Eschatology 9 Of 16 The Tribulation Period

• In fact, he was fighting a fellow one evening in the ring and he hit him so hard that it knocked him out, and the powerful blow from Mancinni led to his death.

The experts said that he threw an average of 150 punches per round. He literally beat his opponent into submission. Those who boxed him, said that weeks after they boxed him they were still sore from all the punches he hit them with.

The reason I mention this fighter is because he reminds us of what God does during the Great Tribulation period.

For three-and-a-half years he pounds the earth with some of the most devastating blows that the world has ever received. The Bible says that this pounding of the wrath of God during this three-and-a-half years will be so severe that:

• Men will run and try to find a place to hide. But how can you hide from a God who is OMNISCIENT and OMNIPRESENT?

But nevertheless, the Bible says this is exactly what they will do. Look at Rev. 6:16-17, we read, “And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”

• The Bible tells us that men’s hearts will fail them because of the fearful things that will take place during this three-and-a-half years.

All those who miss out on the rapture are going to be facing the most difficult time that any mortal has ever had on this earth.

We have looked at the SEVEN SEAL JUDGMENTS.

We have looked at the SEVEN TRUMPET JUDGMENTS.

Tonight we want to look briefly at the SEVEN VIAL JUDGMENTS. (Some refer to them as the Bowl Judgments)

When the SEVENTH TRUMPET JUDGMENT opens, it reveals to us the SEVEN VIAL JUDGMENTS which make up the third “Woe”.

Look at Rev. 16:1, as we read of the introduction of the pouring out of these vials. “And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.”

WHOSE VOICE IS THIS? This has to be the voice of God the Creator.

WHY DO WE REACH THAT CONCLUSION? Because only God can give the command to bring creation, as we know it to be, to an end.

Illus: Sometimes in this evil society, we see some horrendous things and we can’t help but say, “Why doesn’t someone do something to stop this evil?”

Listen, evil is so prevalent today that our law enforcement will tell you they are helpless, and they cannot stop it.

Illus: For example, sometimes motorcycle riders will go into a city like Myrtle Beach, or Daytona Beach, and for a week they do as they please because there are so many of them that they know that no one can stop them.

Illus: We see another example of this in these “Woodstock” gatherings. Since the 60’s, this country has had three “Woodstocks”, where between 2 and 3 hundred thousand people gather together and do as much evil as they can do in three days.

• They smoke marijuana, take dope openly

• They curse and lie

• They fight

• They burn down buildings

• They steal

• They walk around in the nude

For three days, they do every evil thing that can be imagined, and the police will tell you, there are so many of them that NO ONE CAN STOP THEM!

But listen, one day the Lord is going to stop them in their tracks.

• God is going to send the SEVEN SEAL JUDGMENTS

• God is going to send the TRUMPET JUDGMENTS

• God is going to send the VIAL JUDGMENTS

Some believe that the Seven Seal Judgments will take place as preliminary judgments during the first three-and-a-half years of the tribulation period.

That probably is not the case, because the first three-and-a-half years will be that time when the antichrist, who rides the white horse in Rev. 6:2, will be establishing himself as the peace maker, and all the world will wonder after him.

It is only after three-and-a-half years that he robs the world of that peace, and breaks the peace treaty he makes with the Jews, and sets himself up as god to be worshipped in the temple in Jerusalem.

But the VIAL JUDGMENTS (also known as Bowl Judgments) will take place during the last days of the great tribulation period.

IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE VIAL JUDGMENTS AND THE OTHER TWO JUDGMENTS?

Yes, the Seal Judgments and the Trumpet judgments were limited judgments. We saw this in: