Chapter Thirty-Two/God's Anger Brought to a Finish - Jehovah's Wrath Against "the Earth" - Conclusion

 The contents of this bowl strongly emphasize the choice that lies before humans. They must suffer either the world's disapproval or Jehovah's indignation. Mankind has been put under compulsion to accept the mark of the wild beast, with the intent that "nobody might be able to buy or sell except a person having the mark, the name of the wild beast or the number of its name." (Revelation 13:16, 17) But there is a price to pay for this! Jehovah regards those who accept the mark as being stricken with "a hurtful and malignant ulcer." Since 1922 they have marked in public as having rejected the living God. Their political schemes have no success, and they suffer anguish. Spiritually, they are unclean. Unless they repent, this "hurtful" illness will be terminated, for it is now Jehovah's day of judgment. There is no neutral ground between being a part of the world's system of things and serving Jehovah on the side of his Christ. - LUKE 11:23; compare James 4:4. 

Next time: Chapter Thirty-Two/God's Anger Brought to a Finish - The Sea Becomes Blood

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Chapter Thirty-Two/God's Anger Brought to a Finish - Jehovah's Wrath Against "the Earth" -Continue

 In these last days, many governments have demanded what amounts to worship from their subjects, insisting that the State must be exalted above God or any other loyalty. (2 Timothy 3:1; compare Luke 20:25; John 19:15) Since 1914 it has become common for nations to conscript their youth in order for them to fight, or be ready to fight, the kind of total warfare that so bloodied the pages of modern history. During the Lord's day, the nations have also produced, as a substitute for God's Kingdom, the image of the beast-the League of Nations, and it successor the Unted Nations. What blasphemy to proclaim, as recent popes have done, that this man-made body is the nation's sole hope for peace! (what a load of bologna! there has never been any true peace in this country) It staunchly opposes God's Kingdom (the real and only hope for us all.) Those who worship the wild beast become spiritually unclean, ulcerated, just as the Egyptians who opposed Jehovah in Moses' day were plagued by literal sores and ulcers. - EXODUS 9:10, 11. 

Next time: Chapter Thirty-Two/God's Anger Brought to a Finish - Jehovah's Wrath Against "the Earth" - Conclusion

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Chapter Thirty-Two/God's Anger Brought to a Finish -Jehovah's Wrath Against "the Earth"

 The first angel goes into action! "And the first one went off and poured out his bowl into the earth. And a hurtful and malignant ulcer came to be upon the men that had the mark of the wild beast and that were worshiping its image." (Revelation 16:2) As in the case of the first trumpet blast, "the earth here symbolizes the stable-looking political system that Satan began to build here on earth back in Nimrod's time, over 4,000 years ago. - REVELATION 8:7. 

Next time: Chapter Thirty-Two/God's Anger Brought to a Finish - Jehovah's Wrath Against "the Earth" - Continue

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Chapter Thirty-Two/God's Anger Brought to a Finish

 JOHN has already introduced the angels commissioned to pour out the seven bowls. He tells us that "these are the last ones, because by means of them the anger of God is brought to a finish." (Revelation 15:1; 16:1) These plagues, revealing Jehovah's sanctions for wickedness in the earth, must be poured out to a finality. When they are over, God's judgments will have been executed. Satan's world will be no more! What do these plagues portend for mankind and the rulers of the present wicked system? How can Christians avoid being plagued along with this doomed world? Vital questions, these, and now they are to be answered. All who long for the triumph of righteousness will have keen interest in what John next sees. 

Next time: Chapter Thirty-Two/God's Anger Brought to a Finish - Jehovah's Wrath Against "the Earth" 

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Chapter Thirty-One/Jehovah's Works-Great and Wonderful -The Bowls and the Trumpet Blasts - Conclusion

 The final three trumpet blasts were different, for they were called woes. (Revelation 8:13; 9:12) The first two of these consisted particularly of the locusts and the armies of cavalry, while the third introduced the birth of Jehovah's Kingdom. (Revelation 9:1-21; 11:15-19) As we shall see, the final three bowls of his wrath also cover some of these aspects, but they war are somewhat different from the three woes. Let us now pay close attention to the dramatic disclosures that result from the pouring out of the bowls of Jehovah's anger. 

Next time: Chapter Thirty-Two/God's Anger Brought to a Finish

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Chapter Thirty-One/Jehovah's Works-Great and Powerful - The Bowls and the Trumpet Blasts

 The bowls of Jehovah's anger reveals features of the world scene as Jehovah views them and warn of judgments that Jehovah will execute. The angels pour out the bowls through the agency of the congregation of anointed Christians on earth, the ones singing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. While proclaiming the Kingdom as good news, the John class have boldly revealed the contents of these bowls of anger. (Matthew 24:14; Revelation 14:6, 7) Thus, their twofold message has been peaceful in proclaiming liberty to mankind but warlike in warning of "the day of vengeance on the part of our God." - ISAIAH 61:1, 2.

