The signs of the timesthe seven last plagues (1)

Yoshinobu Namihira ,MD3000 halls ferry roadVicksburg, MS 39180

Phone 601 638 9800;Fax 601 638 9808E mail: namihira@earthlink.net

www.namihira.org

Sermon detail

• Opening hymn: 462 blessed assurance• Scripture reading :revelation 16:1-6• Special music: the namihira’s• Sermon “ seven last plagues (1)”• Closing hymn: 632 until then

Revelation 16:1-6• 16 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go

and pour out the bowls[a] of the wrath of God on the earth.”• First Bowl: Loathsome Sores• 2 So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and

loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.

• Second Bowl: The Sea Turns to Blood• 3 Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood

as of a dead man; and every living creature in the sea died.• Third Bowl: The Waters Turn to Blood• 4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water,

and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying:• “You are righteous, O Lord,[b]

The One who is and who was and who is to be,[c]

Because You have judged these things.6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets,And You have given them blood to drink.For[d] it is their just due.”

•THE SEVEN LAST PLAGUES•Revelation •CHAPTER 16

text comments

1 2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome [bad or stinking] and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

Earth: Image and beast worship enforced by the beast from the earth. (Rev. 13:11-17). God deals with the final apostasy first. As the wicked have accepted the beast's mark, God gives them His own.

2 3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea, 1603.

Sea: Worship of the blasphemous beast that arose from the sea. (Rev. 13:1). God responds with a curse on the sea.

3 4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood, 1604.

Fountains of waters: God responds by extending water pollution to the very sources of pure water.

4 8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire 1608.

Sun: Consider paganism or devil worship. The sun is the chief god of paganism,13i. (Deut. 4:19).

text comments

5 10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat [or "throne"] of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain. 1610. . .

Seat of the beast: We may expect that one church, at the end of time, will presume to be the unique channel of light and salvation, 1408f. God's response will be to reveal its darkness (Isa. 5:20; 2 Thess. 2:8, 9).

6 12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared , 1612.

The great river: The Euphrates flowed through the city of Babylon, providing its water source. The kings who are gathered under this plague will ultimately destroy the false religious coalition represented as Babylon (Rev. 17: 16, 17).

7 17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done, 1617.

The air God's withdrawal, from the wicked, of the life He gave. "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit [breath, air] shall return unto God who gave it. Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity." (Eccl. 12:7, 8). Christ is coming (Rev. 1:7). We may expect air pollution including nuclear fallout at the end of time. Compare Rev. 9:2; 19:13.

• 1. And I [the John Class] heard a great voice [proclamation] out of the temple [the glorified church with all its members sealed, and also with its head, the glorified Lord] saying to the seven angels [seven harvest messages of judgment], Go your ways, and pour out the vials [bowls] of the wrath of God [use the vehicles of transmission divinely provided to broadcast the judgment of God] upon the earth [society].

The wrath of God• The judgment of God• Let you go on your way • Reap the natural consequence of action • Consequence of action

Action Consequence

Good (+) Good (+)

Bad (-) Bad (-)

Good (+) Bad (-)

Bad (-) Good (+)

• 2. And the first angel [message] went, and poured out his vial[bowl, the essence of the message of THE DIVINE PLAN OF THE AGES, Chapter XIII, pp. 245-272, "The Kingdoms of This World," which shows that this world is the dominion of Satan]upon the earth [stable society]; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore [miserable and painful disintegration] upon the men [nominal Christians] which had the mark of the beast[those designated with the characteristics of the papacy], and upon them which worshipped his image [venerating the World Council of Churches].

• 3. And the second angel [message] poured out his vial [bowl, the essence of the message of THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON, Chapter VII, pp. 269-384, "The Preparation of the Elements," showing the struggle between capital and labor, those who have and those who have not] upon the sea [restless masses of mankind]; and it became as the blood of a dead man[after death blood separates into clot and serum, thus showing the more radical extremists and liberal groups]: and every living soul[right-hearted one] died [ceased his restless turbulent attitude some of whom may possibly seek meekness and righteousness that they may be hid in this day of wrath] in the sea [restless masses].

