Gathering

25.02.10

Hang out wth Kuching church members

The 7 Bowls

Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.” Revelation 16:1

The book of Revelation is really a book of “double mention.” The tribulation, the rapture, and the pouring out of God’s wrath are all mentioned twice. In fact, the first 11 chapters of Revelation give you the macro view of the end-times while the next 11 chapters give you the micro view. Revelation 16 is a parallel passage to Revelation 8 and they both describe the pouring out of God’s wrath once the rapture of believers has taken place. Instead of the seven trumpets he saw earlier, the vision John sees now consists of seven bowls:

Bowl #1 (16:2): Judgment will come upon the earth and men will be afflicted with foul and loathsome sores. When you compare this fi rst bowl with the first trumpet, you can understand that the sores will most probably be caused by hail and fi re falling from the sky.

Bowl #2 (16:3): When the second bowl was poured into the sea, it turned into blood. This is exactly what happened with the second trumpet when the “sea became blood” (8:8).

Bowl #3 (16:4): The rivers and springs of water will also become blood and undrinkable. This is exactly what happened with the third trumpet when a third of the waters became bitter (8:10-11).

Bowl #4 (16:8-9): Upon the pouring of the fourth bowl, the heat from the sun scorches the wicked on the earth. Again this ties in with the fourth trumpet (8:12-13).

Bowl #5 (16:10-11): Here we see men cursing God because they are tormented by great pains and sores. In the fifth trumpet, creatures that can fly like locusts and sting like scorpions were released from the bottomless pit. The poison injected by the creatures will render victims incapable of thinking, leaving them in such pain that they will wish they could die but will be unable to plan their own death (9:1-6).

Bowl #6 (16:12-14): Three unclean spirits from Satan, the Antichrist and the False Prophet were released to deceive the kings of the nations to battle at Armageddon. The most disastrous war in human history will explode in the Middle East. The River Euphrates is one of the most important rivers in the world because the history of the world as we know it began at this river. Likewise, with the pouring of the sixth bowl, the history of the world will also end at this river. Again, this coincides with the judgment brought by the sixth trumpet in Revelation 9:13-21.

Bowl #7 (16:17-21): Like the seventh trumpet, great hailstones will come down from heaven, each weighing a talent (approximately 27 kg). This plague of hail will be so exceedingly great that it will destroy the armies that come against Israel. This ends the Battle of Armageddon and ushers in the millennial kingdom of Christ.

Becoming Whom You Worship

Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands … Those who make them are like them; so is everyone who trusts in them. Psalm 115:4, 8

There are a few reasons why the Bible consistently condemns idolatry:

(1) Idolatry is the worship of subtle goals of man. Idolatry begins when people reject what they know about God. Instead of looking to Him as the Creator and Sustainer of life, they see themselves as the center of the universe. They soon invent “gods” that are convenient projections of their own selfish plans and decrees. These gods may be wooden figures, but they are often goals or things idolaters pursue such as prosperity, power or pleasure. They express their greed for money by the worship of a money god. They express their lust for pleasure by worshiping a god of sensuality. They express their insecurity toward the future by the worship of a god of protection or good-luck.

(2) Idolatry is the worship of the things God made rather than God Himself. Idols reduce the living God to lifeless images. “They have mouths, but they do not speak; eyes they have, but they do not see; they have ears, but they do not hear; noses they have, but they do not smell; they have hands, but they do not handle; feet they have, but they do not walk; nor do they mutter through their throat” (Ps. 115:5-7).

(3) Idolatry is part of an overall rejection of God. In Romans 1:18-32, Paul clearly portrays the inevitable downward spiral into sin. First people reject God. Next, they make up their own ideas of what a god should be and do. They then fall into sin—sexual sin, greed, hatred, envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice, gossip. Finally, they grow to hate God and encourage others to do so. Once caught in the downward spiral, no one can pull himself or herself out without Jesus’ help.

(4) Idolatry opens doors for demons. Idols may be carved from dead wood, silver and gold, but something more sinister lurks behind them. Paul warns, “What I am saying is that those who offer food to these idols are united together in sacrifi cing to demons, certainly not to God. And I don’t want any of you to be partners with demons when you eat the same food, along with the heathen, that has been offered to these idols” (1 Cor. 10:20, TLB). Satan hides behind the idols to receive the worship of the idolaters, opening doors for demonic oppression.

