Section
6
The
Sure Word of Prophecy
Chapter
66.
The Seven Last Plagues
1.
WHAT is God's final warning against false worship?
"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;
and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy
angels, and in the presence of the Lamb." Rev. 14: 9,10.
NOTE.-During
probationary time God's wrath is always tempered, or mingled, with mercy. Thus
the prophet Habakkuk prays, "In wrath remember mercy." Hab-3:2. God's
wrath unmixed with mercy is visited only when mercy has done its final work, and
evil has gone to the limit, so that there is "no remedy." See Gen.
6:3; 15:16; 19:12,13; 2 Chron. 36:16; Matt. 23:37,38; Luke 19:42-44; 2 Peter
2:6; Jude 7.
2.
In what is the wrath of God filled up?
"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." Rev. 15:1.
3.
How does Joel describe the day of the Lord?
"Alas for the day! for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction
from the Almighty shall it come." "For the day of the Lord is great
and very terrible; and who can abide it?" Joel 1:15; 2:11.
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4.
What has Daniel said of this time?
"And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a
nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered,
every one that shall be found written in the book." Dan. 12:1. See Eze.
7:15-19.
NOTE.-The seven
last plagues will be the most terrible scourges ever visited upon man. As Ahab
accused Elijah of being the cause of Israel's calamities (1 Kings 18:17,18), so,
in the time of trouble, the wicked and those who have departed from God will be
enraged at the righteous, will accuse them as being the cause of the plagues,
and will seek to destroy them as did Haman the Jews. See Esther 3:8-14. But God
will miraculously deliver His people at this time as He did then.
5.
What will be the first plague, and upon 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.
6.
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." Verse
3.
7.
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." Verse 4.
NOTE.-The second
plague affects the sea. The third plague comes closer to the habitations of men,
and affects the land. The water supplies are contaminated.
8.
Why, under these plagues, does the Lord give men blood to drink?
"For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and Thou has
given them blood to drink; for they are worthy." Verse 6.
NOTE-In this is
shown God's abhorrence of oppression and persecution. The plagues are
God's rebukes against colossal forms of sin.
9.
What will be the fourth plague?
"And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power
was given unto him to scorch men with fire." Verse 8. See Joel 1:16-20.
NOTE.-Sun-worship
is the most ancient and widespread of all forms of idolatry. In this plague God
manifests His displeasure at this form of idolatry. That which men have
worshipped as, a god, becomes a plague and tormentor. Thus it was in the plagues
of Egypt. Those things which the Egyptians had worshipped became scourges to
them instead of benefactors and blessings. See "The Philosophy of the Plan
of Salvation," by "An American Citizen," chapter 3.
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10.
Will even this terrible judgment lead men to repent?
"And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name
of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to
give Him glory." Verse 9.
11.
What will be the fifth plague?
"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." Verse 10.
NOTE.-This plague
strikes at the very seat of the great apostasy of the latter days, the Papacy.
It will doubtless be similar in effect to the like plague in Egypt, which was a
darkness that could "be felt." Ex. 10:21-23. By this plague that
haughty and apostate spiritual despotism which has set itself up as possessing
all truth, and as being the light of the world, is enshrouded in midnight
darkness.
12.
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." Verse 12.
NOTE.-This, we
understand, refers to the drying up of the Turkish Empire by the great world
powers preparatory to the battle of Armageddon. See preceding reading.
13.
How are the nations gathered to the battle of Armageddon?
"And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of
the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false
prophet. For they are the spirits of devils working miracles, which go
forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the
battle of that great day of God Almighty. . . . And he gathered them together
into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon." Verses 13-16.
NOTE.-This
scripture shows that it is the spirit of Satan which incites men to war, and
explains why the great nations of the world are now at war. The dragon
represents paganism; the beast, the Papacy; and the false prophet, apostate
Protestantism-the three great religious apostasies since the Flood. The plain
of Esdraelon, in south-western Galilee, is the Armageddon here referred
to.
14.
At this time what event is imminent?
"Behold, I come
as a thief. Blessed is he that watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk
naked, and they see his shame." Verse 15.
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15.
What takes place under the seventh plague?
"And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air. . . . 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. And the great city was divided into three
parts, and the cities of the nations fell." Verses 17-19.
16.
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." Verse 21. See Job
38:22,23; Ps. 7:11-13.
17.
What will the Lord be to His people at 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. See Jer. 25:30,31; Haggai 2:21; Heb. 12:26; Ps. 91:5-10.
NOTE.-To prepare
His people and the world for these terrible judgments, the Lord, as in the days
of Noah, sends a warning message to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.
See Rev. 14:6-10.
18.
Just before the pouring out of the plagues, what call does God send to His
people still in Babylon?
"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her,
My people, that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of
her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered
her iniquities." Rev. 18:4,5. See Gen. 19:12-17; Jer. 51:6.
NOTE.-As before
the flood, many of God's people will doubtless be laid away to rest shortly
before the time of trouble. See Isa. 57:1; Rev. 14:13. Referring to the time
before the Flood, an ancient book says: "And all men who walked in the ways
of the Lord, died in those days, before the Lord brought the evil upon man which
He had declared, for this was from the Lord, that they should not see the evil
which the Lord spoke of concerning the sons of men."-Book of Jasher 4:20.
See also chapter 5:21 of the same book.
19.
How suddenly will the plagues come upon modern Babylon?
"Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and
mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is
the Lord God who judges her. . . . For in one hour is thy judgment
come." Rev. 18:8-10.
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20.
What famine will come at this time upon those who have rejected God's messages
of mercy?
"Behold, the days come, says 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. See Luke 13:25; Prov. 1:24-26; Heb.
12:15-17.
21.
What announcement is made under the seventh plague?
"And there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne,
saying, It is done." Rev. 16:17.
NOTE.-God made
man to bless him. Gen. 1:28. When His blessings are abused, He withholds them,
to teach men their source and their proper use. Haggai 1:7-11. Judgments are
sent that men may learn righteousness." Isa. 26:9; 1 Kings 17:1. That men
do not repent under the plagues is no evidence that God has ceased to be
merciful and forgiving. They simply demonstrate that all have determined their
destiny, and that even the severest judgments of God will not move the ungodly
and impenitent to repentance.
22.
Just preceding Christ’s second coming, what solemn decree will go forth
showing that the cases of all have been decided?
"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; and My
reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Rev.
22:11,12.
23.
What psalms seem to have been written especially for the comfort and
encouragement of God's people during the time of the seven last plagues?
Psalms 91 and 46. See also Isa. 33:13-17.
The great
decisive day is at hand!
The day when Christ will come,
To call His children home
And to seal the sinner's doom,
Is at hand.
Where will the
sinner hide in that day?
It will be in vain to call,
"You mountains, on us fall,"
For His hand will find out all
In that day.
Preparing For Eternity
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