• 4. And the third angel [message] poured out his vial [bowl, the essence of the message in THY KINGDOM COME, Chapter VI, pp. 135-226, "The Work of Harvest," showing the purpose of Christ is a harvest work, gathering the wheat and burning the tares] upon the rivers and fountains of waters [toward the channels or sources of religious teaching such as theological seminaries as well as the International Sunday School Lessons, Sunday Schools, churches, sects, etc.]; and they became blood[abhorrent and deathly to the people who drank of these religious channels].

• 5. And I [the John Class] heard the angel [the message of truth such as in THY KINGDOM COME, Chapter VI, pp. 135-226, "The Work of Harvest," showing that the "wheat and tares" could grow together until the harvest where they would be separated and the "tares" burned] of the waters say [proclaim], Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. (Please note that verses 5-7 are not a part of the plagues but a shout of victory for bringing judgment upon Christendom. It is also an overdue answer to Revelation 6:9, 10. Finally, justice is being served.)

• 6. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood [a potion of truth which is abhorrent to their false teachings and to their false claims of Christianity] to drink; for they are worthy [deserve it].

• 7. And I [the John Class] heard another out of the altar say[proclamation from The Christ], Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.

• 8. And the fourth angel [message, the essence of the message of THE ATONEMENT BETWEEN GOD AND MAN, Chapters XII and XIII, pp. 301-404, "The Subject of the Atonement-Man and Hopes for Life Everlasting and Immortality Secured by the Atonement," which treats in depth man’s nature and hopes for life as well as the limited hope for immortality extended to church]poured out his vial [bowl, directed through its vehicle] upon the sun [the Gospel of the Scriptures, that is, making the Scriptural doctrines more pointed and clear, and suddenly those who claimed to minister the Gospel find the Gospel heat turned up and they are being scorched and exposed]; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire [this message makes professed Christians sorely uncomfortable with the threat of destruction of their profession to being Christians when they are not].

• 9. And men [professed Christians] were scorched with great heat [sorely uncomfortable with the threat of destruction of their professions], and blasphemed [defamed] the name of God, which hath power over these plagues [judgments]: and they repented not to give him glory.

• 10. And the fifth angel [message, the essence of THE TIME IS AT HAND, Chapter IX, pp. 267-361, "The Man of Sin-Antichrist," which historically and in Scripture identifies papacy as the Man of Sin] poured out his vial [bowl] upon the seat of the beast [was directed through its vehicle upon the papal government]; and his kingdom was full of darkness [manifested to be full of gross error]; and they gnawed their tongues for pain [were in great agony],

• 11. And blasphemed [defamed] the God of heaven [the divine government] because of their pains [distress] and their sores[spreading wounds], and repented not of their deeds [did not reform]. 12. And the sixth angel [message, the essence of THE NEW CREATION, Chapter V, pp. 195-272, "The Organization of the New Creation," showing there were only 12 Apostles and that there were no laws for scarlet robes for cardinals, no dietary laws, nothing mentioned of holy water or candles and more particularly anything said about the mass] poured out his

bowl [directed it through its vehicle] upon the great river Euphrates [the people who support nominal Christendom]; and the water thereof was dried up [the people withhold their support], that the way of the kings of the east [the Christ who are the Kings from the sun-rising, Head and body—when Elijah smote the Jordan he was going eastward toward the sunrise, just as the saints who are used in drying up the Euphrates are moving eastward to be joined to Christ in glory coming from the sun-rising, thus closing ranks, at which time the righteous "shall shine forth as the sun"—Matthew 13:43] might be prepared [the overthrow of antitypical "Babylon" needs to be done before Christ can unfurl his banner over earth].

• 12. And the sixth angel [message, the essence of THE NEW CREATION, Chapter V, pp. 195-272, "The Organization of the New Creation," showing there were only 12 Apostles and that there were no laws for scarlet robes for cardinals, no dietary laws, nothing mentioned of holy water or candles and more particularly anything said about the mass] poured out his bowl [directed it through its vehicle] upon the great river Euphrates [the people who support nominal Christendom]; and the water thereof was dried up [the people withhold their support], that the way of the kings of the east [the Christ who are the Kings from the sun-rising, Head and body—when Elijah smote the Jordan he was going eastward toward the sunrise, just as the saints who are used in drying up the Euphrates are moving eastward to be joined to Christ in glory coming from the sun-rising, thus closing ranks, at which time the righteous "shall shine forth as the sun"—Matthew 13:43] might be prepared [the overthrow of antitypical "Babylon" needs to be done before Christ can unfurl his banner over earth].

