Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

Revelation 16:1-2
Mar 14th, 2010
Exploring RevelationArt Sadlier
Categories: Commentary;Prophecy;Book Study

"And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth."

In chapter 15 we saw the preparations for the last judgments. We are now well into the last part of the tribulation period. The Jewish remnant has fled into the wilderness and the fierce slaughter of the beast is raging. Those who refused the mark of the beast are fleeing for their lives. Multitudes are being caught and executed, famine and drought are plaguing the earth. The hour of judgment is now come. God has a time, for millenia God has winked at sin but now is the time for judgment. Galatians 4:4 says, "But when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son....".  God had a time to send to send His Son into the world and He has a time to bring judgment to the world, now is the time!

No more mercy! Too late!  Too late! Jermiah said, "The harvest is past, sumner is ended and we are not saved". The hour for judgment can no longer be delayed.

If only the world would realize that their will be a payday someday!

The seven angels have been chosen. Each one has a wide shallow bowl in his hands, the bowls are filled up with the stored up wrath of God. These judgments are not for conviction and conversion, these are a pure expression of the burning anger of God against sinful men. this is the vengence of an angry God. That anger will never be quenched, it will burn for all of eternity.

The wide bowls fascilitate the quick out pouring of the judgments. The angels are given their final marching orders, "A great voice out of the temple", it is the voice of the Glorified Christ and it is He that is full of wrath. Isaiah spoke of this day in Isaiah 63:4, "For the day of vengance is in my heart" This is the wrath of the Lamb. Christ drank of the wrath of God for our sins on Calvary, we have partaken of the cup of salvation, now those who have refused salvation will drink of the wrath of God.

Sin is an afront to a holy God, it is perpetuated by those whom a holy God has created, this judgment is a vindication of God's sovereignty and his righteousness.

My friend, the cup of salvation is still open to you, drink of it now before it is forever to late.

Let us keep in mind that these judgments are future and literal.

THE FIRST BOWL

"And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and greivious sore upon men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image". verse 2.

The first angel comes forth from the temple in heaven. He flies swifly around the earth, tilting his bowl as he goes until every portion of the earth has received the bitter contents. His task is to spread a hideous, malignant cancerous sore on all men everywhere who have received the mark of the beast. Absolutely every person who had received the mark. But the plague did not affect those who refused the mark of the beast.

"Grievous sore"  This is evidently a cancerous very painful sore that cannot be healed. We are reminded that this is a similar plague to the one God plagued Pharoah with.

You may be inclined to think that God is not just in handing down such judgment, we see this scene from man's perspective. God is merciful, but He is also just and holy. He cannot tolerate sin, we had better learn that before it is forever too late. We can understand that there could be no heaven as long as sin is present.

Remember that God allowed Satan to afflict Job with boils, now Satan and his servants are recompensed.

Matthew 1: Pt. 6
Mar 14th, 2010
Weekly Bible StudyArt Sadlier
Categories: Commentary;Inspirational;Book Study

The Grace of God Demonstrated in the Genealogy of Jesus Christ.

1 - In the Seed of Two Men.

Verse 1 "The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham"

It was a demonstration of pure grace that the Lord included these two men in His genealogy. Think of their sinfulness. 

When Abraham went down into Egypt he was fearful as to how he would be treated. In fear and cowardice he lied about his wife, he said, "She is my sister". He said in effect, go ahead and commit adultery with her, I don't care about her, I don't care about what is right, I just want to save my own skin. One of the most despicable acts a man could commit, if I did that you would despise me.

Look again at him committing adultery with Hagar. Then later he repeats the sin against his wife down in Gerar. That's three strikes against him! Yet, God forgave him and included him in the line of the Messiah, that is amazing grace!

Then we have David, this is the same David who sinned so wickedly with Bathsheba. He even murdered her husband. David was a poligamist and a poor Father. That is Amazing grace.

God sent His Son and He came through the line of two sinful men. Two men whom God forgave and included in the line of the Savior.

2 - Demonstrated in the History of Three eras.

Verse 17, "So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations."

From Abraham to David. This is the period of the Patriarchs, Abrahan, Isaac and Jacob and the Judges. It was a period of heroism when Israel came into being. Though it was marked by failure it was a time when Israel became famous. We see in that time great courage, faith and patriotism. But the great failure of men and the nation dominated the character of Israel. Yet God in grace carried forth His promise of the Savior.

From David to Babylon. Was a period of decline from national success, it was the period of the monarchy. One bad King followed another. There were a few good kings, but wicked kings dominated and the nation was swallowed up in evil, wickedness, idolatry and apostasy. It climaxed in the carrying away of Judah into captivity in Babylon. Yet God in mercy and grace carried forth His promise of a Savior.

From Babylon to Christ.  Do you know what is significant about this period? Almost nothing! A period shrouded in darkness. Names we know nothing about, 600 years of darkness. look at verses 12-15, we do not even know who these people are. The national genealogy of Jesus is one of Pathos and glory - Heroism and Disgrace - Renown and Obscurity. But all along even though the nation is going down the tubes; even though they finally curse and spit upon their own Messiah, It is nevertheless through that nation that Messiah comes.That is amazing grace!

3 - God's Grace is Demonstrated in the inclusion of Four Women in the Linneage of the Savior.

1 - Tamar  Tamar was guilty of committing incest. Deliberate and calculated, it was a horrible sin which was an abomination to God. Yet she was included in the royal line.

2 - Rahab Rahab was a harlot and a pagan Canaanite, a bad woman! She sank as low as it is possible for a woman to sink. Yet she also was included in the royal line.

3 - Ruth  She was a lovely lady, but she was a Moabite, a gentile, a descendant of Lot by incest. She had no right to be in the line of the king. But God in grace placed her there.

4 - Bathsheba  Bathsheba was an adulteress. She had no right to be in the line of the king, but again in mercy and grace God placed her there, she was the mother of Solomon. The only four women mentioned in the genealogy of Christ. All of them were sinners and didn't belong there. What Amazing Grace!

God's grace was revealed in two men, in three eras and in four women.

So the Messiah came, through a nation that was degenerate. Through two sinful men; Through four sinful women. Through them was born the King of all Kings. God is saying.... Let it be known to Israel and to all men, Jesus Christ is the friend of sinners! Jesus said Himself, I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Romans 5:8, "But God commended his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

Alexander Whyte the great Scottish preacher once stood in his pulpit in Edinborough and said, " I have discovered the most wicked man in Edinborough. He paused as the congregation leaned forward to catch the name. His name is Alexander Whyte. O that we might see ourselves as God sees us.

Jesus is a gracious King and Savior. He offers Himself to you a sinner, as Savior and King, will you receive Him.

To those of us who are believers, we do not deserve to be in the family of God, but we are, by His wonderful grace.