Feast of Trumpets—2018

The Day of the Lord Culminating with
The Battle of Armageddon

Before the Day of the LORD'S anger comes upon you, seek the LORD

Fred R. Coulter—September 10, 2018

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Greetings, brethren! Welcome to the Feast of Trumpets! Time, as we say, marches on. The plan of God is right on schedule, right on time. It may not be right on schedule and right on time as some people count events. This is why we need to understand very clearly that there will be more time.

• we don't know what's going to happen in the world
• we don't know how this new agreement that has been signed back in June with North Korea is going to turn out
• we don't know what's going to happen with Iran

We do know one important thing: things in the Middle East will probably settle down to just normal slaughter, rather than all out war. There are a lot of things that have to take place.

This is the war-Feast of God, the Feast of Trumpets. We will see that Lev. 23 doesn't tell us very much about the meaning of the day, except that the trumpets are to be blown.

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…"'" (vs 23-24).

Please note that every single Holy Day is called aSabbath. When it is the weekly Sabbath, in almost all cases it is theSabbath. Hebrew:

• 'ha Shabbat' for the Sabbath
• 'Shabbat' for Sabbath.

Nevertheless, it is a Holy Day to God!

"…a memorial of blowing of ram's horns… [ram's horns were always used to sound the warning of war] …a Holy convocation" (v 24). They also blew the silver trumpets as well.

Verse 25: "You shall do no servile work therein but you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD."

Today we don't have sacrifices with animals, but we have sacrifices from our substance of what we earn and what we make! It all has to do with the return of our labor or the return of our money in the case of investments. We find that God believes in investing and properly multiplying the funds (Matt. 25; Luke 19).

Also, God shows that the reason for giving is to help preach the Gospel and help serve the brethren. That's what it's for. It's not to make the minister wealthy! It's not to make him high and mighty! It's so the money can be used to:

• serve the Church
• serve the brethren
• preach the Gospel
• advertise the Word of God

This is what we do. I just take wage; Paul said he took a wage. It's the same thing.

We're told that those who preach the Gospel will live of the Gospel as the priests did at the temple (1-Cor. 9). Paul said that's what the Lord instructed, meaning that the law of tithing was carried over (Heb. 7).

The original law was that it went to Melchizedek. The subsequent law for Israel was God commanded it to go to the Levites. With the Church, and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and development of the Church, there had to be a change of the Law concerning tithing as to who would receive the tithes and offerings.

(pause for offering)

2-Peter 3 ties right in with the Feast of Trumpets and ties right in with what is happening today:

• there is more resistance against God
• there are more atheists than ever before
• there are more false prophets

Some of them even within the Churches of God!

This is why we need to know the Word of God. We need to study and pray. We need to keep and maintain the first and greatest commandment, which is:

• to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your soul!

then:

• we're to love our neighbors as ourselves
• we are to love the brethren
• we are even to love our enemies

The best prayer for our enemies that we can pray for them is 'may God keep you far away.'

2-Peter 3:1: "Now, beloved, I am writing this second epistle to you; in both, I am stirring up your pure minds by causing you to remember in order for you to be mindful of the words that were spoken before by the Holy prophets, and of the commandment of the Lord and Savior, spoken by us, the apostles" (vs 1-2).

Whatever the apostles spoke was what the Lord commanded. Does this not include the whole Bible? Yes, indeed!

Verse 3: "Knowing this first, that in the last days there will come mockers, walking according to their own personal lusts… [Haven't we seen that again and again? Yes, indeed!] …and asking, 'Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the forefathers died, everything has remained the same as from the beginning of creation'" (vs 3-4). A lot of them don't believe in creation, just evolution!

Verse 5: "But this fact is hidden from them—they themselves choosing to ignore it—that by the Word of God the heavens existed of old, and the earth came forth out of water and amid water... [Gen. 1] …by which the world at that time, having been deluged with water, had itself been destroyed" (vs 5-6).

As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the coming of the Son of man! Very interesting, indeed!

We find that since the book of Revelation was not available to Peter, he understands the events at the end, minus the things that are in the book of Revelation.

Verse 7: "But the present heavens and earth are being held in store by His Word, and are being reserved for fire in the day of judgment anddestruction of the ungodly."

That is true; that is the second death! But there are other things between the time Peter wrote this and the second death, revealed to John in the book of Revelation.

Verse 8: "Now, beloved, do not let this one fact be hidden from you: that with the Lord, one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not delaying the promise of His coming, as some in their own minds reckon delay; rather, He is longsuffering toward us, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (vs 8-9).

This is a very interesting verse, because it appears to be a contradiction with something else; v 10: "However, the Day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night in which the heaven itself shall disappear with a mighty roar, and the elements shall pass away, burning with intense heat, and the earth and the works in it shall be burned up."

