message, to keep from falling into the suffering of the 7 Year Great Tribulation.
God tells us to adorn ourselves as a bride.
In order to welcome the Lord, the bridegroom, and enter heaven, proper clothing should be prepared.
'Walking about naked' is the situation of not meeting the conditions as a bride.
'Clothes' refer to the heart of a man; putting on the clothes of a bride is circumcising the heart and accomplishing righteousness.
Those who don't circumcise their hearts do not live by the word, their hearts are still filled with sin and evil, and they live in the darkness.
It is, in a spiritual sense, to be naked and revealing shame.
Even when a woman puts on a gorgeous dress, it doesn't truly make her gorgeous.
If she doesn't circumcise her heart, and lives with evil in her heart, no matter how beautiful the dress she puts on, in God's sight, she walks about naked showing her shame.
Therefore, I urge you to accomplish the beauty of your heart and put on the clothes of righteousness, not just the beauty of an outward appearance.
Revelation 19:8 says, "It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints."
In heaven where there is no darkness at all, you will wear fine linen, and this fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
That's because heaven is the place which can be entered by only those who live by the word of God, take off dirty fleshly cloths stained in sin, and put on the beautiful clothes of righteousness.
Therefore, in order to go to heaven as a beautiful bride of the Lord, the bridegroom, you should surely circumcise your heart and put on the clothes of a bride.
In order to do so, you should spiritually awaken.
Our Lord says in Matthew 24:42-44, "Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will."
What should you do in order to manage an awakened believing life; we will look into this in the next lecture.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ.
As your Christian life matures, the thing you should be on the alert for is the lukewarm faith.
You should be watchful for the faith such as the faith that is not accompanied with deeds even though you know many things in your brain, and the faith that makes you compromise with the world and makes you fall down to the world.
In Revelation 3:18, our Lord says to those who possess such lukewarm faith.
"I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see."
You should not buy the gold of this earth, but the spiritual gold, that is unchanging faith.
And you should buy white garments; the holy deeds.
Instead of the eyes that are blinded by the worldly things, you should restore the eyes that are fixed only to heaven.
If you fall into this category, I urge you to take this Summer Retreat as an opportunity for blessing.
And you should be able to recover the first deeds and the first love.
Even if you don't fall into this category, I hope that you will experience the fullness and the fiery works of the Holy Spirit through this Summer Retreat.
By doing so, may you welcome the Lord with joy and courage no matter when the Lord comes back to take us, in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, I pray! |
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