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May 6, 2020 1:00 am
I however believe the words of this revelation as it comes to close in Jesus Christ as Revelation chapter 21. I am the Alpha and the Omega, I am the first and the last I am beginning in the end I am in other words, the starting point of life, one on the banks of the Nile was within the Council of triune God for God created the heavens and the earth worship of the stars and planets.
By the way, one day, utterly, completely good. They worship God gave us this planet as our habitat. He told us to care for it and have dominion over it. It's important as Christians that we keep your and our relationship with the earth in proper perspective. This earth is our temporary home. Humanity will not live on this earth forever and will learn more about that today. This is wisdom for the heart with Stephen Devi. Stephen is in a series from the book of Revelation and today's lesson is called no more birthday.
I found it interesting in researching the subject this week that every day when the sun rises over Washington DC its first raise fall on the eastern side of the city's tallest monument by design is the Washington Monument, 555 feet in the air, the architects of the committees.
One of those first raise the catch and reflect the eastern side of that aluminum capstone where these words are inscribed layoffs.
Deyo which is Latin for praise be to God is in the lives of most people can read and sue the state to have it removed. Frankly, but imagine the first thing to catch the sunlight in our capital are words that speak praise to our God thing that happened today.
It probably would be declaring some kind of praise to the sun as you win or to mother nature listen latest job. There is no question that fallen man and when I dealing with us in our server that I will say it because it's true there's no doubt that fallen man has failed in his God given stewardship over here we under him, stored, or where to enjoy the earth. We failed in our ability to enhance the earth, disputing resources, however, and I'm not excusing mankind's failure, but you need to understand the shocking truth. The damage mankind has done to this planet is in no way comparable to the damage that will be done to the planet by God, he will destroy more water than man ever polluted. He will level more trees than we ever planet, he will destroy more species of animals where preserved in fact, he will destroy most of the year and the universe until the some summation of his judgment. He will destroy the rest stop and then re-create a new heaven and a new earth for us to enjoy forever. Here's the greater irony that to me is that God will use nature, mankind's chief source of idolatry. He will use nature to punish mankind.
The very thing that man revered will turn and bite him in these coming judgments the very earth that man placed all of his love and cherish detention upon will one day become the very weapon of judgment in the hand of creator God. Mankind is come to cherish and revere the earth and God will use the idol of the earth to judge the human race.
They will have worshiped mother nature. She will not be benevolent their idle mother will be used by God to destroy. We've arrived it even more terrifying judgments in our study in Revelation. Let's pick it up in chapter 8 is the first archangel blows on that first trumpet in this first trumpet you're taking notes impacts the Earth's surface were to deal with four trumpets, all in one sermon at lightning speed and that is a miracle.
So I look at verse seven, first trumpet sound and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth, and 1/3 of the earth was burned up and 1/3 of the trees were burned up all the green grass was burned now disappoint, remember, ladies and gentlemen, we are well into the tribulation were actually over the over the halfway point of the tribulation and you notice here, the implication is there plenty of trees. There is plenty of water, plenty of foliage applying rainfall water in the normal cycles on the planet. It's in full working order all the way into the middle part of the tribulation and follow the tribulation Christ will reign at the end of that thousand year reign. A new heaven and a new earth will be created so were well into the tribulation here, let me make a couple more, there isn't anything about this language. By the way that the shows us that these plagues are just symbolic that they aren't literal that they don't literally happen there's anything in the language of that sort that they are no more symbolic than the plagues of judgment on the landed Egypt centuries earlier real frogs real hail real lice real locusts real darkness, real death that many commentators like to read in the Revelation chapter 8. Everything from nuclear war to nuclear fallout, and it is even more sensational. Just taking it at face value.
There may very well be a nuclear war sometime in the future of the planet.
But there's no reason to believe that these judgments here are anything more than literal God ordained judgments in which he uses the elements of nature to carry out his judgment. In fact if you look at verse seven. The syntax indicates that the blind and the hail in the firestorm were created in heaven and literally hurled to the earth number seven again. The first sounded, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. Can you imagine satellite networks picking up this storm hurtling toward earth real hail real fire real blood.
