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Greetings, brethren! Welcome to the Feast of Trumpets, 2013!
Time continues to go forward. The plan of God is going forward right on schedule. None of the Scriptures and prophecies are slowing down or speeding up. Those things are perceptions that we see because we live in a timeframe differently than God. That's why God has given His Holy Days. We're going to see the tremendous blessing of the Feast of Trumpets and the meaning for peace on earth for men and women—for the whole world.
As you look around the world, it is exactly as prophesied; filled with violence, war, famine, disease, deceit
at every level in human life
at every level in government
at every level in religion
As we know, Satan the devil is deceiving the whole world! Yet, the world knows little about us and all the people of God down through time. God is reserving them for the resurrection. God's plan has been outlined and detailed and given to us in the form of the Sabbath and Holy Days so that we can understand His plan.
Once we are spirit beings—at the resurrection; and this is why the resurrection has to be on Pentecost, and everything has to be prepared for the event of the Feast of Trumpets. This is going to be the most spectacular—combining Pentecost and Trumpets—awesome event in the history of the world! It's going to be
the vengeance of God
the power of God
the mercy and love of God
and the defeat of the enemy
As we know, all the Holy Days are contained in one chapter in Leviticus 23. This is just like a seed, like a tree that is planted. When you plant a tree you don't know how it's going to be. It needs some work, tending and pruning. This tree represents the plan of God. It's also pictured as a vineyard; Christ is the vine and we are the branches.
What God has for us is so absolutely fantastic. This is why at the end-time God has given us the understanding of His Holy Days so that we can keep our minds and eyes on the goal, focused on what God wants us to understand, and realize that it is going to happen, so that we can comprehend the difficulties and problems that we are going to see in the world and will be reflected upon us and we have to live through before the end actually is fulfilled.
we have the strength
we have the power
we have the Word of God
we have the comfort of God
within! This way we are fortified to endure the things without!
The Feast of Trumpets, like all the Holy Days mentioned here in Lev. 23, is only a starting point. The rest of the Bible fills in the gaps and gives us the true picture of it.
Leviticus 23:23: "And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the children of Israel saying, "In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, you shall have a Sabbath… [Remember, all Holy Days are called Sabbaths.] …a memorial of blowing of ram's horns, a Holy convocation"'" (vs 23-24).
This Feast is a war feast. This Feast pictures the return of Jesus Christ to the earth with the saints. The saints join Christ in the air on Pentecost, on the Sea of Glass. On the Sea of Glass there are many things that are going to take place.
Whenever you watch a sports event of the final game, and the winner wins and is awarded the trophy; everyone is happy, jubilant and celebrating. The loser slinks off. That's how it's going to be when we are raised from the dead and meet Christ in the air on the Sea of Glass, and it's going to be a great celebration! Then we are prepared for the next event, the Feast of Trumpets!
We have always taken up an offering every Holy Day, and some people object when they read Deut. 16. Let's examine that and let's see about the offerings. Deut. 16 does talk about offerings, and it talks about those that are for the Holy Days.
Deuteronomy 16:16: "Three times in a year shall all your males appear before the LORD your God in the place which He shall choose: in the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and in the Feast of Weeks, and in the Feast of Tabernacles. And they shall not appear before the LORD empty, every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God, which He has given you" (vs 16-17). Since it doesn't specially say Trumpets or Atonement there:
Does that mean we should not bring an offering to God?
Does God's blessings cease from being given on Trumpets and Atonement?
There are many people who pride themselves on obeying God, but let's see if that is all that God expects.
If you do everything that God has commanded, and, of course, this becomes very important because we need to. Everything that we do is based on loving God with all our heart, mind, soul and being, so we should want to do those things that please God.
Luke 17:5: "Then the apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith.' But the Lord said, 'If you had faith as a tiny mustard seed, you might say to this sycamine tree, "Be rooted up, and be planted in the sea," and it would obey you. But which of you having a servant plowing or shepherding will immediately say to himwhen he comes in from the field, "Come and sit down and eat"? Rather, will he not say to him, "Prepare what I may eat, and gird yourself, and serve me while I eat and drink; and afterwards you may eat and drink"? Is he thankful to that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. Likewise you also, when you have done all the things that are commanded you, say, "We are unprofitable servants, because we have done that which we were obligated to do"'" (vs 5-10).
You need to think about that in relationship to bringing and offering on Trumpets and Atonement. It's entirely right and proper and just that we do so. Besides, when we come before God, we are to give of our substance according to the blessings that the Lord God has given to us (Deut. 16).
Let's see what God tells us even in the book of Proverbs. Our relationship with God and our worship of God is everyday. The commands that we are to follow:
obey His voice
love Him
with a willing, loving, eager attitude of service!
God is going to give to us abundance packed down and jammed together, and eternal life! Is it not fitting that we follow the principle in Prov. 3, the giving of our substance.
Proverbs 3:1: "My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commandments; for they shall add length of days, and long life, and peace, to you" (vs 1-2). We look to that, and we claim that promise.
But remember what Jesus said, v 3: "Do not let mercy and Truth forsake you… [Mercy and Truth goes beyond just the letter of the Law]: …bind them around your neck; write them upon the tablet of your heart; and so you shall find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart…" (vs 3-5). This is our relationship with God. This is why we give offerings on Trumpets and Atonement.
