The Day of the Lord and Christ's Coming

I'd like to start reading today, brethren, from Joel chapter 1. Joel chapter 1.

Something like this happened in your days, or even in the days of your fathers. Tell your children about it. Let your children tell their children, and their children another generation. What the chewing locust has left, the swarming locust has eaten, and what the swarming locust has left, the crawling locust has eaten. And what the crawling locust has eaten, the consuming locust has eaten. Awake your drunkards and weep, and wail all your drinkers of wine, because of the new wine, for it has been cut off from your mouth. Yeah, Joel is painting a picture of Great Tribulation coming, Great Tribulation coming. And then look at it, verse 6. For a nation has come up against my land, against the Israelite-ish nations of today. Strong and without number, his teeth are like the teeth of a lion, and he as the fangs of a fierce lion. Yeah, we see Israel being destroyed before the Great Tribulation. And then he says, He has laid waste my vine, and ruined my fig tree. He has tropped it bare, and thrown it away. Its branches are made white. And you can read it figuratively, directly, physically, but also spiritually being God's people, God's vine, that is actually destroyed. Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth, for the husband of a youth. And look at verse 8, a part of verse 9. The grain offering and the drink offering have been cut off from the house of the Lord. It was his normal sacrifices and offerings, physically and spiritually. The priests mourn, who minister to the Lord. And then it goes on, continuing in verse 10. The field is wasted, the land mourns, the grain is ruined, the new wine is dried up, the oil fails. Be ashamed, you farmers. Well, you vine-dressers, for the wheat and barley, because the harvest of the field has perished. The vine is dried up, the fig tree has withered, the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree. All the trees of the field are withered. Surely joy has withered away from the sons of man.

Gird yourselves and lament, you priests, while you have ministered before the altar. Come lie all night in sackcloth, you have ministered to my God, for the grain offering and the drink offering are withheld from the house of your God. Consecrate fast, sacred assembly, gathered elders, and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord. So, yeah, we have a description of great suffering happening in the land. Verse 15, Alice, for the day, for the day of the Lord is at hand.

It shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. The day of the Lord is at hand. And that, brethren, according to the book of Revelation, that is the seventh seal. Old Testament prophecies, brethren, need the revelation of Jesus Christ to give them greater context and understanding of timelines.

I like to give it an analogy. It's like looking at the flat picture. Like think of it, you go and see a movie and it's all flat. And then you go to these movies that are 3D and they give you these losses, 3D glasses, and you walk in there and suddenly everything takes depth and perspective. And they say, Wow! Christ's revelation gives depth and an additional perspective to the prophecies of the Old Testament, because sometimes they overlay and you can't see everything. But with Christ's extra understanding that is given us through the book of Revelation and his prophetic statements whilst he was on earth, we get a better understanding.

So today, brethren, I'll endeavor to put the glasses of this time dimension in an analogy of this time dimension given by Jesus Christ by looking at three areas. First, and this is very important for us to remember and he's encouraging to all of us. And this is how God promises protection to all truly repentant during this time. And I'm talking about the time of the day of the Lord. Secondly, we'll go through a few a number of very highlight very briefly of the events of the day of the Lord, which are symbolic of the Feast of Trumpets, because the Day of the Lord, the seven seals got seven trumpets and that's symbolized by the Feast of Trumpets, of which the lost trumpet is Christ's coming.

And that is the third point. I will then include some comments about Christ's coming, prophetic points. I have given you a handout previously and I am sharing it with you today again. And that is this chart that you have as a handout. And what I'm talking about is the seventh seal sectionia, which is the seven trumpets, that last portion there in the graph. That last portion there in the graph, the seven trumpets. In the previous sermon that I've given, building up to the Day of the Lord, I covered events up to the Great Tribulation.

So, events on the left hand side of the chart. So, events on this left hand side of the chart. Today, I want to take events from the Great Tribulation onwards, in other words, the right hand side of the chart. I also want to re-emphasize that before the Great Tribulation, which is the fifth seal, as you can see in the chart there, the Great Tribulation is the fifth seal.

