THY WRATH IS
COME
"Shall I not
show you, says the Lord,
that which will take place as the seventh trumpet sounds
its final blast? For the seventh trumpet is the last,
and during its sounding that which I have determined for
this age will reach its consummation. What is it,
says the
Lord? You shall notice that the third
woe is connected with the blowing of the seventh
trumpet (Rev. 11:14-15). This third woe does not
come at the inception of the seventh trumpet but at its
close. The seventh trumpet sounds for 3-1/2 years
during which all preceding six
trumpets are consummating
their sounding. The first and second woes are fulfilled
in the events which transpire as a result of the
sounding of the fifth and sixth trumpets, but the third
woe is reserved until the very end of the age, as the
seventh trumpet issues its final blast. Now consider, says the Lord,
and I will reveal to you the
fulfillment of the third woe.
Is it not
written that when the seventh angel sounds his final
blast that 'the kingdoms of this world are become the
kingdoms of the Lord, and of his anointed’? (11:15).
This requires two things. First, His anointed ones,
those who are to make up His glorified Body to rule with
Him over the kingdoms of the earth, will have to be
received of Him into the heavenly Kingdom. Secondly, all
of the opposition to His rule will have to be completely
eliminated from the earth, so that He will be received
by people who are crying out for His rule and who will
welcome His return to take up the reins of government.
Consider now and I will show you how this
will take place.
At the close
of the tribulation, just before the seven vials of wrath
are poured out on the earth,
the sounding of the seventh trumpet shall vibrate to the
pitch of those who are to be resurrected to glorified
life, and the ‘dead in Christ' shall be raised (I Thess.
4:16'). Then shall the living saints also respond to the
trumpet's sounding and be translated to meet the
Lord in the air (I Thess. 4:17). Immediately
following, the seven vials of wrath are poured out,
constituting the fulfillment of the third woe. Now there
is a difference, says the Lord,
between the end-time judgments which take place in the
over-all end-time period under the six trumpets, and the
final wrath which is poured out in fury and indignation
by the seven vials. The trumpet judgments are designed
to bring warning, and incline the hearts of many to
righteousness; they are remedial in nature. Coupled
with a great outpouring of my Spirit, they shall work to
move
great numbers to repentance and cause them to be born
into the Kingdom. But the final vials of wrath are
designed to sweep clean the earth of all final
rebellion and wickedness. When they begin to fall it
will be too late for repentance. All who have not cried
out to their
God in the tribulation period will be destroyed from the
earth in the judgments of the seven vials. Speaking of
that time the inspired writer exclaims, 'and the nations
were angry, and THY WRATH IS COME.' (11:18). With
reference to the seven angels who have these seven last
plagues, it is said, 'for in them is filled up the wrath
of God.' (15:1) and they are instructed to go and 'pour
out the vials of the wrath of God on the earth.'
(16:1).
It has
already been pointed out that the seven vials of wrath
come only after the saints have been translated and
'caught up' to be with the Lord. This is pictured in the
vision which John saw of those who were standing on a 'sea of glass' and singing
the 'song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of
the Lamb.' (15:2-3). The ‘song of Moses' was sung by the
Israelites after they have been completely delivered OUT
OFEgypt and
from the power of Pharaoh. Egypt is a
type of this world. Even so shall I deliver a great host
in that day by causing them to be taken out of the world
and translated from that which is earthly to that which
is heavenly. They shall then be taken into the highest
heaven and introduced to the Father in the temple
of heaven. At the same time the seven angels will be
pouring out their vials of wrath upon the earth. This is
why the temple is seen as being opened in heaven as
these things are ready to be fulfilled (11:19, 15:5).
The seven angels with the seven vials are seen coming
out of the temple, (15:6) and a voice out of the temple
then charges them to begin pouring out their vials of
wrath on the
earth (16:1). The temple which is opened to emit the
final wrath of God is also open to welcome the
redeemed of God. But they are allowed to enter only
after the seven plagues have seen their initial
fulfillment on the earth. (15:8). Thus there will
be two suppers taking place at the same time: the
marriage supper of the Lamb in the temple in heaven
(19:7-9), and the great supper of human flesh on the
earth. (19:17-18). The entrance of the redeemed saints
into the temple in heaven will be the final fulfillment
of the GREAT DAY OF ATONEMENT, as those who have been
‘hid with Christ in God’ (Col. 2:3) shall enter into
their full liberty in Christ, being made ready to rule
and reign with Him. At the same time the great day of
atonement will be fulfilled on earth by the greatest
blood bath in human history as the blood of all those
who have been martyred for truth's sake is avenged by
wrath poured out. (16:6).
Now look with
me and behold the fulfillment of the seven vials. First,
let me show you a mystery, says the Lord.
There are seven vials of wrath, even as there are
seven trumpets. The trumpets announce the beginning
of the judgments of your God during the over-all
end-time period, but the vials of wrath consummate this
judgment period and bring the fullness of the wrath of
God on the
earth. Now hear: the seven trumpets are closely related
to the seven vials. As a matter of fact, the seven vials
are a consummating extension of the seven trumpets
and actually carry out the final force of their blowing.
Thus you will notice a correspondence in symbolism
between trumpet one and vial one, trumpet two and vial
two, and so on throughout the seven trumpets and seven
vials. Now let us look at the first vial in relation to
the first trumpet. You have already been shown in a
previous prophecy how the first trumpet unleashed
the fire power of the atom, and how this fire power
shall be used mightily to bring great judgment on the
earth. It is the full fury of the atom's destruction
that is unleashed by the first vial, and it is the
various EFFECTS of this destructive power on the
inhabitants of the earth that is the primary theme
of the entire seven-vials. Think not that the vials of
wrath are supernatural outpourings from heaven. They are
the result of that which man set in motion, and are the
consequence of his wanton disobedience returning on his own head.
All the vials are implemented in and through men. It
will simply be the overruling providence of your God which will
cause the final judgments of wrath to be
directed in the places and in the manner that He
shall deem fitting.
[the first
vial]
As the first
angel pours his vial of wrath on the earth, it
causes 'a foul and loathsome sore
on the men which had
the mark of the beast,
and on them which
worshipped his image.' (16:2). Is not this
the effect of atomic explosion and radiation?
Even as those who are seen by John in heaven had
gotten the victory over the beast and his
image (15:2), so those on earth who have
upheld the beast and his system shall experience
ignoble defeat. Atomic bombs shall be used by
several nations in the final battle of the ages.
The earth shall reel to and fro under the impact
of these immense explosions (Isa. 24:20). Thus
it will be fulfilled that I shall destroy
those who are destroying the earth (11:18). The
word translated 'destroy' would be more
accurately translated 'corrupt' or
'through-corrupt.' It refers to the
contamination of the earth's atmosphere with
atomic radiation. Those who have so corrupted or
polluted the air, and will do so on a much
greater scale by their indiscriminate use of
atomic devices and bombs in the final conflict,
shall themselves feel the effects of such
corruption. Terrible radiation sores shall
effect all who are not supernaturally
protected by the power of God. This is the
meaning of the first vial of
wrath
.