That is a progression of several events tied together in one verse. First of all, the Day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night. Then the one that it says, the heaven itself shall disappear with a mighty roar: that's an indication of something that we've already looked at before. How can He come as a thief in the night, and yet, the heaven itself shall disappear with a mighty roar? Let's see what Paul wrote concerning the return of Christ:

1-Thessalonians 5:1: "Now then, concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, there is no need that I write to you; for you yourselves understand perfectly that the Day of the Lord will come exactly as a thief comes by night. For when they say, 'Peace and security,' then sudden destruction will come upon them, as travail comes upon a woman who is with child; and they shall by no means escape" (vs 1-3).

How can He come as a thief in the night, and yet, everybody's going to know it? That seems a little contradictory, but it's not.

We've been in Rev. 6 before, but I want you to think about this again. When there's peace and safety… Here's another thought, a speculation: we've always thought that the beast is going to come on the scene and he's going to magically bring peace around the world.

The reason this is speculation is because this is something to think on and look at. Think about what President Donald Trump, has done beginning with his very first trip to the Middle East with all of the Arab nations there at the great conference that they had in Saudi Arabia. They all pledged in their countries to work at reducing all of the violence of the people, especially the radical Islamists. Think of that! That has already been working and starting to take effect.

Now then, we have the situation with what the President did this summer in June concerning North Korea. What is, through the period of time that it takes to get it, that that issue is settled? What if President Trump settles the issue with Iran? Tie that together with some other things, when it comes to Europe. The European nations are beginning to take a hard stance against the Islamists. They are closing mosques and sending some of them back to their own countries.

In order for things in the book of Revelation to take place, and Dan. 11, there has to come a revival of Europe, a revival of Catholicism, along with all of the daughters of Rome, of the pagan religions, coming home. That includes Protestants, because Protestants are just as nearly as pagan as anybody else. The only thing is they use the name of Jesus, and they use more Scriptures than the other religions.

What if what President Trump is doing is setting the stage, then the Beast Power rises in Europe and helps add to the peace. They will say peace and security, then sudden destruction will come! I just want you to think on that.

Dan. 11 talks about the time of the end. It's very interesting how all of these things come down, and they've all been prophesied, they've all been written about in the Scroll of Truth in heaven above.

Daniel 11:40: "And at the time of the end… [What did Jesus about the time of the end? All these things must be in place!] …the King of the South shall push at him…." There will be the Muslims coming against Europe.

After all they've gone through, with what we're seeing they're going through now, they're not going to stand for it and he's going to retaliate.

"…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 sweep through. He shall also enter into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown…" (vs 40-41).

We know what we have studied with the abomination of desolation that he is going to go into the Holy of Holies and declare himself God. That will start the Great Tribulation. That event will come suddenly, and destroy whatever peace that there is in the rest of the world. That's the sudden destruction!

But how is He going to come as a thief in the night? You would think that that would be quiet, surreptitious, hardly known, but that's not the case. You have to reconcile something else with it. Jesus said that He comes in the clouds and all eyes shall see Him (Rev. 1). How is that going to take place? We've already covered it, but let's just review it.

As we saw in Matt. 24, there is a coming sign of the Son of man in heaven, which will be a second sun that will be right there in the skies. After it's there, people are going to think, 'It's just an anomaly out there,' because it doesn't happen all at once. Let's see what happens when the sign of the Son of man when it appears. It's going to be like a thief in the night, all of a sudden. We've covered this before, so this is just a review to set the stage.

Revelation 6:12: "And when He opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake…" We counted five major earthquakes just in the book of Revelation.

There may be some others associated with the things going on the earth as well, but those five are the major ones that are shown. The sixth one is, as we will see when we end this sermon, when Christ and the saints come down onto the Mount of Olives and the Mount of Olives splits in two from the north to the south. And there's 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…. [spectacular event] …Then the heaven departed like a scroll …" (vs 12-14).

That's the entrance of Christ into the affairs on the earth. Everything up to this time, the beginning of the Great Tribulation and how that was carried out. Now then, when Christ intervenes, just before the next to the last Pentecost, and Rev. 7 with the 144,000 and great innumerable multitude are saved out of the Tribulation, this is going to take place.

Verse 14: "Then the heaven departed like a scroll that is being rolled up…"—something never heard of before; never seen before! Suddenly as a thief in the night! They didn't expect it and here it is.

"…and every mountain and island was moved out of its place…. [another earthquake, so that gives us six] …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" (vs 14-15). Never happened before!

The world by that time will be deceived into believing that this is probably the work of aliens. Even though right at first they say that it's Christ.

Verse 16: "And they said to the mountains and to the rocks, 'Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him Who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, because the great day of His wrath has come, and who has the power to stand?'" (vs 16-17).