"…and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil" (vs 5-7). This shows the relationship of:
changing
growing
overcoming
growing in grace and knowledge
getting rid of human nature
Verse 8: "It shall be health to your navel and marrow to your bones."
What about spiritual life?
What about our spiritual relationship with God?
We can take this and apply it spiritually. As Jesus said, 'If you do all that you're commanded to do, you're unprofitable servants.'
Verse 9: "Honor the LORD with your substance… [that includes everything that you have] …and with the firstfruits of all your increase." One is a willing freewill offering; you honor God with your substance according to the blessing that God has given, and with your firstfruits, that represents the tithing system.
So, we are to do that. In taking up an offering let's keep these things in mind and let's understand that God has called us to be His sons/His daughters, to be kings and priests, to rule the world and straighten this world out from all the mess that it is in under Satan the devil and his power.
(pause for offering)
The Feast of Trumpets is a war feast. A ram's horn is used to declare or sound for war, and warning. God expects us to give a warning. We will see that part of the meaning of the Feast of Trumpets is:
about the wars and difficulties that are going to be between nations and human beings
the war that's going to be between God with His angels and Satan and men against God
then the ultimate victory that is going to come because of the return of Jesus Christ
Let's come to Ezekiel 33 and let's see something very important here that we are to understand. We need to do the things that are claimed here that God commands, that God shows what we need to do, and also in our lives and how we conduct the ministry and the things that we preach.
A lot of people like to say that they're the watchmen on the wall. The truth is, we all have to be watchmen on the wall. We all have to watch! Isn't that what Jesus said in Matt. 24: Therefore, watch, for you know not at what hour the Son of man is going to come!
Here's part of it, Ezek. 33, and as we're going through all of these things, let's see how the Word of God just builds a magnificent picture and shows us the things that are going to happen way far in advance. We're involved it that, and remember, we're involved in the greatest thing in the history of mankind!
preparing the way for Jesus Christ
awaiting the resurrection to be in the Kingdom
our personal lives:
as we change, grow and overcome
are converted through the power of the Holy Spirit
preparing for the resurrection:
being faithful to the end
in preaching the Gospel
warning the world
feeding the flock
teaching the brethren
All of these things are one big package and they all relate to one another.
Ezekiel 33:1: "And the Word of the LORD came to me, saying…" This is straight from God. Isn't it interesting that one of the things that's so paramount that we need to do is obey the voice of the Lord our God! Here He's written it down so He doesn't have to come down and speak to you, you,you and the others around. NO! He sent Bibles into the world!
Let's see what God has said. We're going to find out from the Word of God. God has given His warning; He's given it through all of His Prophets, and we'll look at some of those warnings. He commands us to cry aloud and spare not, and show My people their sins! But people want to hear nice things, smooth things. They don't want to face disaster. We're going to be confronted with many, many, many disasters!
We need to be prepared!
We need to listen to the Word of God!
We need to follow the Word of God!
We need to stand in the presence, strength and protection of God!
Verse 2: "Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and say to them… [Notice that it is God Who is doing this as punishment, because people refuse to obey God! People refuse to give up their ways!] …'When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and set him for their watchman.'"
We've done that with the War on Terror—right? Yes! We've got watchmen everywhere! And they can't stop it—can they? They can stop some, but they need to give warning. Likewise with us, with all that's going to happen, we need to give warning!
Verse 3: "If, when he sees the sword come upon the land, he blows the ram's horn and warns the people." We have to warn of:
the impending wars
the impending collapse of the economy
the impending things that are going to happen
It's going to come like waves, one after the other, so we need to be prepared and constantly:
showing the warning and teaching the blessing;
showing the punishment of God and the mercy of God.
Verse 4: "Then whoever hears the sound of the ram's horn and does not take warning, if the sword does come and take him away, his blood shall be on his own head. He heard the sound of the ram's horn and did not take warning…." (vs 4-5). So, when we hear warnings, we're not to say, 'Oh, let's not talk about difficult and harsh things. Let's talk about smooth and wonderful things.' Well, that comes later! We are to give the warning!
If he hears it and doesn't take warning, "…His blood shall be on himself. But if he had taken warning, he would have delivered his life" (v 5). You tie into that Psa. 91.
Verse 6: "But if the watchman sees the sword coming, and does not blow the ram's horn and the people are not warned; if the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity. But I will require his blood at the watchman's hand." Every minister and elder today becomes a watchman for God! We hope and pray that there will be 10,000 other people or more giving warnings! There are other people giving warnings concerning
economic problems, and they are coming
health problems, and they are coming
the collapse of government, and that is coming
the rise of violence, death and killings and things, and that is happening
We need to understand that God sends many different warnings to sound the alarm! Who will listen? God says, "…he is taken away in his iniquity. But I will require his blood at the watchman's hand." We have a responsibility!
Verse 7: "And you, son of man, I have set you as watchman to the house of Israel. Therefore, you shall hear the Word from My mouth, and warn them from Me." This is not man speaking, it's the Word of God. If we speak the Word of God, that has come from the mouth of God, and it is God Who is doing the warning! We are only the mouthpiece at this time to bring that warning.
