Roche Coleman Ministries: The Infusion Broadcast

Dr. Roche Coleman: One of the things that God often does is God will bring trouble and pain into the lives of people to try to get their attention. Anybody in here ever had God to take him to the proverbial woodshed? Anybody? See, some of y'all been good boys and girls. God never had to put his rod of correction on your posterior.

But for those of us who have, when God—you knew that it was God punishing you, and you said, "God, if you let me out of this one, God, if you set me, if I can just get out, just get out of this, just let me out. Lord, if you let me, I promise, Lord, I will serve, I will be obedient. I will not go back." Y'all don't feel me. Y'all don't understand. See, somebody—y'all don't feel me yet because you haven't had him to really take you and put you in the crucible and wear you out.

Guest (Male): Welcome to the Infusion Broadcast with pastor and author, Dr. Roche Coleman. Our mission and goal here is to share the gospel of Jesus Christ, and we're grateful to God for the avenue of media where our message can go beyond Houston to many globally. Would you help us with operation and airtime costs so we can continue to share the gospel and encourage believers?

To make a contribution, log on to rochecolemanministries.org, or you can mail a check to Roche Coleman Ministries, 594 Sawdust Road, Suite 185, The Woodlands, Texas 77380. We appreciate your support very much. Thank you. Dr. Coleman systematically unravels the events in the book of Revelation in this, our series on Heaven. Let's listen as he brings part two of the message, "The Great Tribulation."

Dr. Roche Coleman: Remember, the saints of God have been gone, and there are still some Gentiles and Jews who are going through this period of tribulation. And now, John begins to tell us what they look like, the appearance of these locusts. He said they look like horses prepared for battle. Their heads have these something like gold crowns on their heads. He said their faces are faces of men, hair like women, teeth like lions. He said, "Man, these are some atrocious-looking creatures."

What are these things? They have these breastplates of iron, the sound of their wings like the sounds of chariots going into battle. They're rushing. He said it's all like this deafening sound that he hears. He said, "And then, on top of this, they have these tails like scorpions, and they're stinging, stinging, stinging." He comes back again. He said, "I still see these tails and this pain they're inflicting on man." Why is John giving us this? Because he wants us to understand the nature of what God is doing when God begins to act in His sovereign will and to mete out His justice.

The justice of God. We really want the mercy and grace, not the justice. Because this is justice in Revelation 9. Interesting here with these locusts, look in verse 11 because what happens here is he said they have a king. He said, "But these, they have one," and he gives the name Abaddon and Apollyon. He said that's who's leading these locust-like creatures as they are ravaging and causing pain.

And then he tells us in verse 12, this is the end of the first woe. Woe is that word that means distress, grief, anguish, sorrow. And this is a woeful period because people are experiencing all the pain that comes with rejecting God. And then he transitions. He goes into the second half of this text, which is the second woe, but it is the sixth trumpet. The sixth trumpet comes, and when this trumpet comes, it's going to usher in the second woe. Point number two, we're going to see here the sixth trumpet of judgment.

He says, "Then the sixth angel sounded his trumpet." The angel comes out. He blows the trumpet. Once he blows the trumpet, he says, "I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar, which is before God." Interesting that he points this out. The golden altar with the four horns, we notice that it is there before God. The golden altar is where we saw the saints under the altar and those prayers emanate upward.

And we believe that this is none other than the Lamb standing there who is giving the command to the sixth angel that we see in verse 14. And he's letting him know that there's some things that he needs him to do because the angels act on the behalf of God. He says, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates." Wish we had time to go into Euphrates and its history, but briefly, we have to understand that it is the epicenter and the beginning of so many things.

But nevertheless, there are four angels, note, that are bound here, and one angel is sent to do what? To release the four who are bound. Very intriguing in Scripture. You never see righteous angels bound, only wicked angels. And if you look with me in Jude verse 6, you will see this: "And the angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day."

Luke chapter 8, verse 31, 2 Peter chapter 2, verse 4, also alludes to these angels being bound and demonic spirits being bound. Why are they bound? Obviously, God had contained them for some behavior that they had committed, some action. And now they are released to do what? To come out and unleash havoc on the earth. I want you to see this because we see that God is the one who is the restrainer.

I want you to understand, if the Lord were to unleash, if God were to release the evil that Satan and his demonic forces would bring upon us, we could not imagine what the enemy would do. But I'm going to tell you, it is our good God who is restraining and keeping and covering us. And I want to let you know He is worthy to be praised for that. Some of you recognize that God has been good to you. Some of you know that God has blessed you and brought you here. And because of that, we just give God praise and we give Him glory because He's a good God.

Here it is. These four are released. Look why they're released. Look at the text. You've got to see it. Please underline this in your text: "so that they would kill one third of mankind." They are released with a license to kill. How many do they kill? One third. In Revelation chapter 6, verse 8, one-fourth of the population has been killed. Here in Revelation 9 and 15, a third of the population is killed.