The 144,000 and the great innumerable multitude are saved on the next to the last Pentecost. Then we have Rev. 8-10: it unleashes furious war on the face of the earth while the sign of the Son of man stays in heaven and they see it every day! Doesn't that also fulfill the prophecy that 'every eye shall see Him'? Yes, indeed!

Then it's going to be fulfilled when they see Christ and the Church coming back from the Sea of Glass. That's the end of the story. We'll get there a little later.

Let's see how all of these things are going to come together; Daniel 11:44—when he settled right there in Jerusalem: "But tidings out of the east … [China, Japan, Vietnam, India, Pakistan, Iran, and all of the 'stans' north of the Himalaya mountains] …and out of the north shall alarm him… [because they are going to start arming and getting ready to come after him] …Then he will go forth with great fury to destroy and to utterly annihilate many. And he shall plant his royal tents between the seas in the glorious Holy mountain… [declaring Jerusalem as his headquarters] …Yet, he shall come to his end, and none shall help him" (vs 44-45).

Isn't that what it says in Revelation? We'll read that a little later.

Dan. 12:1 is when the 144,000 and the great innumerable are saved. That's two full years into the 3-1/2-year Tribulation. Once they are saved and converted, receiving the Holy Spirit of God, there's another year to the resurrection, and there are 18-months until the saints and Christ come back to the earth.

Daniel 12:1: "And at that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands for the children of your people…" Michael is going to be charge of those angels that are sent to seal the 144,000 and great innumerable multitude.

"…And there shall be a time of trouble… [all of the prophecies end in this time of trouble] …such as never was since there was a nation even until that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered—every one who shall be found written in the book" (v 1). That's the time of the great innumerable multitude and the 144,000! Then it goes right on into the resurrection.

Think about this for a minute. All the prophecies in Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, the Minor Prophets, and all the prophecies in the book of Revelation all point to the same ultimate climax. Let's see that that is verified by what God said to Isaiah, that God has a purpose, and His purpose is only known to those to whom He reveals it. He only reveals it to those who obey Him! Yes, and at the time, it's necessary to reveal it. The things that we are doing right now, and understanding through the Sabbath and Holy Days of God, and the plan of God, was not known like we know it today.

Even Jesus told the apostles that they have been given the knowledge of the secrets of the Kingdom of God, which many prophets and wise men of old wanted to know, but didn't know. Why? Because it wasn't time! Look at what we read with Peter to begin with. He didn't fully understand some of these things either.

Isaiah 14:21: "Prepare slaughter for his children because of the iniquity of their fathers, so that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities." Great slaughter! That's what the Great Tribulation is all about. We just read that in Daniel.

Verse 22: "'For I will rise up against them,' says the LORD of hosts, 'and cut off from Babylon…'" This is Babylon the Great! The first fulfillment was a type; the latter fulfillment is the anti-type.

"'…the name and remnant, and children, and grandchildren,' says the LORD. 'I will also make it a possession of the hedgehog, and pools of water; and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,' says the LORD of hosts." (vs 22-23).

Will it happen? Yes, in the time that God says!The first fulfillment and the final fulfillment!

Verse 24: "The LORD of hosts has sworn, saying, 'Surely as I have thought, so it shall come to pass; and as I have purposed, so it shall stand.'"

All of these ministers of the world need to learn a lesson, even in the Churches of God, which is that you can't tell God what to do!

• God is perfect
• His plan is perfect
• His way of doing things is perfect

Who are we, being imperfect, sinful human beings, to tell God what to do? He has purposed it!

Verse 25: "That I will break Assyria in My land, and upon My mountains, and trample him under foot. Then his yoke shall be removed from them, and his burden shall be taken off their shoulders."

There are two fulfillments of this. During the ministry of Isaiah, in the days of Hezekiah, the Assyrians came to conquer Jerusalem, but you know what happened there. They prayed to God, and God intervened and destroyed the whole armies of the Assyrians, 180,000 dead at one time. How's that for winning the battle without lifting the sword?

Sidebar: Israel was never to go to war unless God told them to go to war. Keep that in mind.

Verse 26: "This is the purpose that is purposed upon all the earth; and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations…. [What did we just read in Rev. 6?] …for the LORD of hosts has purposed, and who shall reverse it? And His hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?" (vs 26-27). It is going to happen, without a doubt!

Let's look at the Day of the Lord. We find all through the Bible, just like it says, 'here a little, there a little, line upon line, line upon line, precept upon precept' (Isa. 28); you put it together. For those who have the Spirit of God, believe God, and love God, they will have understanding! Those who don't won't have understanding.

Zephaniah 1:14: "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." Isn't that what we saw with those when the heavens departed like a scroll? Yes!

Verse 15: "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."

