The First Woe

Q: What does the Bible say about divine judgment in Revelation?

The Bible reveals divine judgment through symbolic events in Revelation, illustrating God's sovereignty over the world and the consequences of sin. The book of Revelation presents a vivid picture of God's judgment through a series of trumpet sounds that signify various judgments imposed on the earth. For example, in Revelation 8:12-13, the fourth angel sounds his trumpet, leading to the darkening of a third of the sun, moon, and stars. This judgment is interpreted through other prophetic scriptures, such as Joel 2:30-32 and Acts 2:16-21, which affirm that these occurrences signify divine intervention in history that warns humanity of God's forthcoming justice. These judgments act as a reminder of God's authority and serve to demonstrate the fate that awaits those who reject His sovereignty.

Q: How do we know that God's sovereignty is emphasized in the judgments of Revelation?

God's sovereignty is emphasized as He orchestrates all judgments, revealing His control over history and the fate of nations. In the context of the judgments presented in Revelation, we see a steadfast assertion of God's sovereignty throughout the unfolding events. Each trumpet judgment serves a specific purpose, outlining both the severity and the call to repentance for humankind. They emphasize that these aren't random acts of chaos but are deliberate actions of a sovereign God who rules over all creation. Romans 8:28 also reinforces this by stating, 'all things work together for good to them that love God.' Thus, even in adversity and judgment, God's plan remains meticulously executed and reveals His ultimate authority. This sovereign foreknowledge reflects the profound depth of His character as seen in the faithful yet often overlooked remnants of His people who respond to His call amidst judgment.

Q: Why is understanding judgment important for Christians?

Understanding judgment is crucial for Christians as it shapes our view of God's holiness, justice, and the urgency of the gospel. For Christians, comprehending the nature of divine judgment is central to grasping the holiness and justice of God. It prompts us to recognize the seriousness of sin and the consequences that it entails, ultimately reinforcing our understanding of the necessity for salvation through Jesus Christ. As believers, acknowledging that God's judgments are not just limited to a distant future but are also current realities helps foster a sense of urgency in preaching the gospel and living as witnesses of His grace. Joel 2:32, which states, 'whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered,' echoes the hope of redemption amidst judgment. This understanding instills a deep reverence for God’s character and a desire to share His merciful offer of salvation with a world under judgment.

Q: What does Revelation teach us about God's judgment today?

Revelation teaches us that God's judgment is ongoing, reflecting His sovereignty and the consequences of humanity's rebellion. The teachings of Revelation illuminate the current reality of God’s judgment, signifying that it is not merely a future event but a present reality enacted by the sovereign will of God. As the trumpets sound, they depict the consequences of humanity's rejection of God and the descent into chaos. This is aligned with Romans 11:7, which indicates that the unrepentant will face spiritual blindness, while those chosen by God will see His grace. The judgments serve as a reminder that God is actively engaging with the world, calling individuals to repentance while also showcasing the dire consequences for ignoring His commands. The imagery employed in Revelation serves to instill awe, urgency, and a warning that God is sovereign even in judgment, beckoning humanity to turn back to Him.

