Revelation 11:1: “And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.”

Preterists claim that this verse proves that Revelation was written before 70 AD, because in 70 AD the Temple was destroyed. If the book had been written after 70 AD then there wouldn’t have been a Temple around for John to measure.

This is a silly argument. The prophet Ezekiel was also asked to measure a Temple, and the Temple that he measured has never been built to this day. John wasn’t asked to measure Herod’s Temple; he was asked to measure a future temple – one that, like Ezekiel’s Temple, hasn’t been built yet.

There is compelling evidence that Revelation was written long after 70 AD. The early church claimed that it was written in the early 90s, which is consistent with the evidence in the book itself. For example, Revelation 1 claims that it was written while John was exiled to Patmos. John was exiled there by Domitian, who did not become Emperor until 81 AD.

Revelation 10:8: “And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.
9 And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.
10 And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.”

There are a number of key points in this passage. First of all, the little book seems to contain prophetic information, since after John eats it (yes, he really does eat it!) he is told that he must prophesy. John, therefore, is eating a book of prophecy. Since this passage is talking about the seventh angel, it seems logical that the book that John ate talks about things that will occur when the seventh angel sounds.

This chapter seems to be a transition chapter. Up to this point we’ve been told about events that occur in the first half of the Tribulation. Now we are going to see mid-Tribulation events, which will be followed by the events of the second half of the Tribulation.

As far as the book itself goes – in John’s mouth it was sweet, but after he ate it the book became very bitter. Numerous people have pointed out that prophecy is a very “sweet” thing – people love hearing about it, and it’s a source of fascination. However, when the prophecies come to pass they are not “sweet” at all. Look at all the horrible things that have been discussed so far: war, famine, demonic invasions, and mass death. These are horrifying things. When they come to pass they will bring great bitterness to people’s lives.

What we see in this chapter is a brief pause in the action, as we transition from the first half of the Tribulation to the mid-Tribulation events. When those have occurred we will finally see the seventh angel sound.

After discussing the subject of words in chapter 3, James now moves on to talk about conflict:

James 4:1: “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?”

Although this seems like a new topic, James is actually building on something that he said earlier. In the first chapter of his letter he explained where temptation comes from:

James 1:13: “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:
14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

The source of temptation is desire. The reason we can be tempted is because we want things. Satan uses that against us by tempting us to sin in order to get the thing that we desire. As it turns out, conflict comes from this very same source. Just as temptation stems from desire, conflict also stems from desire. James is very clear about this: wars and fightings stem from our own desires. In other words, the reason we fight with people is to get the things that we want.

One of the key themes of the Bible is the idea of controlling our desires. Not all desire is evil, but there are many desires that do not come from God. Jesus made it plain that we can either serve Him or serve the world:

Matthew 6:24: “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

If we desire the things of God, then we will be about the Father’s business. We will seek His will, His Word, and His decrees. Then we will have godly desires. That does not mean that we cannot be tempted, but it does mean that Satan’s opportunity to tempt us is much more limited. If all we want to do is honor and glorify God then there are many things that will not have any appeal to us.

The apostle John warned us that we can either love God or love the world – but not both:

I John 2:15: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

These verses should make us pause and re-evaluate our life. What are our priorities? What things do we desire in our life? Does our heart belong to God, or does it belong to the world? Are we about the Father’s business, or are we about our own business? What things really matter to us? If we were to make a list of all the things that we wanted in life, what sort of things would we find on that list? There are so many things that we would like to have – and so few of them have anything to do with God or His Kingdom.

Our desire for things that don’t really matter can get us into all kinds of trouble:

James 4:2: “Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.”

Here it may seem like James is going a bit overboard. What child of God would ever murder someone in order to get the object of their heart’s desire? It may seem unthinkable (and perhaps it ought to be unthinkable), but it has happened. Do you remember what King David did when he wanted to hide his sin with Bathsheba? He arranged for the murder of her husband:

2 Samuel 11:14: “And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.
15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.
16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.
17 And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.”

David – a man after God’s own heart! – actually murdered someone in order to hide his sin. David was drawn away by his own lusts, and enticed, and that lust brought forth sin – and it led him to murder one of his own servants. This is the terrible power of sin. Not only does it tempt those who do not know God, but it also tempts those who do know God. We may think that we are above such things and that we would never stoop to such a terrible act, but the truth is that the only difference between us and David is the grace of God. David sought God with all his heart; he loved the Lord and served him with passion. Yet sin found its way into David’s life, and it caused great destruction. After his sin with Bathsheba his life was never the same: his own son Absalom led a rebellion against him and tried to kill him.