Think about that for a minute! When we get done, you're going to understand that this whole earth is going to be in one gigantic destroyed mess. We're going to be the ones who are going to have to straighten it out under Christ, Who gives us all the directions in what we need to do to do that.

Verse 16: "A day of the ram's horn and alarm against the fortified cities, and against the high towers." Ram's horn: a day of war. On the Day of Trumpets they were to blow the ram's horn. This is a war Feast.

Verse 17: "And I will bring distress on men, so that they shall walk as the blind because they have sinned against the LORD.…'"

Didn't we read in Rev. 8 & 9 these terrible plagues coming upon them and the demons fighting against the angels of God and the demons and men fighting against each other that they didn't repent.

"…And their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as dung" (v 17). Think about that for a minute! Think about all the dead bodies, all the dead animals.

We're going to see the earth will be, by time we come back to the earth from the Sea of Glass, nearly destroyed.

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… [that's where Peter got what he wrote in 2-Pet. 3] …for He shall make even a full end, yea, a terrible end of all who dwell upon the earth."

First part of Zephaniah 2:1 is very interesting and very instructive: "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's going to happen with the 144,000 and the great innumerable multitude. They're going to heed the message of the angel who said, 'Babylon the Great is fallen, is fallen.' And the message, 'Come out of her My people.'

Verse 3: "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."

That's about the few who will go to a place of safety, which the world thinks is the great rapture, that millions are going to be raptured into heaven.

When you go through Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and the prophets, you will see that many things tie right in with the second coming of Christ and the Day of the Lord. Here's a direct reference to what we read back in Rev. 6:

Isaiah 2:9: "And men will be brought low, and humbled—forgive them not. Enter into the rock and hide in the dust for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of His majesty. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the pride of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day" (vs 9-11)—the Day of the Lord, that's what the Feast of Trumpets pictures.

Verse 12: "For the Day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every proud and haughty one, and upon every exalted one; and they shall be brought low, and it shall be upon all the high and lifted up cedars of Lebanon, and upon all the oaks of Bashan" (vs 12-13). That talks in a simile about their armies. It's going to come!

Verse 17: "And the pride 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." Quite a thing, the Day of the Lord! That's amazing, the things that are going to happen.

We can read it, but what is it going to be like to see it happen? There will be some in the Church who will see it happen. Let's see how this war continues in that way. This ties right in with Rev. 6.

Verse 18: "And the idols He shall utterly abolish.… [no more idolatry, because that's the first thing to take you away from God] …And they 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 arises to shake terribly the earth" (vs 18-19). Isn't that what we read back in Rev. 6? Yes, indeed!

Verse 20: "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 arises to shake terribly the earth" (vs 20-21).

Amazing thing! Great and horrendous things are going to happen, brethren. That is all a part of the meaning of the Feast of Trumpets.

Haggai 2:6: "For thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Once again—it is yet a little while…'" That's how God views things. That's why Peter wrote a day is a thousand years, a thousand years is as a day. In other words, time as humans look at it is different from how God looks at it, but it's all scheduled, and the plan is going to come to fruition and be completed.

"'…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… [that's Christ] …and I will fill this house with glory,' says the LORD of hosts" (vs 6-7).

That's quite a statement, right there in the middle of the prophecy of Haggai. Think what that's going to be like. God just literally taking the whole earth and shaking it. Amazing things going to take place!

We find in the book of Isaiah a number of references to Babylon and Babylon the Great. Let's see what it says about Babylon. Again, you have the first fulfillment and you have the final fulfillment.

This is some 300-years before Daniel and King Nebuchadnezzar and the dream that King Nebuchadnezzar had. So, tie that in with today, and you're looking at pretty close to a 3,000-year old prophecy. Didn't it happen to Babylon? Wasn't it turned into a waste place? Yes, indeed!

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.' The noise of a multitude in the mountains, as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together…" (vs 1-4).

We're going to see that the fulfillment of the Day of Trumpets is worldwide—all people, all nations. They are going to see Christ's return. Every eye shall see Him. These are great and horrendous and tremendous things that are happening.

"…the LORD of hosts gathers an army for the battle… [we'll see that] …They come from a far country…" (vs 4-5). You wonder why China is rising? And all of Asia is rising? Right there; it's in the Bible.

"…from the end of heaven, the LORD and the weapons of His indignation, to destroy the whole earth" (v 5). Isn't that amazing?

Think of what it's going to be like. Good thing we're going to be spirit beings. Just think of how we're going to have to help these people shattered with war, shock, and all of that.

Verse 7: "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" (vs 7-8).

Doesn't that sound like some of things in Rev. 8 & 9, which we've covered previously?

Verse 9: "Behold, the Day of the LORD comes… [When? In His time!] …cruel both with wrath and fierce anger…"—because this is the judgment against Satan the devil and the whole world!

