Prophetic Fulfillment Between Trumpets and Atonement

The title is Prophetic Fulfillment Between Trumpets and Atonement. Prophetic fulfillment between trumpets and atonement. Of course, we're in that period of time between the Feast of Trumpets and the Feast of Atonement. If the resurrection had taken place this past Thursday, you shall have now been a spirit being for about two days, or maybe close to three or somewhere along there. So what have you been doing during this time as a spirit being? The seventh trumpet plague is divided into seven plagues called the Vials of Wrath. The Bible states that when the voice of the seventh angel begins to sound, the mystery of God should be finished. So let's note that in Revelation chapter 10, and if you don't turn to these scriptures today, you will be probably lost. In Revelation chapter 10 and verse 6, so the Bible states when the voice of the seventh angel begins to sound, the mystery of God should be finished.

So we look at Revelation 10.6. And swore by him that lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things therein, and the earth, and the things that are therein, and the sea, and the things that are therein, that there should be time no longer. Chronos, the way that we mark time from which you get the word chronology. But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, says the voice of the seventh angel, evidently it is talking about the seven angels with the seven trumpet plagues. You look back there, just a page, you look at Revelation chapter 8. We're coming right back there to 10, but it's a very quick turn. In Revelation chapter 8, and when he had opened the seventh seal, we know the seventh seal is divided into the seven trumpets, and the seven trumpets, the last trumpet, the seventh trump is divided into the seven vials of wrath. When he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. So evidently this one here in Revelation chapter 10 verse 7, the voice of the seventh angel is the seventh of these angels. So I saw the seven angels which stood before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. 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. So it's like the incense, the sweet odor, the smell of the prayers of the saints through the ages have been captured in this urn or whatever you want to call it. And then these prayers are like poured out. And these prayers, it seems, helps to turn the tide of events. Why else would he pour them out? Verse 4, the smoke of the incense which came up with the prayers of the saints ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. 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, lightnings, and an earthquake. And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. So it's the pouring out of these prayers that launches the trumpet plagues. Now we go back to Revelation 10. Revelation 10 is somewhat of an inset chapter showing events that transpires between the sixth trumpet and the seventh trumpet and the beginning of the seventh trumpet. So we go back here to verse 7 in chapter 10, but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, apparently one of the angels here, the seven angels that came out with the trumpets prepared to sound, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished as he is declared to his servants the prophets.

Verse 7 doesn't mention a trumpet. It says, when the voice of the seventh angel begins to sound, the mystery should be finished. And as I've already noted, it is assumed that it is one of the seven angels mentioned in chapter 8. But what is the mystery? The mystery should be finished. Well, there are two principal mysteries that Paul talks about in the scriptures, and the second one probably could be divided into more. But one, let's look at those mysteries briefly. We go to Ephesians chapter 3. Ephesians chapter 3 and verse 3.

In Ephesians chapter 3 verse 3, Paul had introduced this concept to large degree in chapter 2. You know, on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was sent, there were gathered in Jerusalem people of Jewish descent and proselytes from the Roman Empire. But it was not generally known that the Gentiles would be included within what was going on in the Jewish world and their view of the things of God. It was like he went through this proselytizing process, and then you could be a part of the congregation, but yet not fully quite a part of it. But Paul comes along. He is the apostle to the Gentiles. And we look at Ephesians chapter 3 verse 3. How that by revelation, in other words, Paul had this revealed to him, remember that he was taught by Jesus Christ for three years or more in the Arabian wilderness, how that by revelation he made, and he being Jesus Christ, made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote before in a few words, whereby when you read you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men. Peter talks about the the angels' desire to look into it.

When in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. What is the mystery? Verse 6. That the nations, the ethnos, should be fellow heirs and of the same body and partakers of the promise in Christ by the gospel. So that's one of the great mysteries, that the gospel includes everyone. Now what is the hope and why were we born? And as our latest booklet says, what is our destiny?

Ties in with the second part here of the great mystery. And that great mystery in summary would be Christ in you, the hope of glory. How that human beings, that which is made of the flesh, of the elements of the earth, can be joined with spirit and eventually at the resurrection born into the family of God as spirit beings. Now this is a great mystery. So let's look at verses here that show what we're talking about with regard to this in John 1 and verse 1.

