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REVELATION: CALL TO HOLINESS IN VIEW OF PROPHECY
Part III: The Things Hereafter'
"F. The Seven Trumpets: God's Vengeance On Idolatrous Oppressors
(Revelation 8:1-9:21)

Introduction: (To show the need . . . )

In today's America, believers face oppression not only from ancient paganism that can be influenced with spiritism, but even how they respond to it by not condoning it as believers:

(1) Radio Bible Class, the reputable radio mission from which we get the "Our Daily Bread" devotional books, in 1988 published a pamphlet, "What in the World Is Satan Doing?" On page 22 of this work, it warns about the deception of the Evil One, and gives some examples to warn Christian. One warning regards the psychologist, Carl Jung: "Carl Jung, the brilliant founder of the Jungian School of Psychology, was noted for his occult interests. While he vehemently denied the truth of the incarnation [of Christ], he embraced the theory of reincarnation on the authority of figures who spoke to him in his visions and dreams." (brackets mine)

Yet, I know a believer who has been countered by fellow Christians for not condoning Carl Jung as being Christian in his psychological views! How is a believer supposed to deal with that?!

(2) I occasionally have had to counsel a teen or a parent of a teen who has run into troubling experiences with the use of Ouija Boards or with friends who use them.

Everything we know and have heard about such items cause me to view them as occultic, so I advise the teen to resist getting involved with Ouija Boards. This can often cost him in terms of friendships with his peers. How can a teen deal with that?!



Well, in facing paganism or spiritist pressures, or facing opposition for not CONDONING these, and that even from other BELIEVERS, is it WORTH our taking the STAND in the end?!



(We turn to the sermon "Need" section . . . )



