Days of Noah: Making Merry and Marriages

“But as the days of Noe [Noah] were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe [Noah] entered into the ark” (Matthew 24:37-38 KJV). Jesus gave His Mini Apocalypse or Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 22. Matthew was directed more toward the Jews, and Luke was directed more to the Church. Before objecting about not knowing the “day and hour” (Matthew 24:36) of Christ’s return, which is true, Noah had an idea of the Flood coming, because: (1) Jehovah gave 120 years before He would cease to strive with humanity and flood the world, i.e., “And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years” (Genesis 6:3), and (2) Noah knew the Ark had to be completed, replenished, and populated before the Flood would come, i.e., “And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood” (Genesis 7:7). Before the LORD removes or raptures His Church from the upcoming time of “Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7), Jesus said the Jews would be celebrating with marriage feasts, even as Daniel’s Seventieth Week (Daniel 9:24-26) was soon upon them. This week in the Israeli daily newspaper, Haaretz (September 3, 2024) reported, “Israeli ministers, politicians attend joyous wedding as murdered hostages laid to rest.” Even though “that [exact] day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only” (Matthew 24:36), CHURCH, we need to be about our Father’s business, for it cannot be long. LORD, help us not to become weary in doing what we are supposed to be doing, maintaining ourselves in this physical world, while we strive to our utmost to prepare ourselves, our churches, and this world for Your soon return. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen and amen. 

Greatest Earthquake of All Time (Revelation 16:18)

Earthquakes are God’s signature judgment disaster, since earth dwellers generally reside on solid ground that God can shake. The final judgment of the Seven Vial Judgments is the greatest earthquake of all time. “And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great” (Revelation 16:18 KJV). This unprecedented shaking of everywhere on planet earth at the same time would be akin to heavy artillery softening things up, but worse, before invasion, as well as, ensuring no one will be ignored in the judgments of God. Once poured out, “there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done” (16:17). This is the Almighty declaring the last judgment of the Tribulation completed, just as the Messiah announced His atoning work was completely accomplished, “It is finished” (John 19:30). “Voices” (16:18) along with “thunders, and lightnings” (16:18) accompany the “great earthquake” (16:18). Those voices (Revelation 4:5; 8:5; 11:19) belong to a great “cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1) of humans and angels, voicing their agreement, approval, encouragement, congratulations, fascination, and interest in Jehovah’s “work, His strange work” (Isaiah 28:21) of judgment. God is schooling us for our future judgment of angels (1Corinthians 6:3). 

Babylon is the “great city” (Revelation 16:19) that will be “divided into three parts” (16:19), in other words, destroyed. Since the Revelation narrative proceeds immediately to a description of Babylon the Great (Chapter 17) and the Fall of Babylon (Chapter 18), then Rome would be most likely the great city named. “And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath” (16:19). Additionally: (1) “the cities of the nations fell” (16:19), all cities are destroyed, like WW2 Stalingrad, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Dresden, or Berlin, (2) the topography of every “island fled away” (16:20) existing no longer, (3) “mountains were not found” (16:20) laying down, and (4) “gigantic hailstones, weighing about a hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people, but they blasphemed God because of the plague of hail, since it was so horrendous” (16:21 NET). 

LORD, my mind reels from the description of the total devastation of just this Seventh Vial Judgment. We always knew You could do something so horrendously different, but now we can see why You have held back Your hand. Fulfill Your prophecies and faithfully pour out Your judgments. I give You thanks for delivering Your Church from the wrath to come and from all these things that will come to pass. May a righteous seed come even out of all of this. May Israel be that nation born in a day. Lord, come quickly, in Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen and amen. 

Messages From Three Angels (Revelation 14:6-13)

The Gospel, judgment for Babylon, and personal judgment are the messages of the three angels from God to the world. With the removal of the 144,000 and the Two Witnesses at the Pre-Wrath Rapture, no other outward testimony for the LORD exists on planet earth, but these three angels, before the handfuls of days left for the completion of the Seven Vial Judgments at the end of the Tribulation Week. “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people” (Revelation 14:6 KJV). The Gospel is the Greek euaggelionor good news, but it is only good news, if you repent. The second angel announces, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication” (14:8). This warns of the soon and sudden demise — “in one hour” (18:17) — of the Beast’s religious and economic systems detailed in Revelation 17 and 18. And finally, the third Angel warns of the “wrath of God” (14:10) for all worshippers of the Antichrist, and blessing for those who “die in the Lord from henceforth” (14:13). The stage is now set for the final judgment of the earth. LORD, we can barely imagine the scope of what You have set for Your program of dealing with humanity. How You have wisely designed all these interactions and prophesied their fulfillment, knowing that You will bring them to pass contrary to the best efforts of the Devil, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet. Glory to Your name. We magnify You for Your mercy and grace in salvation. And, we praise and extol You for Your righteousness and judgment of the earth. Fulfill all Your prophecies and keep all Your promises. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen and amen. 

