HoHum:
Memorial Day: I stand for the flag; I kneel for the cross
WBTU:
Saw a bumper sticker that said: Jesus is coming! Look busy! Boss is coming so look busy
The Bible teaches that a day is coming when the trumpet of the archangel will sound, the eastern sky will split and Jesus will come riding back to earth on the clouds, followed by his angel armies. History will end as we know it, and all humanity will be judged- some to enjoy God’s presence forever and others to eternal torment. We know that Christ’s return will be unexpected and without warning, like a thief in the night. We also know that his return will be soon. All the prophecies to be fulfilled before his second coming have already taken place, and there is nothing to prevent Jesus from crashing back through the clouds right now. Know of a person who had in their office, “Maybe today!” Every morning, we need to be reminded that the Lord could return this very day. Jesus is coming. Look busy. How about not just looking busy but we are busy all the time for our mission. What is our mission? To love people and lead them to a relationship with Jesus Christ.
If Jesus returned today, what would we like him to catch us doing?
Praying. B. Worshipping. C. Watching Christian TV. D. Baptizing. Best answer is D. In light of Christ’s imminent return, what should we be busy doing? Matthew 28:19-20
The Blues Brothers were on a mission from God to save the orphanage and sacrificed everything for that mission. We should do the same (not necessarily for an orphanage).
We have gone over the opening of the 7 seals and have now come to the sounding of the 7 trumpets in Revelation 8:6- read that verse. Here we come to the second of the three sets of 7 judgements. In Sunday school talked about “progressive parallelism.” The idea is simply this: each of the 3 7’s is narrating the same sequence of events (not 3 different sequences). This is the telling the same story 3x, with a little more intensity each time, and the story of God’s judgements throughout history that lead up to the end of the world. So these 7 trumpets will sound a bit like a rerun of the seven seals earlier. Remember VHS? After the seventh seal, we “rewind the tape,” and, with the 1st trumpet, start back on earth in a time of suffering. This time with more intensity.
Thesis: Talk about mission from the first 6 trumpets
For instances:
Transition and introduction: If we take the first 4 trumpets as a whole, they each seem to picture the impact of ongoing but not yet final judgment on the things of this world in which many people find their sustenance and security. These are not necessarily bad things. They are just vulnerable things. The trumpets are sounding an alarm, warning of the danger of having only this world and what it provides and promises to depend on for security and satisfaction.
1. 1st trumpet- Revelation 8:7
Burn, burn, burn. This trumpet reveals a picture of one third of the fields and trees that should be providing food burning up so that there is hunger that cannot be satisfied. The earth has a limited ability to bring satisfaction. Notice also that this is a third not a fourth like the seals. One third of the earth, trees, grass, etc., feels the heat of God’s wrath. God has turned up the power of his judgement, moving the dial from 25% to 33%. This really is an act of mercy. Given the stubborn rebellion of human hearts, God would have every right to turn the judgement dial to 100%, and wipe mankind out completely but God doesn’t.
2. 2nd trumpet- Revelation 8:8-9
Mountains speak of kingdoms, both good and bad, earthly and heavenly (Revelation 14:1; 17:9; 21:10). Here with the second trumpet is a picture of the great kingdoms of the world that come crashing down, destroying the lives and livelihoods of those who live in them. Now this has happened repeatedly throughout history.
3. 3rd trumpet- Revelation 8:10-11
This resembles what is talked about in Isaiah 14:12-15, where Babylon’s guardian angel is pictures as a star cast down from heaven into a pit. Here the star is called “Wormwood,” which is based on Jeremiah 9:15 and 23:15, where God judges his disobedient people by giving them poisoned water to drink. This trumpet demonstrates that the very things in this world that people consume, expecting them to be life giving, often end up poisoning them. This trumpets to those who think that their sins add to their lives. In reality, sin ruins everything. In fact, this will be their ruin. Jesus gives life giving water whereas the world gives water that only brings more thirst and ruin. Thirst is never quenched. Isaiah 55:1-2: Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.
