Sunday, February 2, 2020

The Revelation of Christ – Part 35: The Seven Angels with the Seven Plagues


The Revelation of Christ – Part 35:
The Seven Angels with the Seven Plagues
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

This Document is a Sermon Outline, you may hear the full audio of the actual sermon by following the link Online Audio Files located above for this, and other Full Sermon Audios.  For a complete list of Sermon Outlines, visit TruthDigest.org or Truth Digest on facebook; for our Official Church website, visit PS127.org, or find us on facebook at House of Faith Church

SERMON INTRODUCTION
The Book of Revelation, or the Revelation of Christ, is the most challenging book in the bible.

Because of this fact, many avoid it or ignore it altogether. Some fear lack of understanding; others afraid to misinterpret, which I guess it is better to avoid than dive in and get it completely wrong.

Many times, when a new believer comes to me for direction, they want to jump right into Revelation and find out what’s to come.

This is equivalent to deciding one day to learn Mandarin and sitting down to author a novel in Chinese that very same day.

Or, a kindergartener learning how to count, and then trying to calculate quantum mechanics calculations.

The words in Revelation have caused much debate on rapture, judgment, even some who claim John was writing about the events in his day in code rather than Jesus Christ revealing to him about the coming events and Judgment.

A special blessing is promised to those who read Revelation.

Although it may be a difficult book, we could all use a special blessing, reading this is good for us all, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we will take the Revelation of Christ in small portions and gain understanding, little by little.

SERMON SERIES

THE THINGS WHICH SHALL BE – The Coming Judgment
Part 10 – The Throne of God
Part 11 – The Scroll and Seven Seals
Part 12 – The Lamb is Worthy
Part 13 – The First Seal

Part 14 – The Second Seal
Part 15 – The Third Seal
Part 16 – The Fourth Seal
Part 17 – The Fifth Seal

Part 18 – The Sixth Seal
Part 19 – The 144,000 Sealed
Part 20 – The Great Multitude
Part 21 – The Seventh Seal
Part 22 – Trumpets 1-4
Part 23 – The 5th Trumpet (1st woe)
Part 24 – The 6th Trumpet (2nd woe)
Part 25 – The Mighty Angel
Part 26 – The Two Witnesses 
Part 27 – The 7th Trumpet and 3rd Woe 
Part 28 – The Woman and the Dragon I
Part 29 – The Woman and the Dragon II
Part 30 – The Beast out of the Sea
Part 31 – The Beast out of the Earth
Part 32 – The Lamb and the 144,000
Part 33 – The Three Angels
Part 34 – Harvesting the Earth

TODAY’S SERMON - THE THINGS WHICH SHALL BE – The Coming Judgment
Part 35 – The Seven Angels with the Seven Plagues


 
SCRIPTURE READING

Revelation 15

And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God (KJV). 2 And I saw what looked like a sea of glass glowing with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name. They held harps given them by God 3 and sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb:

“Great and marvelous are your deeds,
    Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
    King of the nations. [ages]
4
Who will not fear you, Lord,
    and bring glory to your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
    and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.” [Phrases in this song are drawn from Psalm 111:2,3; Deut. 32:4; Jer. 10:7; Psalms 86:9; 98:2]

5 After this I looked, and I saw in heaven the temple—that is, the tabernacle of the covenant law—and it was opened. 6 Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues. They were dressed in clean, shining linen and wore golden sashes around their chests. 7 Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever. 8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.


          I.      I SAW IN HEAVEN A GREAT AND MARVELOUS SIGN
a.   Seven angels having the last seven plagues
                                     i.   for in them is filled up the wrath (anger) of God

1.   wrath should have been translated ANGER

2.   The wicked practices of the nations in Canaan, such as child sacrifice and sexual perversion, aroused God’s anger to the point He commanded Israel to completely destroy them—every man, woman, child, and animal—to remove wickedness from the land (Deuteronomy 7:1–6).

                                    ii.   God does get angry, and so does Jesus!
1.   In the New Testament, Jesus got angry with the religious teachers and leaders of that day for using religion for their own gain and keeping people in bondage (John 2:13–16; Mark 3:4–5).

2.   Romans 1:18 tells us God’s anger, or wrath, comes against “the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness.”

3.   So, God gets angry at the wickedness in people, and He opposes that wickedness in an effort to turn them from evil, that they may find true life and freedom in Him.