"…to make the earth a desolation; and He shall destroy the sinners out of it, 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" (vs 9-10). Doesn't that sound like Revelation, where we read that? Yes, indeed!

Verse 11: "And I will punish 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 tyrants. I will make man more scarce than gold…" (vs 11-12).

How many are going to die? We don't know, but it looks like it's going to be 50% plus! What if it's two-thirds?

Verse 13: "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."

That's precisely why no one knows the day or the hour, because all of that shall be from God!

(go to the next track)

Isa. 24 is quite a prophecy of what's going to happen to the world. Think about it, brethren! God has called us to work with Jesus Christ, to save humanity!

Then think about the coming meaning of the Feast of Tabernacles. Don't get discouraged when you hear all these things. They're coming, and probably a good many of us will have our place of safety in the grave. Every true Christian, who has lived faithfully and died in the faith, are in a place of safety called the grave, waiting for the resurrection.

When it happens that there's a death of the saints, who have died in faith, regardless of the circumstances of their death, that is another one who is going to be in the Kingdom of God. So, we can rejoice in that.

Isaiah 24:1: "Behold, the LORD makes the earth empty and makes it waste, and turns it upside down, and scatters its inhabitants."

How is that going to be? I do not know! I don't know if He's going to literally change the poles—North Pole/South Pole—or whether it is everything is going to be so destroyed that it's all upside down, destroyed and moved out of its place.

With all the earthquakes and shaking that's going on—remember, we just read He's going to shake the heavens and the earth! That's going to be something.

Verse 2: "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."

You talk about a time He's going to wipe out all debt, forgive everything that has taken place. After all this destruction a brand new start for the whole world, and those who survive through it.

Verse 3: "The earth shall be completely laid waste… [that's what it means upside down] …and utterly stripped; for the LORD has spoken this word."

Every single prophecy in the Bible—and God has spoken it, put it here, so we know that He said it—is going to take place to the maximum! Never forget that. That can give you:

• hope
• strength
• understanding
• and help you draw closer to God

Also, the promise is to you of eternal life is true and faithful and will take place, without a doubt! That's why we're here.

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).

Remember: God always brings His judgment when He is ready! This is the judgment of God!

Verse 6: "Therefore, the curse has devoured the earth, and they who dwell in it are desolate; therefore, the people of the earth are burned, and few men are left."

What is a few? We don't know, but these are absolutely horrendous things that are in the Bible! They're all going to take place. The meaning of the Feast of Trumpets shows that they will be fulfilled.

Verse 10: "The city of shame is broken down; every house is shut up so that no one may come in."

Verse 15: "Therefore, glorify the LORD in the east where the light dawns, the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea. From the ends of the earth we have heard songs, 'Glory to the righteous.' But I said, 'Leanness to me! Leanness to me! Woe to me! Deceivers deceive, even treacherously. Deceivers deceive!'" (vs 15-16). That's what it's going to be!

Isn't Satan the master deceiver? Think about the final deception. Isa. 34 talks about the same thing. The first verse is an admonition for us to draw near to God:

Isaiah 34:1: "Come near, you nations, to hear; and, you people, hearken; let the earth hear, and its fullness; the world, and its offspring…. [you hear God first] …for the anger of the LORD is upon all nations … [that literally means all nations] … and His fury upon all their armies.…" (v 2).

It's going to be the greatest number of armies that the world has ever seen throughout the whole history from the beginning of creation to the end.

Think about the group of armies of 200-million (Rev. 9). You can't have them all in one place at one time, so they're strung out all the way from the Far East, all the way over to the Holy Land. They will come like waves, like many attacks. It's going to be something.

"…He has completely destroyed them, He has delivered them to the slaughter. Also. their dead shall be thrown out, and their stink shall come up out of their dead bodies, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood. And all the host of the heavens shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled up like a scroll… [Rev. 6] …and all their host shall fall down, as a leaf falls off from the vine, and as the falling fig from the fig tree" (vs 2-4).

Isn't that what it says, that it's going to be like a fig tree shaken by a mighty wind that loses all of its figs? Everything in the Bible is all tied together. All of that is tied to the Sabbath and the Holy Days, and then the covenant with Abraham. That covenant stretches clear down through the Millennium. All tied to those things. You read of some of it in one place, some of it in another place. That's exactly what we're doing.

Verse 5—God says: "For My sword is bathed in the heavens. Behold, it shall come down upon Edom, and upon the people of My curse for judgment."

That last generation is going to suffer for all the generations that went on before, even though they suffered for what they did. This is coming down in a mighty swath of death and blood.

Verse 6: "'The sword of the LORD is filled with blood; it is made fat with fatness, with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams; for the LORD has a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Edom. And the wild oxen shall come down with them, and the young bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust shall be greased with their fat.' For it is the day of the LORD'S vengeance, the year to repay for the fighting against Zion" (vs 6-8).