We horrify what's gonna happen.
We might circle the phrase or underline the phrase one third in your text is significant here. This entire chapter peer over and over and over again in verse seven verse eight verse nine verse 10 verse 11 in verse 12. You'll see it appearing over and over the repeated use of this phrase clearly communicates to us that the results of these judgments are not random disorder, random natural events, but they are carefully designed divine judgments. They are meted out for specific results and one third of different things are affected now. The amazing thing is that when you study these judgments is that two thirds survive but we do know that God holds it back. In fact, it's a demonstration of his mercy, and they can only go so far and only one third will be affected. So this first trumpet signifies a terrifying storm. It will create forest fires all over the planet destroying trees and foliage and there will no doubt be seminars and conferences, and emergency sessions of the United Nations.
If they are not. It's not the fund by then news, documentaries, and people everywhere, desperately trying to cope with the incredible damage to Earth's ecosystem. This is just the beginning of the archangels, trumpets, and while this first trumpet brings devastation to green foliage on the planet. The second trumpet rings terror to the ocean of our world. Look at the second trumpet which impacts the oceans in verse eight, the second angel sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and 1/3 of the sea became blood, 1/3 of the creatures which were in the sea had life, died in the third of the ships were destroyed. Here's one of the similes. One of the few similes that John uses in this passage.
This was something that he observed being thrown again from heaven, as if from the hand of God. He said it was a lie of great mountain burning with fire fell under the seal. Literally the ocean that this is a reasonable description by the apostle John. Then of of an asteroid. John doesn't have a word for a sentence like a mountain and its burning falls into the ocean is interesting.
The scientists identify an asteroid is a mountain sized chunk of rock hurtling through space. In fact, they track them even now well over a thousand of them.
They know their orbits and they can calculate when they thing one may hit the planet are saying will hit the plane in about 2036 somewhere around there while one of these will, in fact, one author explained of such a rock came toward the earth, the friction of Earth's atmosphere would cause it to burn the fireball astronomers are calculating the orbits of these known as rates to see if any of them would come close enough to strike the earth. If one happens to land in the ocean. It could quote easily produce tidal waves, plural 1000 feet high.
The ceiling is about 40 feet high thousand feet high.
Add to that the fact that John describes her records here. Something that is not just a natural disaster. Just explain away, but a divine miracle. The water he writes turns to blood the Greek word is time from which we get our word Hima or hematology study of blood. This is reminiscent of the play in Egypt where God turned the water of the Nile into what the blood one can only imagine the staggering death of sea creatures as one third of the ocean is now affected John specifically add to the end of verse eight that one third of the ships are destroyed. The ensuing tsunamis that come from this. This large mountain chunk of rock hitting the ocean that that's gonna capsize ships. These tidal waves.
These mega-tsunamis will capsize freighters as well as other ocean vessels of all kinds. In fact, there is no loss.
Coastal cities away.
This is not a science fiction movie.
This is reality when the judgment of God, and imagine the naval fleets of every major country now severely crippled. You can imagine seafood which will now be rationed in coastal regions depending official experience difficulty is food is rationed. People are gonna lose or source of income.
Their livelihood will be legally lost. God has scorch the earth.
In fact, even at this time. Many believe that these traumas are being blown one after another. These first four almost simultaneous other happening at the same time as it were there battling forest fires. On one hand, were crops and grasping burned up his is a earth surface.
The belief that it's mother nature is now being being scorched, and then the second trumpet comes along and in the end, the very object that mankind believed was the womb of life. The ocean the ocean which mankind is long revered as sort of the womb of mother nature. It will now turn and integrating dance. You can only imagine dead fish dead whale shipwreck vessels drifting up on the shores of our planet, we horrify that which man revered seems to have been turned unleashed upon verse 10/3 angel sounded, and a great star fell from heaven he tries to describe it is burning like a torch that fell on the third of the rivers and on the springs of water.
