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.
[the second
vial]
Now look with
me at the second vial. Is it not written that the second
angel poured out his vial on the sea?
(16:3), You will notice a correspondence with the second
trumpet where a great mountain is seen falling into
the sea (8:8). The sea is a type of peoples in agitation
and revolution. In a previous prophecy you were given to
see the fulfillment of this under the second trumpet in
the nation of America and
that which will arise within her borders. This is
primarily because of the great judgment that is to come
on
America,
because she has sinned against such great light and
opportunity. But think not that chaos through
revolution shall take place only in the
United
States.
America is
particularly pin-pointed because of her position in
world leadership and the intensity of the struggle which
shall come within, causing repercussions around the
world. Most nations shall reel under the impact of
revolution within. This chaos through revolution shall
continue even to the end. It will be stayed for a
time because of the power of dictatorial governments which shall
arise to bring the nations into subjection to the beast powers. But
after the final conflict begins it will flare up with renewed force
until many nations will become shambles of chaos and confusion.
Especially at the last shall many die because of the attempt to
restore order by those who will be ruthless beyond imagination. This
will be the fulfillment of the second vial as the 'sea' becomes 'as
the blood of a dead man' and ‘every living soul dies in the
sea'(16:3). In other words, every living person who continues
in the 'sea' of revolt will be immediately destroyed. Such drastic
steps will be necessary for governments and nations to even be
able to continue their existence.
[the third
vial]
Now consider
and I will show you the third
vial of wrath. Is it not written that the third angel
poured out his vial on the rivers and fountains of
waters? (16:4). I have already shown in a previous
prophecy how the third trumpet affects the rivers and
fountains of waters by the star which was called
'wormwood' (8:10-11). It was given to you to see the
fulfillment of this in the infection of the educated
classes and leaders with the false ideology of
communism, and the eventual 'flow’ of the communist
fallacy to the common people through these infected
leaders, even as rivers and springs of waters eventually
flow into the seas and larger bodies of water. Now note,
says the
Lord, that the judgment of the third vial falls on these same
leaders who have been responsible for perpetrating the
communist fraud. In that these waters became blood
(16:4) it shows that those throughout the world who have
led others into deception and ultimate destruction
through the communist conspiracy shall themselves be
destroyed. And since they have been guilty of trying to
destroy the influence of Christianity, shedding the
blood of saints and prophets (16:6), they shall be
forced to drink of the same, seeing their cause
destroyed and their lives snuffed out. And so it is
written that the angel of the waters says, ‘You are
righteous, O Lord, who is, and was, and shall
be, because you
have judged thus’ (16:5). This judgment
shall come at the time when it is apparent that the communist cause
is lost and wholesale destruction from atomic weapons is taking
place. Many communist leaders will take their own lives, others will
suffer violence at the hands of those who have suffered their
indignities, and others will simply be destroyed by the blasts of
atomic bombs.
[the fourth
vial]
Shall I not
now show you
the fourth vial, says the Lord? In the revelation of the
fourth trumpet in a previous prophecy, you were given to
behold how the sun was darkened (8:12) and the
fulfillment which is to take place on the continent of
Europe as the sun, or
Christianity in its traditional forms as supported
by the state, is to be completely disrupted. This is the
preliminary judgment upon the apostasies of church-state
Christianity. Now look with me to the final judgment as
poured out by the fourth vial of wrath. The fourth angel
pours out his vial on the same sun that was darkened
under the fourth trumpet. But this time the result is
the scorching of men with fire (16:8). This is that
which shall befall the inhabitants of Europe, for great shall be the
destruction on that continent as fire from atomic
explosions devastates many areas. Those who are not
destroyed by being incinerated will be 'scorched' by the
fire power. The result is that they 'blaspheme the
name of God, who has power over these plagues, and they
repent not to give him glory' (16:9). Those who have not
repented during the judgments of the tribulation period,
remain unrelenting in their obstinacy to the
end.
[the fifth
vial]
Now you will
notice, says
the Lord, that the fifth angel pours his vial on the seat of
the beast. As shown you in a previous prophecy, the
fifth trumpet brought about the release of numerous
hosts of Satan from the pit. A part of the activity of
these spirits is to take captive the minds of certain
men in high places who will be used to precipitate the
world into titanic conflict. These men are primarily
those who are behind the communist conspiracy to enslave
the world under atheistic dictatorship. Thus the fifth
vial brings retribution to the beast and his kingdom.