This is going to be something, almost horrendous! You can hardly believe it. Let's come to the book of Jeremiah, who also brings out for us the same things. It talks about all the kingdoms on all the earth. This is absolutely an amazing thing that is going to take place.

In the first part it is what God told Jeremiah. Jeremiah had to write this down, but he never really did this, because it was for the future time for the end. This is talking about Babylon and the Chaldeans:

Jeremiah 25:13: "And I will bring on that land all My words, which I have spoken against it…"

You look at all the words that God has spoken against Babylon and Babylon the Great; He's going to fill "…all My words…"

"…all that is written in this book…" (v 13). Then you can read about Jer. 50, 51, 52 and the detailed instructions on the destruction of Babylon the Great.

"…which Jeremiah has prophesied against all the nations. For many nations and great kings shall make them slaves, also. And I will repay them according to their deeds, and according to the works of their own hands" (vs 13-14). Look at the things that they are making today, awesome indeed!

Verse 15: "For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, to me, 'Take the wine cup of this wrath at My hand…'" We're going to read that again in Rev. 16. It's going to happen!

Isn't it interesting how many of the things that we see are going to be fulfilled in the New Testament and the book of Revelation were prophesied in the Old Testament thousands of years ahead of time? How true, valuable, and sure is the Word of God? When God says He's going to bring all the words that He has spoken—every one of them—to pass! He's going to!

"'…and cause all the nations to whom I shall send you to drink it'" (v 15). Jeremiah didn't get there; however, the Bible will. Whether they read it or not, they will have had the message. Like I have told people many times:

• Do you have a Bible? Yes!
• Have you read it? No!
• Then why are you against God?

If you haven't read what God has said, and if you don't understand what's in the Bible, why are you angry at God? Why when something comes upon you that you don't understand, you complain about and accuse God? If you would have read the Bible when you got it, and drew close to God, He would have given you understanding.

Verse 16: "And they shall drink…" It's going to happen! No one's going to turn it down; no one is going to turn it back.

"'…and reel to and fro, and be crazed because of the sword that I will send among them.' Then I took the cup at the LORD'S hand, and made all the nations drink, to whom the LORD had sent me" (vs 16-17). Obviously that was symbolic then. It starts where?

Verse 18: "Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and their kings, and their rulers, to make them a desolation and an astonishment, a hissing, and a curse, (as it is today)."

He's talking about what a desolation it was when he was writing this. There were three major invasions over a period of twenty years against Jerusalem and Judea. Always remember this, too: God judges His people first, and then the world.

Here's where he is to take it and these are the ancient names of these nations. Some of them still have the same names. Going to all! He mentions that how many times.

Verse 19: "Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and his servants, and his rulers, and all his people, and all the mixed people, and all the kings of the land of Uz, and all the kings of the land of the Philistines, and Ashkelon, and Gaza, and Ekron, and the rest of Ashdod; Edom, and Moab, and the sons of Ammon, and all the kings of Tyre, and all the kings of Sidon, and the kings of the isles beyond the sea, Dedan, and Tema, and Buz, and all that are in the uppermost corners. And all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the mixed people who dwell in the desert, and all the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes, and all the kings of the north…" (vs 19-26).

Don't you think that's inclusive? No one is going to escape!

"…far and near, one with another, and all the kingdoms of the world, which are on the face of the earth; and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them…. [that's the beast] …'Therefore, you shall say to them, "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Drink and be drunk, and vomit, and fall, and rise no more because of the sword which I will send among you. And it shall come to pass if they refuse to take the cup at your hand to drink, then you shall say to them, "Thus says the LORD of hosts…"'"'" (vs 26-28).

When it says Lord of hosts, that means Lord of the armies, the hosts of the armies of the Lord! We will see when we come to Rev. 19 that all the resurrected saints will fight. Isn't that what Jesus said? 'If My kingdom were of this world, then should My servants fight!' That's when we're going to fight. We're going to put down evil.

It's going to take us from the time of the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement to clean up things and get it ready so the Millennium can officially start. There's a lot of work to do.

Verse 28: "…'You shall certainly drink.… [God says that He wants us to always remember this]: …For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city, which is called by My name; and shall you go unpunished? You shall not go unpunished. For I will call for a sword on all the inhabitants of the earth,' says the LORD of hosts" (vs 28-29).

Some may escape to live through it, but it's coming says the Lord of hosts!

Verse 30: "And prophesy against them all these words, and say to them, 'The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter His voice from His Holy habitation'"—right from the very throne of God.

That's why when you see the Sea of Glass there (Rev. 15), you also see the temple of God in heaven. On the earth below, they won't be able to see the temple of God, but we will. The only thing they will see is this great Sea of Glass and say. 'We have got to fight against the aliens coming to invade the earth.' That's what they will believe.

