A Daily Walk

John Randall: Pastor John Randall says your life is incomplete apart from Jesus. The longer you live apart from God, can I tell you something? It gets worse. You may have your life fully together. You may be financially secure. You may have some killer house. You may have everything together on the outside. But the fact is, one day you're going to stand before God. You're living your life, you're doing your thing, your life is good, but you're empty because you know there's a void inside of you that only God himself is big enough to fill. Nothing you purchase, no place that you visit can ever fill that void. You will always come back empty. Only God is big enough to fill that void in your life, and He wants to.

Guest (Male): What would you do to get someone's attention? If your neighbor's house was on fire, would you break a window to get their attention? What would God do to get the attention of a world that's about to burn down, so to speak? We'll find out on A Daily Walk. Pastor John Randall is in the middle of his study of Revelation, and in chapter eight, the seven trumpet judgments are sounding. The first four deal with the physical world, and things we often take for granted are impacted in a big way.

John Randall: I also want you to make note as we read these things, there is a connection between some of the judgments coming upon the earth that are similar and resemble the judgments that came during the days of Moses in the book of Exodus chapters 7 through 11 when the nation of Israel was delivered. There are similarities. The first four trumpets of chapter eight are natural in that they affect the land, the salt water, fresh water, and the heavens. And the fifth and sixth trumpets that are sounded in Revelation chapter nine unleash demonic forces that will torment and then kill. And the seventh trumpet will then start the seven bowl judgments.

The first trumpet, here it is, devastation upon the earth. Look at verse seven. The first angel sounded, and hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. As the first trumpet sounds, hail, fire, mingled with blood thrown to the earth, it consumes and destroys one third of the trees and the grass. And this judgment is similar to the seventh plague that took place there in the book of Exodus in Egypt.

Today there are many who are very concerned and passionate about the environment. They are mindful and do studies on what they classify as global warming and preserving the ecosystem. They want to save the whales and endangered species. And I'm all for taking care of God's creation. But for many, they worship creation rather than the Creator. They worship Mother Nature instead of Father God. They worship the earth but they deny the existence of God who created the earth.

The Bible tells us in Romans chapter one, verse 25, it says there are those who exchange the truth of God for a lie, and they worship and they serve the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forevermore. Sadly, during the tribulation period, the earth will be completely devastated. But thankfully, the Bible does tell us that one day there will be a new heaven and a new earth. Revelation 21 tells us John says, "I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and also there was no more sea."

When one third of the vegetation is affected, the lumber, the food supply will be impacted. Trees not only produce food, they also provide protection from violent storms and flooding. It really is overwhelming to consider what this will mean for the human race. It's no wonder that people say Revelation is only symbolic or an allegory instead of taking it literally because they're fearful of what may come, what will come.

But notice the repetition also of the words "one third, one third, one third, one third." The implication is that the judgment is partial, not total. In other words, God is still giving those people on the earth time to repent. However, as we continue through our study, we'll find that many people know where the judgment is coming from, but they still won't repent and turn to God. They'll actually curse God instead of turning to God.

Moving from the judgment on the land, we move to the judgment on the sea. The second trumpet sounds. Verse eight: "And the second angel sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed." Now as the second trumpet sounds, John sees something like a great mountain burning with fire and it hits the sea. Maybe it's a reference to a meteor or an asteroid. We don't know.

He said it was like a mountain. It was burning. It was on fire. Whatever it is, when that mountain hits the water, one third of the creatures are destroyed and one third of the water, it says, turns to blood. Again, that judgment is reminiscent of what took place in Egypt when the water was turned to blood, but on a much greater scale. In addition, one third of the ships are destroyed, which results in a disruption of business and transportation causing economic upheaval.

Then the third trumpet sounds. Notice it hits the freshwater supply. In verse 10: "Then the third angel sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of that star was Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water because it was made bitter." As the third trumpet sounds, John observes an enormous star, it says. Again, what is he describing? He's doing his best to describe what he'd never seen before. It was like a star falling from heaven and he calls it Wormwood.