• 13. And I [the John Class] saw three unclean spirits like frogs[impure teachings that are boastful and woeful] come out of the mouth of the dragon [leaders of the civil governments], and out of the mouth of the beast [from the leaders in papacy], and out of the mouth of the false prophet [from the leaders of the Church of England and what may be left of the then defunct "image of the beast"]. [The false prophet is first mentioned here and is given no introduction. It may be what is left of the Protestant World Council of Churches—a declawed and defanged Protestant movement without its once "beastly" power leaving the Episcopal Church of England in leadership as the "false prophet." Revelation 19:20 labels the Church of England and Ireland as the two-horned beast, however, the language includes references to work done by the "image of the beast" in deceiving those with the "mark of the beast" and those who worshipped the "image."]

• 14. For they are the spirits of devils [these impure teachings are the doctrines of demons], working miracles [performing great demonstrations], which go forth unto the kings of the earth and to the whole world [going forth unto the rulers of this present social order], to gather them to the battle [conflict] of that great day of God Almighty.

• 15. Behold, I [the Lord] come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments [robe of righteousness], lest he walk naked [unjustified], and they see his shame. [This message seems to be directed toward the Great Company to encourage their faith as Babylon begins to sink. The true saints are already identified with the temple in Revelation 15:8 and 16:1. Here the Great Company is being encouraged to cling to Jesus and their justification. Joseph (antitypical Christ) plants his silver cup (the truth on natural Israel) in Benjamin’s (type of the Great Company) sack bringing him trouble until Judah (natural Israel) pleads on Benjamin’s behalf (Genesis 44)].

• 16. And he [they-the unclean teachings] gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon[picturing a gathering into the position for the final destruction].

• 17. And the seventh angel [message within the harvest message on Revelation as well as the more developed understanding of Revelation prophecies] poured his vial [bowl] into the air[directed through its vehicle on the spiritual controlling forces of Christendom and exposing these forces to be demons and the devil]; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven [a loud proclamation from the divine government], saying, It is done [the wrath of God is completed as is the last work of the saints in the flesh-what a grand moment!].

• 18. And there were voices [proclamations], and thunders[controversies], and lightnings [releases of truths]; and there was a great earthquake [social upheaval or revolution], such as was not since men were upon the earth [previously in society], so mighty an earthquake [social upheaval or revolution], and so great. [This account portrays the final earthquake or revolution from the standpoint of Christendom while Ezekiel 38:19-23 shows this same earthquake from the standpoint of natural Israel. We do not believe there are two such great earthquakes. They are the same event but shown from two different viewpoints. Notice the similarity of language describing seemingly the same event.]

• 19. And the great city [Christendom] was divided into three parts [the coalition of the dragon, beast and false prophet collapses], and the cities of the nations fell [governments of papacy collapse being no longer able to govern, although, apparently the papacy is the first of the three to collapse as in Revelation 18:9, which shows the political kings stand afar off and watch her burn]: and great Babylon [papacy with her paramours] came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine [Scriptural teachings] of the fierceness of his wrath [judgments of the fierceness of his anger--see Deuteronomy 32:39-43].

• 20. And every island [republic] fled away [vanished], and the mountains [kingdoms] were not found.

• 21. And there fell upon men [professed Christians] a great hail[overflowing scourge of hard truths] out of heaven [the spiritual controlling realm], every stone [each hard truth] about the weight of a talent [being the equivalent of the whole Gospel on each subject]: and men [nominal Christians] blasphemed[denounced] God because of the plague of the hail [affliction caused by hard truths]; for the plague [affliction] thereof was exceeding great.

Command from the temple

• In the preceding verses we saw the temple opened and the seven angels with plagues come out. A living one then gave them vials (bowls) of wrath 1507+, and smoke filled the temple. In this verse a voice [of judgment] from the temple commands them to empty the bowls. This well-defined handling of the sentence pronounced on the wicked emphasizes that the plagues will not be simply chance events of nature which God sits back and watches. They may well have scientific explanations as does the El Niño weather influence but still directed by the Author of nature and come in His timing. This is the time the censer is thrown down into the earth when "there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake." (Rev. 8:5). It is the time the wrath of God is poured out undiluted, 1409c.