In John 1 verse 1, this reveals, of course, those who insist that there is only one God. They call the one God people or whatever. There are various versions of this, the Arian version that claims that Jesus Christ is a created being. Jehovah Witness's version which claims that Michael is the one who became Jesus Christ. And of course he was an archangel and a created being. And some saying that, well, Jesus Christ came on the scene when he was in flesh.

That is, the Spirit of God in flesh or conceived him in the womb of Mary. But none of that is correct, obviously, because Jesus Christ, the one who became Jesus Christ, has existed in eternity. And we're not here to prove that necessarily today. In John 1.1, in the beginning was the word which shows existence. This Greek word here, the Greek word en, translated was, is the same as to be, which means existence.

In the beginning, the word existed would be another translation. And the word was with God, showing relationship. And the word was God, showing identity. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him without him was not anything made that was made.

In him was life, and the life was the light of men. Now you look at verse 10. He was in the world, the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name, which were born not of blood, nor the will of the flesh.

So you are being transformed into something that is above flesh, nor the will of man, but of God. Now we go to Colossians chapter 1, and Paul talks about this mystery of Christ in you, the hope of glory, that we now have the earnest of the Spirit abiding within us, and we have been begotten. When Gennao is used of the Father, it has to do with begettle to engender life. When it's used of the mother, it means to bring forth. In Colossians 1 verse 25, Whereforeof I am made a minister according to dispensation of God, which is given to me for you to fulfill the word of God, even the mystery which has been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints, to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the nations, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

We're reconciled to God, but the death of his son, as it says in Romans 5.10, we shall be saved by his life. And of course, upon resurrection, we are we become the born sons of God. And really, that is a new order of beings, as it were. You look at Revelation 5.10. I'm sorry, this is Revelation 1.5. In Revelation 1.5, see, there had never been in the past someone who had lived in the flesh, who had died, and was then resurrected as a spirit being.

Jesus Christ was the first one, the first born among many brethren. In Revelation 1.5, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness and the first born of the dead and the prince of the kings of the earth unto him that loved us, washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his father, to whom we glory and dominion forever and ever.

So that great mystery of how flesh has the potential of becoming spirit beings in the kingdom of God. So once again, Revelation 10.7.

In Revelation 10.7, we read it again.

But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. So one of the questions here, does the resurrection of the saints take place at the very beginning of the sounding of the seventh trumpet? Because see these trumpets, there are seven trumpets. Seven trumpets. The first four are poured out on the environment as recorded in Revelation 8. And then you have the first war of woe, the fifth trumpet, where people are tormented for five months, seek death, and cannot find it. And you have the second woe of the 200 million man army coming out of the east. That is the second woe. And then the third woe be the seven vials of wrath. So the question, does the resurrection take place at the beginning of the sounding of the seventh trumpet? Or does it take place at the conclusion of the seventh trumpet? Now the translators here in verse seven says the mystery of God should be finished. And translators look at it two different ways. One as finished immediately, like this mystery of how flesh can become spirit beings, or it is a part of the process that through the whole blowing of the seven trumpets, at some point the resurrection. So remember the seventh trumpet is divided in the seven vials of wrath. So some say because verse seven says when the seventh angel begins to sound, but it also says that the mystery should be finished. Now we go to 1 Corinthians 15. 1 Corinthians 15. 1 Corinthians 15 talks about the last trump, and it connects it with the resurrection.

But once again, trumpets is divided into seven trumpets, and the last one is divided into seven vials of wrath.

In 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 50, Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Only spirit beings technically are in the kingdom of God, as it says here. I say that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.

Neither does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery. See, this ties in with the resurrection and flesh being made spirit beings. Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. Changed into what? Into spirit beings. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, where the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall put on incorruption, the mortal shall put on immortality. Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory. Now let's note Revelation chapter 11. Revelation chapter 11.

There's a part here about Revelation chapter 11 that we will focus on as later as we read through this, that you may not have focused on in the past with regard to chronology, to time sequence and sequence of events. In Revelation chapter 11, this is somewhat of an inset chapter that describes the events. It does not necessarily advance the narrative in the sense that where it says in the sixth angel sounded or anything like that.

