Rev 8- Peering into the Day of the Lord

Peering into the Day of the Lord

Revelation—The Spirit Speaks to the Churches Chapter 18: Trumpeting the End of the World (Revelation 8:1–13)

HOW LONG? Psalm 4:2: how long will the wicked dishonor the Messiah and love what is worthless and seek lies? Psalm 6:1–3: how long until we’re healed and no longer do things that provoke God’s wrath? Psalm 13:1, 2: how long will it seem like God has forgotten us and is hiding his face while the enemy exalts over us? Psalm 35:17: how long will the Lord look on before he delivers? Psalm 62:3: how long will the righteous be attacked? Psalm 74:10: how long will the enemies of God scoff and revile his name? Psalm 79:5: how long will God’s anger against his people who have sinned continue? Psalm 80:4: how long will God refuse to answer the prayers of his people? Psalm 90:13: how long before the Lord returns and has pity on his servants? Psalm 94:3: how long will God allow the wicked to exult and gloat? Psalm 119:84: how long must God’s servants endure persecution? Revelation 6:9, 10: how long until God begins to avenge the blood of the martyrs?

We know what this feels like, don’t we? How long must I suffer this painful disease? How long until God remakes the world so no more babies die of either Trisomy 18 or Trisomy 13? How long until no more babies are born with heart defects? How long until no more young wives die of tragic diseases? How long must we struggle with this temptation? How long until redemption comes? How long until the suffering ends? How long until God shows his glory and puts those who mock him to shame?

How long? That question has been ringing through the prayers of God’s people for thousands of years now. What do you think it’s going to look like when God decides it’s time? In 6:11 the martyrs are told to “rest a little longer”; then in chapter 8 their prayers come before God, and he answers those prayers.

I thought this was a fitting intro for us tonight as we continue to look into Revelation

Here we sit tonight, in the birth pains, and we look into the Day of the Lord once again

Revelation 8:1–5 ESV

When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.

Vs 1-The Lamb has opened the last seal and silence falls across heaven

-Why 30 minutes? 29 wasnt enough and 31 was too much

-in all seriousness, We havent had a glimpse into the throne room that hasnt erupted in thunderous worship

-I think the pause is there because all heaven knows the end is coming- Wrong will be forever put asunder

-thats a frightfully amazing thing- No more sin, but that requires the full outpouring of Gods wrath

1 Peter 1:12 ESV

It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

This is what they have been waiting for- its here- they stand in awe

Habakkuk 2:20 ESV

But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.”

Zephaniah 1:7 ESV

Be silent before the Lord God! For the day of the Lord is near; the Lord has prepared a sacrifice and consecrated his guests.

Zechariah 2:13 ESV

Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.

Its the calm before the storm

Revelation 8:2 ESV

Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.

Seven angels are given the trumpets

-Trumpet blast were used to declare war, the coming and going of the Israelite camp, and the presence of God

-The angels are issuing in the great day of the Lord and announcing the presence of the Righteous Judge himself

Revelation 8:3–5 ESV

And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.

At this moment the prayers of the saints from Rev 6 have made been lifted up to God and the time of waiting is no longer over

-When will answer? The answer comes- now

Revelation 8:6–13 ESV

Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them. The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and these were thrown upon the earth. And a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up. The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the water, because it had been made bitter. The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night. Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew directly overhead, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!”

As we walk through these- there a couple ways to look at these

Literally- these are literal things that will happen as stated- hard to defend that with the 4th trumpet for example- life doesnt exist in that environment

Microscope- the first 6 seals lead to 7th seal which contain the trumpets and bowl judgements- your tunneling deeper and the judgement gets more severe

Retelling/Recapitulating- seals, trumpets and bowls are the same judgements from a different perspective

you can decide where and how you want to proceed there

But what we can positively say is this- the wrath of God is a dreadful thing

Vs 7- hail and fire mixed with blood destroy a 1/3 of all the earths trees and grass- thats catastrophic for breathing

Vs 8-9 so a burning mountain was thrown into the sea- 1/3 of the sea became blood, 1/3 of all ships destroyed and sea creatures died

Vs10-11 Star from heaven named Wormwood crashed to earth and 1/3 of the rivers and spring- water turns to poison and many die

Vs 12- Sun, moon and stars all are affected- 1/3 of them will not shine- what does that looks like? Is it smoke? Are they destroyed?

Then there is this solemn cry in verse 13

Revelation 8:13 ESV

Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew directly overhead, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!”

The earth as we know it is coming apart at the seams and its not the end yet

Disaster, Disaster, Disaster is decreed on earth as the Holy, Holy, Holy one has bent his bow and drawn the sword of Judgement

As we tie things up tonight- When will God make things right or his people, evil punished, good exalted? Not a moment too soon and not a minute to spare

May we pray for Gods to accomplish his work and be about the kingdom as it speaks in Matthew 24

Matthew 24:14 ESV

And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Whats our part in this? to pray, to tell, to be prepared- until the Lords opens the last seal

Judgement is coming

Revelation—The Spirit Speaks to the Churches Revelation 8:13: Woe to the Earth-Dwellers

If you’re a non-Christian, these woes are directed at you. But don’t think that’s unkind of God, and don’t think that I’m not being nice to you to tell you this. This is actually an expression of God’s mercy to you, because God is giving you a chance to repent of your sins, trust in Christ, and be saved from the woes that are coming upon you. If you refuse to repent, woes await you. This is certain, on the basis of the very word of God. Let me plead with you, for your own good, repent of your sin and trust in Christ!

If you’re a Christian, let me invite you to consider a scenario: the prophet Ezekiel was told that he had been appointed as a watchman to the house of Israel, and it was explained to him that if he warned the wicked to repent and they refused to repent, the wicked would die for their own iniquity. But Ezekiel was also told that if he did not warn the wicked, they would pay for their own sin, but “his blood I will require at your hand” (Ezekiel 3:16–21). Christian, is there going to be blood on your hands? Are you warning the wicked? We shouldn’t only warn them because we don’t want to be responsible for them, but the Lord did give that reason to Ezekiel in order to motivate him to warn the wicked. It’s never pleasant to tell people that they need to repent, that the wrath of God is hovering over them, but if we don’t tell them, God will hold us responsible.

Let’s pray that God would cause us to love people enough to tell them the truth. Let’s pray that God would make us faithful to proclaim the gospel as Jesus charged us to do.