The targets of the first four bowls of God's anger correspond to those of the first four trumpet blasts, that is, the earth, the sea, the rivers and fountains of water, and the heavenly sources of light. (Revelation 8:1-12) But the trumpet blasts announce plagues on "a third," whereas a entirety in afflicted by the pouring out of the bowls of God's anger. Thus, while Christendom, as "as a third," has received first attention during the Lord's day, not one part of Satan's system has been exempted from being plagued by Jehovah's vexatious judgment messages and the sorrows they bring.

Next time: Chapter Thirty-One/Jehovah's Works-Great and Wonderful-The Bowls and the Trumpet Blasts - Conclusion

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Chapter Thirty-One/Jehovah's Works-Great and Powerful - Jehovah is His Sanctuary - Conclusion

 The awesome command thunders forth: "And I heard a loud voice out of the sanctuary say to the seven angels: 'Go and pour out the seven bowls of the anger of God into the earth." (Revelation 16:10) Who issues this command? It must be Jehovah himself, since the radiance of his glory and power prevented anyone else from entering the sanctuary. Jehovah came to his spiritual temple for judgment in 1918.  (Malachi 3:1-5) It must, then, have been shortly after that date that he gave the command to pour out the bowls of the anger of God. In fact, the judgments contained in the symbolic bowls started to be proclaimed with intensity in 1922. And their proclamation is increasing to a crescendo today. 

Next time: Chapter Thirty-One/Jehovah's Works-Great and Wonderful - The Bowls and the Trumpet Blasts

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Chapter Thirty-One/Jehovah's Works-Great and Wonderful - Jehovah in His Sanctuary

 Finally, completing this part of the vision, John tells us: "And the sanctuary became filled with smoke because of the glory of God and because of his power, and no one was able to enter into the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished." (Revelation 15:8) There were occasions in Israel's history when a cloud covered the literal sanctuary, and this manifestation of Jehovah's glory prevented the priests from entering there. (1 Kings 8:10, 11; 2 Chronicles 5:13, 14; compare Isaiah 6:4, 5) These were times when Jehovah was actively involved with developments of the earth. 

Jehovah is also deeply interested in things happening on earth now. He wants the seven angels to complete their assignment. It is a climatic time of judgment, as described at Psalm 11:4-6: "Jehovah is in his holy temple. Jehovah -in the heavens is his throne. His own eyes behold, his own beaming eyes examine the sons of men. Jehovah himself examines the righteous one as well as the wicked ones, and anyone loving violence His soul certainly hates. He will rain down upon the wicked ones traps, fire and sulphur and a scorching wind, as the portion of their cup." Until these seven plagues are poured out upon the wicked ones, the seven angels will not return to Jehovah's lofty presence. 

Next time: Chapter Thirty-One/Jehovah's Works-Great and Wonderful - Jehovah is His Sanctuary -Conclusion

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Chapter Thirty-One/Jehovah's Works-Great and Wonderful - The Angels With the Bowls --Conclusion

 These angels are well qualified for this work. They are clothed with clean, bright linen, showing that they are spiritually clean and holy, righteous in Jehovah's sight. Also, they wear golden girdles. Girdles are usually used when a person girds himself for a task to be accomplished.  (Leviticus 8:7, 13; 1 Samuel 2:18; Luke 13:4, 5) So the angels are girded to carry out and assignment. Moreover, their girdles are golden. In the ancient tabernacle, gold was used to represent divine heavenly things. (Hebrews 9:4,11, 12) That means that these angels have a precious diving commission of service to perform. Others too are involved in this great task. One of the four living creatures hands the actual bowls to them. Doubtless, this was the first living creature, which resembled a lion, symbolizing the boldness and indomitable courage needed to proclaim Jehovah's judgments. - REVELATION 4:7.

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Chapter Thirty-One/Jehovah's Work-Great and Wonderful -The Angels With the Bowls

 It is fitting that we hear the song of these anointed conquerors. Why? Because they have publicized on earth the judgments contained in the bowls that were full of the anger of God. But the pouring out of the bowls involves more than mere humans, as John goes on to show: "And after these things I saw, and the sanctuary of the tent of the witness was opened in heaven, and the seven angels with the seven plagues emerged from the sanctuary, clothed with clean, bright linen and girded about their breasts with golden girdles. And one of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls that were full of the anger of God, who lives forever and ever." -REVELATION 15:5-7. 

As respects the Israelite temple, which contained representations of heavenly things, only the high priest could enter the Most Holy, here called "the sanctuary." (Hebrews 9:3, 7) It represents the place of Jehovah's presence in heaven. In heaven itself, however. not only does the High Pries Jesus Christ have the privilege of entering in before Jehovah but the angels do also. (Matthew 18:10; Hebrews 9:24-26) It is not surprising, then, that seven angels should be seen coming out from the sanctuary in heaven. They have a commission from Jehovah God himself; pour out the bowls full of the anger of God. - REVELATION 16:1. 

Next time: Chapter Thirty-One/Jehovah's Works-Great and Wonderful-The Angels With the Bowls - Continue

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