GOD IS TRYING TO TELL US SOMETHING
REV. 8:1-13
I. INTRODUCTION
FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF TIME, GOD HAS MADE HIMSELF KNOWN AND AVAILABLE TO MAN. GOD HAS A HISTORY OF SPEAKING TO MAN, AND MAN HAS A HISTORY OF TURNING A DEAF EAR TO WHAT GOD HAS SAID, AND IS SAYING. YES MY BROTHERS AND SISTER, GOD IS TRYING TO GET THE WORLDS ATTENTION, BUT THE WORLD IS PLAYING POSSUM WITH GOD. BUT I SUBMIT, THAT IF HE CAN’T GET THEIR ATTENTION ONE WAY, HE WILL GET IT ANOTHER. GOD IS TRYING TO TELL US SOMETHING. GOD DESIRES THAT ALL MEN WOULD BE SAVED, HE’S TRYING TO TELL US SOMETHING. GOD IS PATIENT AND FOREBEARING, BUT THERE WILL COME A TIME WHEN HE RESTRAINS HIS PATIENCE WITH THIS WORLD, UNLEASHING HIS HOLY FURY ON HUMANITY; YES, GOD IS TRYING TO TELL US SOMETHING. WE BARE WITNESS THAT TIME IS TEMPORARY, AND ONE DAY SHALL BE NO MORE, YES, GOD IS TRYING TO TELL US SOMETHING.
II. THE TEXT
AS WE EXPLORE CHAPTER EIGHT, WE WILL SEE THE CONTINUED JUDGMENT OF GOD AGAINST THE WICKEDNESS OF HUMANITY. RECALL IF YOU WILL THAT IN CHAPTER SIX, WE SAW SIX OF THE SEVEN SEALS OPENED. THEN IN CHAPTER SEVEN, THERE WAS AN INTERLUDE BETWEEN THE SIXTH AND THE SEVENTH SEAL. NOW, WE SEE THE SEVENTH SEAL BEING OPENED, AND WHEN IT IS OPENED IT ORGASTRATES THE BEGINNING OF THE SEVEN TRUMPET JUDGMENTS OF ALMIGHTY GOD. YES MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, GOD IS TRYING TO TELL US SOMETHING.
VERSE ONE PRESENTS AN ASTOUNDING AND PHENOMINAL OCCURANCE. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ETERNITY, AND THERE IS NO TIME IN ETERNITY, HEAVEN IS SILENT! THERE IS NO VERBAL PRAISE, THERE IS NO SINGING, JUST SILENCE. THIS SILENCE IS TYPICAL OF THE ETERNAL PEACE OF HEAVEN, THE INEFFABLE BLISS OF WHICH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR OUR MINDS TO COMPREHEND.
WHY IS HEAVEN SILENT? IT HAS BEEN SAGACIOUSLY SUGGESTED THAT IT IS ALWAYS CALM BEFORE THE STORM. WELL, GOD IS ABOUT TO STORM A PLETHORA OF PERPLEXING, HORRIFYING, TERRORFYING, JUDGMENTS AGAINST THE WORLD.
PSALM 37, INFORMS US,” FRET NOT THYSELF BECAUSE OF EVILDOERS, NEITHER BE THOU ENVIOUS AGAINST THE WORKERS OF INIQUITY. FOR THEY SHALL SOON BE CUT DOWN LIKE THE GRASS, AND WITHER AS THE GREEN HERB.”
IT IS INTERESTING THAT GOD GIVES MAN A WARNING, BUT THEY ARE NOT LISTENING TO WHAT GOD HAS SAID IN HIS WORD.
NOTICE THAT THE EVENTS OF THE TRUMPET JUDGEMENT EXCEED THOSE OF THE SEAL JUDGMENT. GOD IS TRYING TO TELL US SOMETHING. GOD SENDS HIS WRATH ON THE CHILDREN OF DISOBEDIENCE. GOD WILL UPROOT WICKEDNESS, IN AN EFFORT TO PURGE THE WORLD.
VS 7 GOD USES THE ELEMENTS TO GET MAN’S ATTENTION. HAIL MIXED WITH FIRE, REDDISH IN COLOR WILL DESTROY A THIRD PART OF VEGETATION. VS 8 A THIRD PART OF SEA LIFE WILL DIE, TURNING THE WATERS INTO A BLOODBATH OF SICKNESS. VS 10 A THIRD PART OF RIVERS AND FOUNTAINS OF WATER WILL BE AFFECTED AND INFECTED, PRODUCING DEATH IN MEN. VS 12 THE LUMINARY LIGHTS OF HEAVEN WILL NOT FUNCTION AS THEY WERE MEANT. THE SUN WILL NOT PROVIDE LIGHT FOR A THIRD PART OF THE DAY, AND THE MOON WILL NOT SHINE FOR A THIRD PART OF THE NIGHT. GOD IS LEAVING MEN TO LIVE THEIR LIVES IN THE DARKNESS THAT THEY ARE ENGAGED IN. VS 13 BUT THE WORSE IS YET TO COME. GOD IS TRYING TO TELL US SOMETHING.
III. CONCLUSION
JUST WHAT IS GOD TRYING TO TELL US? THIS MESSAGE HAS MEANING FOR THE SAVED AND THE UNSAVED. FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE WASHED IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB, IT SAYS TO US THAT WE OUGHT TO PRAISE GOD THAT WE ARE EXEMPT FROM HIS WRATH. BUT IT ALSO SAYS TO US THAT THERE IS STILL MUCH WORK TO BE DONE IN THE AREA OF EVANGELISM. THERE ARE THOSE THAT CAN ESCAPE GOD’S WRATH IF WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT THE LORD’S WORK. MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS, WE CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON THINGS OF THE FUTURE, BY TELLING THE WORLD ABOUT CHRIST TODAY.
GOD IS TRYING TO TELL THE WICKED, THAT THE WAGES OF SIN IS STILL DEATH, BUT THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. GOD IS TRYING TO TELL THE WICKED THAT IF YOU DON’T TURN FROM YOUR WICKED WAYS, IN HELL WILL YOU LIFT UP YOUR EYES. GOD IS TRYING TO TELL THE WICKED THAT YOU BETTER GET TO KNOW HIM NOW, BEFORE IT IS EVERLASTING TOO LATE. GOD IS TRYING TO TELL THE WORLD THAT HE IS LORD OF LORDS AND KING OF KINGS, AND THAT HE IS ABLE TO SAVE ALL WHO CALL ON THE NAME OF JESUS.