Verse 8: "When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked one, you shall surely die'; if you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked one shall die in his iniquity; but I will require his blood at your hand. But, if you warn the wicked of his way, to turn from it; if he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your soul. And you, son of man, speak to the house of Israel…." (vs 8-10). That's what we are to do.
He shows that if there is repentance, and they turn from their wicked ways, God will be merciful, even in circumstances that are very, very difficult, indeed! Let's see how this applies to us today. In every circumstance, wherever Israel has gone down through history, God has fulfilled His Word. And today, at the end-time, because of the disasters and calamities that are coming, it is going to be absolutely the worst since the beginning of the creation of the world! Therefore, these warnings have gone out in
Bibles
sermons
letters
reports
by many different people concerning many different things.
But from God, v 23: "And the Word of the LORD came to me, saying, 'Son of man, those who live in those wastes of the land of Israel are speaking, saying, "Abraham was one, and he inherited the land. But we are many; the land is given to us for an inheritance." Wherefore say to them, "Thus says the Lord, 'You eat meat with the blood, and lift up your eyes to your idols, and shed blood; and shall you possess the land?'"'" (vs 23-25). That's exactly what's happening here in America today.
Sidebar: If you don't think people eat blood, watch Andrew Zimmer and his exotic foods.
Verse 26: "You stand upon your sword… [Their own way, their own defense; isn't that what we have? Do we have the Dept. of Homeland Security?] …you work abomination, every man defiling his neighbor's wife. And shall you possess the land?" Let's add to that:
the 'morning after' pill can be given at any age
abortion upon demand
homosexual marriages, which are insane and cannot be
Those things destroy a people and a nation. So, you know it's coming!
Verse 27: "Speak to them in this way, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "As I live…"'" When God basis what He says upon His very existence, you know it's going to happen!
"…surely those who are in the waste places shall fall by the sword, and I will give him who is in the open field to the beasts to be eaten, and those in the forts and in the caves shall die of the plague. For I shall make the land most desolate, and the pride of her power shall cease…." (vs 27-28). What constitutes the pride of the power of any nation?
It's people!
Their righteousness!
Their financial standing!
The blessings that they have received of God!
All of those are going to be taken away! He's going to make it most desolate.
"…And the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, so that none shall pass through. And they shall know that I am the LORD…" (vs 28-29). They're going to understand
because of the warnings
because of the number of Bibles
because of the things that are going to transpire.
They are going to know that this is from God!
"…they shall know that I am the LORD when I have made the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed" (v 29). Yes! It's going to come!
Let's look at some other prophecies. The book of Joel gives some tremendous warnings! We need to understand how powerful that this is going to be. When the sword is let loose it is going to be something! Think about Jerusalem today, nearly surrounded by armies. Does that sound a little familiar? (Luke 21).
Joel 1:13: "Gird yourselves and lament, you priests…"—because the ones who are responsible for all of these things taking place in the land are those who are supposed to teach the Word of God. Just like the priests in ancient time did not do that; just like the priests in ancient times also taught about Baal and the sun-god and we read in Ezek. 25 that they bowed down to the sun to the east. God holds all the religious leaders responsible first!
"…howl, you ministers of the altar. Come, lie all night in sackcloth, you ministers of my God, for the grain offering and the drink offering are held back from the house of your God. Sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the elders and all the people of the land unto the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD. Alas for the day! For the Day of the LORD is at hand…" (vs 13-15). We're going to see that all of these end-time events meld into the Day of the LORD.
"…and it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty" (v 15)—and it's going to destroy everything; the earth, when we come back from the Sea of Glass with Jesus Christ to take over rulership of the earth, is going to be in utter desolation and destruction.
Joel 2:1: "Blow the ram's horn in Zion, and sound an alarm in My Holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD comes, for it is near at hand—a day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness. As the morning is spread across the mountains, socomes a great people and a mighty people; there has never been the like…" (vs 1-2). We'll see that when we get to the book of Revelation.
"…nor shall there ever be again, even to the years of many generations" (v 2). Then it talks about how absolutely excoriating their power is going to be, destroying everything in their path. Then it talks about how they're going to perform tremendous and awesome deeds leaping into houses, walking up on the walls.
Verse 7: "They shall run like mighty men. They shall climb the wall like men of war, and they shall march each one in his path, and they shall not break their ranks. And each one shall not crowd another; they go every one in his own path. And when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded. They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall; they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief" (vs 7-9).
To show that God's power is working with them, v 10: "The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble…." This is an awesome thing that the Feast of Trumpets pictures:
God's vengeance!
God's year of judgment!
The destruction of the evil!
The return of Christ and the saints!
"…The sun and the moon shall grow dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. And the LORD shall utter His voice before His army; for His camp is exceedingly great; for powerful is He who executes His Word, for the Day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can endure it?" (vs 10-11).
Here is a pattern that we always find in the Bible: Whenever God gives tremendous warnings of the vicious and terrible things that are going to happen—which they will because of the sins of the people—He also gives repentance! We have found that in the book of Revelation with the 144,000 and the great innumerable multitude. Remember this: God always honors real repentance! If these things coming upon people make them repent, lead them to repentance, God will honor it.