Measure the Temple of God (Revelation 11:1)

John the Beloved may return to administrate the Seven Thunders (Revelation 10:3-4). What? That’s crazy. No more than you judging angels (1Corinthians 6:3). The Almighty directed John: “Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not” (Revelation 10:4). Then, he directed John to eat the “little book” (10:10), which was sweet in the mouth and bitter in the stomach. John was next given a cryptic promise, “Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings” (10:11). Thereafter, he was directed, “Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein” (11:1). What the Almighty measured, did He not exercise dominion over (Isaiah 40:12)? Temple worshippers during this time worship Antichrist. Whatever surprise the LORD delivers with the Seven Thunders, it may become significant for John, just as Malachi projected for Elijah. “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD” (Malachi 4:5). Who would ever see this coming? LORD, fulfill Your prophecies that You may be justified, whatever we may predict. Return quickly, Lord Jesus. Amen. 

Waters Became Wormwood (Revelation 8:11)

Fresh water contamination of a third of earth’s rivers and water sources takes place from a burning heavenly body falling to earth with the Third Trumpet Judgment. This could be a meteor breaking up upon entry into the earth’s atmosphere, precisely aimed by Jehovah at the drinking water supply. “And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter” (Revelation 8:10-11 KJV). Since 96.54% of earth’s total water is from its oceans, seas, and bays, 68.7% of its freshwater is from its polar ice caps, glaciers, and snow, 30.1% of its freshwater is from groundwater, 0.26% of its freshwater from lakes, and only 0.006% of its freshwater from rivers, then making bitter a third of water from rivers and freshwater sources becomes devastating to an already parched planet, where one in four people already do not have access to safe drinking water. Humans can survive only a matter of days without water. Wormwood is an emblem of poisonous bitterness promised by the Almighty, “the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink” (Jeremiah 9:15). This He prophesied to do to His people Israel to punish and cure them of treacherously departing from the Living God. In this Third Trumpet Judgment, humanity also experiences the bitterness of wormwood; and, those that survive will be encouraged to repent. LORD, we pray even now for all those who will experience the bitterness of thirst that cannot be assuaged by man or government. Give them repentance unto the acknowledging of the truth as it is in Jesus. Especially be merciful to Israel. Reclaim from the enemy all those prisoners held captive by the lie that there is salvation in someone other than Messiah Jesus. We pray this in Jesus’ name, amen. 

I Know Where You Live

God’s words, not mine. Depends on who you are. It is a threat against you, if you are like the Assyrian King Sennacherib, ranting against Yahweh (701 BC) in the Levant, besieging Jerusalem. “I know where you live and everything you do and how you rage against Me” (Isaiah 37:28 NET). Biblical and secular histories differ, where the siege against King Hezekiah at Jerusalem ended with an angel killing “185,000 troops in the Assyrian camp” (37:26), Sennacherib returned to Nineveh, and was slain by his own sons (37:38; 681 BC). Assyrian annals left out the part where the Lord’s angel killed 185,000 troops, instead they recorded: “Hezekiah was overwhelmed by fear of [Sennacherib’s] ‘Lordly brilliance’ and submitted to paying a large tribute of soldiers, hostages, gold and silver, weapons, and other valuables to be delivered to Nineveh.” Revisionist history or fake news, since 2Kings 19 gives an authentic account of the supernatural annihilation and humiliation received by Sennacherib. May the LORD’s words, “I know where you live,” be received as encouragement for the godly that He knows how to deal with the ungodly, and even inspire the afflicted, as later for the New Covenant Church of Pergamum. “I know where you live – where Satan’s throne is. Yet you continue to cling to My name and you have not denied your faith in Me, even in the days of Antipas, My faithful witness, who was killed in your city where Satan lives” (Revelation 2:13). LORD, come quickly and deliver Your people. Amen. 

Judge Righteous Judgment (Part 3)

Your judgments or discernments are important to the Courts of Heaven. God records it in your unique book in Heaven. “Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in Thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them” (Psalm 139:16 KJV). Right in the corner where you are, you have been given the right to put forth your case before the Almighty judging “all things” (1Corinthians 2:15). It may not seem important to others, but your opinion about all things spiritual is regarded by the Judge of All the Earth. When you investigate His Word and make application of it to every aspect of your existence, then you truly are living by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Only the Spirit of Christ can work this in us. This is life, and that is abundance!

Conscience: God Speaking in Our Thoughts

Conscience is God communicating with everyone’s thoughts. Of course, we can stifle and overrule conscience, but not without injuring ourselves and becoming less able to hear God. Perhaps the best way to understand the voice of God speaking to us is the promised Holy Spirit quickening our conscience. “And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on Me; Of righteousness, because I go to My Father, and ye see Me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged” (John 16:8-11 KJV). The Holy Spirit admonishes us about sin, righteousness, and judgment through our thoughts. Because we are loath to admit ourselves to be of so tender conscience, we resist. Thus, ourselves, our families, our churches, and society become hardened and jaded to our own hurt. 

It Really Is All About Jesus

Everyone needs Jesus. “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief” (1Timothy 1:15 KJV). But, only the Holy Spirit will ever truly convince us that we really do need Jesus. “When He [Holy Spirit] comes, He will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in Me [Jesus]; about righteousness, because I am going [ascending back] to the Father, where you can see Me no longer” (John 16:8-10 NIV). 

Love And Hate With God

“Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity” (Hebrews 1:9 KJV). Love what God loves, and hate what God hates. We get into trouble when we do differently. If we do not consciously make the effort to place our affections on God first, we will balk and recoil, when asked to make a hard decision for God. Pray that God will grant us the willingness to do the right thing, when our hard times come. “He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD” (Psalm 33:5 KJV).