Turn with me to Revelation chapter
8. Last time we looked at this blessed book
of the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ, we stopped at verse
11, we finish verse 11, and I just decided to wait until this time
and not go longer than I should. Before we pick up in this book,
and we'll pick up in verse 12 of chapter 8 and then just go
right on into chapter 9, I'd like to remind you that these trumpets that are being blown. Remember that the trumpets that
are being sounded are trumpets of judgment that are being poured
out on this world. And they're being poured out
right now. This is not something That we sit back and we look
and we say, well, one of these days this is going to happen. This is happening in our time. Now, there are some things of
which we'll look at one this morning that has a specific event
that happened. But as I said, it's a dangerous
thing. I said this last week, it's a
dangerous thing. to try to take something that
the Scripture does not reveal as being an actual event and
try to apply it to something that we just think it might be. What I mean is this. We might
read something and say, well, I think that that was World War
II. That was, you know, Korea. Saddam Hussein, that's Hitler,
that's, you know. Well, you don't know that. What
we do know is that there's truth that is set forth, not to insinuate
that there are things that are not included in these judgments. But if we don't know for sure,
let's don't try to be putting things labels on something that
we are not sure of. But in this twelfth verse of the eighth chapter and following,
there is something that we can see of judgment. And I want you to realize and
remember again, this judgment is being seen in our time. In the twelfth verse of the eighth
chapter it says, "...the fourth angel sounded, and the third
part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon,
and the third part of the stars. So as the third part of them
was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and
the night likewise." Now the revelation of this fourth judgment,
this trumpet, that sounded must be interpreted by Scripture. And we're going to look at two
Scriptures. I want you to turn with me to the book of Joel. Now if you turn back and you
find, if you can find the book of Daniel, and then after Daniel
you'll find the book of Hosea, and then after Hosea you'll find
Joel. So if you find Daniel, Hosea,
Joel. In Joel chapter 2 and verse 28,
the Scripture says, And it shall come to pass, Joel 2.28, It shall
come to pass afterwards that I will pour out My Spirit upon
all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall
see visions. And also upon the servants and
upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out My Spirit, and
I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood and fire
and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into
darkness and the moon into blood before the great and the terrible
day of the Lord come. And it shall come to pass that
whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered.
And in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the
Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call." Now
this description in Joel has a description of what we saw
in the book of Revelation when that fourth the trumpet sounded. Now, if all we knew about the
book of Joel, when the Lord says, and it's going to come to pass,
I'm going to show wonders in heavens and earth and blood and
fire and the sun is going to be turned to darkness and the
moon into blood, if that's all we knew, we'd wonder, I wonder
when that is. What judgment is being shown
in the book of Joel? Turn over to the book of Acts.
We're studying the book of Acts on Wednesday night. We've not
come to this particular passage yet, but let's just look at it. Acts chapter 2, verse 12. Acts 2.12. Now, just so you'll
be reminded of what's happened, the Spirit of God was poured
out on the day of Pentecost. And whenever the day of Pentecost
was fully come, the Scripture says in Acts 2, verse 3, there
appeared unto them cloven tongues like unto fire. And verse 4 says
they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak
with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. And these
preachers began to preach. And we'll deal with that. I won't
deal with it this morning. I'll deal with it on Wednesday
night as we come to that. Exactly what was happening when
these men began to preach with other tongues. And I'll tell
you this, it's not what people are saying it is today when you
flip on the television and they begin to speak in these utterances
that no one understands. That's not what happened. But
something did happen on the day of Pentecost. And it says, it's
described here, being filled with the Holy Ghost and speaking
in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. And then
there were mockers, and they began to mock what was happening. And in Acts chapter 2 and verse
12, the Scripture says, And they were all amazed and were in doubt,
saying one to another, What meaneth this? Others mocking said, Men
are full of new wine. But Peter, standing up with the