Verse 12: "'Therefore even now,' says the LORD… [that is in the time of all this trouble] …'turn to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning. Yes, rend your heart and not your garments… [no fake repentance anymore; truly acknowledging your sins] …and return to the LORD your God: for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and He repents of the evil" (vs 12-13). So, this is a warning from God right from His Word, signifying the events that are going to happen, leading to the literal return of Jesus Christ to this earth.
Let's see how Micah starts this out. Remember, Micah also was prophesying at the same time as was Isaiah. Micah 1:1: "The Word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem." Remember, in all prophecies, there is the first fulfillment and the latter fulfillment. It is also called type or antitype.
Verse 2: "Hear, all you people! Hearken, O earth, and all its fullness. And let the Lord GOD be witness against you, even the LORD from His Holy temple, for behold, the LORD is coming out of His place, and will come down and tread on the high places of the earth. And the mountains shall melt under Him, and the valleys shall split open, as wax before the fire, and as waters that are poured down a steep place" (vs 2-4).
Then he lists all the transgressions. All of these things come because of sin. This is why no man can bring peace—only God! Christ is the King of Peace and the Prince of Peace.
Let's see how many of these so called minor prophets start out with a similar warning. All of these constitute witnesses and warnings from God.
Nahum 1:1: "The burden against Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite. God is jealous, and an avenging LORD; the LORD is avenging and full of wrath. The LORD takes vengeance against His foes, and He keeps wrath against His enemies" (vs 1-2). He does do that!
Remember what it says about the Amalekites, about Amalek the Amalekite? That God would have war with Amalek in every generation! Look what's happening in the Middle East; what a terrible situation that that is:
absolute chaos
confusion
death
killing
blood-shedding
destruction
misery
That's something we need to watch, how that's all going to turn out, how it's going to be with the building of the temple. We need to stay alert to all of those things! Right now it's a desperate situation for the Jews in Judea and Jerusalem. Always remember this; here again we see the merciful side of God: Every time He brings His wrath, He also brings His mercy, because God desires repentance!
Verse 3: "The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power. And He does not by any means acquit the wicked. The LORD has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet. He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, and dries up all the rivers; Bashan languishes and Carmel and the flower of Lebanon withers. The mountains quake from Him, and the hills melt, and the earth is decimated at His presence, yea the world and all who dwell in it" (vs 3-5).
Men would do well to pay attention to this. But they won't because as we see in the book of Revelation, they are going to fight Christ down to the last man! Even after the Millennium begins, Christ is going to have to rebuke the wicked. Christ is going to have to rebuke strong nations. They're not all going to submit at once. Always remember this:
Verse 6: "Who can stand before His fury? And who can stand up in the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken asunder because of Him."
Again, here is the mercy, v 7: "The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him. But with an overflowing flood He will make an utter end, and darkness shall pursue His enemies" (vs 7-8). Quite interesting how all of these prophets open with these kinds of warnings!
Zephaniah is very interesting, indeed! Let's see that the last part of it was given during the days of Josiah, who had a reformation and held back the wrath of God because of His repentance. After he died the destruction of Jerusalem was sealed.
Zephaniah 1:2: "'I will utterly consume all things from the face of the earth,' says the LORD. 'I will consume man and beast; I will consume the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, and the stumbling blocks, with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the face of the earth,' says the LORD." (vs 2-3). But not make a full end! That's an amazing thing—isn't it?—what's going to happen! Yes, indeed!
Verse 4: "I will also stretch out My hand upon Judah and upon all the people of Jerusalem. And I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, the name of the idolatrous priests, with the priests, and those worshiping the host of heaven upon the housetops, and those worshiping, swearing to the LORD, also swearing by Milcom; and those who have turned away from the LORD, and who have not sought the LORD, nor asked of Him" (vs 4-6). That's something!
Verse 14: "The great Day of the LORD is near; it is near and comes swiftly, the sound of the Day of the LORD. The mighty man shall cry bitterly there. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of the ram's horn… [the Feast of Trumpets blowing] …and alarm against the fortified cities, and against the high towers. 'And I will bring distress on men, so that they shall walk as the blind because they have sinned against the LORD. And their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as dung'" (vs 14-17).
That's talking about what's going to happen as we saw in Rev. 6, that fourth part of men are gong die! This is describing it.
Verse 18: "Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole earth shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy, for He shall make even a full end, yea, a terrible end of all who dwell upon the earth." Those who are resisting Him!
Again, we'll see the pattern: warning/repentance; warning/sparing. Zephaniah 2:1: "Gather yourselves together; yea, gather together, O nation not desired. Before the decree is brought forth, and the day passes like the chaff; before the fierce anger of the LORD comes upon you, before the day of the LORD'S anger comes upon you. Seek the LORD…" (vs 1-3). That's what we need to do: seek the LORD!
"…all you meek of the earth who have executed His judgment; seek righteousness; seek meekness. It may be that you shall be hidden in the day of the LORD'S anger" (v 3). So, we need to look at that. That's really something!
The Feast of Trumpets is really a war feast depicting so many things that are coming upon the land.
Track 2: or Download
Let's look at how God has said this in so many different ways when you stack up all the warnings of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and the 12 minor prophets, they all talk about it; likewise in the Psalms. There are some tremendous Psalms that talk about the same thing. So, all through the Bible are these warnings.
