Friday, March 23, 2018

eschatology, Fourth Trumpet: Darkness (Rev.8:12-13)

An angel sounds the fourth trumpet and the sunlight and starlight from the universe is struck.  This either means that the daylight hours are going to be shortened, and/or the overall light source will dim to about a third of what it is...

(Revelation 8:12)  The fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.

And if darkness isn't scary enough, there's going to be an eagle flying around overhead warning the people that things are going to only get worse.  This eagle will warn the world that there will be three woes...

(Revelation 8:13)  Then I looked, and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”

Today's takeaway:  now, I'm the kind of person who actually loves dusk and nighttime.  And I will take a rainy day over a sunny day - any day!  But I do love God's Light!!!

The Tribulation will be a very spiritually dark place - and add to that physical darkness - it will not be a good place to be.  Besides the skylight not giving off its normal light, it only makes sense that there will be widespread power outages very early on in those seven years.  In the area where we live, there just has to be one good windstorm or ice-storm or snowstorm and there are hundreds of thousands of people without power for several days, which can impact heat and/or water sources.  One can feel very helpless and vulnerable in these kinds of situations.  One can also feel very empowered and entitled to commit crimes in these kinds of situations.

This is why Jesus' light drives out fear for believers, but makes unbelievers very afraid!!!...

 (John 3:16-21)  For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

(Ephesians 5:1-21)  Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them; for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; 12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. 14 For this reason it says,
Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil. 17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; 21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.




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