When it falls to the earth, it affects one third, not all of it, but one third of the water supply. And those who try to drink the water die because it's poison and it's bitter. Wormwood, this word wormwood, only used here in the New Testament, but it's used eight times in the Old Testament. Several of those times, three actually, it refers to water that is poisoned. In Jeremiah chapter nine, verse 15, for example, it says to rebellious Israel, "Behold, I will feed this people with wormwood and give them poisoned water to drink." As a result, this was the judgment of God coming upon those that rejected God.

The trumpet sounds. The first three disasters of judgment strike vegetation, the oceans, the bodies of freshwater. In that moment, humanity may then turn its attention toward the sky, toward the heavens. But notice when the fourth trumpet sounds in verse 12. "Then the fourth angel sounded, and this time a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night. And then I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven saying with a loud voice, 'Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound.'"

Now as the fourth trumpet sounds, the light sources of the universe are affected. God reveals through this judgment that these sources of life, they are completely dependent upon God. Friends, do you realize today that the sun is just at the right spot, that if it were any closer, we would fry? If it was any further, we would freeze. What keeps it there? God does. The Bible says in Him all things consist and are literally held together. He holds it together. He keeps it right where it is.

With one third less sunlight on the earth, there will be one third less energy available to support life systems, man and nature. Again, similar to the ninth plague that happened there in Egypt as darkness covered the land. In the Old Testament, the prophet Joel predicted that this would take place. In Joel chapter two, we see how it connects. It says, "The earth quakes before them, the heavens tremble, the sun and the moon grow dark, and the stars diminish their brightness." Ezekiel the prophet also foretold of these things happening in Ezekiel 32 when it says, "When I put out your light, I will cover the heavens, I will make its stars dark. I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light. All the bright lights of the heavens I will make dark over you, and bring darkness upon your land," says the Lord.

John is seeing these things in the future take place that were prophesied in the past. What's about to happen? Jesus also said the very same thing. In Luke 21, Jesus declared, "And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars, and on the earth distress of nations with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring, men's hearts failing them for fear and expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken."

These are serious things we're talking about today. But you can't get away from it, friend. You can't jump over it, and I don't think you want us to. And I don't think the Lord wants us to. He puts it here for a reason so that we can be aware of what's coming, so that we can know how to respond before this day unfolds. The first four trumpets deal with the physical world, and they radically affect the things that mankind takes for granted, whether it's fresh water or trees or green grass or the sun, the moon or the ocean itself.

Unregenerate, unsaved, gospel-rejecting mankind never thinks to glorify the Creator or recognize His creative design. Instead, there are those that say, well, God doesn't exist at all. We're here by accident, or we're here through evolutionary processes that have occurred over billions of years and fortuitous occurrences that have taken place from slime in the ground that then formed into an ape which formed into, you know this nonsense. It takes more faith to believe that than there's a God who designed it all and has a purpose for you. But this is what people hold to today.

But listen, in that day when these judgments are poured out upon the earth, the evolutionist, the agnostic, the atheist, and the humanist alike will know that there is a God who reigns in heaven. They'll come to realize in that moment that what they have told people, what they have promoted, which led people astray was nothing more than lies. And they will now reap a harvest of judgment from the God that they denied.

Friends, listen. One of the evidence for the existence of God is creation. God's creative design on display all around us. The Bible tells us in Psalm 19 that the heavens declare the glory of the Lord, and the firmament shows God's handiwork. The Bible tells us in Psalm 97 that the heavens declare His righteousness, and all the peoples see His glory, if your eyes are open. In Romans chapter one, probably one of the most powerful passages concerning God's creative design that leaves men and women without excuse, Romans chapter one says this, "The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness," meaning they want to sin so they deny the existence of God. "Because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them."

