[THY
WRATH IS COME,
CONT.]
[the sixth
vial]
Now look to me, says the Lord,
and I will show you the mystery
of the sixth vial of wrath. The sixth angel poured out
his vial on the great river Euphrates; and the waters
thereof were dried up, that the way might be prepared
for the kings of the east (16:12). In the previous
prophecy on the trumpets, you were shown the 'loosing'
of the four angels which were bound in the river
Euphrates, and the
eventual going forth of armies because of this. The
going forth of armies from the lands of the east is
symbolically pictured in the scripture by the
overflow of the banks of the river Euphrates, (see Isa. 8:6-8).
Therefore the drying up of the waters of the Euphrates as a result of the sixth
vial being poured out, would indicate the turning back
of armies to
their destruction. Before this is accomplished, there is
the gathering together of the armies of the east, as
well as all armies, to a place called Armageddon
(16:16). Although the 'city of Megiddo', to which the
expression 'Armageddon' refers, was situated on the edge
of the great plain where many great battles were fought
in ancient times, the end-time gathering is primarily
symbolic. ‘Armageddon’ is a symbolic appellation of
the final conflict of the ages.
Now the sixth
vial has primarily to do with the final stages of this
great conflict: the 'drying up' of the river Euphrates, or the complete
destruction of the armies of the east who are under the
banner of the beast. This is also symbolically
portrayed as 'preparing the way of the kings of the
east.' This means that the way might be prepared for
their destruction; and this is brought about by the
'drying up' or turning back of their armies in confusion
and defeat. Now note, says the Lord,
in order to present a more complete picture of the 'how'
and 'why' of this final conflict, the inspired
apostle is given to see that which has led up to this
final conflict, and the forces which have been
instrumental in gathering the nations to battle. The
'gathering' is not a part of the sixth vial, but is
portrayed to John at the time he sees the sixth vial
poured out, that the 'mystery' of the gathering to
Armageddon might be understood in relation to the
destruction of the armies of the
east.
John is given
to see the mysterious forces which gather to
Armageddon as 'three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the
mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the
beast, and out of the mouth of the false
prophet.' (16:13). Frogs are creatures of the
water which are perpetually croaking in the
darkness of night time. The water speaks of
things of the 'soul;' those things which lurk
deep within the desire-nature of reprobate man.
The croaking indicates that which
is
spoken in the form of lying propaganda, which is the
product of man's darkness apart from the light of
divine truth. All of this is the result of ‘unclean
spirits' of Satan working to subvert man into ways of
exploitation, lust for power, and eventual bloodshed.
There are three ideologies, closely related, yet
with separate emphases and related to different 'power
blocks', that are leading the nations to certain
conflict. That which comes out of the mouth of the
dragon is Facism; that which comes out of the mouth of
the beast is Communism; and that which comes out of the
mouth of the false prophet is Socialism. They are all
systems which emphasize the 'deifying' of the
powers of autocratic rule. They recognize no rights of
the individual as divinely given by the Creator. They
are destructive of individual responsibility before
the God of all flesh. They breed moral degeneracy
and spiritual insipidness. They lead to inevitable
conflict and chaos. Not being of your God
they cannot last; they will either collapse under their
own perverted weight amidst much bloodshed, or they will
die in agonizing conflict with each other. The
inspired apostle says they are 'the spirits of devils,
working signs, which go forth to the kings of the
earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the
battle of that great day of God Almighty.'
(16:14).
Now
when, says the Lord, is that great day? If it can
be shown when that great day of the Lord is, then the
time can be revealed when the gathering of the nations
to Armageddon intensifies its pace. The symbolic
gathering of the nations has been going on now for many
years; ever since the implementation of the ideologies
mentioned began in earnest. Thus from one perspective
the day of the Lord has already begun to dawn. But there
is a specific point at which it can be said that the day
of the Lord has arrived. When is it, says the
Lord? The key is found in the scriptural statement
following the reference to the 'great day of God
Almighty.' It is as follows: 'Behold, I come as a thief.
Blessed is he that watches, and keeps his garments,
lest
he walk
naked, and they see his shame.' (16:15). Is it not
written that 'the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in
the night?' (I Thess. 5:2). Thus it is written that both
THE LORD JESUS and HIS DAY come as a thief. It has
already been revealed to you in a
previous prophecy that the Lord's coming is
synonymous with the blowing of the seventh trumpet. But
His coming is first as a 'thief’ to ‘break through’ the
household of the church (Luke 12:39) and remove the
‘Jewels' (Mal. 3:17). These are the 144,000 firstfruits
(Rev. 14:1) who will be translated at the beginning of
the tribulation. The Lord does not openly manifest
Himself at this time, for it is the beginning of His
3-1/2 year 'parousia' or 'presence,' unseen by human
eyes. Therefore know, that when 144,000 of the choicest
of saints suddenly disappear, THE DAY OF THE LORD HAS
BEGUN: the seventh trumpet has begun to blow. THEN shall
the pace quicken in the 'gathering' of the nations to
the final conflict. It will be the 'great day of God
Almighty' because of the GREATNESS of that which He will
manifest in spiritual power and glory through His saints
on the earth,
and it will also be great because of the exceeding
GREATNESS of His might which shall be unleashed in the
atom's awesome fire-power, it is the great day of 'God
Almighty' because the great God and Savior shall
exercise His Almighty power in putting down the
impudence and haughtiness of man. For is it not
written that "the day of the Lord of hosts shall be on every one
that is proud and lofty, and on every one that is
lifted up; and he shall be brought low?" Is it
not also written that 'the Lord alone shall be
exalted in
that day?' (Isa.
2:11-12).
Having seen
the armies of the beast turned back by the
'drying up of the river Euphrates' as a result
of the sixth vial, there yet remains in this
prophetic picture just the last agonizing
phase of the atomic holocaust which rages
throughout the seven vials of wrath.
'Armageddon,' which symbolically denotes the
entire east-west conflict, both during the
tribulation consummation of the trumpets
and the final vials of wrath, will then be over.
When the seventh angel pours out his vial into
the air, there comes a voice out of the temple
of heaven, from the throne, saying, 'IT IS
DONE!' (16:17). This is because the seventh vial
is synonymous with the VISIBLE RETURN OF
THE LORD. It is His personal return that causes
the final wrath to be poured out. He comes to
‘tread the winepress of the fierceness and wrath
of Almighty God.' (19:15). He is to be revealed
'in flaming fire taking vengeance on them
that know not God, and that obey not the gospel
of our Lord Jesus Christ.' (II Thess. 1:8). The
fire of atomic destruction will still be raging
as He returns to put an end to man's insanity,
lest all flesh would be destroyed. (Matt.
24;22).