Plagues and Promises

Mark Finley: As it says in Psalm 91: "A thousand shall fall at your side, and 10,000 at your right hand, but it shall not come near you." Why? Because Christ is our refuge. Christ is our strength. We're anchored in Christ.
Guest (Male): This is HopeLives365 with Pastor Mark Finley. Today's message: "Plagues and Promises." Enjoy. And remember you can always catch up with past messages and stay up-to-date with HopeLives365 and Pastor Mark by going to hopelives365.com. And stay with us for a free Bible study offer later in this program. And now, Pastor Mark Finley.
Mark Finley: We're studying Revelation chapter 15 and 16 as we journey through the book of Revelation. Now, there are two chapters that have troubled Christians for a number of years. Let me explain why. When you first read Revelation 15 and 16, they don't seem to be in harmony with the character of God. They certainly don't seem to be in harmony with a loving Christ. Throughout the Bible, you read about this God who is incredibly loving—this God who reaches out to save, this Jesus who came to redeem us. Then you begin to look at Revelation 15 and 16, that talks about God's wrath poured out unmingled with mercy. It discusses there in Revelation 16, sores that afflict men and women from their heads to their toes. It talks about the sea, the waters and rivers turning to blood, the sun scorching men, darkness on the seat of the beast, the final battle called Armageddon. You stand back and read these passages and you ask, "Am I really reading this in the Bible? Where is Jesus in all this?" As we study Revelation 15 and 16, I want to show you Jesus. I want to show you the promises of God in the midst of these plagues. Have you ever been watching a TV broadcast and you hear a news commentator say, "We interrupt this broadcast for breaking news"? It might be some unprecedented series of worldwide natural disasters. It might be some global international conflict. Well, if the battle of Armageddon ever broke upon the history of this world, I think there would be a news commentator to say, "We interrupt this broadcast. The greatest battle in history is taking place." Are we on the verge of the tribulation and the time of the end and the battle of Armageddon? What is Armageddon? What about that period of tribulation? There's such confusion about the tribulation today. I think of a series of books recently written a number of years back, actually now, by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins that have sold millions and millions of copies in America. They're called the *Left Behind* series. There's this idea of a fictitious novel series, and the authors actually say it's fictitious and I think that's to their credit. They say it's based on the Bible, but they also emphasize that it's not a true story. Many people actually miss that. There's the idea that a worldwide beast power will establish, and that a guy named Nicolae will come, and that this beast power will establish his kingdom on earth. He'll establish a temple at Jerusalem. There'll be a rapture. The saints will be taken away in this kind of a theory. They also say there'll be a period of tribulation and the people of God will not be here. They'll be gone. 144,000 Jews supposedly will go out and preach the gospel. But wait a minute. Could this possibly miss the entire point of Revelation? Could it possibly miss the concept of the great controversy between good and evil? We want to look at Revelation 15 and 16 in the context of the great controversy between good and evil. We want to look at it in the context of God's final events, in the context of a father's love. We want to discover where God's people will be during the tribulation, and we want to discover the meaning of the plagues and what is the battle of Armageddon. In Revelation 14:9, that we have been just studying, it says the third angel followed them saying with a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and his image..." We've talked about the fact that the final conflict is between true and false worship. Remember Scripture says in Revelation chapter 14, verses 9 and 10, he receives his mark in his forehead or in his hand. The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of his indignation, and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of his angels and in the presence of the lamb. What is the wine of the wrath of God? Is this God's anger? Is God some vindictive tyrant? How does the Bible describe the wrath of God? What is the wine of the wrath of God that is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation? Evidently, it's quite serious. Revelation predicts a final conflict over true and false worship. Revelation 15:1 defines the wrath of God. It says, "Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete." What then is the wrath of God? How's it defined here in Revelation 15, verse 1 and 2? It's defined as what? The seven last plagues. Having the seven last plagues, in them the wrath of God is complete. When it talks about in Revelation 14:9, the wrath of God being poured out into the cup of his indignation, it's talking about the seven last plagues. Another question: Why are these plagues called the "last" plagues? Were there any plagues before these seven last ones? What do you think, were there? Yes, there were ten plagues poured out in Egypt. Where was Israel during the plagues? Was Israel delivered before or after the plagues? After the plagues, of course. Israel was in Egypt during the plagues. Now follow me closely. During the days of Egypt, a vindictive taskmaster—the Pharaoh, the symbol of the