THREE RESPONSES OF THE CHURCH TO GOD'S END-TIME JUDGMENTS
A. Offense (fear, confusion, anger) will be the first reaction of believers with an unrenewed mind.
And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me. (Mt. 11:6)
B. Understanding will be given by the Holy Spirit to the End-Time Church.
19 Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD has gone forth in fury -- a violent whirlwind (Great Tribulation)! It will fall violently on the head of the wicked. 20 The anger of the LORD will not turn back until He has executed and performed the thoughts of His heart. In the latter days you will understand it perfectly. (Jer. 23:19-20)
24 The fierce anger of the LORD will not return until He has done it, and until He has performed the intents of His heart. In the latter days you will consider it. (Jer. 30:24)
33 Those of the people who understand shall instruct many… they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering….35 Some of those of understanding shall fall (martyrdom), to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time. (Dan. 11:33-35)
C. Partnership with Jesus in intercession releases God’s judgments in the way that Moses did.
6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth… 7 to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples…9 To execute on them the written judgment (written in the End-Time Scriptures)-- This honor have all His saints. (Ps. 149:6-9)
20 Rejoice over her (judgment on End-Time Babylon), O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her! (Rev. 18:20)
BECOMING A VOICE AND NOT AN ECHO.
The Priests and Levites who were sent from the Pharisees in Jerusalem asked John who he was.
22 Who are you…? What do you say about yourself?" 23 He said: "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness: make straight the way of the LORD"… (Jn. 1:22-23)
B. The only way to understand John is to know Who He lived before. John described his heart, motivation, and forerunner ministry. He lived a “wilderness lifestyle” (in the Word and prayer with fasting) and then went before Jesus “as a voice” (not an echo) to prepare the people to receive Jesus’ embrace as the Bridegroom God empowering them to walk out the first commandment as those who love God with all of their heart.
C. We become a voice by hearing His voice and responding to it in faith and obedience. An echo only memorizes the ideas and repeats them, but a voice embodies them in the reality of their heart. There is nothing wrong with being an echo. I have echoed many truths for many years. This is how I have learned the truths. A voice speaks about things to come with clarity, power and boldness. It is a banner of hope.
PROPHETIC MINISTRY IN THE END-TIMES (REV. 10-11)
A. In Rev. 10, God promises to raise up prophetic messengers (forerunners) to bring understanding that helps people avoid deception. This is an important passage for forerunner messengers.
B. The focus of Rev. 11 is the Two Witnesses (prophets) who will preach with great power and release God’s judgments against the Antichrist’s systems for the final 3½ years (Tribulation).
3 I will give power to my Two Witnesses, and they will prophesy 1,260 days…5 If anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies…6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues… (Rev. 11:3-6)
C. The Two Witnesses release End-Time judgments by prophetic decrees like Moses. The plagues of Egypt are the prototype of the End-Time judgments (Exod 7-12) released by intercession (Rev. 8-9; 16). The miracles done by Elijah and Moses will be done by the Two Witnesses.
D. This will be the Church’s most glorious hour in all history! Joel prophesied of the greatest prophetic move of the Spirit in the End-Times on all nations that would occur before the Day of the Lord or Jesus’ Coming (Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:17-21; Eph. 4:11-13; Rev. 11:10, 18; 16:6; 18:20, 24). This outpouring of the Spirit will be manifest in many ways on national and regional levels. All God’s praying people will receive dreams and visions, etc.
28 I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy…29 On My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit…30 I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood and fire and smoke…31 before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord…32 whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Joel 2:28-32)
E. The Lord released a down payment of Joel’s prophecy on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:16). It was not completely fulfilled in Peter’s generation. For example, the sun and moon did not grow dark with signs including blood, fire and smoke. The Spirit in Acts 2 only rested on 120 believers in one city, Jerusalem. The fullness of this prophecy requires a global dimension.
F. The glory of the Angel (Rev. 10:1-3): the forerunner anointing
I saw another mighty angel…clothed with a cloud. A rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. 2 He had a little book open in his hand. He set his right foot on the sea and left foot on the land 3 and cried…as when a lion roars. (Rev. 10:1-3)
G. The angel's authority prophetically pictures aspects of the glory released on God’s messengers.
1. Mighty angel: forerunners will operate in the power of the Holy Spirit.
2. Robed in a cloud of glory: forerunners will experience God’s Shekinah glory.
3. Rainbow around his head: forerunners will emphasize God’s promises and mercy.
4. Face shines like the sun: forerunners will receive God’s might in their inner man (Eph. 3:17).
5. Feet are like pillars of fire: forerunners will release God’s holy judgment to establish love.
6. Feet on the sea and land: forerunners will take possession of their inheritance across the earth.
7. Cries out like a roaring lion: forerunners will pray and prophesy in the boldness of a lion.
H. End-Time forerunner messengers: the seven thunders prophets
He (angel) had a little book open in his hand. He set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land…3 When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices (messages). 4 When the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write; but I heard a voice…saying, "Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them." (Rev. 10:2-4)
I. A prophetic book being “open” indicates that its contents are knowable. The angel probably read its contents to John. This may be the same book with the same prophetic information that Daniel received. Daniel 10-12 is a parallel passage with Rev. 10-13. Daniel sealed up similar prophetic information with an angel of similar glory (Dan. 12:4-10).
4 Daniel…seal the book until the time of the end…9 For the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end… (Dan. 12:4-9)
J. John was told to seal the seven thunder prophetic messages until the End-Times. This was similar to what happened to Daniel. For a book to be opened implies that its prophetic information was made known in a widespread way. For a book to be sealed implies its info is not to be made known. The angel’s open book was probably the book Daniel sealed (Dan. 12:4). Many think its contents were what John wrote about in Rev. 11-22 and prophesied to the nations (v. 11). The little book the angel opened was a different set of prophecies uttered from by the seven thunders voices.
THE MANDATORY PREPARATION FOR THE END-TIME MESSENGERS
8 Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel…9 I went to the angel and said, "Give me the little book." He said, "Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth." 10 I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. When I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter. 11 And he said to me, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings." (Rev. 10:8-11)
A. John eating the scroll as Ezekiel did (Ezek. 2:10-3:3) is a prototype for End-Time messengers. The principle being taught is that we must take time to digest God’s revelation of the End-Times. John sees the book open and “eats it” then makes it known. John saw and prophesied about the Beast (Rev. 11-13). This was, in essence, what Daniel prophesied about in Dan. 7-12. Daniel and John had unusual revelation and devotion to the Word from their youth. They both had visitations when older. Daniel modeled fasting, praying and studying (Dan. 9:20-22; 10:1-13).
Son of man…eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel." 2 So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that scroll. 3 He said, "Son of man, feed…and fill your stomach with this scroll..." 4 He said, "Go to Israel and speak with My words to them. (Ezek. 3:1-4)
B. Sweet: message of victory, salvation and justice with deliverance to the oppressed worldwide. Bitter: message of judgment worldwide that brings persecution to the messengers (Lk. 19:41).
C. John must prophesy because God only releases the fullness of His purposes as His people pray and prophesy their release under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.