Why else do you think all the nations will hear the beast, the false prophet, and Satan with those special messengers sent out to gather them to the battle of Armageddon? They're all deceived! It's going to happen exactly like he says here.

"…He shall mightily roar over His dwelling place. He shall give a shout, like those who tread out grapes, against all the people of the earth" (v 30).

• v 26: "…all the kingdoms of the world…"
• v 29: "…all the inhabitants of the earth…"
• v 31: "…all flesh…."

Verse 31: "'A noise shall come to the ends of the earth; for the LORD has a controversy with the nations; He will plead with all flesh. He will give those who are wicked to the sword,' says the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be stirred up from the farthest corners of the earth. And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth; they shall not be mourned, nor gathered, nor buried. They shall be as dung on the ground. Howl, you shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, you lords of the flock! For the days of your slaughter and of your scatterings are fulfilled; and you shall fall like a choice vessel'" (vs 31-34).

Amazing! That's quite a chapter. You think about that and go back and read that again. Isn't that something? We'll finish the chapter because the whole chapter is important in fulfilling the Day of Trumpets.

Verse 35: "And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the lords of the flock to escape. A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and a howling of the lords of the flock shall be heard; for the LORD has spoiled their pasture. And the peaceful pastures are cut down because of the fierce anger of the LORD. Like the lion, He has left His den; for their land is wasted because of the fierceness of the oppressing sword, and because of His fierce anger" (vs 35-38).

Quite a chapter! That almost takes your breath away! That's quite a thing! Let's see how it's prophesied here in Joel 2, which talks about that great army of 200-million. They are coming; they are coming. I've already told you about the railroads and the gas lines and oil lines coming from the east, clear over to the Mediterranean and on up into Europe. There will be roads. Everything will be ready for them.

Of course, with the earthquakes and everything upside down, they're going to have to clean that up before the armies can really move in with great power. That's why there's the time from Pentecost, of sealing the 144,000 (Rev. 7) and then beginning the Trumpet plagues (Rev. 8). There are seven distinct trumpets.

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." It gives a time and space of repentance, and that's what God wants!

Verse 2: "A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness. As the morning is spread across the mountains, so comes a great people and a mighty people; there has never been the like… [200-million] …nor shall there ever be again, even to the years of many generations." That's down through the Millennium!

Remember the first thing the Millennium starts with: You're going to beat your swords into plowshares and your spears into pruning hooks. No more war!

Verse 3: "A fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns. The land is as the Garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness—and nothing shall escape them. Their appearance is as the appearance of horses; and as war horses, so they run… [ties right in with Rev. 8; 9] …They shall leap with the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains, with the noise of a flame of fire that devours the stubble, like a mighty people set in battle array. In their presence the people shall greatly tremble; all faces shall grow pale. 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" (vs 3-7).

This is really going to be something when these armies come with all their power, and all the things that they are doing.

Verse 8: "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."

Isn't that what they're talking about today? To have ready medications right in their suits of armor that they have! How modern and up-to-date is the Bible? It's right there!

Verse 9: "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. The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble. 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 9-11).

Then right in the middle of all of that there's a call to repentance! Think of that. The end result of what God wants with these things is repentance! Quite a fantastic thing!

Joel 3:9: "Proclaim this among the nations, 'Prepare for war!'… [that's going to lead up to it] …Wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up. Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong" (vs 9-10).

Isn't that what 'little rocket man' did? Let's hope he doesn't back down from what he agreed to do.

Verse 11: "Gather yourselves and come, all you nations, and gather yourselves together all around; cause Your mighty ones to come down there, O LORD. Let the nations be awakened and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; for there I will sit to judge all the nations all around. Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe… [Rev. 14, the two harvests; the resurrection and the harvest of the wicked] …Come, come down; for the press is full; the vats overflow—for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision; for the Day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision! The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. The LORD shall also roar out of Zion and utter His voice from Jerusalem. And the heavens and the earth shall shake. But the LORD will be the hope of His people and the strength of the children of Israel" (vs 11-16).

Mighty things taking place; that's going to be something! Everyone of you who say, 'I want to live to see the Day of the Lord,' you better think about that one again. Remember what it says in Isa. 57, that the Lord takes the righteous—that's why He dies—away from the time of trouble to come! That's just a paraphrase of it. We'll just have to wait and see how these things come.

We've already covered the Sea of Glass, so we'll just reiterate the Sea of Glass and then the seven last plagues. They're all poured out. I gave that some time back with the flow of things to happen in the book of Revelation {Note Sermon: Order of Events in the Book of Revelation}. This is the last deception that is going to take place.

