What is to come

DEVOTION

THE REVELATION

WHAT IS TO COME

Rev 8:6-7

6 Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them. 7 The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

NIV

We understand these seven may be the seven that were first mentioned as the seven spirits of God and so now that the last seal of the scroll has been broken and all the scroll is available to John to read, he tells us this is what he sees. As the first angel sounded his trumpet we see what we have already seen happen to the people of Egypt when God sent the plagues upon them. Hail and fire came down from heaven when Moses stretched out his arms toward heaven. But here we see a picture of one third of all the earth was burned up, a third of the trees and all the green grass. Some scholars would make those trees to represent the rulers, the rich and powerful of the world and the grass the common people. Some would make all this only relevant to Judah, that in fact the grass and the trees were actually destroyed. No one knows for sure how this will all play out except God. So many have tried their hand at interpreting all the symbols within this revelation making cases many of these events have already happened in the history of Israel or some thinking this is what is to come in the last days of mankind. But the point is all this was written for all of mankind for all of time until God determines the end of this is to happen and all the earth and heavens will be utterly destroyed and a new earth and heaven will be created where we will spend all of eternity with him. One thing we can be sure of is that God will bring judgment upon all those who refuse to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. He did it in the days of Noah and he will do it again, only not with water, but with fire. He hailed down fire on Sodom and Gomorrah because of their wicked ways. He will once again bring hail and fire upon the earth because of mankind’s wicked ways. We will be here to see it? Perhaps we will, that is the body of Christ as a whole, as for some have already fallen asleep stepping into eternity while others of us might also take that step before all that God will bring upon the earth. But there may be believers who are still here, or we all may have already been taken up in the rapture before this judgment is to come.  Yet we can be sure God will bring his wrath upon the earth because of the wickedness that exists. When will mankind understand? How did we get it and others either have not or will not? There is much more to come upon this earth from God through the blowing of the other trumpets yet mankind will not repent. Just as the Pharaoh’s heart harden against God, mankind might well do the same in response to this hail and fire. Many accuse God of wrong doing, claiming him to be a God of wrath rather than a God of love, but they are all wrong. It is a denial of the truth of their wicked ways, blaming God for their troubles rather than taking responsibility for their own actions. We should learn from this for sure. We need to always be aware of our actions and how that when we fail it is we that fail God, he never fails us. As one actor once made jokes about the devil made me do it, we cannot blame the devil either for our failing God. We have to always acknowledge our sin before him, humbling ourselves before our God. It is prideful to think we have no sin, or that we no longer sin, and pride always precedes the fall. If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. All this hail and fire are mixed with blood, which may well be the blood of the Lamb with which we are washed and made clean. God is telling us he has provided a way for our salvation. Remember we who overcome will be given white robes, robes that have been washed pure white as the driven snow. So let us always be mindful that our God reigns both in heaven and earth but more importantly in our hearts. His power and authority is unmatched in all creation for it exists by his very words. We need to make sure his power and authority is unmatched in our hearts as well. All these trumpets is not so much as to what will happen to mankind as it is about all his power and authority over all that is. God has the authority over our lives and so we give him all praise, glory and honor for he loves us enough to die for us, so that we do not have to worry about what is to come.