Before the Great Tribulation, or before the the fifth seal, there is going to be protection of the Church. It is very important for us to have that understanding. Let's review that very briefly, because that is very encouraging and we need to understand that God promises protection. So, we'll start in Revelation 3 verse 10, and that is in the letter to Philadelphia, Revelation 3 verse 10. And it says, because you've kept my commandment to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial. That is the Great Tribulation, which will come upon the whole world.

The Great Tribulation will not only come to Israel, it will come to the whole world. So, it is important for us to understand that this Great Tribulation will come to the whole world, not just to the Church. But it says, because you've kept my commandment to persevere, to persevere, remaining faithful to God, to His ways, to His principles. And this is a promise to those in the Church, here let's call it, or in the Church, spiritual body, that are Philadelphians.

I'm not talking about a physical organization, I'm talking about a spiritual organism that those that are Philadelphians, whatever they are. And this Great Tribulation that is going to come upon the world, not just Israel, because God is judging the whole world. This is the time that is prophesied, this Great Tribulation, in Daniel 12 verse 1. So, let's go to Daniel 12 verse 1.

Daniel 12 verse 1. He says, at that time, Michael shall stand up, the great Prince, Prince who stands watch over the sons of your people, and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation. So, he's talking about a time of trouble, which we read in Matthew 24, 21, is the Great Tribulation, than like never was before.

But look at the last part of verse 1 of Daniel 12. Even at that time, your people shall be delivered.

Now, it is important to understand that there are various layers in prophecy. And indeed, you can read this, and it is correct. That is, when Christ comes, people be delivered, and that is correct. But there is a layer that, at the time of the Great Tribulation, your people shall be delivered. That's another layer that the Church, or some members, or a portion of the Church will be delivered, will be protected. This goes hand in hand with Revelation 12, verse 7, because Yahya and Daniel 12 says, Michael shall stand up. And Revelation 12, verse 7, And war broke out in heaven, Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought. And so, there is this war in heaven, and Satan loses out, and they cross down. So, in verse 10, he says, Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now salvation and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ, has come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them, before our God day and night, has been cast out. So, Satan has been cast out, and looking in verse 13, And now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman, which is the Church, who gave birth to the male child. But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, to her place. In other words, she's going to be protected, where she's nourished for a time, times and half a time, that's three and a half years, from the presence of the serpent. In other words, Satan will not be influencing and providing these spiritual attitudes, those people will be protected from that. But you can see that those people will be protected, as you read that the earth protected the woman. But then, in verse 17 says, But the dragon was enraged. The dragon was enraged. That is, Satan's wrath. Which is the Great Tribulation. And you can see in this chart that I've put out, I've highlighted there, Satan's wrath is the Great Tribulation.

And Satan went out and made war with the rest of the spring. What is the rest of the spring? It is the rest of the church, of the members of the church, that were not taken to this protection in the wilderness. They said, in which he flew into the wilderness from the presence of the serpent. So who are those? Obviously, those are the next church area that's referred to in Revelation 3, which is Laodicea. And God chooses and decides who is in what attitude or mind of heart. He looks at the hearts. It's got nothing to do with this organization or that organization. It's a matter of the heart. So God will look at it and will see, and as you read in Luke 21, 36, he will analyze and see if you counter the worldview to escape. That's why it says, watch and pray.

Look at Isaiah 26, brethren. Isaiah 26. Isaiah 26, verse 20 through 21. As Isaiah 26, verse 20 through 21. Come, my people, enter in your chambers and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourself as it were for a little moment until the indignation is passed. For be all the Lord comes out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth with their iniquity. The earth will also disclose the blood and will no more cover a slime. So there is going to be a time when God says, come out, my people, enter your chambers. You will hide those people from the indignation until it's passed. Look at Psalm 27 verse 5. Psalm 27 verse 5.

I'm taking a little bit of time on this because I want to give encouragement because the days are bad. And 27 verse 5 says, and for in the time of trouble, He shall hide me in His pavilion. In the secret place of His tabernacle, He shall hide me. Now obviously it's got multiple layers to this. God does protect us. But there is, as we saw in Revelation 3 verse 10, there is a time where He will protect us. Look at also Psalm 31 verse 20. Psalm 31 verse 20.

