Terrorizing only the ungodly with unimaginable pain without the release of death for five months is Satan unmasked, revealing his malevolent intentions upon his own in the Fifth Trumpet Judgment. “And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit” (Revelation 9:1 KJV). The game is up and the hand of the wicked one is forced by the Almighty, incentivizing repentance
to those previously not so inclined in this latter part of the Tribulation Week, but why then not sudden and total mass defection from the wicked one? The chains of bondage to sin go to the depths of humanity’s normal inaction in the face of divine displeasure. The hidden curses upon all has piled up, where ‘every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword,’ as observed by Abraham Lincoln (March 4, 1865), who further declared, “The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether” (Psalm 19:9). Father, it is our unimagined delight to so petition You with this affection of Your parentage. We have such tangled webs of curses ensnaring us, we find it bewildering to address. Abba Father, deliver us! Show us Your glory! In Jesus’ sin delivering name, we pray. Amen and amen.
The Essential Guide to Bible Prophecy
Don’t Look Back
Looking back is yearning for calmer, simpler days before all the troubles that came with the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62 KJV). Why so harsh? Jesus was speaking to someone, who had just said, “Lord, I will follow Thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house” (9:61). Instead of rejoicing about another potential convert, Jesus warned him about turning back— even for the slightest or greatest reason. Why? Because God knows better that we are either all or nothing at all for Him. Trifle not with your decisions. We will not be caught unawares, when the LORD blows His Trump to call us up hither into His Presence. We are not madmen to think this world is falling apart under our feet, unless we are at home in Sodom. LORD, come quickly. In Jesus’ name, we pray. 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.
Great Mountain Burning (Revelation 8:8)
The Second Trumpet Judgment is “as it were a great mountain burning with fire [that] was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood” (Revelation 8:8 KJV). The most likely explanation is a Yucatán type meteor impact on the ocean, or possibly a Krakatoa type eruption of a volcanic mountain ejecting immense debris into the sea. The immediate result is a third of the sea becoming blood, which indicates an impact area the size of a mountain killing and poisoning the “third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed” (8:9). The scale of death of sea life and destruction of shipping is consistent with impact in an area of major shipping lanes and not in a region of the ocean deserts. Rogue waves or tsunamis are hard to model and predict, except for the Perfect Mind of God. It truly is a “fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). Limiting the devastation to a third gives opportunity for reflection and repentance. “When He slew them, then they sought Him: and they returned and enquired early after God” (Psalm 78:34). Devastation has worked before for some. LORD, we know You as a Good God, but we know You can be righteously aroused to be an Angry God. In wrath, remember mercy. Grant some repentance in that Day of Trouble. We claim as intercessors, such a benefit in Your Courts of Heaven. Grant us now peace before the storm. Return quickly, in Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Hail and Fire Mingled With Blood (Revelation 8:7)
Hail, fire, and blood is the First Trumpet Judgment. “The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up” (Revelation 8:7 KJV). LORD, You are the Almighty among the gods doing wonders in the earth (Exodus 15:11). How can You practically fix the planet, if You only figuratively deal with the judgments of the Book of Revelation in generalities? “Hail and fire” (Revelation 8:7) were used by Moses to deliver the Children of Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 9:23-24). “Fire ran along the ground” (9:23), evidently from the friction of the hail creating ignition on the ground and burning the combustibles. Blood most likely results from the torrential fire, smoke, and hail, but this is miraculous, so God can do whatever He likes. When only a “third,” but not all of the trees are burnt, God is making a statement, ‘Repent now, for I could have already burnt everything,’ along with all “green grass,” the environmental devastation is far beyond any meager debate about the cataclysm of greenhouse gases or global warming. Anyone who advocates for the environment needs to cultivate the best of relations with the God who can say, “I make all things new” (Revelation 21:5). Resistance is futile. LORD, You are God over all. May we seek our peace with You, while we can. In Jesus’ name and for His sake, we pray. Amen.