And there was given me a read like unto a rod, and the angel stood saying, rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and them that worship therein.

Of course, there is a physical temple. In the past, there have been two temples, Solomon's temple and the Restoration Temple. And as we have even here in the news items this week, the Jews talking about restoring temple worship and the perpetual, the continual offering in preparing all the instruments and the priesthood to do so. And they talk about building a temple. And, of course, temple represents also the Church of God. As in 1 Corinthians 3 16, you are the temple of God. Know you not that you are the temple of God. But the court which is without the temple, leave out, measure it not, for it is given unto the nations, and the holy city shall they tread down for three and a half years, 42 months. Now, there has been talk among the Jews that they could share the temple mount. It is such it is probably the most volatile and hotly contested 20 acres on the face of the earth, the whole temple mount. Maybe it's 24, some 20 or 20 something acres, hotly contested. Some have said, well, let the Arabs have their mosque, the Dome of the Rock, and Al-Hakso Mosque, and we will go just north of the Dome of the Rock and build a temple. Others are now saying, and one that was saying this was one who used to be associated with the Worldwide Church of God, who is now deceased, Ernest Martin, saying that the temple was just south of that wall that's around the temple mount. So, obviously, I don't know for sure. I would think it's probably, the temple was probably built where the Dome of the Rock is. But this makes it clear, now we have had dark people. In fact, we've even had the Doctrine Committee, even now, and we haven't made the final write-up on it with regard to the temple and the restoration of sacrifices and that kind of thing, that some have thought, even thought, in the church and within the minister. Well, maybe there will not be a physical temple built, but it's hard to see these scriptures fulfilled without this part here being physical. Verse 2, The court which is out the temple leave out, measure it not, for it is given to the nations, and the holy city shall they tread down forty-two months. That sounds like a place to me and a city, not just the church. Of course, you can look at this in the dual sense of, of course, as it says in 1 Peter 4, 17, the judgment is now on the house of God, and if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the sinner appear? Of course, if they haven't committed the unpardonable sin, it'd be in the second resurrection. Now, in conjunction with this, and I will give power unto my two witnesses. They shall prophesy, this 1,203 score days, same length of time, three and a half years. These are the two olive trees and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. Now, that's in reference to Zachariah's vision in Zachariah chapter 4, where he sees the, the golden bowl, and on either side of the golden bowl, or two olive trees, and pipes going down into the bowls.

They are identified as such, I believe, as in verse 14 of Zachariah 4, as the two sons of oil standing before the God of the whole earth. If any man will hurt them, fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies, and if man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. So these, the two witnesses have the power of life and death over those who would try to kill them. They have great supernatural protection, and they have great supernatural power. They have power to shut heaven, that it rained not in the days of their prophecy, as in the days of Elijah when the earth was, the heavens were shut, and have power over waters to turn them to blood. This is in addition to the trumpet plagues, apparently, and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will. So there is tremendous power and responsibility that is given to these two men.

And when they shall have finished their testimony, their witness, their Matoria, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, shall overcome them, and kill them. Now, they are killed, they are dead, and they're dead bodies, shall lie in the street of the great city. That's Jerusalem. See, historically, it's the holy city because God's presence was placed in Jerusalem and in the Holy of Holies in Solomon's Temple.

There's no record when the Restoration Temple was dedicated in the days of Ezra. There's no record that the Holy Spirit filled that temple. You can read about that in Ezra chapter 6, beginning in verse 16, 17, 18, long and there. But there's no record of this Shekinah glory, the presence of God filling that temple. And, of course, the latter temple, the Church of God, God dwells in each one of us. And that's sort of a different sermon as well.

Their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually, see, spiritually at that time it becomes Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified, so it is thoroughly identified. There's no doubt about it. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and a half, and shall not permit their dead bodies to be put in graves. So they err this on, I don't know if CNN, Al Jazeera, Fox, or whatever it is. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them and make merry. See, they have this power to to send plagues and also to shut the heavens so it doesn't rain. So the beast and the false prophet, along with Satan directing, will cause the people whose names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life to think that the two witnesses are the two bad guys. And they send these gifts because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. And after three days and a half, the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet, and great fear fell upon them which saw them.