eleven, lifted up his voice and said unto them, Ye men of Judea,
and all ye that dwell in Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken
to my words, for these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing
it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was
spoken by the prophet Joel." Now remember, we looked in Revelation
when that fourth trumpet sounded. which is judgment. There's a
judgment that took place. Joel prophesied in Joel 2 of
that same event that was spoken of in Revelation. And here in
Acts, Peter says, this is what Joel was talking about. This
is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel. And he quotes,
began to quote Joel 2, and it shall come to pass in the last
days, saith God, I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young
men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. And
on My servants, My handmaids, I will pour out in those days
of My Spirit. They shall prophesy, and I will
show wonders in heaven above, and signs in earth beneath, blood
and fire, and the vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness,
the moon to blood, before that great and notable day of the
Lord shall come. and it shall come to pass that whosoever shall
call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." Now, the explanation
of what happened over in Revelation 8, verse 12, of that judgment,
what was the judgment that happened in Revelation 8, verse 12? Here it is, and we see it finally
in the book of Acts. that there were mockers in that
day. The Lord began to do something
on the day of Pentecost, poured out His Spirit, and there were
men that stood up and began to preach, and the Scripture describes
it as being other tongues. And let me just say this so that
you'll understand, and this is as far as I'm going to go with
it this morning. What happened on the day of Pentecost When
these men began to speak with other tongues, they were Galileans. Because that's what some of the
men said that were standing there. There's Medes and Parthians and
men from Cappadocia. And they said, aren't these men
Galileans? Now, I don't speak French. I
don't speak Spanish. I've listened to Brother Cody
and Brother Walter speak in Spanish. And I don't understand one word
they say. Not one word. But do you know when I hear Spanish,
I say, that's Spanish. I recognize that it's Spanish
or someone speaking French. I said, that's French. I don't
know what you're saying, but I recognize the dialect. You
know what I'm saying, Kevin? I hear, that's, you know. Now,
these men that were Medes and Parthians, Cappadocia, they said,
These men are speaking Galilean. Aren't these Galileans? How is
it that we hear everyone in our own tongue? They could hear. Now, the miracle that happened
on the Day of Pentecost, the speaking in other tongues, is
that the Spirit of God gave these men from Galilee, that spoke
Galilean, the ability to preach in an unknown tongue to them.
Not to these others. They understood it. They stood
up and preached, and that's what they said. How is it we hear
the wondrous works of God? In our own tongue. I hear what
you're saying. I understand it. As if a man would be able to
stand up, and we've got some Spanish people in here, and some
Germans, and some Russians, and some people, and they're all
over. And I don't speak any of those languages. And here I begin
to preach. And you heard what I said and
you understood it. Now that would be a miracle,
wouldn't it? Well, they began to mock him. They began to mock
and they laughed at him. And Peter says, this is what
was spoken of by the prophet Joel. Now, what's the judgment? What judgment is Revelation speaking
of when Paul preached the gospel of free grace on the day of Pentecost? It was a simple declaration of
divine truth. He sat down and he preached Christ. And it was delivered to the hearts
of men by the power of God. And many began to try to explain
it away and say that the work of the Spirit of God and the
sovereign work of Almighty God was nothing. That means absolutely
nothing. God's Spirit had been poured
out upon all flesh, Jews and Gentiles, men and women, and
the judgment of God set forth as being a third part of the
sun smitten, a third part of the moon, a third part of the
stars, is figurative symbols of God Almighty giving a man
or a nation what that man really wants. A third part, it was just blocked
out. There's some sitting and they
heard the same words that Peter preached and these other 120
preached. And some of them heard it and
received it by God's grace and power. And some of them heard
the same words and they mocked. And they said, these men are
drunk. These men are nuts. Peter said, no, they're not drunk.
This is what Joel spoke of. This is the revelation. of what
Almighty God... Turn with me to Romans 11. This
is judgment. I said a while ago, we are seeing
the judgment of Almighty God in this truth that is set forth. Here, men are preaching the simple,
and I say simple, I mean it in terms that you understand. Here's
words. Why is it that one man hears,
one woman hears and believes it, and another one doesn't?
Why does one not believe? Romans 11, verse 7, What then? Israel hath