Bowls (vials)

The bowls here would be the temple vessels associated with the altar of incense. (Zech 14:20; Num. 7:84). we saw the four living ones fall down to worship the Lamb who was found worthy. They had bowls of incense representing the prayers of the saints. Christ (as an angel) is seen with the censer full of much incense representing the prayers of all the saints. In 8:5 He fills it with coals from the altar and throws it to the earth as noted above. Apparently the bowls and the censer have similar functions. A different Hebrew word is used for the bowls of oil for the candlesticks (menorah).

The seven last plagues, an overview 1

• Again a chart helps us see the dynamics of the situation the Holy Spirit would present to us. Several general observations are suggested: This experience is for end-time wicked people although the righteous will be affected. The final religious power will command all to bow to the image or die, The right to buy and sell will be blocked. Every human support, will be cut off. The concern of the righteous, however, will not be

death or being cut off. It will be anxiety, like Jacob had, over the condition of their hearts . As with other sevens in the book, we have a group of 4 plagues and a group of 3. They are apparently consecutive, although may overlap. They come after the close of probation as we have seen above and at the end of chapter 15, . When they occur it will be too late to change. The warning time is during the sounding of the trumpets, The plagues will encourage the righteous, however. "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." (Luke 21:28).

The seven last plagues, an overview 2

• We understand concepts like this by comparison with other prophecies. When it all happens or is about to happen, we will understand better. (1 Cor. 13:12). We may expect a literal fulfillment of the plagues but with symbolic significance. The places where the first four bowls are poured out are areas of the Creator's domain. John saw the first angel with the gospel flying and "Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." (Rev. 14:7, ). This may be seen to reflect four types of false worship. The objects of wrath, where the bowls are poured out, offer structure for the series of plagues and clues about their significance. The set of four will be end-time false religious systems. The first is an end-time development. Others are not new. We examine them in the following chart.

text comments

1 2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome [bad or stinking] and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

Earth: Image and beast worship enforced by the beast from the earth. (Rev. 13:11-17). God deals with the final apostasy first. As the wicked have accepted the beast's mark, God gives them His own.

2 3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea, 1603.

Sea: Worship of the blasphemous beast that arose from the sea. (Rev. 13:1). God responds with a curse on the sea.

3 4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood, 1604.

Fountains of waters: God responds by extending water pollution to the very sources of pure water.

4 8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire 1608.

Sun: Consider paganism or devil worship. The sun is the chief god of paganism,13i. (Deut. 4:19).

text comments

5 10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat [or "throne"] of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain. 1610. . .

Seat of the beast: We may expect that one church, at the end of time, will presume to be the unique channel of light and salvation, 1408f. God's response will be to reveal its darkness (Isa. 5:20; 2 Thess. 2:8, 9).

6 12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared , 1612.

The great river: The Euphrates flowed through the city of Babylon, providing its water source. The kings who are gathered under this plague will ultimately destroy the false religious coalition represented as Babylon (Rev. 17: 16, 17).

7 17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done, 1617.

The air God's withdrawal, from the wicked, of the life He gave. "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit [breath, air] shall return unto God who gave it. Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity." (Eccl. 12:7, 8). Christ is coming (Rev. 1:7). We may expect air pollution including nuclear fallout at the end of time. Compare Rev. 9:2; 19:13.

Plagues of Egypt Compared to Those in Revelation • The plagues of Egypt provide clues• "And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of

waters; and they became blood. . . . thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy." (Rev. 16:4, 6)

• Why are the seven plagues called plagues? When we think of the seven last plagues, we remember the plagues of Egypt. The word is translated from the Greek, plague, (pronounced, play-gay) which also means wound or blow or disaster. Here, for example, is Moses' account of the first plague to fall on Egypt. It compares to the second plague of Revelation.