Need: "At times the STRONGEST opposition I face rises from my taking stands regarding PAGANISM, or trials for seeking to handle it Biblically. Is it WORTH the PRICE to take such stands? Why?!"
  1. The Trumpet judgments of Revelation 8-9 predict God's vengeance to be taken against paganistic oppressors of believers:
    1. When the seventh seal judgment is instituted, it will contain all seven trumpet judgments, Rev. 8:1-2, cf. Bib. Know. Com., N. T., p. 951.
    2. Unlike the seal judgments that judge persecutors in general, the trumpet judgments focus on idolatrous oppressors of God's people:
      1. When the 7th seal is opened, there is silence in heaven for an hour, recalling the silence urged in Habakkuk 2:18-20 (Rev. 8:1).
      2. Habakkuk 2:18-20 in turn pictures God's prophet criticizing the dumb idols' inabilities to speak or awaken, so he charges men to be silent before the true God Who sits enthroned in His heavenly temple, cf. Ps. 11:4 and Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, ftn. to Hab. 2:20!
      3. Also, the trumpet judgments attack objects (8:7, 8-9, 10-11, etc.) along with men in keeping with what God predicted would occur to objects that were idolatrous stumblingblocks in Zeph. 1:2-5.
      4. The amount destroyed in each case is 1/3 of the items named, a percentage mirroring the 1/3 number of heaven's angels called "stars" who fell with Satan, Rev. 12:3-4 with Rev. 8:7, 9, 10, etc.
      5. Besides, Habakkuk's critique of idolatry in Hab. 2:19 pronounces a "woe" to those calling dumb idols to life, a theme repeated three times with the trumpet judgments in Revelation 8:13.
      6. Summary: The Old Testament context which John, the author of the Revelation used, defines Revelation's trumpet judgments to be God's vengeance taken out on idolatrous oppressors of His people!
  2. God's vengeance on idolatrous oppressors is revealed as such:
    1. Before God's wrath falls, He will recall the prayers of His people that sought God's help from idolatrous oppressors, Rev. 8:3-4.
    2. This will inflame God's wrath as seen in the noise and lightning, 8:5.
    3. Then, the first four trumpets will sound with their judgments, 8:7-12:
      1. With the first trumpet, God's wrath is unleashed against oppressors who worship wood and vegetarian life (Ashtoreth, etc.), Rev. 8:7.
      2. The second trumpet judgment will release God's wrath against oppressors who worship sea life (Dagon, etc.), Revelation 8:8-9.
      3. The third trumpet judgment will release God's wrath against oppressors who worship fresh water sources (Baal, etc.), 8:10-11.
      4. The fourth trumpet judgment will release God's wrath against oppressors who worship heavenly bodies (Chemosh, etc.), 8:12.
    4. A brief interlude is relayed with an angel announcing 3 "woes" for the 3 final trumpet judgments against idolatrous oppressors, Rev. 8:13. The first two of these three "woe" judgments are listed in Rev. 9:1-21:
      1. As the fifth trumpet judgment sounds, God's vengeance is released against oppressors who traffic in demons against believers, 9:1-12:
        1. The fifth trumpet unlocks the bottomless pit for fierce locusts to arise out of it, Rev. 9:1-3, 7-10: these beings will have the teeth of lions (9:8) and scorpion like tails (9:10), what men in John's day knew to be demons, Zond. Pic. Enc. of the Bib., V. 2, p. 94.
        2. These demons will torment men for 5 months, causing them to seek death but be unable to find it, Revelation 9:5-6.
      2. The sixth trumpet's sounding will unleash 4 demons to influence 200 million possibly-demon-possessed soldiers to kill 1/3 of the world's population, Rev. 9:13-19. Ibid., R.S.B.:KJV, ftn. to Rev. 9:16. This will avenge idolaters who have murdered believers.
    5. Though these judgments fall, many idolaters will even then not repent of their worship of idols, tangible or spiritual, Revelation 9:20-21!
Application: If we are involved in pagan beliefs or spiritism, we can ESCAPE such evil by (1) believing in Jesus Christ for salvation from sin to become children of God, John 3:16; 2 Cor. 5:17. (2) As a believer, retain spiritual power to face a paganistic, idolatrous environment by (a) having our post-salvation sins confessed (1 Jn. 1:9) and (b) depending on God, the indwelling and Holy Spirit for the POWER to LIVE a godly life, Gal. 5:16-23. (c) In the Holy Spirit's power, OBEY God's Word regardless of the pressures to condone or accept paganism faced, or regardless of pressures to disobey Scripture by how we respond to it 2 Tim. 1:7-8. (d) Rejoice in God's Rev. 8-9 promise to take vengeance on the oppressors, and keep our stand for His reward, Rev. 22:12.

Lesson: If we believers must take a stand regarding paganism or our Biblical response to it at great COST, it is WORTH doing so as God will take vengeance out on paganistic oppressors and their works. That also means He will REWARD us for keeping our stands, cf. Revelation 22:12. >

Conclusion: (To illustrate the sermon lesson . . . )

 T. A. McMahon of The Berean Call newsletter writes about the Christian's need to face paganistic spiritism Biblically in his June, 1997 article, "The New Spiritual Warfare Strategies, Part II."

Specifically, McMahon writes about the Strategic-Level Spiritual Warfare movement. This group of Christians promotes traveling to various locations and praying for help against territorial spirits. Marches for Jesus are performed allegedly to open up various geographical areas for the gospel to have maximum penetration.

Countering this movement, McMahan notes, "Over and over again the Word of God exhorts believers, not to power encounters with demons, but to steadfastness in the faith. Peter, who was no stranger to casting out demons, neverthless wrote, Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist steadfast in the faith' (1 Peter 5:8). (Emphasis mine)"

God calls us believers to stand in the faith of the Word of God, not tolerating paganistic ideologies or spiritist teachings, even if pressured otherwise by fellow BELIEVERs, and at the same time not getting involved in artificial spiritual warfare techniques that can actually backfire to the believer's harm, cf. Acts 19:13-17. We have to do so even if opposed by fellow believers. We are to follow GOD as SCRIPTURE dictates, being strong in our TRUST of the Word to quench the fiery darts of the evil one, Eph. 6:12-16.