Life came into them, and they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, come up here, and they ascended up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies beheld them. And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men, seven thousand, and the rimnut, who is that? That's probably another sermon, too. And the rimnut were affrighted and gave glory to God of heaven. So obviously, it's converted people to give glory to God. The second woe is passed. The sixth trumpet plague is passed. It is culminated by these events in chapter 11.

And the seventh angel sounded. This is the seventh trumpet plague. Now, does the resurrection take place at that instant? Or does some time pass?

The seventh angel sounded. There were great voices in heaven saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever. And the twenty-four elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces and worshiped God, saying, We give you thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which our was is to come, because you have taken to yourself great power and have reigned. And the nations were angry, and your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged. So it doesn't necessarily say they've been resurrected or not resurrected. The time of the dead, that they should be judged. There are two aspects of this. That you should give reward unto your servants, the prophets, and to the saints, and then that fear your name, small and great, and should destroy them which destroy the earth. And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the Ark of his Covenant. That's the athecha in the Greek, should be translated covenant. And there were lightnings and voices and thunderings and earthquakes and great hail.

Revelation 11 15 introduces the seventh trumpet plague. You notice that expression in verse, well, I guess you'd call it a predicate or phrase here in verse 15, where it says, are become. The Greek word there is genamahii. I'll read here what Esauert says, a prolonged and middle form of a primary verb to cause to be, that is, reflexively to become, used with great latitude, both literally and figuratively, arise, be assembled, be brought to pass, come to pass, continue, be performed, be published, require, seem to be, soon it was to be, so it has great latitude. It can mean right at that time, or it can mean in conjunction with a little later.

Now, chapters 12, 13, and 14 are to a large degree inset chapters that did not necessarily advance the narrative in the chronological sense, but they provide details of past, present, and future events. The narrative resumes in Revelation 15. Let's go there to Revelation 15. The great question of Revelation 15 is, who are these who stand on the sea of glass and sing the victory song of Moses? Is it literally resurrected spirit beings, or is it a vision in which John sees what is going to happen? And if you think I know, I don't. You don't either.

So the great question is, who are these that stand on the sea of glass and sing the victory song of Moses? But we can't explore it. Basically, the church has taken a position that this is a vision since we don't go to heaven when we die. Now, we are so caught up with we don't go to heaven that the devil can go up there and go before the throne of God, and he's surely not going to be in the kingdom. But we can't go up there, because that might indicate we're going to heaven. But I think we'll be able to freely go back in two. And we don't go to heaven when we die. You know, some of us attended a funeral yesterday, sadly, and we have attended quite a number of funerals in recent years, and they are dead in their graves, and will be so until they are resurrected. However, when we are resurrected and born in the family of God as radiant, glorious spirit beings, we will be able to stand in the presence of God and look on his face. I would say whether in heaven or whether in earth. The Bible makes it clear that our reward is kings and priests. We've already read that from Revelation 1.6. Kings and priests, and we're going to reign on the earth, Revelation 5.10. Just because one might be caught up into heaven does not mean that heaven is the reward of the saved. Now, you look here, we are in Revelation. So, look at Revelation 22. Revelation 22, probably better if I would read 1 John 3 first. Mr. Bauman read this in his sermon at recently 1 John 3, but we're looking at this first.

In Revelation 22.3, and there shall be no more curse that the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it. And his servant shall serve him, and they shall see his face, and his name shall be in their foreheads. Of course, this is speaking of the New Jerusalem. Now, you go back to 1 John chapter 3. Now, what we're talking about here is that as spirit beings, are you limited to the earth? Well, the devil is not limited to the earth right now, because Job 1 talks about him appearing before the throne of God. Revelation 12.10 talks about him accusing the saints before the throne of God day and night. In 1 John 3.

1 John 3, Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. Therefore, the world knows us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be. That's part of the great mystery. But we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Now, we continue there in Revelation 15. Let's read that and go back there and look at that.

So, as a spirit being, I would it seems to me that we'll be able to go a lot of places that we can't go now. In Revelation 15 verse 1, I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues. So we read from chapter 11 that the second woe is past, and we read also that the seventh angel sounded, and we read the last of Revelation 11 15 through 21.

