[THE FINISHED MYSTERY,
CONT.]
[the sixth trumpet]
Now look with me, says the Lord, at the sixth
trumpet as recorded in the scriptures. The sixth and
seventh trumpets are the only ones which have as yet not
begun to blow. (Note by J. L. E.: This was true as of
March 29, 1967 when this prophecy was received). But the
time is short; for soon shall that which is described as
taking place under the sixth trumpet begin to unfold. What
is it, says
the Lord? The sixth angel, which had
the sixth trumpet, was instructed to loose the four
angels bound in the great river Euphrates
(9:14). Who are these four angels? They are the princes
who are the unseen rulers of four nations in the general
area of the Euphrates River. These
nations were bound together by treaty in what is known
as the 'Bagdad Pact.’ This treaty was formed in an
attempt to create a buffer against the
encroachments of communism. But shortly shall that
buffer be dissolved or loosed so that the nations in
question will no longer seek to contain or hold back
communist subversion and advance. They will instead
eventually become a part of the communist combine. One
or more will actually be a part of the ‘horns' of the
beast. Thus the Influence of the Christian west, which
was instrumental in causing those nations to be
bound together in an anti-communist pact, will be
destroyed in that area. This is the meaning of the
statement that the four angels were loosed for to
slay the third part of men (9:15). The 'slaying' here is
not literal but symbolic; it indicates the complete
elimination of the power of the two western Christian
nations to keep the pact intact; the two being one third
of the nations involved. After the four angels are
loosed there is a period of ‘an hour, and a day, and a
month, and a year' (9:15) before the third part of men
are slain. It will take this amount of time after the
breaking up of the pact for western influence to be
destroyed and the nations to be absorbed into the
communist camp.
[Ed. Note - The
Baghdad Pact was also known as CENTO (Central Treaty
Organization) formed in the 1950's similarly to NATO and
SEATO. The four angels do not refer to all the nations
in the alliance; only to the four Middle
Eastern nations joined in it (Iran, Iraq, Pakistan,
Turkey). Great Britain was the fifth nation of the pact
with the U.S. operating as an auxilliary support, thus
involving a total of 6 nations. The break up of CENTO
and the controlling influence of the U.S. and Great
Britain prophesied here was amazingly fulfilled in 1979
through the Iranian revolution, more than a decade after
the prophecy. The plotting of the exact 396 day
time period in Rev. 9:15 is unclear, though it closely
approximates the 444 days of the U.S hostage
standoff during the Iranian revolution
producing the humiliating removal of the United States
from the region. As of the time of this editorial note
(2009), the Communist aspect of the prophecy yet remains
to be fulfilled. Nevertheless, the hotbed of war
that the region from Turkey to Pakistan has become since
1979--including the Iran-Iraq War and the two Gulf
Wars (conspicuously led by none other than the U.S.
and Great Britain) demonstrates the continued
"loosing" effect of this ongoing trumpet in
fulfillment of this word! By the time Communism
re-emerges, these nations will be so weakened from war
and revolution that it will be impossible for them to
resist becoming absorbed into the Communist
orbit.]
Following this is a description of
the army which is also prepared to be loosed to great destruction (9:16-19).
This is that army which shall overflow, as the river
Euphrates is wont to overflow. The
number given is symbolic of the entire force of the
communist empire in its quest to overrun the western
influence in the Middle East and bring the entire area,
including Palestine, under the
banner of the hammer and sickle. Having gained the
dominion of this area, the mighty hosts of the communist
world will be emboldened to press further into other
areas, and other nations will be overrun by these
hordes which symbolically spill over the banks of the
Euphrates
River. In the
vision, John saw the army as horses with riders, and the
horses had heads of lions (9:17). This indicates first
the power of propaganda and lies which shall be
instrumental in overcoming the nations of the Middle East.
Out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and
brimstone (9:17). That which begins as lying
propaganda and destroys the Christian Influence in the
Middle
East, will be followed by action in which
armies will march forth to destroy. This is the fire and
smoke and brimstone; symbolic of modern machines of
warfare and their destructive fire-power. And as their
power is in their mouth and in their tails, even as
serpents (9:19), so does it indicate both their
determination and their power to poison by
propaganda and then to kill to death those who stand in the
way of their plan to exterminate the influence of
Christianity from the face of the earth. Even the
breastplates of the riders are seen as fire and jacinth
and brimstone (9:17), indicating the determination
and destructive intent of those who are ready to plunge
the world into chaos to gain their diabolical ends. But
even after much destruction has been wrought in the
earth by these forces, what is the result? Is it not
written that the people repented not of the works of
their hands: their idolatries and their wicked ways?
(9:20-21). I say unto you that judgments alone will not
turn the hearts of people to their God, but judgments
coupled with a mighty moving of my Spirit will turn many
to righteousness, and a great harvest will be
brought forth to me.
That which you have seen in the blowing of
the six trumpets is indeed a dark picture, for these
trumpets deal primarily with the outer conditions of the
world, a world that has turned its back on God;
therefore judgment is coming, But there is another
picture, says the Lord. Is it not written
that the Lord shall arise and shine on His people and that great
glory shall be seen on them? (Isa. 60:1-2). This
shall be in the midst of gross darkness, but the light
of the glory of the Lord in His people shall be far
greater than the darkness. Think not that there is
darkness coming wherein no man can work. The darkness
wherein no man could work effectively has already
passed; now a NEW DAY is dawning. Therefore during the
dark days that are ahead there shall be EXCEEDING GREAT
LIGHT to those who are willing to
believe and receive of the grace and glory of their God.
The greatest work of harvesting into the Kingdom that
the world has ever seen will be done even in the midst
of the world's darkest hour. Think not that Pentecost is
past! There is yet to be an outpouring of the Holy
Spirit far beyond anything the world has seen! It
takes the 'latter rain' to bring the growing grain to maturity so that it
can be harvested. THIS OUTPOURING WILL TAKE
PLACE AT THE BLOWING OF THE SEVENTH
TRUMPET!
[Next:
7th TRUMPET
]
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