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Now, here's today's podcast, From Pathway to Victory. Hi, this is Robert Jeffers and I'm glad to study God's Word with you every day on this Bible teaching program on today's edition of Pathway to Victory. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God and seven trumpets were given to them. Trumpets are very important in scripture. These trumpets signify the beginning of a war.
These angels are going to sound the trumpet to announce God's War. on planet Earth. Welcome to Pathway to Victory with author and pastor Dr. Robert Jeffers. When Pharaoh defied God, God unleashed a series of natural disasters, illnesses, and deaths like the world had never seen.
And while the ten plagues were indeed terrible, the tribulation will be even worse. Today on Pathway to Victory, Dr. Robert Jeffers shares the horrors that will take place during Earth's final years. But first, let's take a moment to hear some important ministry updates. Thanks, David, and welcome again to Pathway to Victory.
I've been a student of Bible prophecy for more than 40 years. In fact, I've preached hundreds of sermons on the topic. But nothing represents the culmination of my life's work. Quite like my best-selling commentary on the book of Revelation. It's called Final Conquest.
If you're prepared to increase your understanding of God's timeline for the future, and if you're curious to see how Revelation can shape the ins and outs of your life today, then please be sure to request my book, Final Conquest. I'd be happy to send you a copy. When you give a generous gift to support the Ministry of Pathway to Victory, it comes with my profound thanks for your partnership with me. In addition to my commentary, and as a bonus, I'd like to provide another resource. This one is a booklet called The Major Characters of the End Times.
This full-color, 56-page guide profiles the key players in the end times so you can follow the drama with confidence. We'll share more details about my book and my booklet later in today's program. But right now, let's turn in our Bibles to Revelation chapter 8. I titled today's message, When Gabriel Blows His Horn. Conservative media.
gets many things right. But not everything. In fact, here is one truth you will never hear from right-wing pundits or conservative news outlets. And that truth is this. Environmental problems like ozone depletion.
Rising and falling temperatures. Floods. Environmental problems in the world are real. And they are really the result of the of human activity. You know, the Bible says in Genesis 1 and 2 that God created this world, and everything he created was good.
But then Adam and Eve rebelled against God. And through that human activity of rebelling against God, sin entered the world and it infected every part of this world, including the environment. Romans 8 says right now, nature is groaning. and birth pangs as it awaits the final redemption of the world. And these wildfires, these changing temperatures, everything we're seeing is a result of.
Creation groaning and awaiting the return of Jesus Christ. Yes, environmental problems are the result of human activity, sin. But the greatest threat to the environment The greatest assault on the world will not come from the hands of mankind. The greatest assault on the environment is yet to come, and it will come from the hand of Almighty God. And it's the event we're going to look at today.
If you have your Bibles, turn to Revelation chapter 8 as we discover what's going to happen to the earth. When Gabriel blows his horn. Revelation chapter 8.
Now, if you've just joined us in this study of Revelation, we are in the great tribulation. The rapture of the church has already occurred. Believers are in heaven. And we've begun the final seven years of Earth's history that will culminate in the literal visible return of Jesus Christ.
Now when we get to Revelation 8, we are ready to... Remove the seventh seal from the book that will unleash all of the trumpet judgments and all of the bold judgments that are to come. Chapter 8, verse 1. When the Lamb, that is Jesus, broke the seventh, the final seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. When the seventh seal is broken, it means the scroll is completely opened.
And everyone in heaven can see all of the final judgments against the earth. They can see all of the trumpet judgments, all of the bowl judgments. And when the heavenly Residents see what awaits this earth. There is a collective gasp. You can hear in heaven.
There's an eerie silence. That's what you have here: this eerie silence as everyone awaits these judgments. Look at verse 2. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. Who are these seven angels who stand before God?
We don't know. It's conjecture. Many people believe it's the archangels, people like Michael, angels like Gabriel, special angels who will be given each one one of these trumpets to sound. Trumpets are very important in scripture. I've listed here five primary uses of trumpets in the Bible.
To announce ceremonial processions, to assemble Israel for war. to announce the new year. Trumpets will be used in the future to regather Israel at the second coming of Christ. And finally, there will be a trumpet that will announce the rapture of the church. Remember 1 Thessalonians 4?
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the what? The trumpet of God. I'm ready to hear that one, aren't you? Believers are going to hear that one day, that trumpet blast that signals the rapture of the church. These trumpets signify the beginning of a war.
These angels are going to sound the trumpet to announce. God's war. on planet Earth. Each one has a trumpet. But before the first angel blows the trumpet, notice something else John sees, and that is the angel with the gold censer.
Now, this is so interesting to me. Look at verse 3. Another angel, not one with a trumpet, but another angel came and stood at the altar. Holding a golden censer. I'll explain what that is in just a moment.
And much incense was given to him so that he might add it to the prayers of all of the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints went up before God out of the angel's hand.
Now you probably wonder, what in the world is this talking about? Remember in the Old Testament temple, There were two altars. One was called the altar of sacrifice, the brazen altar. And it was busy day and night. Priests were continually offering animal sacrifices on that brazen altar.