Revelation 16:12: "And the sixth angel poured out his vial into the great River Euphrates; and its waters were dried up…"

Has to happen twice. Once back in Rev. 9 and here again. When that happens, the beast and the false prophet, and all the nations are going to look at it and say, 'Look at what happened. Now we can come and really fight against the Sea of Glass.' So, here's the last call.

"…so that the way of the kings from the rising of the sun might be prepared. Then I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet; for they are spirits of demons working miracles, 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 12-14).

That's going to be something! They're going to look at that, when the river dries up, and they're going to say, 'A miracle, what a wonderful thing.' No! It's a trap! God wants you to come. They will come and they'll fall into it.

Verse 16: "And he gathered them together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon."

Armageddon is going to be the last battle that's to be fought, not one of the first, the last! When they're all gathered there, what a great thing this is going to happen. But there's still some strung out, going clear back to the east.

Verse 17: "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.'.… [it is done] …And there were voices and thunders and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were on the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great" (vs 17-18).

Just think, the whole earth is going to completely discombobulated because of:

• the sins of Satan
• the sins of men
• the sins of the nations
• the final judgment of God

That is going to be awesome, indeed!

Verse 19: "And the great city was divided into three parts; and the cities of the nations fell…" Think about all these tall buildings that they have, smashed down. Amazing!

• Does anyone want to fight against God?
• Does anyone want to disagree with God?
• Does anyone want to read the Bible, and say, 'Lord, here's how I look at it. You ought to look at it the way I'm looking at it here'?

For anyone who does that, I tell you read the book of Job. I think you'll understand. You're not going to get very far with that. No, indeed!

Rev. 19 we covered on the Day of Pentecost, through v 10 and all the things that take place. Now:

• we're all organized
• we're all prepared
• we have our weapons
• Christ is going to lead us

This is really going to be the war to end all wars!

Revelation 19:11: "And I saw heaven open… [open again, this time now something really big is going to happen] …and behold, a white horse; and He Who sat on it is called Faithful and True… [that's Jesus Christ] …and in righteousness He does judge and make war…. [the final battle is coming] …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. And He was clothed with a garment dipped in blood; and His name is The Word of God…. [tie that in with John 1:1-3] …And the armies in heaven were following Him… [that's us] …on white horses…" (vs 11-14). That's going to be spectacular! Here's:

• the Sea of Glass
• Christ is ready
• everything is prepared
• all of the armies are gathered below
• they've had the hail come upon them

and now here comes the final battle! Christ is going to lead us off the Sea of Glass and we're going to come down and finish off that army. Remember at the same time, we'll read it here, all of the flesh-eating birds are going to be circling over this area, where the battle took place. We're going to be coming down right alongside them.

"…and they were clothed in fine linen, white and pure.… [that's us on white horses] …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. And on His garment and on His thigh He has a name written: King of kings and Lord of lords" (vs 14-16).

All of the other kings, lords, magistrates, city mayors, and all of that we're all spirit beings following Him on our horses.

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'" (vs 17-18). What a clean-up job that's going to be!

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… [all He has to do is speak the word and POOF!] …even the sword that goes out of His mouth; and all the birds were filled with their flesh" (vs 19-21).

Zech. 14 talks about this. Think about that, everything that took place now. Here we are!

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. 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" (v 4). From the east to the west, and then it will split!

Verse 5: "…And the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with You." That's us! It's going to be something.

In that day, v 9: "And the LORD shall be King over all the earth; in that day there shall be one LORD, and His name shall be one."

That's the solution to the problems of this world. It's going to come in a mighty profound way on the Feast of Trumpets.

This is why this day is a memorial of blowing trumpets all day long! We can look forward to the Day of Atonement now and the Feast of Tabernacles.

Scriptural References:

• Leviticus 23:23-25

• 2-Peter 3:1-10
• 1-Thessalonians 5:1-3
• Daniel 11:40-41
• Revelation 6:12-17
• Daniel 11:44-45
• Daniel 12:1
• Isaiah 14:21-27
• Zephaniah 1:14-18
• Zephaniah 2:1-3
• Isaiah 2:9-13, 17-21
• Haggai 2:6-7
• Isaiah 13:1-5, 7-13
• Isaiah 24:1-6, 10, 15-17
• Isaiah 34:1-8
• Jeremiah 25:13-38
• Joel 2:1-11
• Joel 3:9-16
• Revelation 16:12-14, 16-19
• Revelation 19:11-21
• Zechariah 14:1-5, 9

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Matthew 25
• Luke 19
• 1-Corinthians 9
• Hebrews 7

• Genesis 1
• Revelation 1
• Matthew 24
• Revelation 7-10
• Isaiah 28
• Jeremiah 50-52
• Isaiah 57
• Revelation 14; 19:1-10
• John 1:1-3

Also referenced: Sermon:
Order of Events in the Book of Revelation

FRC:lp
Transcribed: 6-25-18
Formatted: bo—6/27/18

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