The name of the stars: 103rd of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the waters because they were made bitter. Now one third of rivers and lakes and natural springs are poison a star fall from heaven there is any reason to take this any other way than literally fact the WordStar can be used for any heavenly body outside the moon and the sun used by the agents used in the Bible. I found it interesting in researching this a little further to find help. Ironically, from the National Geographic Society society so will not creationism of this society records that there are only about 100 principles, 100 principal rivers in the world.
They range in length from the Amazon which is about 4000 miles long, to the real daily plotter which is about 150 miles long and these 100 rivers supply the fresh water network of the world. In other words, this falling star could poison only a few of these principal rivers and and literally affect one third of the earth's fresh water network and did you notice in this verse the falling star happens to have a name.
It's called wormwood absent thoughts. This is the word for plant to grow in Palestine and had a very bitter, bitter taste throughout the Scriptures did have meaning it referred to the judgment the bitter judgment of God. Several times Jeremiah referred to people eating and drinking wormwood is a symbol of eating and drinking the judgment of God. So now folks just try to imagine this scene. Oceans are reaching with blood and death.
Coastlines are littered with carcasses one third of the earth's surface is on fire. Clean water is nearly impossible to find as rivers and lakes and private wells yield nothing but the bitterness of wormwood.
I know one thing, there will be no more. There will be no more happy banners to mother nature, or the planet. The third trumpet impacts Earth's rivers and lakes. Freshwater supply and now the last of the four in quick succession. The fourth trumpet impacts on and stars verse 12 the fourth angel sounded, and 1/3 of the sun, and 1/3 of the moon, and 1/3 of the stars were struck so that 1/3 of them would be darkened, and the day would not shine for 1/3 of it in the night in the same way that you need to notice carefully. John is saying to the third of the sun no longer works that were true. Earth would freeze in a matter of minutes of short exactly.
Time with those that I've read said it would freeze over solid quick short amount of time what I believe John is recording here is that God will only allow the celestial being, to provide light for the planet to operate at a diminished rate of time. Again, this is reminiscent of the plagues of Egypt.
God effectively gives mankind's wish.
Mankind hates the light, mankind allows darkness because his deeds are what evil okay I'll give you your way shall give you more darkness is what's happening here. The human race will go from the normal cycles of light and darkness to only having run eight hours of light day. By the way this understanding fits perfectly with the prophecy of Amos, who wrote of this day of judgment. Listen to what he said and it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord God that I will cause the sun to go down at noon and I will darken the earth in the clear day you can imagine the number of miracles of the sovereign hand as he manipulates the movement of the universe itself. But here's something deeper than tapping this judgment once again strikes at the idolatry of the human heart for centuries by going all the way back to Nimrod, mankind has supposedly gathered direction and wisdom from where stars, the sun and moon, stars and planets have not only been studied, which is a wonderful study: astronomy they are worshiped and revered and sought after for wisdom, which is the basis of astrology entirely different thing. Astronomy is a wonderful science of discovering the far reaches of the universe. I am amazed I see the picture sent back by Hubble. The vast creative handiwork of God and astronomer study the calculations of the movements ended it. It does exactly what David said it would do it it it gives glory to God for those of us who believe in him and our creator, but astrology is the belief that a star somewhere out there determines your fate so you gotta figure out what's happening, so horoscopes are are watched carefully by millions upon millions of people who consult them every day leaders and nations determine the events of state based on the movements of stars in our generation. Just as in the past, astrology goes all the way back to battle.
