By Your Power Preserve Your People

Our Lord Jesus Christ reveals His faithfulness to those who suffer for His Name’s sake in the Book of Revelation. John wrote the revelations down, saying, “I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the Word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.” [1]

Church historian Eusebius wrote that Emperor Titus Flavius Domitianus, also called Domitian, exiled John to the Island of Patmos in 95 AD.

The sufferings of our Lord’s witnesses is noted throughout the Book of Revelation.

Revelation 2:10 – Smyrna Christians imprisoned 10 days
Revelation 2:13 – The Lord’s faithful witness Antipas martyred
Revelation 5:9, 11 – The crucifixion of Christ is referenced
Revelation 6:9 – Martyrs slain for the Word of God
Revelation 11:7 – The two witnesses slain by the beast
Revelation 12:17 - The dragon wars with keepers of God’s Word
Revelation 13:7 - The beast overcomes the saints
Revelation 16:6 – They have shed the blood of saints and prophets
Revelation 17:6 – Woman drunk with blood of saints and martyrs
Revelation 18:24 – Babylon killed prophets, saints, and others
Revelation 19:2 – God avenges the shed blood of His servants
Revelation 20:4 – The beheaded for Christ Jesus reign with Him

God gives us the “why” for His severe judgments. “And the Lord God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy.” [2]

God’s vineyard keepers did not want to yield unto Him a harvest.

“Now when vintage-time drew near, He sent His servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took His servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again He sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all He sent His Son to them, saying, ‘They will respect My Son.’ But when the vinedressers saw the Son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the Heir. Come, let us kill Him and seize His inheritance.’ So they took Him and cast Him out of the vineyard and killed Him. Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will He do to those vinedressers? They said to Him, ‘He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease His vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to Him the fruits in their seasons.’” [3]

Jesus said that “everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.” It is evil to deny and disregard one’s Creator and one’s Redeemer. The worse sin of all is to reject God’s Messiah. [4]

Jesus taught, “Blessed are you when others revile you, persecute you, and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” [5]

The Book of Revelation ends well because God answers the prayers of those who cried out to Him about all the persecution they experienced. Prayers like, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Prayers like Asaph prayed, “O God, the nations have come into Your inheritance; Your holy temple they have defiled; they have laid Jerusalem in heaps. The dead bodies of Your servants they have given as food for the birds of the heavens, the flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the earth. Their blood they have shed like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them. Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not know You, and on the kingdoms that do not call on Your Name. Why should the nations say, ‘Where is their God?’ Let there be known among the nations in our sight the avenging of the blood of Your servants which has been shed. Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You; according to the greatness of Your power preserve those who are appointed to die.” [6]

God will avenge the blood of His servants in due season. Jesus said, “Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.” [7]

Consider this! Biblical holidays relate to victory over abuse. The Passover Festival originated with God freeing His people from slavery. Purim Festival originated with God reversing the plot of Haman to totally wipe out the Jewish race. Esther and Mordecai trusted God and He delivered them. Hanukkah originated with the victory of Judas Maccabeus in 165 BC over Antiochus IV Epiphanes.

Antiochus IV Epiphanes invaded Israel and tried to force the people to forsake God and God’s law. God’s faithful people told Antiochus – “NO!” Hannah and her seven sons said no. They were put to death. God gave the Maccabee brothers victory over Antiochus!

Our celebrations of Christmas and Easter originated with the Son of God coming down to earth and being born in a manger, suffering among us, being slain by wicked men and then, resurrecting from the dead by the power of God.

“Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, ‘Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.’ So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.” [8]

God holds persecutors accountable. Jesus revealed to John that the prayers of the saints are transformed into fiery judgments on oppressors. Moses took ashes from a furnace and at the Word of the Lord cast them into the air and afterwards boils sprouted on the oppressors. In the end times, angels take fire from the altar where the prayers of God’s saints ascend and they cast them to earth and loathsome sores break out on worshippers of the beast. [9]

The Philistines experienced a similar plague after they attacked the Israelites, stole the Ark of the Covenant and placed the Ark in the temple of Dagon. “The hand of the Lord was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and He destroyed them, and smote them with tumors. ...He smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had tumors in their secret parts.” [10]

Images from Israel’s Exodus are prominent in the bowl judgments. In the days of Moses, God sent plagues upon Egypt that included plagues of boils, waters turning to blood, and darkness. [11] If the oppressors had repented of their evil deeds after the first judgment, there would not have needed to be additional ones. God uses plagues as nations use sanctions and more sanctions to correct the undesired behavior of their opponent.

The Lord asks, “Why should you be stricken again? You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faints. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; they have not been closed or bound up or soothed with ointment.” [12]

“Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living creature in the sea died. Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood.” Water turning to blood is mentioned in Revelation 8:8, 11:6, 16:3-4.

The Egyptians in the days of Moses and the governmental leaders in the last days, thought nothing of shedding the blood of people. Pharoah demanded the Israelites to throw their baby boys in the Nile to kill them. In these lasts days, many governments are in cahoots with the abortion industry that profits from the destruction of preborn babies.

The perspective of the angels who execute the plagues on the kingdoms of the world is thus, “And I heard the angel of the waters saying: ‘You are righteous, O Lord, the One who is and who was and who is to be, because You have judged these things. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due.’ And I heard another from the altar saying, ‘Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.’” [13]

God promised Moses that He would avenge the shed blood of His servants, “Rejoice, O nations, with His people: for He will avenge the blood of His servants, and will render vengeance to His adversaries, and will be merciful unto His land, and to His people.” [14]

“Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the Name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.” [15]

What is normally taken for granted as a blessing – the warmth of the shining sun – is now a curse. People still did not repent and give God glory. We cannot rely evil circumstances to bring about repentance of sin in people. They need a revelation. They need to hear the Gospel. They need Holy Spirit conviction.

“Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores and did not repent of their deeds.” [16]

The dragon gave his throne to the beast, and the beast, the antichrist, enjoyed sitting on it for a season until the judgments of God began to fall upon him. This plague parallels the ninth plague of God on Egypt in the days of Moses. “They gnawed their tongues because of their pains and sores.” The darkness of the fifth bowl is a preview of hell itself, which is described by Jesus as a place of outer darkness, and gnashing of teeth. [17]

Jesus said of the last days, “There will be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring.” [18]

“Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” [19]

The Bible speaks of God allowing those who deceive others to be deceived by a lying spirit. [20]

A lying spirit once led evil King Ahab into battle and to his death.

“‘Therefore hear the Word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by, on His right hand and on His left. And the Lord said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, and said, ‘I will persuade him.’ The Lord said to him, ‘In what way?’ So he said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And the Lord said, ‘You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.’ Therefore look! The Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the Lord has declared disaster against you.” [21]

The demons use signs and wonders to gather the nations to battle. If the leaders of these nations had listened to God’s Word, they would not have been deceived. Did the leaders think that the war industry would make them rich? Were they driven by jealousy, pride and hatred? This is a great day for God’s servants but not for those who have persecuted them.

The Lord tells us in the Bible which Spirit to heed, saying, “By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.” [22]

“Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” [23]

Garments are metaphor for the righteousness of Christ. We who believe in Jesus Christ are clothed in His righteousness. Without the covering of Christ, His atonement, we are “naked” because our sins are not covered. Our righteousness apart from Christ is like filthy rags in the sight of God. [24]

“And they gathered them [the armies led by a lying spirit] together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.” [25]

The great battle happens at a place called Armageddon (Har-Megiddo or Mount of Megiddo). Megiddo is associated with decisive battles: Deborah’s victory over Sisera; Gideon’s victory over the Midianites (the Valley Jezreel was renamed Megiddo); Pharaoh’s victory over King Josiah. It is also the place where the Spirit of grace and supplication will be poured in the last days and people will mourn for Him whom they pierced as for an only Son. [26]

“Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, ‘It is done!’ And there were noises and thundering and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.” [27]

The seventh bowl is poured out into the air. Perhaps, because the devil is referred to as the prince of the power of the air. The greatest earthquake ever occurs. Isaiah prophesied of a day when the earth would “reel to and fro like a drunkard and shall totter like a hut. Its transgression shall be heavy upon it, and it will fall, and not rise again.” God says, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” [28]

The great city is Babylon. God remembers her. She will be held accountable for her crimes.

Great hail falls from heaven upon men. Each hailstone weighs a talent (100 pounds or 45 kilograms). Hail is one of God’s weapons against His enemies. He used hail against Egyptians, Canaanites, idolatrous Israelites, and against the hordes of Gog and Magog. [29]

Revelation 16 speaks of great things: a great city and a great Babylon (v. 19); great heat (v. 9); a great river (v. 12), a great earthquake (v. 18), great hail and great plagues (v. 21); and a great day of God Almighty (v. 14).

God is Almighty. In due season, all will know that He is the greatest of all time. When God spoke to the Prophet Isaiah of the devil’s downfall, he said that one day people will say of him, “Is this the man who made the earth to tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world as a wilderness and destroyed its cities, who did not open the house of his prisoners?” [30]

Who is like the Lord God? No one! As God brought down the might of oppressive governments in the past, He will do so again. “He cast on them [the Egyptians] the fierceness of His anger, wrath, indignation, and trouble, by sending angels of destruction among them.” [31]

“Thank You Almighty God seated on Your throne for hearing the cries of Your persecuted people. Thank You slain and yet still standing Lamb of God for regarding the blood of Your witnesses which has been shed like water since the time of Abel until now. Please summon Your power O God! Please come Lord Jesus! In Your Name, I pray. Amen.”

[1] Revelation 1:9
[2] 2 Chronicles 36:15-16
[3] Matthew 21:34-41
[4] John 3:20
[5] Matthew 5:11-12
[6] Revelation 6:10; Psalm 79:1-3, 6, 10-11
[7] Matthew 21:34-35
[8] Revelation 16:1-2
[9] Exodus 9:7-11, Revelation 8:3, 5
[10] 1 Samuel 5:6, 9
[11] Exodus 7:14-25; 9:8-12; 10:21-29
[12] Isaiah 1:5-6
[13] Revelation 16:5-7
[14] Deuteronomy 32:43
[15] Revelation 16:8-9
[16] Revelation 16:10-11
[17] Revelation 13:2; Exodus 10:21-22; Matthew 8:12; 22:13; 25:30
[18] Luke 21:25
[19] Revelation 16:12-14
[20] Matthew 24:24; Acts 13:8-10; 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:13; 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12
[21] 1 Kings 22:19-23
[22] 1 John 4:2-3
[23] Revelation 16:15
[24] Galatians 3:27; Genesis 3:7; Isaiah 64:6
[25] Revelation 16:16
[26] Judges 5:19; Judges 6:33; 2 Kings 23:29; 2 Chronicles 35:22; Zechariah 12:10-11
[27] Revelation 16:17-21
[28] Ephesians 2:2; Isaiah 24:20; Hebrews 12:26
[29] Exodus 9:24; Joshua 10:11; Isaiah 28:2; Ezekiel 38:22
[30] Isaiah 14:12-17
[31] Psalm 78:9