not obtained that which he seeketh for, but the election hath obtained
it, and the rest were blinded, according as it is written, God
hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should
not see, and ears that they should not hear until this day. And
David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap,
and a stumbling block, and a recompense unto them. Let their eyes be
darkened that they may not see. Bow down their back always. I say then, had they stumbled
that they should fall, God forbid, but rather through their fall
salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. And look at verse 25. Paul says,
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this
mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits, that blindness
in part is happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles
become. Turn over to Proverbs chapter
1. Proverbs 1.23. Proverbs chapter 1. Verse 23, Proverbs 123, Turn you at my
reproof. Behold, I will pour out My Spirit
upon you. I will make known My words unto
you. Now listen, before I read any
further, I'm going to read until the end of the chapter in Proverbs
1. Here is judgment seen in this
world right now. The gospel of free grace is set
forth. Men hear with their ears, but
they don't believe. Why? Because they don't want
to believe. If Almighty God pours out His
judgment on a man, He'll give that man exactly what he wants.
Exactly. I have seen it time and time
again. A man will blame someone else
for what he himself absolutely desires. It's not my fault. Yes, it is. That's what you wanted. If God gives a man what he wants
by nature, that man is under the judgment of Almighty God
and God just gave him what he wanted. turn you at My reproof. Behold,
I will pour out My Spirit upon you, I will make known My words
unto you, because I have called, and ye refused. I have stretched
out My hand, and no man regarded, but ye have said it not, all
My counsel, and would none of My reproof." This is what the
Lord God is saying. I called and you refused. ye have set at naught," you counted
my counsel as nothing, and with none of my reproof I also will
laugh at your calamity. I will mock when your fear cometh. When your fear cometh as desolation
and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind, when distress and
anguish cometh upon you, Then shall they call upon Me, but
I will not answer. They shall seek Me early, but
they shall not find Me. For that they hated knowledge,
and did not choose the fear of the Lord, they would none of
My counsel. They despised all My reproof.
Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be
filled with their own devices, For the turning away of the sinful
shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto me
shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil. It says that the sun was smitten,
a third part of the moon, a third part of the stars, but Almighty
God did not leave all men to themselves. If you believe this
morning, it is by the indescribable, immeasurable grace of Almighty
God. You remember We just read in
Romans 11, 7, "...Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh
for, but the election hath obtained it." Isaiah 1, 9 says, "...except
the Lord of hosts hath left unto us a very small remnant." We
should have been as Sodom and should have been as Gomorrah. Luke 21, 11 says, "...fearful
sights and great signs." shall there be from heaven fearful
sights, that which causes one to flee. The darkened sun, moon,
stars, if man saw that, surely he would try to flee. But these
symbols speak symbolically of fearful sights. that a regenerated
saint beholds from heaven and knows that if he'd be found without
a substitute, he has absolutely no hope. What would be more fearful
to you that believe if right now, at this moment, a third
of the sun was blocked out? Tonight we see a third of the
moon blocked out. A third of the day just became
absolutely dark. Which would be more fearful?
To see that or to realize that you have no substitute? which are yet to sound. I read
that and I thought as I began in this next chapter, you mean to tell me that it becomes
more woeful than what we've already read? Yes, it does. Revelation chapter 9, beginning
in verse 1, ìAnd the fifth angel sounded
And I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth, and to him was
given the key of the bottomless pit." We just read the thirteenth
verse of the eighth chapter. This is the last word that we
heard from God in the eighth chapter. Woe, woe, woe. to follow, demands a warning
that should strike fear into the heart of all rebels against
Almighty God. But except for the power of God,
it doesn't. It makes no difference whatsoever. We are about to witness in chapter
9, truly if we've never seen judgment
before. I'm telling you that what we're
about to read in this ninth chapter is without question judgment
in our time. John chapter 5 and verse 22 says
this, For the Father judgeth no man, but rather hath committed
all judgment unto the Son. This world, and when I say this
world, I speak not to those that have been sealed by the Spirit