• "Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water [apparently to worship]; and thou shalt stand by the river's brink. . . . And thou shalt say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear. Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood. And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river." (Ex. 7:15-18)

What was the issue in the contest with Pharaoh? We usually think of slavery as the problem God solved in sending the

ten plagues on Egypt, and this is certainly correct. But the bigger issue, the one that fueled the slavery problem, was worship of the true God. The Egyptians worshiped the sun, the river, and other things. They also had a goddess of fertility, Isis, similar to Diana of the Ephesians and the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre (which was picked up by Christian leaders as Easter in their eagerness to develop a religion pleasing to the pagans). Image from Corel. The Hebrews in Egypt did not have religious liberty. Moses was not free to teach them what they had, over generations, forgotten. "And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go." (Ex. 5:1, 2)

How were the plagues the last?

• "And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God." (Rev. 15:1).

• Why are these the "last" plagues? In our verse, the wrath of God is complete. The reading "filled up" may be like the plague bowls (of vials) being filled. However, the primary reason may be seen in a comparison with the plagues of Egypt. We recall that there were 10. Do they match the last seven of those in Egypt? Apparently not as far as what was hurt by the corresponding plagues.

The plagues of Egypt and 7 last plague Egypt (Exodus) End time (Revelation) Assurance in Christ

1 bloody river, Ex. 7:14 - -

2 frogs, 8:1 - -

3 lice, 8:16 - -

4 flies, 8:20 1: earth, sores Rev. 16:2 Physical security

5 livestock struck, 9:1 2: sea, blood, 3 Economic security

6 boils, 9:8 3: rivers & fountains, blood 4

Water of life (physical and spiritual)

7 hail, 9:13 4: heat from sun, 8 True worship

8 locusts 10:1 5: seat of beast, painful darkness, 10 Light of truth

9 painful darkness, 10:21 6: Euphrates prepared for kings, 12 Life support

10 firstborn struck, 11:1 7: air, earthquake and hail, 17 Deliverance

• The Plagues of Egypt and of Revelation The third column shows how the righteous will have protection and assurance in Christ

What is different about the first three plagues on Egypt? The Egyptian magicians were able to imitate the first two plagues. At that

point, God set a limit to the satanic miracles. "And the magicians did so [tried to imitate] with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast. Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said." (Ex. 8: 18, 19) In the description of the next plague, we read, "And I will sever [set apart] in that day [that Pharaoh refuses] the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth. And I will put a division between my people and thy people: to morrow shall this sign be." (Ex. 8:22, 23) So from the time following the third plague when the superiority of the true God was clear to all, it was evident that it was fair for God to protect those who believed in Him. This will be the same situation during the seven last plagues. Praise God for His justice and His mercy!

Three end-time plagues In the sounding of the sixth trumpet, we find plagues

of fire from horses, smoke, and brimstone. I had considered that they correspond to the first three of Egypt but for several reasons, they don't fit: My primary understanding of the sixth trumpet is that it pictures trouble for the wicked, with the righteous protected as they are under the fifth trumpetch8table. Also, the seven last plagues come in different symbols and location. You might discover a relationship. I conclude that they are the seven last plagues because, like the final seven plagues of Egypt, they will be only the wicked.

Did God make Pharaoh sin?

• We already know the answer, but it's worth a moment of reflection to understand why. "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:" (James 1:13). In the verse quoted in the previous module (link), God is not seen as involved. Pharaoh stiffened his resistance when he saw that the Hebrews' God had superior power. Elsewhere we see Pharaoh hardening his own heart, ex0815. 1sa0606 agrees. Because God is ultimately in control, He may be said to cause things He permits. He could have stopped the wicked king before allowing the waters to return to drown him with his army in the Red Sea. Why didn't He? Before the situation became totally clear, His justice could have been questioned and the people of that time would not have fully understood the terrible consequences of rebellion against God. Also, the story would not have been clear for us today. Soon, the hand of God will again allow uncontrolled evil, like the waters of the Red Sea, to do their natural work. In Revelation we see that God will allow the four winds of strife to blow in unrestrained fury. That will be the time of the seven last plagues. Does God care? ". . . As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" (Ezek. 33:11).

• May God help each of us to be faithful. We may praise Him for His justice as well as for His mercy.

