This chapter discusses the interlude timeframe between the 6th and 7th trumpet.
Last week, we learned about the time when common grace was taken by God. This common grace is the component that withholds mankind’s total depravity. It causes sin to not be as evil as it should be.
1/3 of God’s people have died when common grace has been taken, and God’s wrath is upon them. Although the judgement of God has come, it is still not the final judgement. People that believe in the gospel of Jesus rejoice. They realize that they have been saved through God’s grace. 1/3 of God’s people has died, and 2/3 of the remaining people constantly hardened their heart and refused to abandon their sin.
Sermon
Today’s sermon discusses the interlude between the sixth trumpet and the seventh trumpet.
What is the point of the story that God has written? During this time, there is a ministry known as the prophetic ministry. Prophetic ministries are known to be future predictions, dealing with the things that happened.
The word prophetic comes from the word prophets. Prophets are people chosen by God to spread God’s gospel and become witnesses of God. We are also called witnesses of God to spread God’s gospel. Prophetic ministry refers to the people called by God to spread the gospel based on God’s revelation (what God has shown to his people). This mystery is not hidden, but God has opened it for us. He has given it to the prophets, John, and now us.
Although it is not complete, the mystery will be revealed fully and perfectly when the 7th trumpet is blown. During that time, God’s name will be fully praised, and his kingdom comes. This revelation has started, and Jesus has come, but it is not finished; he will return.
God is continuously working to make things more perfect. His will happens when his people are obedient to Him and live according to the will of God. Many of God’s will in this world hasn’t happened. God wanted his people to pray, live holy and become the witnesses of Christ. But not everyone does this. God’s people are those that are truly loyal and miss doing the will of God and deeply pray and want his name to be glorified. We can minister God’s truth through living a holy life, and we can say God’s words to others by being a blessing throughout our life.
Although there are mysteries not opened by God, these things are things that we are not meant to know and belong to God. Maybe, even if it’s opened to us, we may not understand.
However, the things that are opened to us are the foundation of our prophetic ministry. Everyone who spreads the gospel and claims that it is the word of God; We need to test this claim if they are true to the bible. If it is false, then we can deny and reject it.
There are two behaviors of prophetic ministry: it is sweet for people who accept God’s word, but it is bitter for people who fight and deny that word of God. We need to accept and eat the scripture/the word of God. We digest the word of God by thinking and internalizing it. Then, we bring it out and spread the news to the world, live it out.
It is bitter for people that don’t want to repent; they will die eternally and physically. If we don’t believe God’s word, then we won’t believe we’ll resurrect after death. In hell, there’s eternal separation of man from God, and no prayer can be heard or answered any longer.
By living a godly life, God abides in us. But God abides in us also means suffering. We are God’s martyrs, and we will face hardship and persecution because of our obedience to God. God has a purpose for us, and it requires suffering.
God said to us; you’re not from the world. We are sheep saved by God and sent among wolves.
You are the light of the world and the salt of the world. This world is dark and rotting in sin. We live in a war in a sinful world. We are in a war against ourselves by realizing that we are at war against a terrifying enemy around us and also inside us. Therefore, man can’t fight without God.
The vision for Christ believers and witnesses is that although we’re facing hardship and death, we’ll be resurrected and be with God for eternity. Nothing, even death, can separate us from God. It is beautiful and sweet to live a beautiful life and eternal peace in God that this world can’t offer.
Jim Elliot once said, “he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