Do not think that you are immune to sin, or that you are somehow above being tempted. Many pastors have seen their careers ruined by sin. Temptation is a very real thing, and it is something we should take seriously. If we do not get the better of sin then sin will get the better of us. Sin has led men as great as King David to murder.

Why do we lack things? Because we do not ask for them. Jesus Himself said that if we want something we should ask for it:

Matthew 7:7: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”

There were a number of times in the wilderness when Israel found themselves without food or water. Instead of asking God, however, they complained. They could have just asked God to supply their needs, but instead they chose to yell at Moses:

Exodus 16:2: “And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:
3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

All Israel had to do is cry out to God and He would have supplied their need. God had just delivered Israel out of Egypt with a mighty hand. He had punished their enemies and shown His great power. He had amply demonstrated His love and care for them. But instead of doing that, they accused Moses of trying to kill them. They didn’t ask; instead they complained.

James said that wars and fightings come from our lusts – and here we can see that in action. Israel wanted food. Instead of asking for it, however, they went straight to fighting. Their desire (which was not evil in and of itself) led to conflict. Instead of asking, they attacked. Instead of seeking God, they murmured against Moses.

God is not stupid. He knows what we need before we even ask for it. God is also not cruel or heartless. As Jesus said, even people – wicked as we are – know better than to give their children a poisonous viper when they asked for some fish to eat. Do we really think that God is going to rain down fire from Heaven and consume us all when we humbly ask Him for our daily bread? Why do we doubt the Father’s ability to bless us with good things?

Yes, it is true that God does not always grant our requests. There was a time when the apostle Paul begged God for something, and God turned him down. But God did not do this because He was heartless or because He secretly enjoyed seeing Paul suffer. He had a good reason for it:

2 Corinthians 12:7: “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

God gave Paul a tremendous amount of divine revelation – so much that Paul risked being exalted above measure. In order to keep Paul humble God gave Paul a thorn in the flesh. When Paul asked God to remove it, He refused – but He didn’t leave Paul empty-handed. Instead He did something else: He gave Paul the grace to endure.

The thorn in the flesh was not given out of malice; it was a blessing. Yes, it was a hard blessing, but it was a blessing all the same. Jesus told us that everyone who asks receives, and we see that illustrated here. Paul did not receive what he asked for, but he did not go away empty-handed. Instead God gave him grace. After this incident Paul said that he would actually rejoice in his infirmities so that the power of Christ could rest upon him!

If you ask you will receive. You may not receive what you expect to receive, but never doubt the goodness or love of God. He knows far better than we do how to give good gifts to those who ask Him!

Sometimes, though, our requests are simply bad:

James 4:3: “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”

When we ask God to fulfill our sinful desires, we should not be surprised when He tells us no. If King David had asked God to kill Uriah to hide his sin with Bathsheba, do you think God would have listened to him? Of course not! God isn’t going to honor that kind of request. That whole idea seems ridiculous – but how many of our prayers are along those lines? How many times do we ask God to glorify ourselves, or further our own kingdom, or fulfill our sinful desires? How many times are our requests about God, and how many times are they about ourselves?

God is not a magic genie who will grant anything that you request. If you ask amiss then you will most certainly not receive. God has no desire to fulfill your sinful desires or to turn your heart away from Him:

James 4:4: “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”

There is more going on in this verse than it seems. As you may recall, James wrote this book to “the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad” (James 1:1) – in other words, to Israel. Israel had a long history of disobedience. God sent them prophets to warn them to turn back to him, but they did not listen. They would not stop serving false gods or stop burning incense to idols. Because of this God promised to send terrible judgment:

Ezekiel 6:13: “Then shall ye know that I am the Lord, when their slain men shall be among their idols round about their altars, upon every high hill, in all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the place where they did offer sweet savour to all their idols.”

Since Israel had worshiped idols on every high hill and under every green tree, God said He would pile up their dead bodies in those same places. In God’s eyes Israel was guilty of adultery because they had forsaken their love for Lord and had given their heart to false gods. God condemned them for committing adultery with their idols on every high hill and green tree:

Jeremiah 13:27: “I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be?”

Jeremiah 2:20: “For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.”