Think about this for a minute: For all of those who say that everything in the Old Testament has been fulfilled and you don't need to worry about the commandments of God—add on to that the false doctrine of the rapture—they just arrogantly lift their noses in the air and think 'we're going to be spared from all of these things, and when the secret rapture comes only those who are saved are going to be raptured off and spared from all these troubles.'
Well, not quite so! They're deluded, deceived and blinded. Isn't it interesting how people believe in false doctrines and how they believe in things that are utterly untrue! Yet, base their whole spiritual lives on it. I imagine there are going to be tens of millions of very surprised people when the rapture does not take place as they have been taught misinterpretations of the Bible. They think that it's going to happen and they will leave and be spared the Tribulation.
Not so! Only those that God selects and the few that will be selected will be spared the Tribulation. That is only to fulfill the Word of Jesus Christ where He said in a promise that He would 'build His Church and the gates of the grave would not prevail against it!'
Haggai 2:6: "For thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Once again—it is yet a little while—…'" See how God views time. This is in 515B.C. He's giving this. The building of the temple, maybe just a little bit before that; maybe in the 520sB.C. Then He projects forward clear to the end-time as we find in the book of Revelation.
"'…I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land. And I will shake all the nations; and the desire of all nations shall come; and I will fill this house with glory,' says the LORD of hosts" (vs 6-7). That's talking about the return of Jesus Christ. We have seen where that's going to happen.
Let's see in Isaiah 24 He's talking about the same thing, and it ties in with the book of Revelation: Babylon the Great, the destructions, the Great Tribulation and all the things that are going on and the shaking of the earth. All of these are warnings. So, all of those people out there who have Bibles, who think that the only thing they need to do is have Jesus and follow certain things in the New Testament—that they don't have to worry about those things in the Old Testament—this is going to come upon you suddenly! Maybe you'll pass from the scene because of old age, but when you're resurrected it will be to a second life of flesh because you were never converted. Those who are converted and die in the faith will be resurrected!
Isaiah 24:1: "Behold, the LORD makes the earth empty and makes it waste, and turns it upside down, and scatters its inhabitants. And as it is with the people, so it shall be with the priest; as with the slave, so with the master; as with the handmaid, so it is with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the creditor, so with the debtor" (vs 1-2). No one is going to escape this!
Verse 3: "The earth shall be completely laid waste, and utterly stripped; for the LORD has spoken this word." Stop and think for a minute: Every single prophecy of God is going to be fulfilled to the maximum, not the minimum.
Verse 4: "The earth mourns and languishes; the world withers and languishes; the proud people of the earth wither. And the earth is defiled under its people; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, and have broken the everlasting covenant" (vs 4-5). That's exactly what has happened.
Verse 6: "Therefore, the curse has devoured the earth…" You think the curse is devouring the earth right now. Look at the world, listen to the news, watch what's happening, look at what's going on. Then see how many people do not pay attention to anything.
I imagine that every one of them have a Bible at home, somewhere in their library on a shelf. And all of those who have their digital devices and SmartPhones and computers and everything, they have the ability to understand and to listen to the Word of God, but will they do it? No one is going to be able to say, 'Lord, you never gave a witness. You never told me.' He's going to say, 'Yes, I did! But you were so wrapped up in your own little world and your own little sins and your own little problems that you didn't bother to listen to My warning.' Notice devoured by the curse!
"…and they who dwell in it are desolate; therefore, the people of the earth are burned, and few men are left" (v 6). There are going to be some survivors, but few!
Let's see how Isa. 13 ties in with Babylon the Great as we find in Revelation. Remember: first fulfillment/second fulfillment; the immediate fulfillment after the prophecy has been given, and the latter fulfillment at the return of Christ. This is why the whole world's system is reckoned by God as Babylon the Great.
Isaiah 13:1: "The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw: 'Lift up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice to them, wave the hand, so that they may go into the gates of the nobles. I have commanded My Holy ones, I have also called My mighty ones for My anger, even those who rejoice in My triumph.'" (vs 1-3). Then he shows what's going to happen here, how it's going to be, how everything is going to be exactly as the Word of God has said. There's going to be war! Nations are going to come from a far country.
Verse 6: "Howl! For the Day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. Therefore, all hands shall 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 like a woman who travails. They shall be amazed at one another, their faces are like blazing fire. Behold, the Day of the LORD comes, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to make the earth a desolation; and He shall destroy the sinners out of it" (vs 6-9).
That's something! Why does God do this? Because of their great sins! Because of their great evil and slaughter and following Satan the devil and worshipping him and the beast! It is going to be an awesome thing, indeed!
Verse 10: "For the stars of the heavens and their constellations shall not give light; the sun shall be darkened in its going forth, and the moon shall not reflect its light. 'And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the tyrants. I will make man more scarce than gold; even man more than the fine gold of Ophir. Therefore, I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall move out of its place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of His fierce anger'" (vs 10-13).
Whoa! Those are some words, indeed! No wonder that the Feast of Trumpets is a war feast and a warning. Let's see where this is going to be fulfilled; the shaking of the heavens and the shaking of the earth, the sea and the dry land, everything that there is. That is going to happen at the sixth seal. As we covered on Pentecost, this is going to take place approximately two years into the Great Tribulation and the raising up of Israel and the 144,000 and the great innumerable multitude will be at the beginning of the third year.
