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“peace on earth” and the future

Revelation 16:1-21

Revelation 16:1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven agents, “Go and pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the land.”
Revelation 16:2 The first went and poured out his bowl on the land, and severely painful sores broke out on the humans who had the mark of the wild animal and who worshiped its image.
Revelation 16:3 The second poured out his bowl into the sea. It turned to blood like that of a dead person, and every living throat in the sea died.
Revelation 16:4 The third poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood.
Revelation 16:5 I heard the agent of the waters say, You are just –the Holy One, who is and who was, because you have passed judgment on these things.
Revelation 16:6 Because they poured out the blood of the devotees and the prophets, you have given them blood to drink; they deserve it!
Revelation 16:7 I heard the altar say, Yes, Lord God, the Almighty, true, and just are your judgments.
Revelation 16:8 The fourth poured out his bowl on the sun. It was allowed to scorch humans with fire,
Revelation 16:9 and humans were scorched by the intense heat. So, they blasphemed the name of God, who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent and give him glory.
Revelation 16:10 The fifth poured out his bowl on the throne of the wild animal, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues because of their pain
Revelation 16:11 and blasphemed the God of the sky because of their pains and their sores, but they did not repent of their works.
Revelation 16:12 The sixth poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the east.
Revelation 16:13 Then I saw three unclean breaths like frogs coming from the dragon’s mouth, from the wild animal’s mouth, and from the mouth of the false prophet.
Revelation 16:14 For they are breaths of demons performing signs, who travel to the kings of the whole world to assemble them for the battle on the great day of God, the Almighty.
Revelation 16:15 “Notice, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who is alert and remains clothed so that he may not go around naked and people see his shame.”
Revelation 16:16 So they assembled the kings at the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.
Revelation 16:17 Then the seventh poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, “It is done!”
Revelation 16:18 There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. And a severe earthquake occurred like no other since humans have been on the land, so great was the quake.
Revelation 16:19 The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the Great was remembered in God’s presence; he gave her the cup filled with the wine of his fierce anger.
Revelation 16:20 Every island fled, and the mountains disappeared.
Revelation 16:21 Enormous hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds, fell from the sky on humans, and they blasphemed God for the plague of hail because that plague was extremely severe.

“peace on earth” and the future

At Christmas, we celebrate Christ’s first coming. He came accompanied by an angel’s message that he would bring “peace among those with whom he is pleased” (Luke 2:14).

His second coming will be different. He is not coming as a babe in the night, but as a thief in the night (Rev. 16:15). The plagues lead up to this horrible event.

God’s great grace has given this planet 2000 years to respond to his offer of peace. Have you responded? Time is running out. Run to the Savior. He will either be your Savior or your judge.

LORD, we accept your terms of peace and offer our lives in unconditional surrender. Help us to reach others with your gospel of grace.