You shall hide them in the secret place of your presence. From the plots of men, you shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. God clearly promises a place away from Satan's influence, and God's promises are infallible. Now, some people can spiritualize it away. And I'm not saying that there is a spiritual protection as well as we go throughout different trials, and God intervenes for us. But we must not minimize that this will happen literally as well. A portion of God's church will be protected before the Great Tribulation.

When that happens, the work of the church will be stopped. We will not be able to do work. During the Great Tribulation, the work of the church will be stopped. At that time will be the time of the beast power. And you can read in Revelation 13. Revelation 13 refers to two beasts. Revelation 13 refers to two beasts. First, from verse 1 through verse 10 of Revelation 13, it refers to... Let's just read verse 1. Then I stood in the sand of the sea and I saw a beast rising out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and he's on ten crowns, and on his head a blasphemer's name. So this is the beast power. It's a civil government coming out of the sea, out of a turmoil of people arguing and riots and turmoil, and there'll be revolution, and there will be a change, and the beast power will rise. And interesting, this happens first. This happens first. Then, verse 11, then after that has risen up, another beast coming out of the earth. And he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. That is the false prophet. So the indication is that the beast power will come up, and as the beast power becomes itself established, the false prophet then appears, because there is a sequence here, and that is the false prophet. And you can read in verse 16 that you will have a mark, the mark of the beast, that is basically worshiping a false god, instead of worshiping the true god, the surviving god. In other words, by keeping the wrong days of worship, such as like Sunday and pagan holy days. As I mentioned, at that time the church will not be able to do work, but God will still keep giving a message to mankind through what we call the two witnesses. And that's in Revelation 11 verse 3. Revelation 11 verse 3. And it says, and I'll give power to my two witnesses and they will prophesy 1,260 days, three and a half years. So that is in parallel to this section here of the Great Tribulation. And we have the two witnesses preaching in parallel right here at the bottom. We've got that in that chart. So so that we are talking about that Great Tribulation, the fifth seal. What will happen during that time? Think about it. There's people that may be within the church, but they're not protected. They've got to go through this trial. What do you think they're going to say? We should have repented. We should have changed. They will be, what I would call, underground. Those are what in Revelation 3 calls the Laodiceans. They'll be underground. They'll be ministers. They'll be laymen. And they will underground be talking to other people that are repenting. That are saying we should have listened to the gospel, to the warning.

These people that says, I'm rich and increased with goods. I have need of nothing. In other words, they were arrogant. They'll become humble. And we should have done something about it.

They will repent. They will baptize other people. And there will be many people in the Great Tribulation that will repent. When this is happening, and you've seen that some are protected, and this that was prophesied is happening, and the two witnesses are telling you that on a worldwide basis, and the nations, they can't cancel you, because the church has been canceled, quote unquote, but the two witnesses are standing up and it'll be headline news. Because what they do will cause headline, and they can't hide it, and they'll hate them for it. But they'll be telling people, repent, you should have listened. But God still allows you to repent now. You've got time. And so they'll be encouraging those in the underground to do the job that they didn't do beforehand. You know, Matthew 24 verse 22. Matthew 24 verse 22.

He says, And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved, but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. God has to cut time short during the Great Tribulation for the sake of those elect.

And then we see in verse 29, immediately after the Great Tribulation of those days, because it's cut short, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give a light, the stars will fail from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be broken. So you can see in this chart that I've given you, there is then the heavenly signs. The heavenly signs. Because that Great Tribulation is cut short by how long? By a year. Because a day of the Lord, a day for a year, a day is a year. Like you read in Numbers 14 and others, like you went spiderland for 40 days, you will be punished in the wilderness for 40 years, a day for a year. Also in Ezekiel, I had scriptures like that that says a day for a year. So the day of the Lord will be a year, that will be cut down the Tribulation from three and a half years down to two and a half years. Although the powers of that Good Tribulation still continue, but the effectiveness will be diminished because God is intervened. Time has been cut short. And therefore we have the heavenly signs. And look at the beginning of verse 30. Look at the beginning of verse 30, Matthew 24. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven. What sign is this? Is it because we're talking about heavenly signs? So this is the sign of Christ starting intervening.

Look at Revelation and it says there, and the tribes of the earth will mourn. The tribes of the earth will mourn.

