Talk About Dense!

Today’s post is somewhat of a repeat of yesterday’s post because we see somewhat of a repeat in the book of Revelation. In chapter 9 we had the judgment of the sixth trumpet. The seventh trumpet releases what is known as the seven bowl judgments where God’s wrath is pictured as being poured out of a bowl on the earth. Here is a summary of these judgments from chapter 16:

1^st bowl: loathsome sores
2^nd bowl: every living creature in the sea dies
3^rd bowl: all fresh water turns to blood
4^th bowl: men are scorched with great heat
5^th bowl: darkness and pain afflict men
6^th bowl: the Euphrates river is dried up and great demonic activity is released on the earth.
7^th bowl: an unprecedented earthquake occurs and great hail falls on the earth.

After the 4^th bowl we read: “and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.” After the 5^th bowl we read: “They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds.” After the 7^th bowl we read: “Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.”

You would think that mankind would fall on its knees and beg God for mercy after these judgments but it doesn’t happen. I have seen people who have thrown away everything that was once valued by them and yet they still refuse to turn to God. I have come to appreciate that turning to God doesn’t just happen when things get bad.   Occasionally, difficult circumstances get our attention but often when things get better, people turn back away again. Your desire and my desire to turn to God comes from Him. He draws us to Himself and we respond to that love; not out of circumstances but out of a desire to experience His love. If you have a loved one who is “in the pit of hell” regarding circumstances, pray that he/she would respond to God’s love and be transformed.