4.   Even in His anger, God’s motivation is love for people; to restore the relationship that sin destroyed.

5.   Just as a parent becomes angry at anything that would hurt his children, so God’s anger is directed at that which would harm His people and their relationship with Him.

6.   “‘As surely as I live,’ declares the Sovereign LORD, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live’” (Ezekiel 33:11).

                                   iii.   His final judgment will be poured out upon the earth full strength

                                   iv.   Upon all of those who refused to repent of their sin and those who rebelled against God and His Kingdom

b.   A sea of glass glowing with fire
                                     i.   This is the sea of glass (glass floor?) directly in front of the Throne of God we see in Revelation 4:6


c.   Next to the sea, those victorious over the Beast (666)
                                     i.   AND its image
                                    ii.   AND over the number of its name.
                                   iii.   This is the group of Tribulation Saints who had been martyred by the antichrist


d.   They held harps given to them by God
                                     i.   This gives the image of peace and tranquility
                                    ii.   They are at peace in the presence of God


         II.      AND THEY SANG THE SONG OF GOD’S SERVANT MOSES (Old Covenant) AND OF THE LAMB (New Covenant)
a.   The song of Moses is given to us in Deuteronomy 32:1-43
                                     i.   It is recorded that Moses wrote this song and taught it to the people in Deuteronomy 31:22


b.   The song of the Lamb begins with the crucifixion, which was absolutely necessary to redeem man, and closes with Jesus Christ, King of kings.
                                     i.   Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty
1.   Refers to Christ’s great and marvelous work at the cross

                                    ii.   Just and True are your ways, King of the Ages (Nations)
1.   Christ our king by virtue of the cross, and of our faith in that finished work!

                                   iii.   Who will not fear you, Lord, and bring glory to your name?
1.   This leaps to the millennial reign, at that time everyone alive will fear the Lord and glorify His name.

                                   iv.   For only you are Holy
1.   Speaks of the origination of holiness

                                    v.   All nations (ages) will come and worship before you
1.   Speaking again of the Millennial age

                                   vi.   for you are righteous and your acts have been revealed
1.   Speaking of the pouring out of God’s judgment upon the antichrist during the battle of Armageddon where he will be defeated along with the entirety of his army

                                  vii.   [Phrases in this song are drawn from Psalm 111:2,3; Deut. 32:4; Jer. 10:7; Psalms 86:9; 98:2]


        III.      AFTER THIS I SAW THE TEMPLE IN HEAVEN (THE TABERNACLE OF THE COVENANT OF THE LAW) WAS OPEN (the holy of holies)

a.   The holy of holies is open (where the ark of the covenant is)
                                     i.   This is witness to the holiness of God’s character and the justice of His covenant


b.   Out of the Temple come seven angels with seven plagues
                                     i.   They were dressed in clean, shining linen and wore golden sashes around their chests
1.   Representing the perfect righteousness of the acts about to be performed upon the earth.

                                    ii.   They wear the same attire as that of the Lord (Revelation 1:13)
1.   Signifying what they are about to do pertains solely to the Work of Christ

                                   iii.   Christ is in charge of the judgments; they are carrying out His orders


c.   Then one of the Four Living Creatures gave the seven angels seven bowls filled with the wrath of God
                                     i.   Remember the four living creatures represent the facets of Christ Himself and act on His behalf before the throne

                                    ii.   Who lives forever and ever


d.   And the Temple filled with smoke
                                     i.   Reminiscent of the dedication of Solomon’s Temple, which was a replica of the real Temple in heaven

                                    ii.   And the Temple filled with smoke from the glory of God
                                   iii.   And from His power
                                   iv.   And no one could enter the Temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed


CONCLUSION –
This verse, “no one could enter the Temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed”, will constitute the last few months of the Great Tribulation
The idea that no man being able to enter the Temple during this period time (the pouring out of God’s Wrath in judgment), means that no one would be permitted to enter and make intercession.
No one could ask God to turn away His wrath or divert it from its intended purpose.

This judgment was perfect, and complete and poured out full strength and unstoppable upon all who refused to repent and the ones who rebelled against their first abode (Jude 6:6 “the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—…”)

There is no stopping what is about to come

NEXT WEEK: The First of the Bowls

  

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