of God who have the mind of Christ, of God the Father, written in
their foreheads. You that believe, there is, Brother
Scott just read this, there is therefore Right now, no condemnation
to them that be in Christ Jesus. Let me comfort you with these
thoughts. There is no condemnation to you.
You are not under the judgment of God. There is no judgment
of God to you that believe. These things, this judgment of
which we are about to look at, is truly judgment from God, but
not to those that believe. Peter in Acts 10.42 says, And
he commanded us to preach unto all the people, and to testify
that it was he, Christ Jesus, which was ordained of God to
be the judge of the quick and the dead. He is the judge of
all men. And why is this? John 17 says,
As thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should
give eternal life to as many as thou hast given Him. The reason
that I read that last passage is so that you might understand
in a sense, and I understand that we don't see it as we ought,
but I will tell you this without apology, without question, There's
no debate to this statement that even the judgment of God upon
all those who are found to be without Christ, the judgment
of God itself is for the bringing about of God's people. Romans
8, 28 says this, all things work together for good to them that
love God. You mean even the judgment of
God upon the wicked? All things work together for
good to them that love God, to them who are the called according
to His purpose. And by God's grace, I'd like
to show you that. We behold the beginning of these
three final soundings of the trumpets of judgment. Remember,
it is the Lord Jesus Christ who is in absolute, complete control
of all things. As I was reading this first portion,
and I don't really know how far I'm going to get in this ninth
chapter, but we'll go as far as time will allow, and we'll
pick up the next time. But it is the most comforting
thing as I began to look, to just remember. And I tell myself
again, I want to be reminded one more time, tell me one more
time, tell myself, Lord, tell me, He worketh all things after
the counsel of His own will. Remind me of that. Remind me
that there is no condemnation if I be in Christ Jesus. Surely,
without a doubt, The Scripture clearly declares that we must
go through tribulation in this world. John 16.33 says, the Lord
speaking, in this world you shall have tribulation, but be of good
cheer. He said, I've overcome the world.
This message, this is the truth. We cannot bypass these Scriptures. The book of Revelation, if Lord
tarries allows us to continue on through this book. This is
the revelation of Jesus Christ. This is the revelation of Him
who is just. This is the revelation of the
Judge Himself. Tell me one more time how He
Himself has sealed me and kept me. The tribulation that believers
suffer In this world is the direct result. Now hear me well. Listen to these words as I speak
these words because I've gone over them again in my mind again
and again and again to make sure that I attempt to say this correctly. The tribulation that believers
suffer in this world is the direct result of judgment poured out
on the wicked. The tribulation that believers
suffer in this world is the direct result of judgment poured out
on the wicked. God's judgment that leaves a
man to himself to believe a lie. And that's what it is. God leaves
a man to himself. to do what that man wants to
do while I'm saying it. Turn with me to 2 Corinthians
4. I want to show you something. God's judgment that leaves a
man to himself causes the unrepentant rebel to persecute God's sheep. God leaves a man to himself to
do exactly what he wants to do. That man as a result of God leaving
him alone. That man persecutes God's sheep,
thereby God using that to draw His sheep to Himself to cause
them to call upon Him because He's given them a heart to do
so. He rewards them coming to Himself in that He caused them
to come and rewards them and then judges those that He left
to themselves. giving them just exactly what
they wanted and deserved, judgment. 2 Corinthians chapter 4, verse 8, Paul says, We are troubled
on every side, yet not distressed. We are perplexed, but not in
despair. We are persecuted, but not forsaken,
cast down, but not destroyed, always bearing about in the body,
the dying of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord Jesus, that the life
also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live
are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life
also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh." So back
in Revelation 9, verse 1, the fifth angel sounded, and I saw
a star far from heaven. unto the earth, and to him was
given the key of the bottomless pit." Let's look at the first
of these last three woes of absolute judgment in this world today. John said, I saw a star fall
from heaven unto the earth. This star is Satan himself. The same that was revealed by
our Lord in Luke 10, 18, He says, I beheld Satan as lightning fall
from heaven. Why? Because of his rebellion. Now, it says that this star fell
from heaven unto the earth, and to him was given the key of the