You consult any book on astrology and they will take you back to the learning of the Chaldeans were literally the Babylonian. They were the ones who originally developed the zodiac. They created the zodiac by dividing the sky into section and in giving by virtue of stars within those sections. Meaning it's all person's destiny is determined by your star which is in a certain section of the zodiac, which then determines your fate that sign you been born under someone will say Stephen didn't God say that the stars were created as signs in the heavens. Yes, God said that in Genesis 114. However, the word sign does not mean source of wisdom or even direction the same word was used for the plagues of Egypt, Moses called them sign Deuteronomy 23 why not because they provided wisdom not because it gave director for your life because they symbolize the hand of creator God and his judgment. The stars are signs in that they point to the glory of the creator God. Psalm 19 one. They tell of the glory of God the sun and moon are visual reminders of the power of the creator God. Romans chapter 1 verse 21 has mankind done with this. What is mankind Don Aziz marveled at the mood of sun, moon and stars. He has revered he has gone to them for supposing wisdom, but of any man like wisdom, let him ask of God, so this is idolatry.
This is the replacement of God with the star you go all the way back to the Babylonians, who then perfected the system in Egypt by their application of the zodiac. In fact, the pyramids were constructed with certain mathematical relationships to the stars which they revered, cherished, followed they were the servants of of sun their Pharaoh was simply the offspring of the son archaeologists found it interesting. This is a side note, they found the Sphinx was in fact constructed to preach in astrological message, just as the capstone of the Washington Monument, declares the glory of God. So the Sphinx was designed to declare the glory not of God but of the zodiac the stars of the heavens. It has the head of a woman, you've probably seen pictures of it that represents Virgo and has the body of a lion that represents Leo Virgo is the first sign of the zodiac, and Lee was the last sign of the zodiac. In other words, the Sphinx represented the Alpha and the Omega of the zodiac, the beginning and the end fact, the word Sphinx in the Greek language simply means joining. They believed it was the meeting point of the zodiac and indicated through the priest through this construction that the starting point of all of life on earth began their in Egypt in the womb of the Nile believe that if you want. I however believe the words of this revelation as it comes to a close in Jesus Christ as Revelation chapter 21. I am the Alpha and the Omega, I am the first and the last I am beginning in the end I am in other words, the starting point of life, one on the banks of the Nile was within the Council of triune God for God created the heavens and the earth, the worship of the stars and planets.
By the way, are you one day utterly completely collapse horoscopes will one day be roundish, discarded by the million to try to follow them. Why is God going to dim the lights, Joel prophesied in Joel chapter 2 verse 1031 in chapter 3 verse 15 he says it this way, the sun and moon will grow dark in this day and the stars will lose the brightness mankind has pursued every avenue within nature, for wisdom pursued every avenue for direction except the creator of nature, our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom all things were created, nothing was created apart or without him. Colossians 110, 160, so we go to him.
We don't we don't cause in front of the sovereignty of God by seeking out some*some chunk of matter which will somehow director life. One offensive thing to creator God, no mankind will will seek wisdom from created things rather than the creator and on this coming day of judgment.
God will cause mankind and the darkness to scramble confused the cherished and worshiped the creature rather than the creator. Romans 125 and now their environmental idols. All are ecological sermons there. Idolatry of mother nature. Yes, I don't use it for fitly idolatry because nature and earth have replaced true worship of our creator and this creator in this day will turn their idols against them with horrifying effects. There will be no Earth Day probably never ever again. The chapter ends with the appearance of an eagle. My text reads in verse 13 there quickly. Then I looked and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven, saying with a loud voice low low low to those who dwell on the earth.
Those earth dwellers that the phrase used 12 times in the book of Revelation speak of those who disbelieve God. They dwell on the earth.
They live for the earth are subjugated by your loaded them because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound. In other words, God here in his mercy is informing everyone on the planet. But there's more judgment coming. This is an act of his mercy. So if you're not ready by now get ready by getting right with God will blow to the dwell on the earth.
There are three more blasts of trumpets from three angels, which are about to come. Stephen reminded us today. A day is coming when those who revere the earth over the God who created the earth will come to realize that their worship was misguided. They should have worshiped the creator, not the creation as this revelation continues to unfold. We have much more to learn.
But we need to stop here for today and resume tomorrow you're listening to wisdom for the heart with Stephen Devi if you had to miss part of today's lesson you can go back and hear it again on our website.
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