The question is then, how has God shown it to them? Here's what it says. "Since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes are clearly seen." The invisible attributes of God are clearly seen. How can what is invisible be clearly seen? By what He has made, what He has created. That's how it's seen. "Being understood by the things that are made, even," the Bible says, "His eternal power and Godhead, so that man is without excuse. Because although they knew God, they didn't glorify Him as God, nor were they thankful, but they became futile in their thoughts and their foolish hearts were darkened."

In other words, Paul says the truth is right in front of your eyes. You can walk out your door and see a tree. You can look out over the horizon and you can see the vastness of the ocean. You can look up into the heavens and see the sun, the moon at night, the stars, and it reveals the invisible attributes of God are clearly seen, even His power, so that you are without excuse. You can deny Him, but He still exists. One day you'll stand before Him, and I encourage you to acknowledge who He is today and not wait until later.

These judgments, folks, that are coming upon the earth, they're meant to get man's attention, to turn man to God, to produce humility and lead to repentance. In the midst of the trumpet judgments that sound, the mercy of God is still being shown in the midst of the devastation, for these judgments are still partial, one third. Because God is giving man time to repent and get right with Him. The Bible tells us these judgments, when you do a comparative study, the book of Exodus, you see similar plagues that come upon the earth or came upon the earth in Moses' day, now hitting the earth in the future.

But you know what it reminds us of if you go back to that story in Exodus? There was a guy there named Pharaoh. Remember that guy? Pharaoh hardened his heart. You know what it says? There were moments when Pharaoh hardened his heart, and then there were other moments when God hardened Pharaoh's heart. God allowed a plague to come, Pharaoh would see it, and then he'd say, "Oh man, just stop the plague, stop the plague." And then God would stop the plague, and then he'd harden his heart. He'd harden his heart, and he'd harden his heart. Eventually, God said, "All right, your heart is hardened. You want a hardened heart? You want to resist? Okay, I accept your decision."

There's some point, I don't know where it is, some line where you can harden your heart and harden your heart and harden your heart, and God's not going to force His way into your life. But you can say, "I harden my heart to the point that I will not believe," and God says, "I acknowledge your decision." But listen, if you can still hear the voice of the Spirit of God, the Bible says in Hebrews chapter three, today, if you can hear His voice, do not harden your heart. If there's something inside of you that still knows that even in light of creation there is a God, and there is a God that loves you, and this God loves you so much that He sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to come to this earth to die for your sin and then rise again from the dead so that you could be saved.

So you'll never have to experience these things that are indeed coming upon the earth. And if you don't think these things are possible or that the entire earth can be affected, look back at the last year and see how the earth was affected. That's nothing compared to what's coming. It's a wake-up call for the nations, for the world. I wonder if you're listening. As horrible and as devastating as these four trumpets are, it doesn't compare to what follows. I hate to say it, but as you go on, the worst was yet to come.

Because it says in verse 13, "And I looked, and I heard an angel as we conclude here flying through the midst of heaven with a loud voice saying, 'Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet the three angels are about to sound.'" This is what's happened, but there's something about to happen. Once again, John looks and he sees an angel now flying through the heavens. When he cries out this word "woe," it's a word used throughout the Bible as an expression of judgment and destruction and condemnation.

The first four trumpets get the attention of the world, but the last three trumpet judgments last longer and are more intense and devastating than even the first four. In other words, it gets worse. The longer you live apart from God, can I tell you something? It gets worse. You may have your life fully together. You may be financially secure. You may have some killer house. You may have everything together on the outside. But the fact is, one day you're going to stand before God. You're living your life, you're doing your thing, your life is good, but you're empty because you know there's a void inside of you that only God himself is big enough to fill. Nothing you purchase, no place that you visit can ever fill that void. You will always come back empty. Only God is big enough to fill that void in your life, and He wants to. Your life is incomplete without a relationship with Jesus Christ. He loves you.