bottomless pit. Now, this key represents authority
and power over the bottomless pit, but limited authority and
power. It says it was given him by the
Lord of all power, that it was given unto him all power in heaven
and earth. In Job chapter 1, now you've
read this before, let's look at Job 1. Job 1, here is the
power, here is how far Satan's power extends. Job chapter 1
and verse 6, there was a day when the sons of God came to
present themselves before the Lord and Satan came also among
them. And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then
Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in
the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord
said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? That there is
none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that
feareth God, and escheweth evil. Then Satan answered the Lord,
and said, Doth Job fear God for naught? Hast not thou made an
hedge about him and about his house, about all that he hath
on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of
his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But
put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he
will curse thee to thy face. And the Lord said unto Satan,
Behold, all that he hath is in thy power, only upon himself. Put not forth thine hand. So
Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord. Did the Lord say
unto Satan, Behold, all he hath is in thy power? Yeah, he sure
did say that. But what only upon himself put
not forth thine hand? So you see, Satan's power is
a limited power. Back in chapter 9 of Revelation,
it says this star, Satan himself, that was given the key of the
bottomless pit, It says, And he opened the bottomless pit,
and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great
furnace. And the sun and the air were
darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. Now, in judgment
upon this earth, Almighty God, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself,
allows Satan To open, the Scripture says, the bottomless pit. The
depthless prison or cistern is what it is. Here is what we learn. There is no bottom to sin. There
is no bottom to rebellion against God. He opened. To Him, He opened
up from this one place comes that which is evil and deceptive
and rebellious against Almighty God." That's where it was confined,
this bottomless pit. And out of this pit there arose
smoke, the Scripture says, as a great furnace. Now here we behold Almighty God,
the first of those last three woes, in absolute judgment on
this earth. We behold the image of judgment. The Scripture says in Genesis
19, 28, it says, And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah and
toward all the land of the plain, and behold, and lo, the smoke
of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace. God had poured
out fire and rain and brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorrah, and
it was just smoke. So you know that the smoke is
symbolic of the judgment of Almighty God. This smoke represents the
deception of false religion. Free will works heresy that binds
men through ignorance and blots out the light of the gospel. Turn with me to 2 Corinthians
chapter 4. 2 Corinthians 4. 3 and 4. This smoke is symbolic. Symbolic of what? 2 Corinthians
4, 3 and 4. If our gospel be hid, it is hid
to them that are lost, in whom the God of this world hath blinded
the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious
gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto
them. Oh, the greatness of this woe,
of this judgment, and man by nature knows nothing of it. Man by nature looks outside and
says, I don't see any smoke. This smoke that came out of the
bottomless pit was symbolic. There is great apostasy in this
world and the smoke that comes out of the bottomless pit that
hides the gospel from men that believe not. This deception,
men look it straight in the face and they say, I don't see that.
2 Thessalonians 2.10 says, Because
they receive not the love of the truth, that they might be
saved. that they might be saved because
he will not believe or receive the love of the truth for that
cause. You see, this is why men are
not going to be able to say, the reason that I'm not saved
is because you didn't choose me. The reason that I'm not saved
is because you didn't elect me. Oh, no. The reason that a man
is lost is because he will embrace error, and that's what he desires
to do. Leave a man to himself. Now you think about it. What's
it going to take for you to believe that Almighty God chose before
the foundation of the world a people and loved them with an everlasting
love and sent the Lord Jesus Christ to die for them only and
to put away their guilt being made sin for them only? that was buried for them and
was raised for them and is ascended into heaven for them and intercedes
for them only right now. What's it going to take for you
to believe that? A new heart. A new mind. A new nature. Rebirth. Everybody believes that Jesus
tried to die for everybody. Everybody believes that. Everybody
believes. He went to the cross to make
salvation possible. No, He did not. That is the most heresy, that