That means only half of the population remains alive. And the people who are being killed are the people without the mark, without the seal that symbolize they are the protected of God. I want to let you know, if you are living life today apart from the covering of the Holy Spirit of God, you are uncovered. Open season by the enemy is being unleashed upon you. Today would be a great day for you to get the seal of the Holy Spirit in your life.

He says, look, look. He gives more description. I love how John does this. He's going to give us about eight key aspects of these horsemen and the activity that is going on here. Watch. He says the number of armies of the horsemen was 200 million. He said, "I heard them." Verse 17: "This is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them." The riders had breastplates of colors of fire, hyacinth—but I believe it would be better translated turquoise—and then he says brimstone.

The brimstone is this sulfuric yellowish color. He says, "The heads of the horses are like the heads of lions. Out of their mouths, this fire, smoke, and this sulfur comes out of the mouth of these entities." He says they are breathing out of their mouths like dragons. A third of mankind, verse 18, were killed by these plagues. What are the plagues? Fire, smoke, brimstone, which proceeded out of their mouths.

He said, "For the power of the horses is in their mouth and also what? In their tails. Their tails are like serpents who have heads, and with them, they do harm." All of this harmful activity going on, all of this killing, this torture, and this pain. Why is this happening? Because humanity persists in rebellion against God. Saints of God, God has called us to Himself because He's created us.

And many of us are not convinced that God is God and that He is in total control of this world. We're not convinced. We're not convinced. How do you know that? Glad you asked the question. Thank you. Because of the way we act. The last two verses, I want everyone in here who have eyes to see, everyone on livestream, please, I need you to do this for me. I want you to turn to Revelation chapter 9, verses 20 and 21. Please see these verses for me.

I want you to see how incorrigible humanity is. I want you to see the depths of the wickedness, the hardness of heart, the utter disregard, total hatred for God that exists within humanity. I want you to see this. Please, I want everyone, please, read these verses with me. Look at the verses. We're going to go slow. I want you to see it. For those of you on livestream, grab something, please. Look at these verses. It's powerful. This is tremendous here. Watch.

The rest of mankind, the rest of who? Those who remain alive outside of this one-third who was not killed, those who do not have the mark of God in their forehead. The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues—we just saw them, fire, smoke, the brimstone—he says, "What happened? Did not repent." You see these grizzly creatures like locusts. You see these horsemen, 200 million. You see people being stung, trying to die.

And you would think all of this torture, all of this carnage that's happening on the earth, that people's hearts would turn, it would become more malleable. And you would say, "We are going to look at one greater than ourselves." But what happens? No, they get harder in their heart. They still reject God. One of the things that God often does is God will bring trouble and pain into the lives of people to try to get their attention.

Anybody in here ever had God to take him to the proverbial woodshed? Anybody? See, some of y'all been good boys and girls. God never had to put his rod of correction on your posterior. But for those of us who have, when God—you knew that it was God punishing you, and you said, "God, if you let me out of this one, God, if you set me, if I can just get out, just get out of this, just let me out. Lord, if you let me, I promise, Lord, I will serve, I will be obedient. I will not go back."

Y'all don't feel me. Y'all don't understand. See, somebody—y'all don't feel me yet because you haven't had him to really take you and put you in the crucible and wear you out. Help me, Holy Spirit. Y'all stay with me. Just—I just had to have a moment right there, just right there, just one moment. See, the punishment comes because it is for corrective measures. What does Hebrews say? And Proverbs says it frequently. That the father who loves his son, he disciplines the son.

Why does he discipline him? He disciplined the son for corrective measures to bring the child back into conformity. No parent takes delight in disciplining their child, but they understand Proverbs says, "If you don't discipline him, he will die." Same with the daughters. Sons and daughters, if you don't discipline them and allow them to have their way, one day, they will discipline you. Discipline or be disciplined. That's life.

And so what happens here? God, oftentimes, He allows discipline to come, hardship to come into the life of His people. Why? Because He's trying to get them to come back to His presence. But these individuals, in the great tribulation period, the latter part here, after they see all of the pain, the torture, they go further in opposition to God. Oh, it's deep. Look further. Look, look, look further.

They did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons. They kept worshipping the demons. Idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, wood. He says, "which can neither see nor walk," he said, "but they still worshipped it." They did not repent of their murders, their sorceries, nor their immorality, nor their thefts. He says they stayed in their wicked ways.

Why is it? It is because there's a greater love for the gods of this world than a true love for the God who created heaven and earth. There is a greater selfishness, desire to have their way than to submit to the will of God. And I want to let you know that God, eventually, will turn you over and let you have your way. And that's what happens in Revelation 9. In this great tribulation period, he says, "You want to go against me? Keep going." And the people do.

