A Warning

DEVOTION

THE REVELATION

A WARNING

Rev 8:13

13 As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying in midair call out in a loud voice: "Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!"

NIV

The eagle flies is the actual intent here, it is not an angel that appears as an eagle, but an eagle which some scholars would ascribe to the Romans as that eagle was their main emblem which the held on poles. This would then place all these preceding four trumpets and the next three which are the woes to the past. If this is the case the whole of the Revelation is about the past, then there is no hope of the new city of Jerusalem where we will spend all of eternity with our Lord. How can a portion of this Revelation be about the past and then jump to the future? If it is all past then we have no hope of what is to come for it already came. What John is describing here is a warning to the inhabitants of the earth. This Greek word used here means just that, earth, the whole of the solid portion, the terra firma portion. That means all the solid portion including all the people who live on it. This is not the language we would expect describing the land of Israel or Judah, thus it is for the whole of the earth, all the peoples of the earth will be getting a warning that even greater peril is coming upon them. The time frame of this pending peril from when this eagle screams his woes is not known to us. But what we do know is God once again is giving fair warning to his creation. If they have not repented of their sin, and turned to him after the first four trumpet blasts and the resulting calamities, they are going to experience even more if they do not repent. We are going to see also described in these three woes a directive by God not to harm anyone who has his mark upon them. Again it is supposed by some this would mean the whole of Christianity, or at least those of us who are born again, are still here during these woes. But John has already seen a vast multitude in white robes standing before the throne of God. If that multitude is not us, but only those who have died before all the woes, then we should hope we are dead before all this happens. If there are still believers living upon the earth during all this then no rapture has ever happened. But it is also fair to conclude there are some people who did turn to God during the first four trumpets and their calamities exerted upon mankind. We might also consider all this which John takes a long time and many words to describe could happen all at the same time or within a matter of minutes rather than years. But the point of this eagle is to warn mankind more is coming their way. The door is still open, they have time to repent. When these woes come upon them they will notice those who have turned to God not being harmed and they should get the picture God is their refuge, he is their tower, their salvation. Why wait to see what these three woes will bring you, come to me now, today is the day of salvation. This is his message and it has never changed. He desires we put all our trust in him. We cannot save ourselves from these pending calamities, only he can. We can trust all he said is true and will happen someday. If it begins in our lifetime, praise God, for we know he is our hope, our redeemer, our refuge in our time of trouble. For we are in the household of faith. We will stand in the congregation of the righteous before the throne of God. But there are still others who need to hear that message, that warning of impending danger that is coming upon the earth. Let us be that voice for God. Let us warn others this time is coming.  Although many will, no one should have to experience the three woes coming.