4. 4th trumpet- Revelation 8:12
Lights of the heavens are partially darkened. This is a picture of the failure of the world’s wisdom and spirituality to truly enlighten, a picture of people going about their lives in darkness without the ability to see what is true and right and good, as well as who is true and right and good. This trumpet sounds a warning to all who dwell on the earth: Don’t put our trust in things of this world! They are all vulnerable. They will all eventually fail us. Put our trust in the one who made the earth, the sun, moon and stars. He can be trusted. These 4 trumpets end in burning and destroying, in bitterness and darkness.
Transition: Revelation 8:13 The first four trumpets unleash the elemental forces of nature but God issues a warning (with an eagle) because the trumpets to follow will unleash the demonic forces of hell itself.
5. 5th trumpet- Revelation 9:1-11
In vs. 1 we know who this star is, it is Satan or a demonic archangel. The Abyss is the pit of hell. In vs. 2 the smoke is the smoke of deception and delusion, of sin and sorrow, of moral darkness and degradation that is constantly belching up out of hell. Vs. 3 we are introduced to locusts. Joel talks about a swarm of locusts that brought God’s judgment on the people of Israel. These are no ordinary locusts. When John’s readers would have read this they would have immediately thought, “Parthians!” These fierce barbaric warriors on Rome’s eastern frontier wore long hair, were renowned horseman and were the only real threat to Rome, but more like a thorn in Rome’s side. Many times they fought back and forth until they both were destroyed by the barbarian invasions of the 7th century. Actually Rome was not destroyed by barbarians but by the corruption within. No one ever overcome the Romans but the worst enemy of Rome was themselves. Our military is the envy of the world but if no one cares anymore because of the corruption within, guess what, destruction is sure to follow. Vs. 5-6 we might think of Memorial Day, those POW’s who endured torture for our nation. Some times they were killed but often they were kept around for propaganda and endured untold hardships. They often wanted to die. Thank God for those who paid the price for our freedoms. Interesting but we find in vs. 4 that those who suffer in this way are those who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. This seal was introduced to us during the opening of the seals. Revelation 7:3: Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God. Vs. 4 talks about the 144,000 who were sealed. Ephesians 4:30: do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. As Christians the HS lives in us. Give invitation of believe, confess, and be baptized. Talk about repentance toward the end. Those who are sealed appear to be exempt from this torture. These demons tempt and deceive, making evil appear virtuous and attractive. In the end they sting (the wages of sin is death). In the end those who come under their power experience not freedom and joy but torment, the torment of guilt and regret, slavery to sin, and sickness of soul. It will make the unsealed wish that they were dead. Vs. 11- Destroyer- John 10:10- The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.
6. 6th trumpet- Revelation 9:13-21
Notice the golden altar (prayer) in vs. 13. Vs. 14- Euphrates is a river where the enemy armies of Israel often come from. Euphrates here is not so much a geographical reference but is a spiritual reference to “where Satan will marshal his forces against God’s people.” Vs. 17-18 talk about the fire, smoke and sulfur that comes out of their mouths. John is using apocalyptic language to describe something we don’t always see as scary or troubling- deception and false teaching. Here we get to see what false teaching looks like from the vantage point of heaven, which enables us to see just how deadly it is. Vs. 19 talks about inflicting injury or wounding. Not just killing but also giving permanent wounds. How many veterans have visible wounds (and invisible wounds) from their service and/or combat? Again thankful for them but remember this is talking about those who refuse to repent. Vs. 20-21 talks about the reactions of those who endure wounding and corruption. These trumpets should signal to everyone to get ready for eternity. Sadly, many do not heed the warnings. They enjoy their sins and would never think of stop doing them. When we hear the word “repentance,” we think about “stopping bad behavior.” And repentance certainly implies this. If there is no change in our behavior at all, then we haven’t really repented. But repentance is more than “stopping bad behavior.” The word “repentance” in Greek is “metanoia” which literally means “a change of mind.” To repent is to change our mind about sin and that change of mind produces a change in behavior. Even more than this, repentance is a change in our master. We no longer serve demons or idols but we serve the living and true God. Romans 6:14: For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. I would much rather have God as my master because look at the torture that everyone else goes through in these 2 chapters.