is the most disrespectful lie I have ever heard. You make God
to be a failure. You said He tried to He tried. He hung on the cross and he died
and he tried to save everybody. And if you give him his heart,
he'll save you. And if you don't, he'll have
to put you in hell. He tried to do that. That's heresy. It's
disrespectful. You make him to be a beggar.
And what is the judgment of God? He'll leave you to yourself to
believe that and judge you for it. They believe not the truth. God
shall send. He shall dispatch. Strong delusion. Strong delusion. I looked that
up. It means this. We talk about the effectual power
of the Spirit of God that accomplishes what He sent it to do. Effectual
power. What does it mean? It means he
got it done. Got the job done. Strong delusion means effectual
fraudulence or a straying from orthodoxy. God will send them strong, effectual,
Carl, delusion. And leave them alone. And they
cannot believe. They cannot believe. that they should believe a lie
or have faith or entrust themselves to falsehood. The evidence of
this was found in Exodus 9, 12, and the Lord hardened the heart
of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them, that is, unto
Moses, as the Lord has spoken unto Moses. The Scripture says,
He opened the bottomless pit, and there arose smoke out of
the pit as the smoke of great furnace, and the sun and the
air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit." The smoke
of delusion is so great, so effectual, effectual fraudulence, that if Almighty God did not
seal His servants and write His name on their foreheads,
in their mind, and give them a new heart, a new mind, a new
creation. The very elect would believe
a lie. Leave the elect of God to themselves
if God Almighty doesn't give them a new heart. That's what Matthew 24 says, shall arise false Christs, false
prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders insomuch that
if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. In God sending them strong delusion,
this is what it means. God Almighty withdraws all restraint. and allows men to do what they
want to do. And it's right in doing so. You
say, would God really do that? Yes, He would. Someone would say, well, why
do you blame me? who hath resisted his will."
If you're saying that God calls one and leaves another to himself,
well then, really, it's not my fault. It's God's fault. Paul's reply to that was this,
Who art thou, O man, that replies against God? Shall the thing
formed say to he that formed it, Why have you made me thus? False doctrine. The smoke of
the bottomless pit obscures the true light of the gospel of Christ,
and if God leaves a man in that darkness, how great is that darkness! Whoa, whoa, whoa! If Almighty God does not call
a man, call a woman out of the darkness of their rebellion,
they have no hope. Someone say, well, I don't believe that. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for you. But I'm telling you this coming
today that you'll stand before Almighty God, and in that day,
He'll say, I sent a preacher, and I told you and you believe
the lie. Well, it's 11 o'clock. Lord willing, next time, we'll
start in verse 3 where it says, ìThere came out of the smoke
locusts upon the earth, and unto them was given power as the scorpions
of the earth.î have power. And it was commanded them that
they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green
thing, neither any tree, but only those men which have not
the seal of God in their foreheads." Who or what are these locusts? Why did they come out of the
smoke? Let me leave you with this thought. There is one hope. There is one hope. The Scripture
says, Come unto me, all ye that are weak and heavy laden, I will
give you rest. Come to Christ. Cast yourself
upon His mercy. There is only hope in Him. I'm not here to scare you. I'm
just here to be truthful with you. There is hope only in Christ
Himself. And if Almighty God gives a man
or a woman a heart to cast themselves upon His mercy, they will. They will. This world is under
the judgment of Almighty God. But God has a people. Someone
might say, I read Spurgeon said this one time, someone says to
him, but what if I'm not one of God's elect? What if you are? Do you want to come to Him? Then come to Him. Do you want
to call? Then call Him. Cast yourself
upon His mercy. And I'm telling you, according
to this Word, He says, All that come unto me, I will in no wise
cast you out. Come to Christ.

The First Woe

What does the Bible say about divine judgment in Revelation?

How do we know that God's sovereignty is emphasized in the judgments of Revelation?

Why is understanding judgment important for Christians?

What does Revelation teach us about God's judgment today?

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The First Woe

What does the Bible say about divine judgment in Revelation?

How do we know that God's sovereignty is emphasized in the judgments of Revelation?

Why is understanding judgment important for Christians?

What does Revelation teach us about God's judgment today?

Sermon Transcript

About Marvin Stalnaker

Comments

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