beast power—forced and coerced the Israelites to work and kept them from worshipping on the true day of worship. He caused them and forced them and pressed them to violate the commandments of God. Praying Israelites wanted to be delivered from the church-state Pharaoh counterfeit government and the worship of the sun god, Amun-Ra. They sought God for deliverance so they could go to Jerusalem to the Promised Land and truly worship him. In the last days of earth's history, a Pharaoh-like counterfeit religious leader unites church and state under the auspices again of false worship at a time of great crisis. God's people again are forced and coerced to worship like the Israelites were. Like the Israelites, God's people are faithful to him. And the plagues break the backs of the wicked and allow God's people to be delivered like they allowed Israel to be delivered and go to the Promised Land. The plagues are the judgments of God upon the wicked, allowing the deliverance of the people of God. When you look at the plagues, look at them as judgments upon the wicked. Look at them as signs of deliverance, omens of the coming of our Lord. God's wrath is not his anger at sinners. It is his judgment on sin. Now let me repeat that concept again because it's so vitally important. God's wrath is not his anger at sinners. It is his judgment on sin. I'd like you to read that with me because it's a critical point to understand in Revelation 15 and 16. It says there that when we see the wrath of God poured out in Revelation 15 and 16, we're seeing God judging sin. What comes before these plagues? What do we read in Revelation 14? The everlasting gospel goes to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. A loving God gives the whole universe an opportunity to accept the claims of his grace and mercy. When they reject the claims of his grace and mercy, the judgments of God fall upon the unrighteous that are pressing the righteous as an avenue of deliverance. The seven last plagues are the awesome result of a world separated from God and a planet in rebellion. Just like Israel lived through the plagues and then deliverance came, so God's people will live through the plagues. Here are the events that Revelation 14:6-12, Revelation 15:1 and onwards describe them. Revelation 14:6 and 7 talk about a worldwide proclamation of the gospel. Revelation 14:7 talks about the judgment hour in which all humanity makes their final decision, their final irrevocable choice. When everybody makes their choice and is in the process of making that, the mark of the beast is enforced in this final conflict over worship. Every human being will make their choice in either deciding to worship the Creator or worship the beast. Things happen simultaneously. God's loyal people lovingly obey him. The scripture reads in Revelation 14, verse 12: "Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." The seven last plagues then are poured out. God protects his people during the plagues. They are present during the plagues and God delivers his people after the plagues. Here's the sequence of events. John looked up into heaven on the rocky, barren island of Patmos and he saw that sequence. In Revelation 16, verse 1 it says: "Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying..." Where does that loud voice come from? The temple. And when you read something from the temple, what temple is this? Is it a temple on earth? You know, many Christians today know little about the sanctuary and the temple in heaven. They're looking at an earthly temple in Jerusalem. Isn't that just like the devil to get our eyes off where the real action is and get them on a temple on earth? The cosmic controversy between good and evil, in which Jesus is vindicated to be the rightful ruler of the kingdom of the universe, will never be solved by some earthly Antichrist in a temple in Jerusalem. From the temple in heaven, when we read about the temple we're reading about judgment. The judgment goes in phases. This is the final phase of the judgment. "Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, 'Go and pour out your vials of your wrath upon the earth.'" Where are God's people during this time? Here are some of the evidences to look at. Israel went through the plagues of Egypt. They were protected. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians chapter 10, verse 12 and onward, all these things happened to Israel as examples and they're written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the earth are come. Israel was being led to the Promised Land. God's people are being led to the Promised Land today. They went through the plagues. God's people will go through the plagues protected. It's just like this. Here's another example of this: the Hebrew worthies went into the fiery furnace. Nebuchadnezzar passed a universal decree, international decree, church and state united. The test question was the second commandment: would they bow down? They went through the fiery furnace and in that fiery furnace, Jesus came and protected them. In the tribulation of life, in the future, Jesus will be there to protect us. Revelation declares that God's triumphant people who go through the tribulation will be victorious. One of the things that we learn from the plagues is this: Jesus is sufficient to sustain us in the tribulations we face today, tomorrow, and in the worst tribulations of life at end time. God's judgments fall as God withdraws his divine presence and Spirit from the world, and the devil plays havoc with the things of nature. He plays havoc with all society. But God is a God of love and goodness.