• -

• What is different about the first three plagues on Egypt? The Egyptian magicians were able to imitate the first two plagues. At that point, God set a limit to the satanic miracles. "And the magicians did so [tried to imitate] with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast. Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said." (Ex. 8: 18, 19) In the description of the next plague, we read, "And I will sever [set apart] in that day [that Pharaoh refuses] the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth. And I will put a division between my people and thy people: to morrow shall this sign be." (Ex. 8:22, 23) So from the time following the third plague when the superiority of the true God was clear to all, it was evident that it was fair for God to protect those who believed in Him. This will be the same situation during the seven last plagues. Praise God for His justice and His mercy!

• Three end-time plagues In the sounding of the sixth trumpet, we find plagues of fire from horses, smoke, and brimstone. I had considered that they correspond to the first three of Egypt but for several reasons, they don't fit: My primary understanding of the sixth trumpet is that it pictures trouble for the wicked, with the righteous protected as they are under the fifth trumpetch8table. Also, the seven last plagues come in different symbols and location. You might discover a relationship. I conclude that they are the seven last plagues because, like the final seven plagues of Egypt, they will be only the wicked.

• Did God make Pharaoh sin?• We already know the answer, but it's worth a moment of reflection to understand

why. "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:" (James 1:13). In the verse quoted in the previous module (link), God is not seen as involved. Pharaoh stiffened his resistance when he saw that the Hebrews' God had superior power. Elsewhere we see Pharaoh hardening his own heart, ex0815. 1sa0606 agrees. Because God is ultimately in control, He may be said to cause things He permits. He could have stopped the wicked king before allowing the waters to return to drown him with his army in the Red Sea. Why didn't He? Before the situation became totally clear, His justice could have been questioned and the people of that time would not have fully understood the terrible consequences of rebellion against God. Also, the story would not have been clear for us today. Soon, the hand of God will again allow uncontrolled evil, like the waters of the Red Sea, to do their natural work. In Revelation we see that God will allow the four winds of strife to blow in unrestrained fury. That will be the time of the seven last plagues. Does God care? ". . . As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" (Ezek. 33:11).

• May God help each of us to be faithful. We may praise Him for His justice as well as for His mercy.

• Seven Last Plagues, notes on verses 2 to 4 • The first plague, a sore for the marked• "And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the

earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image." (Rev. 16:2)

• Although the plagues have symbolic significance, the texts lead us to believe they will be real curses as well �the wages of sin earned by the end-time wicked. Isaiah 1:4-6. See the overview chart for perspective. Satan was permitted to inflict righteous Job with boils, a source of great misery (Job 2:6-8). And He has allowed evil to show its ugly nature throughout the many years since that time. Now the sores are for the wicked.

• The sea cursed• "And the second angel poured out his vial upon the

sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea." (Rev. 16:3)

• When we studied the beast from the sea 1301b, we concluded that the sea represents masses of people (17:15). In the divine lament against the Prince of Tyre, we may see the plague of bloody waters. The lament includes Isaiah's description of Satan and of the apostate religious power who will follow Satan's course of absolute defiance of God's authority as expressed in His law, 1315d. Also see 1817.

• You, son of man, take up a lamentation over Tyre; and tell Tyre, you who dwell at the entry of the sea, who are the merchant of the peoples to many islands, thus says the Lord Yahweh: You, Tyre, have said, I am perfect in beauty. Your borders are in the heart of the seas; your builders have perfected your beauty... Son of man, tell the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because your heart is lifted up, and you have said, I am a god, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet you are man, and not God, though you did set your heart as the heart of God therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because you have set your heart as the heart of God, therefore, behold, I will bring strangers on you, the terrible of the nations; and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom, and they shall defile your brightness. They shall bring you down to the pit; and you shall die the death of those who are slain, in the heart of the seas.(Ezek. 27: 2-4; 28:2, 6, 8, WEB) Satan is the one who considered himself beautiful. He is here pictured in symbols of the king of Tyre.

• Sea turned to blood • We must be cautious about taking situations

which impress us and see prophetic symbols in them. In this case, we can understand how sea turning to blood might be fulfilled. The microorganism dinoflagellates is already a serious problem in many places. If God allows it to spread to significant parts of the oceans after the general chaos begins, we could see it as the outpouring of the the second plague.