Very important that we understand here, very important. Stay with me, stay with me. Very important that we understand. That as believers, as people of God, that God will not change His standard. We live in a culture now that has embraced every perversion, every form of wickedness, anything diabolical, anything unrighteous, anything that's in the direct opposition to God. We embrace it, and we applaud those who participate in it.

And God is not going to tolerate it. One last verse we're going to read, and then we're going to be out of here. Turn with me to Romans chapter 1, verses 28 through 32. And while you're turning, I want you to hear me. Remember how I began. Our God loves you. Man, God is a good God. And I think of the grace that He has extended, and even us going to this text, I want you to have this, embrace this, highlight it, keep it somewhere because this verse really, really encapsulates the need for us to hear the words of God.

He says, "And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind." Watch this now. God is the active subject here who is doing the giving over. Your mind, the reason why you could clothe yourself, the reason why you can eat your food, the reason why you can sit on those 22-inch cushioned chairs, the reason why you can do that is because your mind has been held in conformity by a holy God.

God is the keeper of your mind. He's the one who allow you to function in a sane way. But let me tell you something. For people who are in rebellion, eventually God will give you over. What is He doing? He allowed their mind to be seared as with a hot iron. There is no sensitivity to the prompting. And this is why you can see individuals indulge in certain behavior and you say, "Are you not ashamed? Are you not guilty? You don't blush at that type of behavior?

"You can go out and conduct yourself, look like that and behave like that, and there is nothing in you to say, 'This is unnatural, this is unfit.'" Why? It is because God has given them over to a depraved mind. Stay with me. To do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness. Look, look at the list. Stay with me in 29: wickedness, greed, evil, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice.

They are gossips. They are gossips. They are gossips. Slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful. They invent evil. It's not enough already. We've got to find another way to do it. Disobedient to parents, disobedient to parents, disobedient to parents. Without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful. And although they know the ordinances of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

I want to let you know that this is happening in so-called churches, Christian organizations, para-church organizations, where people are professing to know God, but their fruit is rotten to the core. You cannot hold sin in one hand and the Savior in the same hand. It will not happen. You can't do it. You're going to have to make a decision. It's going to be the Savior or your sin, but you cannot hold both.

And there are those who are trying to encourage and let anything that says, "I'm a Christian," be a Christian, but I want to let you know, Satan himself appears as an angel of light. But he is wicked to the core and he knows that his day is coming. The Bible says, "Come out from among them and be ye separate," believers of God. Our house is on fire. Do you hear me? It's burning.

And we need a challenge at a different level because our loved ones, our children, our family members, our neighbors, our employees, our people in foreign states, foreign countries, people are perishing because we refuse to take a stand and boldly declare God is God and let everything else be a lie. And the church has been called to a higher standard. And I want to know today, are you willing to stand for God and give Him the glory and let Him be true and every man a lie?

That's where we are. Close with this Impact Factor, and I want you to see it. Repeated rejection of God's grace delays salvation. It hardens the heart until repentance is no longer desired. I want to tell you something. We keep walking in disobedience and keep rebelling. Eventually day comes where it doesn't bother you. If you ever speak to anybody who have committed a hideous act, whatever that act is, you'll know.

They'll tell you the first one, "Oh man, it bothered me." Any act, you pick a sin, whatever that sin is. It could be thief, stealing something, lying. The first time you feel guilty, but every successive is like the law of diminishing return. It no longer has the same fear. Sin's the same way. Today, you can say, "You know what? I surrender to the Lord. I recognize that I cannot continue on the path that I am on."

This is your opportunity. If the Spirit of God is stirring at you, shaking you, to say, "Lord, I need Your grace, Your mercy to help me to live at another level for You." Don't walk out of here the way you walked in. Don't log off the way you logged on. Please, allow the Spirit of God to move, because I'm telling you, I know He can. His word has promised not to return void, but you have to be willing to submit to the prompting and guiding of the sweet Holy Spirit that indwells you. Pray with me. Father, we love You, we thank You. And Lord, we ask that You speak to our hearts, challenge us. And Lord God, speak. Have mercy on everyone here, everyone listening. And Lord, for what You do, we give You praise. We love You. We ask it in Jesus' name, Amen.

Guest (Male): Thank you, Dr. Coleman. Yes, when we reject Him, we'll experience His wrath. And there are many in Scripture, unfortunately, who succumb to such a fate. Friend, I hope you'll turn your heart to Him before it's too late. If you have any questions, please write to us at info@rochecolemanministries.org. God's compassion and grace, which He offers us all, are specifically captured for us in Dr. Coleman's book, *Jonah: God’s Second Chance Through Resurrection*.

It'll help you see God's heart of compassion and mercy towards the most pagan of people. You can order a copy at rochecolemanministries.org, or call us at 346-386-4621. And now, our Impact Thought is: repeated rejection of God's grace delays salvation. It hardens the heart until repentance is no longer desired. Our fervent prayer is that you'll not reject Him anymore, but rather choose to submit to God's love and grace today.