Read with me please in Revelation 6. Revelation 6, verse 12 through 16. In Revelation 6, verse 12 through 16, that is the heavenly signs. And that's the sixth seal. And it says they will be earthquake, the sun became black, and the moon became like blood, and the stars of heaven fell on earth as a fig tree, drops its late figs, the sky will recede the scroll, the kings of the earth and the great man, rich man. What are they doing? They're basically mourning like it said in Matthew 24, verse 30 on the first part. And every one of them, and said to the mountains and to the rocks, fall on us and hide from us, from the face of him who sits on the throne. It's not Christ coming yet, but it's the sign of the Son of Man, from the face of him that so there is something on heaven, the heaven is rolled out, there's something they see, and they say they're gonna mourn and they're gonna hide. And then it says, for the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of his wrath has come. And that means that now it's God's wrath. As I have the ironed chart marked, the day of the Lord's wrath is the day of the Lord. It's in that block there, the day of the Lord is the day of Christ's wrath. And that is nothing else but the seventh seal. Yeah, because heavenly signs is the sixth seal. So the next one is the seventh seal. And so we read in Revelation chapter 8 verse 1, and when he opened the seventh seal, so now we've got the seventh seal, he's going to open the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And then I saw the seven angels who had stand before God, and with them were given seven trumpets. So the seventh seal has got seven trumpets, but before they blow, there's silence. It's like saying, time out. Why is there a time out? Because there were people that have repented during the Great Tribulation. Those people have repented during the Great Tribulation. They are God's children. They are not repented. Why should they be punished by God? God's going to protect them. In other words, He's going to seal them. They will not be put in a hiding place like the ones that were earlier, but they will be sealed in local, in whatever they are. Look at Revelation chapter 7, and it says in verse 3, do not arm the earth or the sea or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads. These other people have repented. These people have repented and are not going to be punished by God. They have repented during the Great Tribulation. Why should they be punished by God?

And we can see there are two groups of people that are going to be sealed. There are two groups of people that will be sealed. Israelites and Gentiles. God does not discriminate that only these will be sealed. The Gentiles will be protected as well, that they have repented to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

And then look at verse 4, and I heard the number of those who were sealed. 144,000 of all the tribes of Israel. So there were 144,000 of the 12 tribes of Israel enumerated. There were sealed.

And look at verse 9. And after these things are looked, and behold a great multitude which no one could number, of all the nations, tribes, people, and tongues, standing also before the throne. So we've got two groups. Look at the wording. We've got a number in verse 4, and then from where that number comes from. So in verse 4 we've got a number of people and where they come from. That number is 144,000 from where? From the Israelites. Look at verse 9, and then I looked and what I see. A number, what is the number? A great multitude that cannot be enumerated. When from where? From all nations. In other words, from Gentiles.

Two groups of people. And where do they come from? Look at verse 13. 1, 3, 13. Then one of the elders answered saying to me, Where do these arrayed in white robes? Where do they come from? And he said to him, Sir, these are the ones that came out of the great tribulation and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. These are the people that came out of the great tribulation and through the great tribulation they have repented. And when they repented and accept Christ and been baptized, they'll be washed by the blood of the Lamb like you and I are washed by the blood of the Lamb when we repent and baptized. 1. Look at Joel chapter 2. We started by reading Joel, so let's bring Joel back again. Chapter 2 verse 12. Joel chapter 2 verse 12 through 14. Now therefore says the Lord, turn to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and with mourning and rain your heart and not your garments, return to the Lord your God for his gracious and merciful, slow to anger and great kindness, and he relents from doing harm. Who knows if he will turn and relent and leave a blessing behind him? Who knows if God will forgive you? Repent! And Joel is clearly talking about these times of trouble, times of the great tribulation. Repent! Look at verse 31 and 32 of chapter 2. Joel chapter 2 verse 31 and 32. It says, The sun shall be turned into darkness and the morning to blood before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. Right, the heavenly signs before the day of the Lord. That's the seventh seal. That is again. Look at the chalk, so we don't get confused. So we've got the heavenly signs before the day of the Lord. Very clear, simple. That's what it is. And what do you look at it? And read on verse 32. And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Basically what he's saying is, and again, you can read in multiple layers like an onion. It's multiple layers. But one of the layers, yah, is those after the heavenly signs before the day of the Lord, if they repent and if they call on the name of the Lord, says whoever calls on the name of the Lord during the great tribulation shall be saved.