Guest (Male): We'll be right back with Pastor Mark Finley. We thank you for listening and hope you're enjoying today's message. Our mission is to attractively present the Christ-centered, biblical truths of scripture in a practical, relevant way to people around the world so that they may experience the abundant life that Christ offers. If you want to learn more about the Bible, check out our free Bible series at globalbibleschool.org. That's globalbibleschool.org. Discover answers to your deepest questions straight from God's word. And now, back to Pastor Mark Finley.
Mark Finley: This is Jesus who's ministered for them through the ages and he's still near them. When he comes according to Psalm 50, verse 3, it says, "Our God shall come and not keep silence." When he comes, the dead will be resurrected. It says he'll come at the sound of a trumpet. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, verse 16 and 17, it says, "The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up with them to meet the Lord in the air and so ever be with the Lord." You see that word "caught up"? In the Latin, it's *rapiemur* and that's what people get the "rapture" from—the idea, "Oh, we're going to be all raptured." Yes, but what does the Bible say? The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with what? With a shout. That's not very silent. With the trumpet of God. Jesus came once and it was a silent coming. Very few knew that he was being born as a babe in Bethlehem's manger. You had wise men that came, a few shepherds that came, but most of the world didn't know. But this time, the whole world will know because the Bible says in Matthew 16, verse 27, that he'll come with the glory of the angels as lightning shines from the east to the west. It'll be a climactic moment of destiny. When Jesus comes, there's no such thing as a secret rapture. Every eye sees him, every ear hears it. But do we enter the temple before the plagues are poured out in some kind of rapture? Look at Revelation 15, verse 8. I'm reading the scripture: "No one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed." Isn't that plain? Do we enter heaven's temple when Jesus takes us home before or after the plagues? After. God's people go through the tribulation protected by God. Why does God allow them to go through the tribulation? To show his mighty hand of protection, to show that he's the refuge and strength. In Psalm 91, verse 10 it says, "No evil shall befall you, nor any plague shall come near your dwelling." So we live through the plagues protected by Jesus, just like Israel was protected by Jesus when the plagues fell. Let's look at these seven last plagues. What are the seven last plagues? What are the deeper lessons of the plagues? The first plague is poured out and it's sores on men and women. Revelation 16, verse 2 says, "So the first went out and poured out his bowl upon the earth and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men that had the mark of the beast and those that worshipped his name." Where is the love of Christ there in this loathsome sore? What's the deeper lesson? It's a physical sore. It's physical affliction. What did the enforcers of the mark of the beast say? They said if you do not take the mark of the beast, we'll physically punish you. We'll beat you. We'll put you in prison. But the ones that enforce the mark of the beast are not capable of keeping a physical sore from their bodies. What does the first plague say? The first plague says there is only security in Christ. All our physical security is in Christ. There's no physical security outside of Christ. Psalm 91, verse 3: "Surely he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence or sore." The first plague says never compromise your faith to protect your body. Never compromise your faith to protect yourself physically. They're going to pass the mark of the beast. They'll say unless you take it, we're going to physically persecute you. We have the ability to physically protect you, but the deeper lesson of the first plague is that all physical security is in Christ. I can trust him with my body. Psalm 46, verse 1 says God is our refuge and strength. It is not some human being that will protect us. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. The second plague: the sea turns to blood. Revelation chapter 16, verse 3: "Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became as the blood of a dead man, and every living creature died in the sea." I want you to think about that momentarily. If anything like that actually happened, if every living creature actually died in the sea and it became as the blood of a dead man, what would it do to the shipping of this world? What would it do not only to shipping by boat, but those great international oil lines under the sea? What would it do to the economy of the world if you could not ship anything by sea and it became a putrid, stinking mass? If that ever happened, anything like it, the economy of the world would go topsy-turvy overnight and all of our bank accounts and all of our riches would be gone. What did those who enforce the mark of the beast say? They have said that all economic security is in the hands of this church-state union. If you want to be economically secure, if you want to have money to buy or sell, take the mark of the beast. It says all of our economic security can be sheltered if we know Christ. The first plague says all physical security is in Christ. The second plague says all economic security end time is in Christ. He's going to take care of us. Seek you first the kingdom of God, Matthew 6, verse 33, and all these things will be added unto you. Take no thought whether you eat or drink, or whatever the clothes you put on. Take no thought of all that. Why not? Because Jesus Christ is our Lord. Jesus Christ is our Savior. Jesus Christ is our physical security. Jesus Christ is our economic security. The third plague: the rivers turn to blood. It's interesting when you study the third plague because it tells you why the third plague comes upon people. Revelation chapter 16, verse 4: "Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and the springs of water and they became blood." But Revelation 16, verse 6 says the reason this happens: "For they have shed the blood of saints and the prophets and you have given them blood to drink, for it is their just due." Why did the rivers and waters of the earth turn to blood, a blood-like substance? Why does that happen? What does it say here? What have they done? They've shed the blood of saints and martyrs. When they enforce the mark of the beast, what did they say? Until you take the mark of the beast, you'll be killed. So those who enforce the mark of the beast first, and apparently then the mark of the beast is enforced, when it's enforced, there's a gradual tightening of the screws. First they say either you take the mark of the beast or we're going to physically oppress you, going to throw you in jail. Then they say unless you take the mark of the beast, you cannot buy or sell. Then they say unless you take the mark of the beast, you'll be killed. The first plague: all physical security is in Christ. The second plague: all economic security is in Christ. The third plague: when the economy of the world collapses, you won't be able to buy or sell anyway. We can trust Jesus to provide for us. But the third plague says the life of the flesh is in the blood. They've taken the lives of God's people and the only way to trust the totality—the only way is this: trust the totality of your life to Jesus Christ. Your life is hid with Christ in God, and therefore the security that we have for life is in Christ. In the fourth plague, the sun scorches men. It says the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun and power was given him to scorch men with fire, and men were scorched with great heat and they blasphemed the name of God who has given power over these plagues and they did not repent and give him glory. The sun scorches men. Let's think about that for a little bit. What happens to the people of God? Psalm 91, verse 1: "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." God's people are shadowed. He's a mighty rock, a shade in a weary land. He shades us with his protection. When the sun scorches men, church and state unite, false worship enters the church. What does the fourth plague say? Don't worship the ancient pagan sun gods. Stand for the Creator God. Stand for the God who made you. True and false worship. What does the fourth plague say? All true worship is in Christ. The first plague says your physical security is in Christ. The second plague says your economic security is in Christ. The third plague says all your life and every fiber of your being is in Christ, every breath you take. The fourth plague says all genuine worship is in Christ. "I will say of the Lord, he is my fortress," the Psalm says, "my God in him I trust." Unless you accept the counterfeit worship, you cannot buy or sell, they say. You'll be killed unless you worship the beast. And we cry out and say, "I will say of the Lord, he's my refuge, my fortress, my God in him I trust." The fifth plague: darkness on the seat of the beast. "Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast." He pours it out on the throne of the beast. What comes from the throne of God? Light. You've got it. When you begin to put the pieces in the puzzle, you can see them. Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast and his kingdom became full of darkness and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. The battle is between light and darkness, between truth and error. They have looked to the throne of the beast for light. They've accepted the traditions of men rather than the commandments of God. They've walked in darkness. John 8, verse 12 says Jesus is the light of the world. John 12:35, Jesus says walk while you have the light lest darkness come upon you. So they've been looking to the beast power and traditions of men for light, but now the physical darkness on this world is a deeper symbol of the larger darkness that comes from following man. That's why Psalms says: "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." God's word is light and understanding. There's something deeper in the plagues. It's a call to our physical security that's in Christ, our economic security that's in Christ. It's a call that every fiber of our being and our life is in Christ, every breath we take. It's a call that our worship is in Christ. It's a call that Jesus is the light of life. Yes, these are physical plagues that come, but there's a deeper spiritual meaning. We're not left in physical darkness because we have followed him, the spiritual light of his life. It says in Psalm 91, verse 5: "You shall not be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flies by day, nor for the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor the destruction that lays at noonday." You shall not be afraid of that because you are anchored solid, totally, completely in Christ. As it says in Psalm 91: "A thousand shall fall at your side, and 10,000 at your right hand, but it shall not come near you" because Christ is our refuge, Christ is our strength, we're anchored in Christ. Sixth plague is the battle of Armageddon. What is the battle of Armageddon? Is Armageddon a battle in the Middle East? Revelation 16 gives you a clue: "Armageddon, they gathered together," Revelation 16:16, "together in a place that's called Armageddon." Why is this such a clue in verse 16 of Revelation 16? What word here gives you the clue? It says in the Hebrew tongue, "Armageddon". Why should the word "Hebrew" give the Bible student a clue? What language is the New Testament written in? The New Testament is written in Greek. But this says the Hebrew tongue. That's not the language of the New Testament. Who spoke Hebrew? The Israelites, the Jews spoke Hebrew. So if it says in the Hebrew tongue, would that not refer you back to a Hebrew meaning, not a Greek meaning? The word Armageddon comes from the Hebrew *Har-Megiddo*. *Har* means mountain in Hebrew. And this is mountain of slaughter. Where in the Old Testament do we find anything about this mountain of slaughter? In the book of Judges, when God's people are surrounded, it seems that doom is certain. God brings in reinforcements and this he said was by the waters of Megiddo, in the plains of Megiddo with the mountain. So the symbolism of *Har-Megiddo*, the mountain of slaughter, is where reinforcements from heaven come unexpectedly to deliver God's people.
Guest (Male): You've been listening to Pastor Mark Finley. We hope you enjoyed today's message and that it increased your faith in God and his word. If you'd like to learn more, Pastor Mark invites you to visit globalbibleschool.org for an inspiring, interactive Bible study experience. That's globalbibleschool.org. And now, a final thought from Pastor Mark.
Mark Finley: And Christ reigns triumphantly as King of Kings, as Lord of Lords, as it says in the book of Revelation, chapter 11, verse 15. It says the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and he shall reign forever and ever. Revelation 19, verse 11 and onward says he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. What do the plagues tell us? They point forward to that amazing time when Christ will come. Open your heart and say, "Lord, give me that spiritual commitment, not some easy-going, lackadaisical, careless Christian experience, but give me a deep abiding spiritual experience so that I can live with you forever. Oh Lord, I accept your grace, pardon my sin. Oh Lord, give me your power and change my life and make me ready for that great day when Jesus comes. And by your grace and by your power, help me to stand in your love during this great time of trouble that's coming." Oh Lord, we pray all these things in Jesus' name, Amen.