Monday, April 16, 2018

eschatology, Seventh Bowl: Destruction (Rev.16:17-21)

The seventh bowl of God's wrath is released upon the earth.  This is widespread destruction via natural disasters - like - a final-final warning from God!  The description below speaks for itself...

(Revelation 16:17-21)  Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, “It is done.” 18 And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty. 19 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath. 20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And huge hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague was extremely severe.

Today's takeaway:  I do love a good thunderstorm, but only when nothing is damaged and no one gets hurt.  This is going to be nothing like that!  This is going to be terrifying for those going through it!

I'm now thinking about the storms (physical, emotional and spiritual) that we face in our lives, and how we should trust in the One who is in ultimate control...

(23-27)  When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. 25 And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” 26 He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. 27 The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

(Psalm 34:17)  The righteous cry, and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.

(Psalm 91:1-16)  He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust!”
For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge;  His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.
You will not be afraid of the terror by night, or of the arrow that flies by day;
Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.
A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not approach you.
You will only look on with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.
For you have made the Lordmy refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place.
10 No evil will befall you, nor will any plague come near your tent.
11 For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.
12 They will bear you up in their hands, that you do not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread upon the lion and cobra, the young lion and the serpent you will trample down.
14 Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him;  I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name.
15 He will call upon Me, and I will answer him;  I will be with him in trouble;  I will rescue him and honor him.
16 “With a long life I will satisfy him and let him see My salvation.”

(2 Corinthians 12:7-10)  Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

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