(5) Idolatry transforms a person into the image of the idols they worship. Although idols have no power, those who worship them take upon themselves the characteristics of the demons behind the idols. For this reason, the Lord is seeking believers who will worship Him in Spirit and in truth. Because you will become more like Him as you worship Him. You will be transformed from glory to glory into His very likeness

Praying in the Spirit

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. Jude 20
Jude encouraged the Christians to build themselves up in the faith by praying in the Holy Spirit. Praying in the Holy Spirit means praying in tongues and speaking the words that the Holy Spirit gives to your spirit-man (1 Cor. 14:2, 14-15). Like an athlete who builds muscles through regular disciplined workout in the gym, a Christian can grow strong spiritually through praying in the Spirit.
What happens when you pray in tongues?
(1) Your prayer becomes Spirit-empowered. “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Rom. 8:26-27). All believers without the Holy Spirit have the weakness of not knowing how to pray in accordance with God’s will. But the Holy Spirit helps us by praying and interceding through us. This kind of prayer is far above the level of the believer’s own natural understanding or ability.
(2) You refresh yourself. “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Eph. 5:18-19). Paul advocated the believers to be constantly fi lled with the Spirit, praying and singing in the Spirit. Praying in tongues can revive that dryness and thirst of the spirit. “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37-38).
(3) You become spiritually active for battle. Ephesians 6 tells us that the only way to withstand in the evil day is for every Christian to put on the armor of God. For the armor of God to be complete and effective, Paul said that we are to pray always in the spirit. “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints” (Eph. 6:17-18). To live a life of victory, it is inevitable for a believer to discipline and train himself to pray always in the spirit. Take sometime now to focus on the Lord and pray in the spirit.

Overcoming Faith

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world our faith. 1 John 5:4

Whatever is born of God overcomes the world. We overcome the world by our faith in Jesus. Typically, whenever we go through trials, diffi culties, troubles or pressure, it is easy for us to be worried, sad and discouraged. But pressure and problems are really a part of our lives. So instead of being a victim of circumstances, let us be overcomers! We overcome by changing the way we look at our problems. The mindset of an overcomer is this: I am not a victim; I am going to benefi t from this trial! In 1 Peter 4:14, “blessed” means fortunate, well-off, supremely blessed! In the great Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught us in Matthew 5:10-12 to count it a blessing when we are tried for our faith in God. “Be exceedingly glad” means to rejoice greatly; to jump for joy! It is to behave as if the best thing in the world just happened to you!

What tries us? Very often, the trial begins with a promise—a promise from God! Psalm 105:19 says, “Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the LORD tested him.” Joseph was given a dream of greatness but he did not immediately receive the promise. He suffered greatly and had to spend time in a dungeon while waiting for its fulfi llment. How should our attitude be when we go through trials?

(1) We should rejoice when we go through trials. Count it all joy and praise God. Don’t sin against God with your mouth. Don’t complain or murmur. Look at Job’s testimony when the worst calamity came upon him. “In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong. In all this Job did not sin with his lips” (Job 1:22; 2:10).

(2) We need to have endurance when we go through trials. Don’t cast away your confidence, which is your faith, because there will be a great reward (Heb. 10:32-38)! There may come a time when you think you cannot take it anymore. You are about to give up! You want to call it quits! No! You must hang in there; you can develop endurance and perseverance when you look to the reward. God has a reward waiting for those who overcome!

(3) We know that our character is developed when we go through trials. Jesus learned obedience through the things He suffered (5:8-9). Likewise, we mature in our character through trials (James 1:2-4). We tend to question God when we go through trials because we cannot see the end purpose while we are in it. But the fact is God is maturing us.

Remember what the apostle Paul said in Romans 5:3-4, “we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” God is more interested in developing our character than our comfort. It is through tribulation that our character is proven.

No Substitute For God

For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God. 1 Thessalonians 1:9

What is an idol? An idol is anything that takes the focus off God. An idol may not be limited to a religious object found in a pagan temple, an idol is anything that you value more than God Himself. Many people park their “idols” in their garages. Some dock their “idols” at marina centers. Others put their “idols” in their safe deposit boxes.

During the times of the Bible, there were three primary idols the ancient people worshiped: Baal, which is the god of sex; Mammon, which is the god of money; and Molech, which is the god of violence. While we may no longer venerate statues of Baal, Mammon and Molech in our bedrooms, isn’t it ironical that we still pay millions of dollars going to the cinemas to watch enactments of sex, greed and violence?

There are three dangers of having idols in your life:

(1) Idols will damage you. Idolatry weakens you morally. At least 10 times in the Bible, idolatry is linked to sexual immorality, fornication and lust. It is really spiritual adultery. Romans 1:22-23 says, “Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.” Isn’t that silly? Worshiping the created rather than the Creator Himself? Unfortunately, idolatry messes up the moral compass of a person. You end up worshiping money instead of the God who owns all the money. You worship power instead of the God who is all powerful. You worship knowledge instead of the God of all knowledge.

(2) Idols will deceive and dominate you. Idolatry opens you up to demonic deception. It can’t help you. Instead, it makes you dull-hearted toward God and foolish in your daily living (Jer. 10:8). Life becomes worthless and meaningless. Anything you love more than God often ends up as an obsession or addiction. It will eventually ruin your life.

(3) Idols will deform you. Instead of conforming to the beautiful nature of God Himself, you will inevitably end up like the idols you worship. Psalm 135:15-18 says, “The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they do not speak;
eyes they have, but they do not see; they have ears, but they do not hear; nor is there any breath in their mouths. Those who make them are like them; so is everyone who trusts in them.” Whatever and whoever you worship, you will end up exactly like that object of your affection. You serve a “living and true God.” Don’t settle for anything less. Don’t substitute anything false for the real. Love and worship God alone.