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Chapter
56
The Seven Last
Plagues
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What is said of those who
worship the beast and his image and receive his mark?
"If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in
his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath
of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his
indignation." Rev. 14:9, 10.
What is the wrath of God?
"And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels
having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of
God." "And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven
golden vials full of the wrath of God, who
liveth forever and ever." Rev. 15:1, 7.
Will there be any service
in the heavenly temple while these plagues are being poured out?
"And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from
His power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues
of the seven angels were fulfilled." Rev. 15:8.
NOTE. - This shows
that during the pouring out of these plagues, there will be no intercession for
sinners in the temple above; hence the time of salvation will then be passed.
This is the reason why it is said by the third angel that those who receive the
mark of the beast will have visited on them the wrath of God "without
mixture;" that is, without any mixture of mercy. It also presents the fact
that the message of the third angel is to be the last special one before the
close of probation.
Will probation have been
closed for a period when Christ comes?
"He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and
he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let
him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold,
I come quickly." Rev. 22:11, 12.
NOTE. - If all, both
good and bad, remain as they are from a certain time to the coming of Christ,
still future (a short time called "quickly"), it follows that before
He comes, there will be a space of time in which no one's condition can be
changed for the better, no matter how earnestly he may desire it. As it was in
the days before the flood, so it will be in this case. God did not suffer the
door of the ark to remain open till the day of the flood actually came; for then
thousands would have flocked into it, to be saved, who had derided Noah's
message. Noah was shut into the ark some days before the flood came, even while
the sky was clear. The act of shutting him and his companions in, shut all
others out, and they could not afterward change their situation. So it will be
in the future: probation will close even before the plagues of God begin to
fall.
What will be the first
plague, and on whom will it fall?
"And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there
fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast,
and upon them which worshipped his image." Rev. 16:2.
How many will worship the
beast?
"And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are
not written in the book of life." Rev. 13:8.
NOTE. - Then the
plague will be nearly universal.
What will constitute the
second plague?
"And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea, and it became as
the blood of a dead man; and every living soul died in the sea." Rev. 16:3.
What will be the third
plague?
"And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains
of waters; and they became blood." Rev. 16:4.
Why will the Lord give
them blood to drink?
"For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and
thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy." Rev. 16:6.
NOTE. - That is,
those who have opposed the commandments of God, and in trying to drive the
saints to worship the beast and his image and receive his mark, have caused
their death, either actually or intentionally, will be given blood to drink.
What will the fourth
plague bring?
"And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was
given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great
heat." Rev. 16:8, 9.
What will be the effect
of the fifth?
"And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast;
and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for
pain." Rev. 16:10.
What promise applies at
this time to those who have loved the truth?
"A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand;
but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see
the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge,
even the Most High, thy habitation; there shall no evil befall thee, neither
shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling." Ps. 91:7-10.
What takes place under
the sixth plague?
"And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates;
and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the East might
be prepared." Rev. 16:12.
When the seventh angel
pours out his vial, what is heard?
"And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there
came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It
is done." Rev. 16:17.
Whose is this voice?
"The Lord shall roar from on high, and utter His voice from His holy
habitation; He shall mightily
roar upon His habitation; He shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes,
against all the inhabitants of the earth." Jer. 25:30.
What then takes place?
"And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was
a great earthquake such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty
an earthquake, and so great." Rev. 16:18 (Haggai 2:21) (Heb. 12:26).
What accompanies the
earthquake?
"And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone
about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of
the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great." Rev. 16:21.
What will the people of
God do in this time?
"The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter His voice from
Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake; but the Lord will be
the hope of His people, and the strength of the children of Israel." Joel
3:16.
To prepare the people for
this terrible time, what will the Lord send beforehand?
The third angel's message.
At the expiration of this
message, what will take place?
The close of probation, and the seven last plagues.
What will then come upon
those who have rejected that message?
"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will
send a famine in
the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the
words of the Lord; and they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north
even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and
shall not find it." Amos 8:11-12.
When the people shall
thus cry for the bread of life, what will the Lord say to them?
"Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out My hand,
and no man regarded; but ye have set at nought all My counsel, and would none of
My reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear
cometh." Prov. 1:24-26.
How does the Saviour
represent the condition of such?
"When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the
door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord,
Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence
ye are." Luke 13:25.
Is not the third angel's
message, then, an important one for this generation?
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