|
The Fourth Angel
THE FOURTH ANGEL
And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars.
However you interpret this; it marks the end of the one-third judgment theme. The final three trumpets are different…standing apart…and are announced in the halls of heaven, as the three woes.
In the first four trumpets; one-third of the trees have burned up, one-third of the sea creatures have died, one-third of the ships have been destroyed, and one-third of the fresh waters were made bitter. And now before us, one-third of the heavenly lights are darkened.
And my Lord knows that we wonder…we who love Him…and love his holy word…and love his marvelous ways…what the significance of one-third is, here in these first four trumpets. The clues in scripture are few. A third of a hin…or King David dividing his forces into one-thirds…are more advanced tools of study. It may be that the broader and simpler horizon beckons us here, to step back…to look up for a moment…and see that the most notable one-third in all of the bible, are the angels who fell. We are, after all, standing with John here, beholding angels before the throne of God.
Considering those angels then, we are also created to wonder…in our hour of meditation…about this other realm. This first estate, where they fell from. Back when all three-thirds of the angels were still together…still in harmony…still in unity. And in this regal, breath-taking world before John’s eyes, we wonder where spirits fit in. The spirits of those who’ve gone on…the spirits of men not yet born…and the spirits who never habitate a man. We wonder, in this panoramic place; how rank here the sons of God from the book of Job…or the host of the high ones…or the terrible ones.
It’s a remarkable day, when we grasp that this fabulous place…this entire world and realm of existence…hasn’t gone anywhere. They didn’t go away, while 7,000 years of life on earth played out. This wide celestial crowd was here long before us, and still thrives today.
How great then, does my Lord’s victory at calvary become…in the face of such an overwhelming array of powers and principalities. For Jesus, the Christ of God, rules over them all. He is the king of all kings. He is the Lord of all Lords.
In a broader sense of divine judgment; the one-third of angels who fell, certainly lend themselves to these one-third judgments. Recall, that this was no small uprising that preceded us. This was a rebellion so violent…so far reaching…that a full one-third of this majestic other realm, commits angelic suicide, in following satan.
It may seem a stretch to assign these first four trumpet judgments, to this one-third rebellious host. But it does gain a little credence at the next three trumpets…the three woes. Because these next three trumpets are specially meant, for a brand new set of recipients:
And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound.
The angel himself seems to imply here, that humanity hasn’t even been up to bat yet. But now…for the first time…the focus of judgment shifts to the inhabiters of the earth.
To assign some connection between the one-third judgment theme and these angels, sends us humbly back to bible school. It opens new vistas on this revelation landscape before John. It asks us; to not only re-examine what happened in the first four trumpets, but to look again at that whole other realm.
Today; the incredible quantum make-up of every single thing, is revealed before our very eyes. We ought to be moved, then, to return to his word, and read anew what he says about trees, and green grass, and ships of the sea, and fresh waters, and the heavenly lights we live by. Because it wasn’t upon the inhabiters of the earth, that these first four judgments fell.
Great men of God have long known of this spiritual connection.
For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire.
Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: and no man shall spare his brother.
They grasped this truth that everything visible, is a copy of what is invisible. That our natural wonder called life, is somehow a projection of this invisible spiritual realm.
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee, and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
|
Linear Mode