As you look at these judgments, again, some want to interpret them as just symbols. But remember the words of Jesus and His Olivet discourse when He prophetically pronounced concerning the last days. He said this in Matthew 24, "There will be a great tribulation such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no nor ever shall be." Folks, we just read there's a day coming when trumpets will sound. Those who did not believe in Christ will be here to experience the blasts of these trumpets and what follows.

But there is a way of escape. There is a way out. The Bible tells us in Romans chapter five, "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet perhaps for a good man someone might dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more now having been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through His death, the death of His Son, much more having been reconciled we will be saved by His life." There is a way out. There is a way of escape from the wrath that is to come and it's through Jesus Christ.

As I was pondering this morning before I arrived, I thought to myself, in the scriptures, there are trumpets that sound. Which trumpet will you hear? Will you hear the voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God calling you away being caught up in the rapture, or will you hear these seven blasts that will come? What trumpet you hear depends on what you do with Jesus today. What trumpet will you hear? Oh friend, I pray today in Jesus' name that you will hear the trumpet of the Lord and you will be caught up. I don't know the day. I don't know the hour. I just know that the Bible says Jesus is coming and I'm ready. Are you ready? Are you ready for His return, folks? I think it's someone asked me recently a question, "When's the rapture of the church?" Sooner than when we first believed. I can tell you that. It's imminent.

Are you prepared? Listen, as we close today, I'm going to give you an opportunity to be ready. If the Spirit of God has spoken to you today, and you'll know who you are, nobody moving around or getting up driving away, listen. If you're not a Christian and you're not prepared to meet the Lord, and the reality of written scripture has spoken to your heart today and you realize that you're a sinner, that you need to be saved, then I want to encourage you to respond to the love of God, to respond to salvation, to receive Christ as your savior.

Maybe you've walked away from the Lord. Maybe you've been playing games with God. Man, you go to church, you got a Bible, you have several, but you don't walk with the Lord. You believe but you're not a follower. You want to be a follower of Jesus? Jesus said, "Whoever wants to follow me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me." If you've just been kind of going through the motions and never committed your life to Christ, I'm going to encourage you to get up out of your seat and come stand below this platform. I'm going to lead you in a word of prayer. Those of you who need salvation today, who recognize your need for God, I'm going to encourage you to come when you get here. I'm going to lead you in a word of prayer like we've done with so many over the last year, giving your life to Christ. And I mean seriously deciding to follow Him. If you really want to follow Jesus, if you want to be a disciple, you want to follow Christ, you want to know your sins are forgiven, you want to know you have the hope of heaven, you want to know that when that trumpet sounds you're going to hear it and you're going to be caught up, hey listen, come today. Respond to the love of God. Receive Christ. Don't put it off.

Guest (Male): What trumpet will you hear? A question we hope you'll thoughtfully consider today as we close out another A Daily Walk. Pastor John Randall's message is titled 'Silence in Heaven,' and just part of a study in Revelation. You can hear it again at adailywalk.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

A case could be made that we've never been more divided as a nation than right now. When a nation is divided, to whom can we turn? Well, that's answered for us in a book we'd like to get into your hands from Jack Countryman. It's titled 'If My People: A Prayer Guide for Our Nation.' You'll receive 40 days of prayer and reflections in the spirit from Second Chronicles 7:14. And we're making it available to our A Daily Walk listeners for the cost of just $8. You can call us for the ordering details at 877-242-0828. That's 877-242-0828, or request it online at adailywalk.org.

We are thankful for your support, especially during these summer months. If you've been encouraged and blessed by the teaching of the Word and want to help us deliver the good news all across the nation and the world, stop by adailywalk.org or call 877-242-0828. Well, that's all the time we have for today, but come back next time when Pastor John Randall will continue through the Bible with another stop in Revelation.

John Randall: Lord, do it today. Lord, we love you. Thank you for your love for us. Lord, as this invitation goes out, Lord, would you prompt your people to come and respond today? We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.