THE STUBBORNNESS OF SINFULNESS

Trumpets of terror will sound in the future time of tribulation coming on the earth. When the Lamb opens the seventh seal, seven trumpet judgments are unleashed. The first four are described in Revelation 8. The fifth and sixth are presented in chapter 9. The final three are so terrible as to be called, “woe.” Indeed, when the angel sounds the seventh trumpet, seven bowls of wrath will be poured out on the earth as that final woe, (Rev. 16). 

Of all the horrors pictured here, I don’t know that anything is worse than what we are told in Revelation 9:20-21, “But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.”

This is the stubbornness of sinfulness!  Despite the torment and terror that generation of rebels against God will experience, they will still not bow to Christ. The pain of the plagues will lead them to curse God in fury and not to call upon Him for forgiveness. They had rather remain in their sin, than repent and be saved. Such is the utter depravity of the human heart. 

Recently, I was in the hospital after surgery and in such intense pain—unlike any I have experienced—so that I was screaming. I was unashamedly calling on the Lord to deliver me, and thankfully He did!  But, that is the inclination of a regenerate heart—a repentant and contrite one. But, for the wicked, they seethe with rage and are fixed in rebellion.

Certainly, to die without Christ is to die without hope. The heart-breaking tragedy, however, is that some—as those described in Revelation 9–have already fixed their fate. They are sinners today, they will be sinners tomorrow, and even when cast into Hell, they will seethe with stubborn sinfulness and rage against God. For Hell is defined as not only a place of sorrow, where there is weeping, but a place of anger, where there is gnashing of teeth.

There is urgency to our evangelism. The longer sinners rebel and reject the Gospel, they may come to the place where it is not that God would not save them, but their hearts are so hardened that they will not repent.

I think of Paul’s witness to the Roman governor, Felix and his wife, Drusilla, as the Apostle was on trial. “And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, ‘Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.’ ” (‭‭Acts‬ ‭24‬:‭24‬-‭25‬‬).  Though under conviction for his sin, Felix refused to repent, and so far as we know his procrastination would bring him to perdition!

Let us call people to decision!  I realize it is not our task to emotionally manipulate someone to mouth a prayer they do not mean from a heart that has not surrendered to Christ. But, neither is it right that we should not call people to salvation today, for tomorrow may never come, and even if it does, the conviction they feel tomorrow may not be as intense as what is known today. 

The Word of God that is preached this Lord’s Day will have an effect. Its power will either draw sinners who will receive it, or drive them farther away, if they reject it.

Later, when Paul would appear before King Agrippa, and a new governor, Festus, we have this account of Paul’s urgency and the king’s intransigency. “But he said, ‘I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason. For the king, before whom I also speak freely, knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.’ Then Agrippa said to Paul, ‘You almost persuade me to become a Christian.’ And Paul said, ‘I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains.’ ” (Acts‬ ‭26‬:‭25‬-‭29‬‬)

To be almost saved is to be altogether lost!

THE DAY HEAVEN CLOSES

The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.  (Revelation 15:8)

Have you ever needed to make a bank deposit, but when you pulled up to the bank you found they had just closed?  Maybe you needed to mail some important papers and the post office had just shut its doors.  It is a sinking feeling to be running low on gas, finally spot a service station, only to see a sign posted in the door, “CLOSED.”  I recall a few times of locking the door to the place where I worked, and as I was gathering up my stuff to go home, have someone knocking on the door, only to have to tell them, “I’m sorry, but we’re closed.”  Something much worse will happen someday—heaven will close; the pearly gates will lock.  In Revelation, there are several occurrences where John mentions doors that are open.  In chapter 15, heaven’s door closes!

There are a series of sevens in Revelation.  It is the number of completion.  Seven seals are opened on the scroll, and under each seal a judgment is unleashed.  When the seventh seal is peeled away, there are seven trumpets that sound a particular doom.  The sounding of the seventh trumpet signals the outpouring of seven bowls of wrath—the final plagues (v.1), said to complete the wrath of God.  The term used for wrath is the strongest Greek word that John might have used to describe this judgment.  It is the horror that awaits those left behind after the rapture of the church who enter the seven-year tribulation.

In contrast to what these who rejected Christ experience, we find that those who received Him are safely home (v.2).  It is amazing grace to know that some will be saved out of great tribulation—who wash their robes in the blood of the Lamb (Rev.7:14).  They were slain by the Beast, but were not overcome.  Death brought release from a sinful world and entrance into heaven.  They will sing the songs of the redeemed in glory (v.3-4).

Then the entrance to the holy of holies in the temple in heaven opens so seven angels may exit bearing seven plagues (v.5-7).  There is a finality about their appearance—these powerful, celestial warriors march out in a column, their assignment clear, inexorably bringing the conclusion of cosmic cataclysm.  Smoke fills the temple—the manifest glory of God.  We are reminded of how Mount Sinai was covered with smoke when God appeared to give Moses the ten commandments.  Recall also how Isaiah saw the King of Glory sitting on His throne in the temple and Scripture says the place was filled with smoke.

With the exit of these angels, the door closes.  It says that, “none can enter,” as these final plagues are outpoured.  Heaven is closed.  Those who would be saved have been.  The souls that would come to Christ have been gathered in and only judgment remains.  Jesus said, “As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the coming of the Son of Man.”  Noah warned people of the flood and begged them to get on the ark.  When the door closed, it was too late for those outside.  Someday the final opportunity comes to every soul.  This could be yours.  Have you given your life to Christ?  Don’t wait until too late!