Revelation 9:13-11:14 Our words and deeds must compel people to make the decision to turn from evil towards good

Revelation 9:13-11:14

Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of mankind. The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. And this is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone. A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths. For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm.

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts.

I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire; and he had in his hand a little book which was open. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the land; and he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars; and when he had cried out, the seven peals of thunder uttered their voices. When the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them.” Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, WHO CREATED HEAVEN AND THE THINGS IN IT, AND THE EARTH AND THE THINGS IN IT, AND THE SEA AND THE THINGS IN IT, that there will be delay no longer, but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets.

Then the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard again speaking with me, and saying, “Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land.” So I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. And he said to me, “Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. And they said to me, “You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.”

Then there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, “Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it. Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months. And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way. These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.

When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. Those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them. And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

The second woe is past; behold, the third woe is coming quickly.

BACKGROUND

The purpose of the seven trumpets is to turn people away from moral depravity towards godliness. The sixth trumpet functions as a hinge or turning point that turns off the kindness of God and turns on the wrath of God. Hence, at the sixth trumpet, John is given the book of sweetness (kindness) and bittiness (wrath). Here, believers are commissioned to accelerate the preaching of the gospel through their words and deeds to all peoples and nations. Today’s devotion teaches us: Our words and deeds must compel people to make the decision to turn from evil towards good.

OBSERVATION

The sounding of the sixth trumpet releases three plagues. These plagues are released by the four angels situated at the river Euphrates. John saw the spiritual form of the armies that numbered two hundred million horsemen and horses. And out of their mouths come the three plagues in succession: fire, smoke and brimstone which killed a third of mankind. However, the rest of mankind who survive the plagues will not repent from their evil deeds. They continue to be led by pride, lust, envy greed, sloth and violence.

This strong angel seen coming down from heaven is responsible for the comprehensive carrying out of the trumpets from the first to the seventh. He is also to ensure that the gospel is preached to the ends of the earth until the sounding of the seventh trumpet. The rainbow upon his head signifies God’s covenant to establish a new heaven and earth where Christ rules with His saints. The swearing of the angel heralds the cessation of the preaching of the gospel “the mystery of God” at the seventh trumpet.

The book that John took from the angel is the gospel of divine kindness and wrath. It contains the promise of salvation for those who obey and wrath for those who disobey. John on behalf of the believers are commanded to internalise the truth written in the book; sweetness (divine kindness) for those who obey and bitterness (divine wrath) for those who disobey. As the truth is preached, the hearers will experience the sweetness (kindness) of God or bitterness (wrath) of God based on the choices they make.

John was given a measuring rod to measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it. The measuring rod sets apart the people who follow Jesus and they will receive a mark and be taken up into heaven at the seventh trumpet. The rest of the people who call Jesus Lord but do not follow Him will be counted with the rest of the world. For a time, the beast will oppress the church speaking arrogant words to blaspheme God (see 13:5).

The two witnesses are spirits who stood by the Lord to serve Him since the heavens and the earth were created. They incarnate in the flesh and are taken into heaven at the breaking of the 6th seal. Here, they return to preach the gospel with great signs and wonders for three and a half years. After they accomplish their mission, the beast that emerges from the abyss battles with them. The two witnesses, having accomplished their missions are killed by the beast. This beast is also killed during the battle. The world celebrated thinking they have defeated the two witnesses who tormented them. However, the witnesses are resurrected after three and a half days and given spirit bodies that are more glorious than before. Even though the world saw the resurrection of the witnesses while the beast remained dead, they did not repent. In that hour, there follows a great earthquake killing thousands. However, a number of people having witnessed the power of God repent and begin to worship God. Following the death of the beast, the second beast emerges and fakes the resurrection of the first beast. This is to show the world that the beast is invincible and reigning over the world (13:14-15). And the beast oppresses the Holy City for another three and a half years (11:2).

TRUTH

Our words and deeds must compel people to make the decision to turn from evil towards good.

• What is the gospel?