• Bloody water sources• "And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and

fountains of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments." (Rev. 16:4-7). Photo of red water and dead fish. © by Michael S. Henry, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL 34236 Used here by permission. http://www.mote.org/~mhenry/rtupdate.phtml As the plagues of Egypt increased in intensity, so will those at the end of time. This third plague is more serious than the second one because water for drinking and all the other purposes so vital to human life will be turned to blood. This will likely mean pollution of the aquafers, the porous rock layers under the ground from which we pump water.

• tally discredit it. Atheism, which has its modern roots in the French Revolution, does this. Unfortunately, many modern theologians have done the same thing by what they call the historical-critical method of interpretation of Scripture. In it, they hold that the Bible must be tested as any uninspired, historical document. Motives of Bible writers are said to have caused them to make up part of what they wrote, and for them nothing is new so miracles are fiction unless we see them today. Thus God did not open the Red Sea and the Jordan. Jesus did not rise from death, and so on. We continue with the third plague on the next page.

• Praise God for the certainty of His word. "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever." (Isa. 40:8)

Text comments

1 ¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me. .2 And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs: .3 And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into thine house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneadingtroughs: 4 And the frogs shall come up both on thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants. .5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt. 6 And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. .7 And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt.

2 - If thou refuse ... frogs The creatures were considered sacred. An Egyptian deity, Heqa, was a goddess with a frog head. The plague would show that the Egyptian gods were without power when facing the true God. God allows Satan the opportunity to deceive. We can choose our source of light and understanding

.8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Intreat the LORD, that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the LORD. 9 And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me: when shall I intreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, that they may remain in the river only? 10 And he said, To morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy word: that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD our God. 11 And the frogs shall depart from thee, and from thy houses, and from thy servants, and from thy people; they shall remain in the river only.

8 - Intreat the Lord Pharaoh had pretended not to know Him ex0502.

12 And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh: and Moses cried unto the LORD because of the frogs which he had brought against Pharaoh. 13 And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields. 14 And they gathered them together upon heaps: and the land stank. .15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.

15 - Pharaoh ... hardened his heart We are also told that God hardened Pharaoh's heart ex0421. Each took the responsibility in his sphere. Pharaoh chose to defy God and God chose to allow him to do it so that the wicked ruler's heart would be clear to all. Cf. ro0918.

.16 ¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt. 17 And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt. .18 And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast. .19 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh s heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto �them; as the LORD had said.

18 - They could not They were convinced but not Pharaoh, according to the next verse.

20 ¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me. 21 Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are. 22 And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth. .23 And I will put a division between my people and thy people: to morrow shall this sign be. 24 And the LORD did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants �houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies. 25 And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land. .26 And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us? 27 We will go three days journey into the wilderness, and �sacrifice to the LORD our God, as he shall command us.

20 - When he comes See ex0715. 21 - Flies The word meaning is uncertain. In Assyrian,urubau, means "mixed noxious insects." The Septuagint translators who lived in Egypt (centuries later) identified it as the dog fly which attaches itself to edges of eyelids. 22 - Separate ... no swarms of flies God made a distinction between His people and the Egyptians. This is the first of the seven last plagues out of the ten. See on re1501. There were cattle in the land of Goshen and flies would be reasonably expected, too. 23 - A division Literally "redemption." The people were already redeemed from their bondage.

.26 And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us? 27 We will go three days journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice �to the LORD our God, as he shall command us.

28 And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away: intreat for me. 29 And Moses said, Behold, I go out from thee, and I will intreat the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, to morrow: but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD. 30 And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the LORD. .31 And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; there remained not one. .32 And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.

32 - See on v15.

21 And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders

before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go. .22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:.23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.

21 - I will harden Compare ex0815. 22 - Israel is my son The people to be brought out of Egypt had practically lost their spiritual character. They would be born again as they made their pledge of faithfulness, but this could not happen in Egypt. Pharaoh would choose to gradually lose everything including his own firstborn son ex1105.

Sermon detail

• Opening hymn: 462 blessed assurance• Scripture reading :revelation 16:1-6• Special music: the namihira’s• Sermon “ seven last plagues (1)”• Closing hymn: 632 until then

Place of visit

• 8-4-2012, vicksburg sda church