But there was a second altar, a golden altar. It was called the altar of incense. It was in the holy place. In fact, it stood right before the veil that separated the holy place from the holy of holies. That was the altar of incense.
And the priest would go up. And to the burning coals on the altar of incense, he would add incense that would waft its way to heaven. signifying how pleasing the sacrifices were, like a pleasing aroma in the nostrils of God.
Now, what John sees in heaven is An angel standing before that first altar, the altar of sacrifice. And like the priest would do. Using some tongs to remove the burning coals of the altar of sacrifice and placing them in a gold receptacle. It was called a sensor. It was just a golden receptacle you would carry on a chain.
And he would use the tongs and he would put those coals in that golden sensor and take them to the altar of incense. And he would mix with those burning coals incense. And this time, John sees the angel mixing with the hot coals the prayers of God's people. That are again wafting their way into the presence of God like a fragrant aroma. It says that the angel gathered all of the saints, the prayers of all of the saints.
That is, he has collected all of the prayers of all of God's people for all time, and he is offering them as a sacrifice to God. That's the picture we see here. But the particular prayers that John sees the angel gathering are the prayers of the tribulation saints who have been praying for relief from the terrible calamity that is going on during these seven years. And I want you to notice what this angel does. It's really strange.
After he has taken the coals and mixed them with incense and taken them up to the altar of incense, look at what happens in verse 5. Then the angel took the censer and he filled it with the fire, that is the coals of the altar, and he threw it to the earth. That is, he takes hot coals he has just put on the altar of incense. He uses the tongs, puts them back in his censer. He collects the incense, the prayers of the saints, puts them back into the censer.
And he empties that censer, the hot coals, and the prayers on the earth. And what happens after that? And there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake. The tribulation is in full force at this point. What is the relationship between the prayers of God's saints that have been poured out on the earth?
Here's the picture. The great judgment of God against the earth. Is the result of the prayers of God's people? What have God's people been praying for thousands of years? Thy kingdom come, God.
Thy will be done. on earth as it's being done in heaven. Christians of every age have been praying for justice. They've been praying for an end of suffering. They've been praying for the return of Jesus Christ.
That is the prayer of every true Christian. And now The angel is pouring out those prayers on the earth and saying, Those prayers are about to be answered. And now we are ready for the sounding of the first four of those trumpet judgments, beginning in verse 7. You'll notice that the first four of these trumpet judgments are against the earth, against nature, and the final three are against mankind. Let's look at that first trumpet, fire on earth, verse 7.
The first trumpet sounded, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. We don't know for sure what John is describing here. Perhaps it's a result of the volcanic activity mentioned in verse 5. But whatever it is, the devastation is real. Notice the results.
A third of the earth. was burned up. Not only that, a third of the trees were burned up. And not only that, all the green grass was burned up. That's what the Word of God says.
And you know, it's going to be interesting. In those final seven years, For people to see who have worshiped the earth and put so much concern in this world to see God destroy the world that He created. You know, one of the patterns you see in both the Old and New Testament is this: God loves to destroy idols. You know what an idol is? It's anything you love.
Anything you focus on more than God Himself, that's what an idol is. The idol doesn't have to be a little six inch. Figurine that you bow down and worship. Your career can be an idol. Your family can be an idol.
Your money can be an idol. An idol is anything that you love more than God. And many times God will destroy your idol right before your very eyes. He'll take away that relationship, he'll end that career. He'll consume your money, not because he hates you, because he loves you.
He wants you to know that there's only one person worthy of your worship and love, and that's God himself. In these final seven years, those who dwell on the earth are going to see the idol they have made of the world, Mother Nature. They're going to see that destroyed before their very eyes. But that's just the beginning. There is a second trumpet, and it results in blood in the sea.
Look at verses 8 and 9. The second angel sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood, and a third of the creatures which were in the sea and had life died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. This is something, John says, it looks like a great mountain coming to earth. It doesn't take much imagination to have to know what that is. He's probably talking about a large meteor, an asteroid that breaks up at some point and hits different parts of the Earth.
Again, if these large meteors hit There'll be tidal waves, tsunamis that will result in a third of. merchant ships being destroyed. And then the third trumpet, a contamination of fresh water. Look at verses 10 to 11. The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch.
And it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters. That word star we've seen before doesn't have to mean a literal star. The word can refer again to a meteor or an asteroid, some kind of heavenly body. And it breaks up apparently when it enters the atmosphere. But instead of striking the seas, These stars are directed, divinely so, to fall on a third of the rivers and springs of waters.
This is an attack on the fresh water that our world enjoys. By the way, this star that breaks up and falls to Earth. has a name. He has a name for this star. It's called wormwood.
Wormwood is a word that referred to bitterness, a bitter plant.
Well, this water isn't only bitter tasting, it becomes poisonous and results in the deaths of millions of men and women and children. And then the fourth judgment, the fourth trumpet, darkness of the heavenly bodies. Verse 12. And the fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened. And the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.