This is going to be something that is going to take place. When this happens it's going to be awesome, indeed! You read about the first four seals, they're going to come quickly, one right after the other. Then there's going to be war, death and destruction just like we read with the prophecies in the Old Testament.
Now let's see what happens when He opens the sixth seal, because this is a fulcrum, this is a point of turning, this is the revelation of God that He is sending Jesus Christ back to this earth when He shakes the heavens, the earth, the sea and all that there is in it. It's going to be an awesome thing, indeed! Then another great warning is going to take place, and that's why the 144,000 and the great innumerable multitude repent. They are sealed with the Holy Spirit of God!
Revelation 6:12[transcriber's correction]: "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 to the earth, as a fig tree casts its untimely figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the heaven departed like a scroll…" (vs 12-14).
An awesome and great thing is going to take place. This is going to startle the whole world! It's going to cause a great earthquake and shaking that we saw in the earlier prophecies.
"…like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. 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…'" (vs 14-16). This is going to humble the defiance of men. And the defiance of Satan and the angels that followed him—the demons—are going to be stirred up and they're going to stir men up to greater heights of hatefulness, war, killing and destruction.
What's going to happen when the heavens roll back? We'll come back to Revelation because the rest of the story continues with the flow of events that takes place leading up to the time when we come back to the earth with Jesus Christ from the Sea of Glass. When that happens there's going to be the sign of the Son of man. So, when they say, 'Here is Christ, there is Christ,' don't believe it.
Christ is going to come, and it's not going to be all of a sudden He comes to the earth and that ends everything. First He's going to give this warning, the warning of the sign of the Son of man. Then coming after that is the seven trumpet plagues (Rev.). Then comes the resurrection and everything on the Sea of Glass. After that then we come back down to the earth on that final day of Trumpets.
Let's see how all of this starts out with comparing Rev. 6 and Matthew 24:27: "For as the light of day, which comes forth from the east and shines as far as the west, so also shall the coming of the Son of man be." It's going to be a phenomenal thing!
He calls it 'the sign of the Son of man' (v 30), which will be like the 'light of day' that shines from the east to the west. It's going to be like another sun. That's interesting, because when you read Mal. 4:2[transcriber's correction] it talks about the 'Son of Righteousness.' That's not, in any way, giving authority to have sun-worship. But Christ is going to make His appearance with the sign of the 'Son of man' like a new start suddenly appearing in the heavens.
Verse 29: "But immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken…. [just like we read in Rev. 6] …And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven… [It will be there from the time it first appears until the resurrection. That's the space of time of the appearing of the Son of man] …and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn…" (vs 29-30). etc.
Revelation 7—in summary, here is the saving of the 144,000 and the great innumerable multitude. The resurrection hasn't taken place, yet, because the resurrection takes place at the last trump. If you have seven trumpets, which one is the last one? That's important to understand.
Remember: On every Feast day, the trumpet was to be blown. When God gave the Ten Commandments to the children of Israel on Mt. Sinai, it was given on the Day of Pentecost with His people assembled before Him. The trumpet sounded long and loud—not trumpets! If you read Num. 10, you will see that on every Holy Day silver trumpets were to be blown. But on the Feast of Trumpets it is the ram's horn, the silver trumpet, it's the sign of war!
Now we move on to Revelation 8 and we have the trumpet plagues. After that will be the seven last plagues. Let's see how this is introduced, and let's see who's involved in it.
Revelation 8:1: "Now when He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about a half hour. Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. And another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar; and much incense was given to him, so that he might offer it with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar that was before the throne" (vs 1-3). The resurrection hasn't occurred. Our prayers are going up continually to God.
O God, save us!
O God, watch over us!
O God, spare us!
O God, send Your angels to be with us!
God will! He just showed that He's going to be with the 144,000 and the great innumerable multitude. I'm sure that all of them are praying.
Verse 5: "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 throughout the book of Revelation many earthquakes.
Sidebar: All of you who live in the Midwest are terrified of earthquakes. Well, I'm terrified of tornadoes! So, I guess that's about an equal standoff! There are going to be many, many earthquakes.
Verse 6: "Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound their trumpets." They go one, two, three, four with the plagues that they have coming down upon the earth, destroying the waters—making them bitter. Burning the forests, burning up all of the green grass.
Verse 12: "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; and a third part of the day did not shine, and likewise a third part of the night." This is why, even though we understand the flow of events by the Holy Days, we don't know the day or the hour because time, at this point—with the shaking of the heavens and earth—is all mixed up! Who knows when Pentecost is going to be? God only! Who knows when Trumpets is going to be? Only God knows!
That's why we can know the seasons and the times, but we cannot know the day. Remember, all these prophecies are event-driven. The timing does not take place until certain events transpire, and then the timing begins.
Verse 13: "And I looked; and I heard an angel flying in the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice… [Here again, God gives warnings; always does!] …'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.'" Then becomes the battle of demons and men against the angels of God.
Revelation 9:1: "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…" (vs 1-3). Types of demons. They had a special power.
"…and power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power" (v 3)—to sting men! This lasted for five months, and men would seek death and wouldn't find it (vs 4-5). All of these tie in with the events—see Daniel/Revelation sermon series, where we go through in great detail in every one of these things.