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. And I saw, as it were, a sea of glass mingle with fire, and them that had gotten the victory over the beast. Well, it's human beings who have the mark of the beast. It's not angels. Them that had gotten the victory over the beast. And over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass having the harps of God. Now, the sea of glass, hold your place, you go back to Revelation chapter 4. In Revelation chapter 4, John is given a vision of the throne of God, and some of the imagery that is here in chapter 4 is included in Revelation 15, as we'll note here.

Revelation 4.1. After this, I looked and behold, a door was opened in heaven, and the first voice which I heard was, as it were, of a trumpet talking with me, which said, Come up here, and I will show you things which must be hereafter. So the main prophetic part of the book begins here with chapter 4. It's not that some of the other parts, not the first three chapters, prophecy in that as well, but, and I will show you things which must be hereafter. Immediately, I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. He that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone, and there was a rainbow round about the throne in sight, like unto an emerald. Some talk about the rainbow being given as a sign the earth would no longer be destroyed by a flood, as in Genesis after Noah's flood, but a rainbow is such a beautiful thing. Had drowned about the throne were 24 seats, and upon the seats I saw 24 elders sitting clothed in white raiment. You know, in Revelation 19, verses 7-8, and along in there the white raiment, or linen is the righteousness of the saints. In white raiment, and they had on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices. There were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. And before the throne there was a sea of glass, like unto crystal, and in the midst of the throne and round about the throne were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And then it describes these beasts.

Verse 11, you are worthy, O Eternal, to receive glory and honor and power, for you have created all things for your pleasure. They are and were created. Now we go back to Revelation 15. So we see that vision of the throne of God. There is a sea of glass there, as it were, of crystal. And so this vision here, you see these who've gotten the victory over the beast and the mark of the beast stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of gold. I'm sorry, having the harps of God. Now, this can be a vision of what is going to happen. For example, we go, we're coming back here shortly. Now we go to Revelation 7, and you see a vision here in Revelation 7 of the great multitude. Well, the trumpet plagues have not even been sounded when this vision is given, because chapter 7 begins with, hold back these trumpet plagues after the seventh seal is open and ready to have these seven trumpets. Said to hold it back until these are sealed.

Verse 1 of chapter 7, After these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. Another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom he was given to hurt the earth and the seas, hurt not the earth, neither the sea nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. So the trumpet plagues are held up until this sealing takes place. Now you note verse 9 after the sealing of the 12 tribes, 144,000. After this I beheld and lo, a great multitude which no man can number of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues, stood before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes and palms in their hands. Now the trumpet plagues have not been sounded. I mean we got to hold them up until the 444,000 are sealed, yet John sees this. Verse 10, and cried with a loud voice, saying, salvation to our God which sits upon the throne and under the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne about the elders and the four beasts and fell before the throne on their faces and worshiped God, saying, Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might be unto our God forever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, what are these which are arrayed in white robes? Where did they come from?

And I said unto him, Sir, you know. It's as if to say, I don't know, but surely you do. And he said to me, these are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are they before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple. And he that sits on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore, neither shall the sun light on them nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of water, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Of course, that's repeated in Revelation 21 verse 4. So the seventh trumpet hasn't sounded. In fact, the first trumpet hasn't sounded. And God sees these, John sees this vision of the great multitude. So prophets were given visions of things as if they already had been fulfilled, yet they had not been fulfilled, but they were as good as fulfilled because God, who cannot lie, has promised. So in the book of Revelation, you are challenged sometimes with this. Is this a vision of what is going to happen, and it assures the word of God? Or is it something that has happened already? It seems clear to me here this has not happened if the resurrection takes place at the seventh trump, because here no trumpet has yet sounded.

Now we go back to Revelation 15.

So based on that, this could be a vision of what John is seeing. I would not necessarily rule out. I don't know for sure. I don't believe anybody does.

In context with what it's saying with regard to the seven angels ready to sound, all of that, it seems like it is what is happening right then. But back in chapter seven, it seems clear that that's what is to be.