At that time, when Jesus started preaching the gospel (see Luke 4:42-43), He did not allow the demons to proclaim His identity as the Christ, the Son of God (see Luke 4:41). Hence, the gospel that Jesus preached did not mention His sacrifice on the cross and neither did He exalt Himself by revealing His identity. So, what did Jesus actually preached in His gospel? 

Luke 6:20-45 gives an idea of what Jesus preached. Much of it concerns loving one’s enemies and treating others the same way we want them to treat us. In other words, to follow Jesus’s way of life. In my observation, many churches put great emphasis on explaining Jesus’s sacrifice that brought forgiveness but say very little of Jesus’s way of life. As a result, many Christians are not effective in influencing lives because they do not reflect the way Jesus lived. Forgiveness of sins to the majority is not an attractive proportion because they think they are not sinners even though they admit to their imperfection. When Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life”, He meant living life His way. That is why He proclaimed to people everywhere the way to the kingdom of God is to “Follow Me”; to live like Him. Therefore, to be saved, we must regenerate our hearts by knowing the way Jesus lived and follow Him. Indeed, Christ’s forgiveness alone does not help make the world a better place but people must learn to forgive and love one another. Therefore, Christians must preach the gospel by living like Jesus both in public and in private. 

• Does your words and deeds compel the hearer to make a decision towards the good?

The book tasted sweet as honey in John’s mouth but felt bitter in his stomach. The preaching of the gospel necessitates a choice reaping either the kindness or the wrath of God. Therefore, the believer’s words and deeds must compel the hearer to make a decision to turn from evil. Our gospel must pose a consequence to people’s decision or indecision: sweetness if they do good and bitterness if they choose to do evil. We are not compelling anyone to convert to Christianity, but rather to set their hearts right towards God and towards people. However, both Christians and non-Christians need to hear the gospel continually; to set their hearts aright. When Jesus returns in His glory, every human being will immediately bow their knee to acknowledge Christ as the Lord. But the question remains as to whether Christ will acknowledge him who calls Him, “Lord, Lord”. When Christ judges us, He judges every deed done and word spoken from the day we were born to the day we die. Jesus said in Matthew 12:35-37.

“The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” 

Indeed, no one (Christians included) is exempted from God’s judgment (see 2 Corinthians 5:10). We are either justified or condemned by our deeds or words. Therefore, we must wear the gospel on our sleeves always. The apostle Paul said,

“I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.” 2 Timothy 4:1-2

• An effective gospel message must include a manifestation of divine power

The signs and wonders wrought by the two witnesses result in a number of people turning to God in repentance and worship. Peter saw the boats filled with fish, he fell down at Jesus’s feet and began to follow Him (see Luke 5:8-11). Jesus pointed the people to the works that He did and said, “If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.” John 10:37-38. 

That said, the question remains as to why so many faithful Christians today do not operate in divine power. The first reason is because they are unable converse with Jesus face to face as the disciples did. Direct communication with Jesus results in the gift of the word of knowledge and wisdom which are the gateway to the other gifts of the Spirit. The second reason is because they are not discipled to operate in divine power. The third reason is because they are simply too busy to seek the Lord’s face. Studying the bible does not equate to coming to Christ to seek His face. Jesus chided the pharisees for not coming to Him even though they spent much time studying the scriptures (see John 5:39-44). The operation of divine power may be initiated by mimicking and modelling. But only those who lock steps with Jesus, who communes with Him intimately can continue to grow in it. 

APPLICATION

1. Align every aspect of your life (your family life, work life, church life and social life) towards God.
2. Practice empathy beginning with yourself, then members of your family and colleagues.
3. Influence others using the mode of encouragement and inspiration. People need to be inspired towards a certain direction. They need to know the consequences of the choices they make.
4. People need to be reminded that they will one day be judged according to their deeds and words.

PRAYER

Dear Lord, examine my heart and show me issues and attitudes that I am not aware of. Help me become a reflection of Jesus in all that I do and say. Cause me to speak the gospel message gently and firmly. Open my mind to capture your thoughts so that I may know you and your ways. Help me to grow in wisdom and power so that I may point people towards you. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.