It talks about that they had a king over them, v 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." Those are the 'god of war,' Satan the devil. This represents the things that happen to the king of the north when he comes down into the Holy Land and the pope endorses him as a 'manifestation of God in the flesh' and he goes into the temple of God, the Tribulation begins and he hears wars and rumors of war in the north and the east. That means Russia and all of Asia and everything east of Jerusalem.
Are all of those nations being lifted up? Being strengthened? Yes! Especially China. This is where the great number of armies of 200-million is going to come from. After this fifth seal comes the sixth seal and here begins the invasion from the east. There will be armies strong from Asia clear on over into the area of Palestine and Jerusalem. This is going to be quite a mighty thing.
Verse 13: "And the sixth angel sounded his trumpet; and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar that is before God; and it said to the sixth angel, who had the trumpet, 'Loose the four angels who are bound in the great river Euphrates'" (vs 13-14)—so that the armies could come.
God is going to bring the armies and the slaughter of them—it's going to be a great day, as we see in Joel 3—to the Valley of Decision. All nations will be gathered and it's going to be a mighty destruction. But here is a prelude setting up the way. After Christ returns, we also find that Christ has to bring those nations into subjection. Those armies, left clear back in Asia are not going to abandon their invasion plans against the Holy Land. NO!
Look at these! Look at the power that they have. These are men with demons! Demons will not repent; that's how we know. After they were loosed they were to kill 'a third part of men' (v 15). A great slaughter just like we see in the Old Testament prophecies.
Verse 16: "And the number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred thousand thousand… [200-million] …and I heard the number of them. 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 their mouths" (vs 16-17). Great war-making machines!
We see this in the movies today—don't we? How many movies talk about the destruction of the world? Another witness! How many have all of these grotesque creatures? and strange fighting machines that are killing wonders? Satan is telegraphing what he's going to do!
Verse 18: "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" (vs 18-19).
Here again God has offered a time and space of repentance, v 20: "But the rest of the men who were not killed by these plagues still did not 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 20-21).
These are armies of power that God has sent, as we saw in the book of Joel, to carry out his will. Then we have Rev. 10—the seven thunders. John was told not to write it, so no one knows what they are.
Then we come to the time of the resurrection, Revelation 11:15: "Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet… [that is the last trump] …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.'"
This is so great, so awesome, v 16: "And the twenty-four elders, who sit before God on their thrones, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, 'We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, Who is, and Who was, and Who is to come; for You have taken to Yourself Your great power, and have reigned. For the nations were angry… [not happy that Christ is coming] …and Your wrath has come, and the time for the dead to be judged, and to give reward to Your servants the prophets, and to the saints, and to all those who fear Your name, the small and the great; and to destroy those who destroy the earth'" (vs 16-18). What a fantastic thing!
This is the resurrection right here at the last trump, the seventh trump! The dead shall be raised and this is the Pentecost of resurrection. You go back one year to the sealing of the 144,000 and great innumerable multitude, and you have one year from Pentecost to Pentecost until the resurrection.
Then you have a parallel year, which is from Trumpets to Trumpets. The first Trumpets begins in Rev. 8 with the beginning of the trumpet plagues. And the last Trumpets begins in Rev. 11 with the resurrection. As we covered during Pentecost, they're all raised to be on the Sea of Glass. And the reason that that is there is so that all the nations of the world—when they see the resurrection taking place and they see the big Sea of Glass that is over the area of Jerusalem; and it is mighty big—will see Christ coming in the clouds and landing on that Sea of Glass. With the resurrection of the saints from the dead, seeing them resurrected—I think the whole world is going to see the resurrection—will convince them—and Satan will convince them—that this is the invasion of aliens from outer space.
In a sense that is true. Jesus Christ is an alien to them. God the Father is an alien to them. We are aliens to them, as well; now resurrected and on the Sea of Glass at Pentecost, as we have covered, from the time of Pentecost to Trumpets is a time of about three and a half months.
The world then will be gathered out of its destruction enough so they can mount another assault coming toward the Holy Land. All nations will come, as we saw in Rev. 16, from the miracles coming from Satan, the beast and the false prophet. They are going to be deceived, coming to fight Christ and all the saints that are on the Sea of Glass. All the things that God has planned, has to be given to us.
We need the instructions:
what we are to do
where are we to go
how are we to do this
We're to receive:
our new names
assignments
given our white horses
we're going to sing a the 'new song'
There's going to be:
the wedding feast
the marriage of the Lamb
the wedding supper of the Lamb
That's going to be all taken care of. We're going to take care of all of this heavenly business on the Sea of Glass at that last Pentecost and the time of Pentecost until Trumpets. Then we are going to fulfill what Jesus said when He was being questioned by Pilate and the high priest: If My kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight!
Now the kingdoms of this world belong to Christ and He will fight, and we will fight with Him to bring righteousness to this earth. Let's come back to Zech. 14 and let's see how this battle is going to be when we come back to this earth. Satan and the demons and the men who are fighting are not going to be happy with this—NO! NO! NO! They're going to fight to very last thing. Even after the beast and the false prophet are cast into the Lake of Fire and those armies that come to the area of the Holy Land will all be destroyed!