So they are standing on this sea of glass, having the harps of God. Verse 2, they've overcome the beast in his image. In verse 3, they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God. After Israel came up out of the Red Sea, and the host of Pharaoh were drowned behind them as the Red Sea closed, that's Exodus 14. Then in Exodus 15, they sing the victory song of Moses. And so the victory song of Moses is in conjunction with having a team to achieve a great victory. They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb. Notice it says, the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, great and marvelous, are your works God, Lord God Almighty, just and true are your ways, you King of Saints. Who shall not fear you, O eternally, glorify your name? For you only art holy for all nations. Of course, this reminds you of Isaiah 2.4, which is one of my, perhaps my favorite millennial scripture about all nations shall come up to Jerusalem, the law shall go forth from Zion and his word from Jerusalem. All nations shall come and worship you, for your judgments are made manifest. And after that I looked and beheld the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. Now that's, see, that's been repeated once. If you hold your place there and look at Revelation 11.19, we've already read one instance of this in Revelation 11.19, and the temple of God was opened in heaven and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament covenant. There were lightnings and voices, thunderings, and earthquake, and great hail.

So back there in Revelation 15.5 again, and after that I looked and beheld the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened, very similar to Revelation 11.19. And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power. And no man was able to enter into the temple. A better translation of this is no man is no one. It's regardless of gender or whatever, you look in the commentaries, Greek or whatever, was able to enter into the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. Now, chapter 16 provides a description of the pouring out of these vials of wrath, the seven vials of wrath, which constitutes the seventh trumpet. So if you were resurrected at the beginning of the blowing at the seventh trumpet, then you have these events that are described here. So you're in the second or third day of being a spirit being, an atonement nine days away, really eight days exclusive from here.

Do you think all of these events can be... I think some people have the idea, well, these events will be fulfilled like in sequence that we keep them, as far as time lasts. So we had trumpets on seventh, the resurrection took place, and all the vials of wrath will be poured out in the next nine days. Here we go. Let's read this and see if you think it can be poured out in nine days. If we look at this, the historical sense, the holy days, a Passover is a feast day, but not a holy day in that it's...

and then you have Unleavened Bread and so on, but Passover, the first Passover in circa 1420 BC, where they killed the lambs, sprinkled the blood, the blood of the lambs on the doorpost, and they continued to keep Passover by killing the lambs until the time of the true Passover came, and that was somewhere around 1473 years, something like that. So from that historical fulfillment of Passover, a literal event that launched Passover, 1473 years passed. Now, Israel left Egypt on the next day, the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. So there it was, it's in sequence. They left Egypt, and then, according to Jewish legend, they crossed the Red Sea on the seventh day, or the last day of Unleavened Bread, which was their baptism, and that's in sequence. Then in Exodus 19, they come to Mount Sinai in the third month and receive the law, and they enter into the Old Covenant. But now it is from that time, circa 420 BC, till the Holy Spirit was sent on Pentecost, some 1473 years later, that they enter into the New Covenant. So we're in that period of time between that literal, in the spiritual sense, fulfillment of Pentecost and of fulfillment of trumpets.

Now, that is, and what that does show is that the holidays are not necessarily like if the holy days were fulfilled absolutely in sequence, all of the events, basically, of Revelation would take place in a year.

But that's not the way it is. So we read Revelation 16, and I heard a great voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, go your way and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. The first went and poured out his vial upon the earth, and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea, and it became as the blood of a dead man, and every living soul died in the sea. The third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of water, and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the water say, You are righteous, O Lord, which are, was, shall be, because you have judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink, for they are worthy. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are your judgments. I mean, they deserve what they're getting, no doubt about it. God judges righteous judgment. The fourth angel sounded, poured out his vial upon the sun, and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat and blasphemed the name of God, which had power over these plagues, and they repented not to give him glory. The fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast, and his kingdom was full of darkness, and they gnawed their tongues for pain. And they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and of their sores, and repented not of their deeds. There's really no evidence of anyone repenting after the second woe.