It'll be protected. It'll be sealed. From the events that are going to happen during the day of the Lord.

Yeah, saved spiritually, but also physically for those people are going through that terrible time.

Brethren, many people that go into the tribulation and did not, did not repent before the great tribulation, they will say, I should have listened. I should have repented. I was arrogant. And then they do repent and they do turn to and they are really committed to Christ.

But they're still physical human beings. While some of them will die, I'm not saying that they will not die, but some will be protected. Now consider, please, what happens to you and I? What happens when we acknowledge our sins and we repent? And we go through baptism counseling and we reach a point that we're ready for baptism, and we reach a point that we're ready for baptism, that will make that commitment. And we are baptized. At baptism, our sins are washed away, right? Our sins are washed away.

And then, and then what? We receive God's Holy Spirit. We are, of course, begotten children of God, and we have access to God's throne in our prayers through Christ's blood. We have access to God's throne in our prayers through Christ's blood. Read with me, please, Hebrews chapter 10.

I'm going to read verse 14. For about one offering, he has perfected forever. If you are perfected forever, you have now access to Christ's throne when you pray. Sure, it says, those who are being sanctified. Yes, we're still being sanctified. Sure, you know, we receive God's Holy Spirit. This is the covenant. Verse 16 writes the law in our hearts, and we're being satisfied with... But look a little bit further in verse 16. In verse 19. Therefore, brethren, have emboldened us to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus. Brethren, it's talking to us now. We have been washed by Christ's blood. We have been made perfect by one offering we perfected. We are clean. We are without sin. We're still being sanctified, but in God's eyes, he's put it away. Provided we're repentant, truly repentant, we're trying our best. And we have now boldness to enter into the Holy of Olias through the blood of Jesus. By a new and living way. Verse 20. In all way you could not go only the high priest on the day of a tournament, but now by living new and living way you and I can go anytime to the Holy of Olias. That's what it says. Therefore, let us draw near through heart in a full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. And I tell you, if you're washed with God's pure water, you're white and clean. Better than Elmo or whatever in all days. But you're white and clean.

Do we grasp it, brethren? Do we grasp it? We are before God's throne, and we're now serving Him day and night. That's what you and I should be doing. We should be before God's throne, and we should be servants serving Him day and night. Isn't that what we as true Christians should be? If we are, we better reset and look at ourselves and repent. It is the same with those that repent during the Great Tribulation. Going back to Revelation 7. Revelation 7 verse 15. Where do we left a moment ago? Revelation 7 verse 15. Therefore, they are before the throne of God and serving day and night in His temple. That's what you and I should be doing, and that's what those people should be doing. You and I are still physical human beings. Those people are still physical human beings, but that's what they're doing.

And He who sits on the throne will dwell amongst them. Christ is dwelling amongst us, isn't He? Should be.

And then look at verse 16 and 17. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore. The sun shall not strike them nor any need to eat. Why? Because they're still physical human beings. And you read later when it's talking about the trumpet says, well this trumpet will not affect them, those that have the seal. Why? Because they're still alive. They're going through it. For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living waters, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Sure, it's prophetic also for a time in the future. It's got different layers, but are we looking at people? Look at verse 16 carefully. Read it carefully. They'll hunger and thirst no more. The sun will strike them no more. And Christ will shepherd them. In the future it says, will shepherd them. It doesn't say they're really there. It says, will is still shepherding them into the future, into living waters. Think about that carefully. Take note of those words. Now watch what Isaiah 49 verse 10 says. If you remember those words, look at Isaiah 49 verse 10. Isaiah 49 verse 10.