There're going to be other armies out there, and there're going to be other people who are going to have to be brought into subjection! But here is what is going to happen:
Zechariah 14:1: "Behold, the Day of the LORD comes, and your spoil shall be divided in your midst, 'For I will gather all nations to battle against Jerusalem; and the city shall be taken, and the houses plundered, and the women raped. And half of the city shall go into exile, and the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city.' And the LORD shall go out and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle" (vs 1-3). That goes from the beginning of it right to the end of it.
Notice what's going to happen. Remember what the angels told the apostles when Jesus ascended to heaven? 'You men of Galilee, why are you looking up into the heavens? This same Jesus will come in the same manner.'
We find in Rev. 1 that He's coming with the clouds in power and glory and strength as the Lord God Almighty. That's exactly how it's going to be. When we all come back down, we're going to be on the Mt. of Olives.
Verse 4: "And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall split in two, from the east and to the west, and make a very great valley. And half of the mountain shall move toward the north, and half of it toward the south." Those people that are there, they're going to run; they're going to escape (v 5).
Verse 6: "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark. And it will be one day, which shall be known to the LORD, neither day nor night; but it shall come to pass that at evening time it shall be light. And it shall be in that day…" (vs 6-8). After we come back down to the earth now comes out the healing water from God.
"…that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them shall go toward the eastern sea, and half of them toward the western sea. In summer and in winter it shall be…. [Christ is going to return with all the saints with Him] …And the LORD shall be King over all the earth… [That starts the Millennium. There are some things that have to be cleaned up before it gets going.] …in that day there shall be one LORD, and His name shall be one" (vs 8-9).
Verse 12: "And this shall be the plague with which the LORD will smite all the people who have fought against Jerusalem. Their flesh shall consume away while they stand on their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their sockets. And their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. And it shall be in that day that a great panic from the LORD shall be among them. And they shall each one lay hold of his neighbor, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbor" (vs 12-13). That's going to be quite a thing.
Let's see the final fulfillment of the events that happen on that last day of Trumpets as Christ returns to the earth and we come with Him, so that we start ruling the world. He's going to come as a warring hero; in righteousness does He make war. We're going to follow Him on the white horses. We are going to come down with Christ in power and authority, and we are going to rescue this world from Satan the devil and the evil clutches of the beast and the false prophet.
After the heavens opened up, Revelation 19:11: "And I saw heaven open; and behold, a white horse; and He Who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He does judge and make war. And His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He had a name written that no one knows except Him" (vs 11-12). That came from God the Father!
Verse 13: "And He was clothed with a garment dipped in blood; and His name is The Word of God. And the armies in heaven… [That's us and the angels] …were following Him on white horses; 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" (vs 13-15). That is going to be some fantastic thing when that takes place, brethren!
Verse 16: "And on His garment and on His thigh He has a name written: King of kings and Lord of lords…. [that name we know] …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…'" (vs 16-18).
What a tremendous thing that is going to be. Just think! We don't know how many millions of soldiers are going to be there fighting at this time, when they're standing there shooting up into the heavens with whatever weapons they have, sending up rockets, planes, nuclear warfare, or whatever it may be to try and drive away this great sea of glass and invasion from the aliens from outer space.
All of a sudden their flesh is going to start falling off. Think of all the flesh, the blood. That's why in the prophecy in the book of Joel is going to be as deep as a horse's bridle; for a thousand furlongs. Think of the carnage and everything that's going to take place with that. So, God is going to start cleaning it up immediately. That's why He sends all of these birds:
"'…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). They will clean up that entire mess! I don't think it's going to be cleaned up in just an instant. I think it's going to take several days to clean it up before the next event happens, which will be the Day of Atonement.
Notice, God has a special punishment for the beast and false prophet, v 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). Quite an amazing thing!
That ends the day of the Feast of Trumpets. This is what it pictures. It is a war feast, and yes, as the prophecy in the Psalm says, 'He causes war to cease.' This is the only war that is ever going to end all wars.
We'll see at the end of the Millennium, there is briefly a war that is going to take place, but God is going to end it very quickly. This is the meaning of the Feast of Trumpets. This is part of the plan of God that He has given us to know and understand.
Have a wonderful Feast in preparation for the Feast of Tabernacles.
Scriptural References:
Leviticus 23:23-24
Deuteronomy 16:16-17
Luke 17:5-10
Proverbs 3:1-9
Ezekiel 33:1-10, 23-29
Joel 1:13-16
Joel 2:1-2, 7-13
Micah 1:1-4
Nahum 1:1-8
Zephaniah 1:2-6, 14-18
Zephaniah 2:1-3
Haggai 2:6-7
Isaiah 24:1-6
Isaiah 13:1-3, 6-13
Revelation 6:12-16
Matthew 24:27, 29-30
Revelation 8:1-3, 5-6, 12-13
Revelation 9:1-3, 11, 13-14, 16-21
Revelation 11:15-18
Zechariah 14:1-4, 6-9, 12-13
Revelation 19:11-21
Scriptures referenced, not quoted:
Matthew 24
Psalm 91
Luke 21
Ezekiel 25
Malachi 4:2
Numbers 10
Revelation 7; 9:4-5
Joel 3
Revelation 9:15; 10; 8; 1
Zechariah 14:5
Also referenced: Sermon Series: Daniel/Revelation