And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates, and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. So how long would it take for the kings of the east to come from the east to the battle of the great day of God Almighty? Unless they were supernaturally transported there, and if that were the case, there would be no need to dry up the rivers, the waters of the river Euphrates. So it takes some time. It's hard to even imagine the logistics of an army, our armies of the nations, that gather together at Armageddon for the battle of the great day of God Almighty, as we shall read here. The sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates, the water was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. So Satan, the beast, and the false prophet are still in league all the way to the battle of the great day of God Almighty, the final battle.

For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles which go forth into the kings of the earth, and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

Behold, I come as a thief. Now, the past couple of weeks especially, I've been wondering about this. Behold, I come as a thief. Now, how on earth would he come as a thief when all of these things are taking place?

That's how I ought to tune, apparently, that the rest of the world is. I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watches and keep his garments lest he walk naked. Of course, that spiritually naked doesn't have on the white linen, and they see his shame, and he gathered them together in a place called in the Hebrew term, or tongue, Armageddon. There's a vast plain, the plains of Jezreel, that start in the north of Jerusalem, and they sort of come down like a funnel into Jerusalem. Many battles have been fought on the plains of Jezreel.

And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air. There came a great voice out of the temple of heaven from the throne, saying, It is done. There were voices and thunders and lightnings, and there were great earthquakes, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. 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 vine of the fierceness of his wrath. Every island fled away, the mountains were not found. There fell upon men a great hail out of heaven every stone about the weight of a tallot, and men blasphemed God because the plagues of the hail, for the plague thereof, was exceeding great.

The parallels of Daniel 825 and Revelation 1714 are parallels with the battle of the great day of God Almighty. You look at Daniel chapter 8. Daniel chapter 8. We recently covered Daniel 8 to some degree. In Daniel chapter 8, the vision of Alexander the Great and the kings of Medo-Persia clashing, Alexander dies, the kingdom is divided into four divisions, the focus becomes the king of the north and the king of the south, and in Daniel chapter 8 at the time of the end, this one stands up fierce.

This one, it stands up.

Verse 25, And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand. He shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many.

He shall also stand up against the prince of princes, but he shall be broken without hand.

So he's a part of this beast power in the battle of Armageddon.

The same thing is true in Revelation 1714.

You look at Revelation 1714.

These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome him, come them.

For he is Lord of lords and king of kings, and they that are with him are called and chosen and faithful.

So Revelation 17 and 18 describes the lead-up to the destruction of Babylon and the battle of the great day of God Almighty, and in some cases, as in verse 14 tells you, that they join in this beast power.

Now the narrative is advanced in Revelation 19, where the return of Jesus Christ is described.

So we look at Revelation 19. Revelation 19, after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven saying, the Doctrine and Committee is currently looking at this first several verses here, after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven saying, Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and honor and power unto the Lord our God. And one of the big questions being posed here, is this a vision or is it literal?

But that's beside the point. I'm not taking that up at the present time. We see that the last two vials of wrath are connected with the return of Christ in Revelation 19.

That is, we start here in Revelation 19. I think this was read twice during a Feast of Chocolates starting in verse 11. I want to go to Revelation 19.

Revelation 19 describes Jesus Christ's coming and all the carnage that's going to take place in verse 19. Okay, that's the sixth vial of wrath, the seed of the beast, not the seed of the beast, but where Satan, the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet go out and dry up Euphrates to make way the kings of the East, to gather them together to Armageddon for the battle of the great day of God Almighty.

And then that worshipped his image, these both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, that's Jesus Christ, and the sharp two-edged sword that goes forth. The very flesh of men fall off their bones at the word of God, which sword proceeded out of his mouth, and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

Now we go back to Zechariah chapter 14, where a lot of people say, well, as soon as the resurrection takes place, then Christ feeds in on the Mount of Olives. I wonder if we have carefully read Zechariah 14.

Zechariah 14 verse 1, Behold, the day of the Lord comes, when God directly intervenes, and that's introduced with the sixth seal, and your spoil shall be divided in the middle of you.

For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem, so that's the battle of Armageddon.

I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle. The city shall be taken, the houses rifled, the women ravished, half of the city. I said the battle of Armageddon. I meant the battle of the great day of God Almighty. The women ravished, half of the city shall go forth into captivity. The residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the Eternal go forth and fight against those nations.

Battle of the great day of God Almighty, as when he fought in the day of battle.

And his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east.