(16:10). Especially shall those who have held out in
stubborn support of the beast of communism and its image
of world socialist government be the object of wrath
from on high. The Lord your God shall
providentially cause certain events to turn against the
communist purveyors of anti-God society just when they
think that they are going to succeed in their quest for
world domination. For my Spirit will be working
mightily, especially in the Christian nations of
the west, and mighty miracles will be performed, which
will cause consternation to enter the hearts of the
world government forces. In the process of time a split
will develop between the east and the west which will
lead to inevitable conflict. All-out war will be the
result. Men's minds will have been so completely taken
captive by Satan that they will not turn back from a war
in which there can be no decisive winner. But I will
cause the tide of battle to be turned against the beast
nations and they shall be caught in a web of their own
making. Then shall the full fury of atomic destruction
fall on them,
as I cause those nations of the west who have extricated
themselves from the beast system, to use secret
maneuvers that are made known to them through my special
messengers. For truly I say to you, this
turning back of the beast empire to complete
destruction shall begin shortly before my saints are
taken to
me. Then shall it consummate in full fury as the vials of wrath are
poured out following the lifting of my saints out of the world. Thus
is it written that the kingdom of the beast 'was full of darkness;
and they gnawed their tongues for pain.' (16:10). The darkness
will be both literal and symbolic. Total power failures will bring
much literal darkness, and the symbolic darkness will be the
total despair coupled with anguish and intense suffering. Because of
the bitter hatred and resentment which will arise in the hearts of
those who had been completely sold out to their depraved ways, it is
said that they 'blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains
and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
(16:11).
[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).
[the seventh
vial]
In the
account of the seventh and last vial it is written that
'there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and
there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men
were on the
earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.' (16:18).
This great earthquake will be caused by the
touching of His feet on the Mount of Olives, which
will split in
the midst.
(Zech, 14:4), There shall be shakings and
eruptions throughout the earth, causing many changes in
the topography of most land masses. Islands and
mountains shall 'flee away' and not be found. (16:20).
The continuing effect of atomic heat, causing great
amounts of water to be vaporized and frozen in the
lofty heights above, is seen in the fact that 'there
fell on men a
great hail out of heaven.’ (16:21). Even in their death
agonies the unrepentant 'blaspheme God because of the
plague of the hail.' (16:21).
There is yet
one more thing to notice in this final vial of wrath.
The scripture says 'the great city was divided into
three parts, and the cities of the nations fell; and
great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give to her the cup
of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.' (16:19).
The 'city' which is divided into three parts, represents
the three aspects of the world-wide system of Babylon;
the religious,
the political and the commercial. 'Babylon' is the
symbolic designation of all that is of man: his
ways and his works. That which is of man always brings
tyranny and oppression in one way or another. For
millenniums man has suffered the inhumanity of man by
means of the iniquitous systems known as 'Babylon.’
Therefore Babylon is remembered and
must drink of the wine of His
wrath.
As I have
unveiled to you the meaning of the seven vials of wrath it would
appear that the picture is a negative one,
but the
contrary is true. The overtones
are definitely positive. Consider,
says the
Lord, what you would do if you wanted to build
a beautiful building on a certain site; yet the site is
cluttered with
the remains of an old broken and decayed
building with much rubbish and debris
accumulated. Would you not tear down the old
building,
burn its remains, and clear
away the
rubbish and debris? Man's ways,
and
man's Babylonian systems, as well as
rebellious man
himself, is represented
by the
old building, broken and rotten to the core,
unredeemable in his present state. I have
purposed to usher in a
golden age of righteousness and peace;
a society
builded by God and not
by man. Therefore the seven vials of
wrath
are designed to clear away
all that is of man's evil
designs, and prepare the way for a world of
righteousness.
A remnant of all nations will be protected and
preserved through the
vials of
wrath. They
are the ones who have called on the name of the
Lord that they might be ‘saved’ or preserved. In western
nations, where a larger portion of the
population is Christian, many more will be
preserved from
death.
Think not that all
Christians are to be taken when the Lord
returns for His
saints. Only those fully
sanctified, or separated, to Him by a
complete work of His Spirit will be ready for entrance
into the heavenly Kingdom. These are the 100-fold or
‘full grain in the ear' Christians. (Mark 4:20
& 28). The 30-fold and
60-fold,
or the 'blade' and ‘ear’
Christians will remain on the earth. Shortly after the
glorified saints return WITH the Lord, they will take up
their posts of responsibility to shepherd and govern the
inhabitants of the earth. Then shall righteousness begin
to flourish, and the knowledge of the glory of the Lord
shall fill the earth as the waters cover the sea
(Habakkuk 2:14). So you see, my people, why I must visit
the earth and sweep away the refuge of lies (Isa.
28:17), and begin to build that which is founded in
truth. Therefore know that your days are
numbered, for surely I will fulfill that which I have
spoken."
(End of
prophecy.)
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