Darkness is always symbolic of evil and God's judgment. But I don't think we have to take this as symbolic. I think this is literal. What John has seen is the light from the sun and the moon and the stars was reduced by eight hours a day. How does God accomplish that?
In what sense is the intensity reduced that comes from the sun? That's really not hard to figure out. When you look at the first judgment, think of all the smoke coming up from a third of the world being destroyed by fire. Think of all the ash being spewed into the air through this. unusual amount of volcanic activity.
Think of what it would do in blocking or diminishing the sunlight that comes to the earth. You know, in the early 19th century, two different volcanic eruptions propelled enough smoke and ash into the atmosphere that it reduced global temperatures by 5 to 10 degrees. I think that's what you're seeing here. A result of these judgments and all of the ash and smoke and poisons released in the atmosphere have blocked off the sunlight for an additional eight hours a day. Can you imagine again the effect that would have on our growing of food, of the ecosystem, if we lost eight hours of sunlight every day?
And think about emotionally what that would do. To have 16 hours of darkness or 20 hours of darkness every day. Think about the violence, the looting, the rioting that would take place. These are awful judgments that God sends against the natural world. And yeah.
The worst is yet to come. And that's why we find this pause in verse 13. Then John says, I looked. And I heard an eagle flying in mid-heaven, saying with a loud voice, Whoa. Whoa.
Whoa. to those who dwell on the earth. Because of the remaining blast of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to come. As I said a moment ago. These final three trumpet judgments.
will be against man himself. And they're going to result in some of the worst human suffering the world has ever known. The Bible says it's going to last for five months. And people who are affected by this judgment are going to be in such agony and pain that they will cry out to God to be able to die, but God will not allow them to die. It is an agonizing judgment that is yet to come.
That word woe is always a pronouncement of. Divine judgment. He doesn't say it once, but he says it three times. There are three coming judgments. Woe, woe, woe, to those who are unfortunate enough.
To dwell. on the earth. I want you to think about that phrase for just a moment. To those who dwell on the earth. Who is going to receive these awful judgments yet to come?
To those who dwell on the earth. You're going to say, Pastor, that's pretty obvious who he's talking about: people who are living on the earth. That's not all that he's talking about here. The word To dwell on the earth, there are two Greek words used to describe earth dwellers. One word in Greek is par oikeo.
It's a word to refer to those who are sojourners on the earth. They're passing through this world. That's the word pa. R.K.O., a sojourner. But that's not the word we find here in Revelation 8:13.
This judgment is not against those who just geographically live on the earth. The second Greek word is kata oikeo. Kata oi Keo, those who dwell on the earth. It refers not just to our geographical location. But the location of our heart.
The focus of our life. Kata oikeo. It refers to people. Whose whole life and focus is centered around this world. And it is those who dwell on the earth, who have made this world their home, that are so focused on the temporal.
They've not taken care of eternal matters. They have neglected the most important gift of all. the gift of God's forgiveness. Let me ask you an all-important question as we look at these awful judgments that await mankind. What is the focus of your life right now?
What is it you think about? What is it you talk about? What is it that you give your energy to? Is it the things of this world? or the next world.
Are you focused on the temporal? Or are you focused on the eternal? Mm. The best indicator of your future eternal destination. is your present.
Focus. And that's the focus of this verse-by-verse study in the book of Revelation called Final Conquest. I want you to see what's coming ahead on God's timeline so that it radically alters the decisions you make right now. And to that end, I've written two resources that I'd like to send to your home. The first is a book I've written called Final Conquest.
In my book, I'll help you see how Revelation is not a book to be feared, but celebrated. When Jesus returns to earth, He will have the last word in history. I want you to have a copy of my book, Final Conquest. It's yours. when you give a generous gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory.
And when you respond today, I'm going to include another resource I've written for you. This one is called The Major Characters of the End Times, and it's a full-color 56-page guide to the key figures of the rapture, the tribulation, the second coming, and the final judgment.
So be sure to get in touch today to request these resources. Thanks for giving generously. Your consistent support is making Pathway to Victory one of the fastest growing Christian media ministries in the country. Here's David to tell you more. You're invited to request your very own copy of the book Final Conquest, along with the booklet Major Characters of the End Times, when you give a generous gift to support the Ministry of Pathway to Victory.
Call 866-999-2965, visit ptv.org or text ptv to 78800. And when you give an especially generous gift of $125 or more, we'll also send you the complete Final Conquest teaching series on DVD video and MP3 format audio disc, along with Dr. Jeffers' book, Mysteries of the End Times. That's a clear guide to your questions about the rapture, the tribulation, and the return of Christ. One more time, call 866-999-2965 or make your request online at ptv.org.
You could write to us if you'd like. Here's that address: PO Box 223-609, Dallas, Texas, 75222. That's P.O. Box 223-609, Dallas, Texas, 75222. I'm David J.
Mullins, inviting you to join us again next time when Dr. Jeffers talks about the heightened demonic activity that will occur during the Great Tribulation. Hear a message called Day of the Demons. That's Friday on Pathway to Victory. Pathway to Victory with Dr.
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