So as you stand on the Temple Mount, and if you're facing the Dome of the Rock, you're looking north, and to your right across the valley is the Mount of Olives.

Spotted with these little white tombstones where Jews want to be buried to get a head start on the resurrection.

And his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof, toward the east and toward the west. So it's like if you had an oval, and you split it, or a potato, and you split it down the middle. You got one half that moves toward the west, toward the Temple Mount. You got the other that eat toward the east, and you got in between this big valley.

So what happens to the Temple Mount? It depends, I guess, does it go across that valley? But this, it says, creates a valley. Then it says, there shall be a very great valley, and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. And you shall flee to the valley of the mountains, for the valley of the mountain shall reach unto Zal, and you shall flee like you fled before, during the time of Uzziah, king of Judo, that great earthquake during the days of Uzziah.

And the Eternal, my God, shall come, and all the saints with you.

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear nor dark, but it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day nor night, but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.

And it shall be in that day that living water shall go forth from Jerusalem, half of them toward the former sea, that is, the Mediterranean, and half of them toward the hinders sea, the dead sea, in summer and in winter.

And the king shall be king over all the earth, and that day shall there be one Yave and his name one.

So it is quite difficult in some ways to sort out exactly in a time sequence so you could dogmatically say this, that, or the other.

So if the resurrection takes place between the seven vials of wrath, or between the seven vials of wrath, you'll be witness, I should have said before the seven vials of wrath, you'll be witness to that as spirit beings.

Personally, I don't think we understand for sure exactly the time sequence that all of this will unfold until we're actually experiencing them. However, what I'm about to say is where the rubber meets the road.

I'm thankful that God has summarized the whole duty of man toward him and our fellow man, and has given us the words that we need to make sure that we are there, that is in the first resurrection.

So let's quickly read these final scriptures here. Michael 6-8. We've talked about a lot of this in our monthly Bible study here in Michael 6-8, also in the sermons about judgment, mercy, and faith. In Michael 6-8, he has showed you, O man, what is good and what does the Lord require of you. Does he require of you to understand every little sequence of events that transpire in the book of Revelation? I don't think he does.

And I don't think anybody completely understands it and could say dogmatically, okay, this is the way it goes. Of course, there are a lot of people who claim that they can.

But I think one of the things that we have shown here today is it is far more complex than some might imagine. He has shown you, O man, what is good and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. In other words, exercise judgment, mercy, and faith. Now to Matthew 22 in verse 37. Matthew 22 in verse 37.

In Matthew 22, verse 37, Jesus said unto him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind. This is an answer to what is the greatest commandment.

This is the first and great commandment. The second is like unto it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments, hang all the law and the prophets.

In other words, if you're not doing that, you could understand every bit of this, all the book of Revelation, and everything else. But if that's not where it is, it's all in vain. Now we go to 1 Corinthians 13, verses 1 through 3, where Paul makes it even clearer.

1 Corinthians 13.1, while you're turning there, quotes the last verse of Ecclesiastes. He has shown you, O man, what is the whole duty of man, fear God, and keep his commandments.

What is the love of God?

Verse John 5.3, for this is the love of God that we should keep his commandments, and commandments are not grievous. 1 Corinthians 13.1, though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, have not agape, or agape, more correctly, have not spiritual love. God is love. 2 And though I have, I am not becoming as God is, I am become as a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. 3 And though I have the gift of prophecy, understand all mysteries, all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, becoming as God is, I am nothing. 4 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and out and not becoming as God is, have not charity, it profits me nothing.

So, brethren, we know what we need to do. We don't have to be filled with anxious care, fear, and concern. We need to be watching as we heard that admonition on the Feast of Trumpets. We need to be praying and watching far more than the Catholics or any other religious group that you can name.

So, we are between trumpets and atonement as far as the sequence of the annual Holy Days.

But in the great scheme of things of the final fulfillment of the Holy Days in the prophetic sense, we're between Pentecost and trumpets. Trumpets is yet to be fulfilled. And then after the trumpets begins, when Christ comes, you've got that seven vials of wrath that are to be poured out. And then finally, in Revelation 20, verses 1 through 4, the binding of Satan, which we will be picturing on atonement.