They shall neither hunger nor thirst. Oh, isn't that similar? Neither shall neither heat or sun strike them. Isn't that similar? For he who has mercy on them, who has mercy on them, Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the the chief shepherd, right, will lead them. Oh, will lead them even by the springs of water and you'll guide them. Isn't that practically identical to what we read in Revelation 7 verse 16 and 17? And what is the context of Isaiah 49 verse 10, brethren? The context of Isaiah 49 verse 10, let's look at verse 11 and 12. And I'll make each of my mountains a road, and my highways shall be elevated. Surely these shall come from afar. Look those from the north and the west and east from the land of Sinan. Brethren, the context is talking about the second exodus. The context is the second exodus. And what is the second exodus? It's the beginning of the millennium when these people come, they've been protected, they've repented, and they now come as a humble and meek people, as you read in Zephaniah, a meek and humble people, and they come to be ruled in the kingdom of God. And they were protected and they repented during the Great Tribulation. Look in Zephaniah chapter 3, Zephaniah chapter 3 verse 12. I will leave in your midst a meek and humble people, and they shall trust in the Lord, in the name of the Lord. Look at Zephaniah chapter 2 verse 13. Gather yourselves, yes, gather together, oh, undesirable nation, before the decrees issued or the day passes like chaff, before the Lord's fierce anger, which is what? Day of the Lord, the seven seals, right? So they're going to be protected before that comes up, before the day of the Lord's anger comes upon you. Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, where do you come from? Because you've been through the Tribulation, now you meek and teachable, and you're repenting. Who have upheld is just a sick who have upheld is just a sick raj, a sick humility, that maybe you will be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger. You will be sealed in the day of the Lord's anger.

So, is this a dual meaning? Yes, it could be. Dual meaning that people before the Great Tribulation will be protected, but also the people before the heavenly signs will be sealed. And then, the day of the Lord, the seven trumpets are unleashed. Let's go to Revelation chapter 8. Revelation chapter 8. Reverend, I want to leave you very, very clear understanding that there is a protection before the Great Tribulation for part of the church, in a place, in a wilderness, away from the serpent of the serpent. But in addition to that, there is a protection to those that repent during the Great Tribulation before the day of the Lord, after the heavenly signs, they will be protected. So, as we see some of our loved ones that have not repented, there's a hope for them. There's a hope for them.

So, God does promise protection. The ones that have not repented then, by then, and when the day of the Lord comes, you read other scriptures that says they do not repent. They do not repent. They do not repent. Those are the ones that remain. But the ones that have repented now are sealed, and those trumpets and those effects will not affect them. Let's gloss through them very quickly. Revelation chapter 8. Revelation chapter 8. It says, the seven seals. So then it says, in verse 7, there's the first trumpet. In verse 8 is the second trumpet. Verse 10 is the third trumpet, and verse 12 is the fourth trumpet. These are the beginning. These four trumpets are the beginning of the day of the Lord, and they affect a third of the earth, the sea, the rivers, the moon, the sun, the stars. And then we get in verse 13, and it says, now they are three to go. You see, you've got four trumpets. Now they are three to go, and those are named as three woes. Three woes. And then we read the first woe, which is in chapter 9, which is the fifth trumpet, which is basically that period of military intervention that will affect people for five months. And we believe, and always believe, that's probably the beast power causing some gases or whatever it is affecting the other remaining superpower, which is in the east and the north, which ties with Daniel 11 44, which is the bad news from the east and the north. So the beast turns to the east and the north, and so they unleash this locus-like disease that affects them for five months. Now once those five months are over, and that means the end of that first woe, which is the first trumpet, then is the second woe, which is in Revelation chapter 9 verse 13. Revelation chapter 9 verse 13. And that is the sixth angel, the sixth trumpet, that is the the second woe, and that is those nations of the east and the west that counter-attack with atomic bombs or whatever it is with an army of 200 million. You can read that in verse 16. And out of that a third of mankind will be destroyed. Now understand that there will have been those that have repented are protected. They are sealed. They protected. This will not affect them. So we need to pray that people repent. We need to repent. We must be humble and be teachable. We must pray that people repent, if not now, at least later, but they'll repent. Why? So they'll be sealed and protected. God promises a protection during this period of the day of trumpets, symbolized by the day of trumpets, which the seven trumpets. And look at it. Yeah, in verse 18 it says a third of mankind was killed. Now remember that the fourth seal, right at the beginning of the fourth seal, 25% of mankind was killed. So let's say they were 100. It's now 75. Now yeah, a third of mankind is killed, which is another 25 of those 75. So we left to 50 of mankind. And there will be many others that will die through other means. That's just these two. 50% of mankind will be obliterated.

