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.
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.
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.
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 he 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.
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.