Prayers of All Saints (Revelation 8:3)
What does God do with all of our prayers? Incense is mixed with the prayers of all saints to be offered to God. Christ as our Mediator mixes the incense of His “intercession for” (Hebrews 7:25 KJV) us with our prayers, then it is cast to the earth to achieve the formidable judgments of the apocalypse. Our prayers are not like lost letters at the post office. With the Spirit of Christ’s “intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26), our prayers drive His judgments upon the earth. “3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand. 5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake” (Revelation 8:3-5). Father, may we not underestimate You or the efficacy of our prayers, when You add to it the incense of Your Son’s intercession for us. May we stand by You in agreement with Your actions in the judgment of the earth. Return quickly, in Jesus name. Amen.
Silence in Heaven (Revelation 8:1)
Heaven must normally be alive with sound and worship, but when the Lamb “opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour” (Revelation 8:1 KJV). Everyone’s rapt attention will be centered upon the sounding of the ensuing Seven Trumpet Judgments, which will be punctuated by the Seven Vial or Bowl Judgments at the end of the Tribulation Week. The judgments of the Seventieth Week of Daniel (Daniel 9:27) are a progression of Seven Seal Judgments opening, where the Seventh Seal Judgment opens to reveal Seven Trumpet Judgments, where the Seventh Trumpet Judgment sounds to open the Seven Vial or Bowl Judgments. You are blessed, if you can discern this pattern of God unfolding His judgments upon the earth, which is better than a poor dog running around in fear and confusion, when the fireworks go off on the Fourth of July. If all of the attention of Heaven is upon this, then their holy anticipation is worthy of our prayer, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10 KJV). Amen and amen.
Persecution Grows the Church (Revelation 7:9)
Saul of Tarsus (the future Apostle Paul) was the berserker, who wreaked havoc on the Early Church, but the churches “were multiplied” (Acts 9:31 KJV); nonetheless, because persecution grew the Church. Likewise, a “great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues” (Revelation 7:9 KJV) will respond to the Gospel witnessed by the 144,000. That multitude will be those martyred by antichrist. “These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (7:14). A seeming paradox is the blood of Christian martyrs grows the Church. Tertullian (155-240 AD) defended the Christian faith before the governors of the Roman Empire. He said, “The oftener we are mown down by you, the more in number we grow; the blood of Christians is seed” (The Apology, 50.13). Though the Vanity Fair approach has been enormously successful in limiting Spiritual Christianity, even such measures will become unnecessary during the final end game of the Tribulation Week. LORD, grant unto Your children the patience of faith of Christ, Stephen, Antipas, and Your Two Witnesses that we may, too, witness a good confession for You, even unto death. In Jesus’ name, we ask it. Amen.
144,000 Israelites Are Sealed (Revelation 7:3)
Revelation 7 depicts an unearthly calming of the “four winds of the earth” (Revelation 7:1 KJV) in order to seal 144,000 “servants of our God in their foreheads” (7:3). These Jewish Tribulation Believers later appear in Heaven towards the latter part of the Tribulation Week (14:1), apparently unscathed and are living testament to the grace of God even in times of “great tribulation” (7:14). These represent a continuation of Jehovah’s harvest of Israel, in keeping with Paul’s desire and prayer. “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved” (Romans 10:1). The LORD’s reclamation of Israel will climax with the spiritual rebirth of the nation at the Second Coming of Christ. “Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children” (Isaiah 66:8). LORD, we love Israel, not because of their rejection of You, but because You have chose them with an everlasting love. Redeem the 144,000. Save Israel. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Great Earthquake (Revelation 6:12)
The sixth seal judgment of the Book of Revelation is a “great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood” (Revelation 6:12 KJV). This is an apocalyptic shaking of the entire earth. Here, interpreting the “stars of heaven [that] fell unto the earth” (6:13 KJV) as Fallen Angels (compare Job 38:7) prepares for the Mid-Tribulational worship of Antichrist as God at the Abomination of Desolation (Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14; 2Thessalonians 2:8). We live what we believe, and what we believe about prophecy affects our decisions today. If apocalyptic shaking of the planet and strange displays in the cosmos are scheduled for the future, then we should be more concerned about our heart’s interaction with God. After all, that alone we control. LORD, may all our understanding of Your judgments cause us to walk righteously before You, and cause us to warn others. In Jesus’ name, amen.
We Need A Miracle 
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