Great things are going to happen. Terrible things are going to happen on earth, brethren, before Christ's coming. So this is the second world. This is the counter-attack of the nations, probably China and those counter-attack the beast power and will cause that great trouble. Now what happens? Well, the beast power says, uh-uh, I'm not gonna leave. It's either you or me. And they're ready to go to one another, the beast power against China and those, and they're ready to knock heads and they will completely destroy the world in the process. It would then be the end of the world. Therefore, Christ has to now intervene. And that is the seventh trumpet, the last trumpet. And the last trump we know from 1 Corinthians 15 verse 52, that is the resurrection. That's the resurrection of the first fruits and those now. Will some of those people have been sealed, will be amongst the first fruits? Possibly. Some of them, why not? It's God knows the hearts. Some may be not. Some may continue into the world tomorrow as pioneers, as physical human beings. That is God's decision because he looks at the heart. I can't put God in a box and say, these you will God, you will change and these you will not. No, God knows the heart. But what I'm saying is that verse is the seventh trumpet now. It's Christ's coming and that seventh trumpet is described in Revelation 11. Starting from verse 15, then the seventh trumpet sounded and there it is. And then it's the time of Christ taking rule and that he will judge the dead, he will reward the saints, and he will destroy those that destroy the earth, as we can see in verse 18. When these two enemies now see Christ coming, they will consider this an invasion from outer space. And from there, and from that moment, that's when it starts the seven last plagues. And in one of those seven last plagues, you can see that's when those nations will gather together out of the other side, out of the river, and gather together in Armageddon, and they will turn against Christ. And then they'll wage war against Christ, which you see when Christ comes in Revelation 19, in a white horse, as king of kings and lord of lords, and he will destroy them, those that have gathered together. And then all rebellion is put away. And you can read more about that in Zechariah 14. In Zechariah 14, it says Christ comes and those nations turn around, Christ is on Mount of Olives. And then they turn, and what happens to them? The eyes get obliterated right there, and those armies are destroyed. And then Christ forces mankind to obey only God. What do you mean, forces? Well, they will not be allowed to have any more false religion, because Satan will be put away. That will talk more on the day of Atonement. Satan will be put away, and therefore there will be no more false teaching. They will keep the Feast of Tabernacles. You can read that in Zechariah 14. If they don't keep the Feast of Tabernacles, you know what? Curses will come upon them. You read that in Zechariah 14.

And then there will be peace on earth. And so, brethren, what have we got in this symbolism of the Day of Trumpets? In this symbolism of the Day of Trumpets, we have these trumpets, which is the Day of the Lord, which will be terrible times on the earth. And Christ will come. But before that, the repentant ones will be protected. Brethren, God is faithful. He is not going to let his children be punished by him when they are repentant children. You're not going to beat your children when they're nice and behaving. Right? You're not going to do that. So if you don't expect that, if you don't do that, why would our righteous Heavenly Father do that to us? So those that have repented will be protected. Why? Because the sealing will be so that they will not be impacted by God's punishments. They'll be protected from that. That, brethren, is an encouragement. It will happen during that period of trumpets that symbolizes this feast. Not only the resurrection of the saints of the first fruits, but it's all these trumpets and those people of mankind that are repentant will be protected. Yes, the rest did not repent and they'll be... and the Bible says they did not repent and they did a small... and they still did not repent. But those that are sealed have repented and the two witnesses will still be doing their job until Christ's coming. Three and a half days before Christ's coming. So you can see that very significantly. So to conclude, I just want to look at two brief scriptures. The first one is Joel chapter 2 verse 1. Joel chapter 2 verse 1. And it says, Blow the trumpet in Zion and sound an alarm in my holy mountain. Blow the trumpet in Zion. You could relate that to, spiritually speaking, blow the trumpet in Zion, which is in God's church, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain amongst my people, Israel, physical Israel, and spiritual Israel. Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming. Christ is coming. And as we read at the concluding chapter of Revelation, in Revelation 22, Christ says, Revelation 22 verse 20, right as he concludes, he says, he who testifies these things says, Surely I'm coming quickly. Surely I'm coming suddenly. And then we say, even so come, Lord Jesus, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.