Jeremiah 3:6: “The Lord said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.”

What did Israel do upon every high mountain and under every green tree? She served idols and worshiped false gods. That was the adultery that she committed.

James is pointing out that by seeking after the things of the world, believers are also guilty of adultery. They have given their heart to a false god and are just as guilty as ancient Israel. We are faced with a choice: we can be friends with God or we can be friends with the world. We can love God or we can love the world. But we cannot have both.

The people that James were writing to had chosen to side with the world. Their desires tempted them to sin, and in order to get what they wanted they fought with each other. They abandoned God and lusted after the things of the world, and that led to a great deal of trouble in the church. James is reminding them that lusting after the things of the world is a form of adultery against God, and God takes that very seriously.

In our time the call of the world is strong. There are many people who have decided to abandon God in order to become friends with the world. For example, the world today celebrates homosexuality and praises it. In order to win the praise of the world, many churches have stopped calling homosexuality a sin and instead welcome it, even going so far as to appoint homosexual ministers over their churches. God calls it a sin, but they would rather have the praise of the world instead of the praise of God, so they are calling evil good and good evil. They are putting their stamp of approval on sinful behavior because it wins them friends.

Of course, individuals do this as well. We may fail to take a stance because of what it will cost us, or we may side with sin because we want people to think highly of us. We are willing to compromise what the Bible says because we know that people don’t like it. In our time doctrine is not loved; people seek to distance themselves from it and instead embrace the idea that “it’s all good”. Rather than standing up for the Word, they stand up and defend sin. That may win them the friendship of the world, but it earns them the enmity of God.

Jesus Himself said that if you follow Him the world will hate you:

John 15:19: “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”

That is the choice that we must make. Whose side are we going to be on? It is impossible to be neutral. If you stand up for what is right then the world will hate you – there is no getting around it. You may win a lot of friends and admirers through compromise, but the cost is very high. Is it really worth losing your soul? Do you really want to be God’s enemy?

Yes, it is true that we have a natural inclination to the things of the world:

James 4:5: “Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?”

It is true that we have a sin nature. But it is also true that the power of God is far greater. God has not left us helpless in our struggle against the flesh. He has given us a powerful weapon – the weapon of His grace:

James 4:6: “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

This echoes what the apostle Paul said when he talked about our struggle with sin:

Romans 5:20: “Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Notice what Paul says! Where sin abounded, grace abounded even more. Where sin reigned to death, grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life. God has not left us defenseless against the enemy. He has not entered us into a contest that we cannot possibly win. He has given us His grace, and His grace is powerful.

God does not give His grace to everyone, though. James points out that while God gives grace to the humble, He resists the proud. You see, God hates pride:

Psalm 12:3: “The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:”

Psalm 119:21: “Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.”

Psalm 138:6: “Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.”

Proverbs 15:25: “The Lord will destroy the house of the proud: but he will establish the border of the widow.”

Proverbs 16:5: “Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.”

Proverbs 21:4: “An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.”

Do you see how much the Lord hates pride? A proud heart is sin; it is an abomination to the Lord. God hates the proud so much that He has cursed them, and will destroy them and their house. God doesn’t even want to get near the proud; we are told that He knows them “afar off” – in other words, He keeps His distance from them. If you want to have a relationship with God then you cannot be proud. You must humble yourself and be lowly. You must come to God as a bankrupt sinner and beg Him for His forgiveness and grace.

In other words, you must submit to God:

James 4:7: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

That is the difference between the proud and the humble. The proud make much of themselves; the humble make much of God. The proud praise and honor themselves; the humble praise and honor God. The proud look to their own strength; the humble look to God for strength. The proud look to themselves for deliverance; the humble look to God for salvation. The proud do as they please; the humble obey God.

If you want to please God then you must obey Him. You must submit yourself to Him. We live in a generation of people who care very little for the Word of God. They have no interest in obeying the Scriptures or following the commands. They think nothing of committing adultery. They approve of homosexuality. Lies, deception, and cheating do not bother them. They love themselves, not their neighbors. They have thrown out God’s commands and have decided to do that which is right in their own eyes. All of this is an abomination to God. We must humble ourselves before Him. We must obey Him. We must submit ourselves to His commands. We must be about His will, not ours.

How do you overcome evil? By resisting it. How do you make the devil flee? By resisting him. In other words, you fight back. You refuse to submit yourself to sin. You refuse to give sin free reign in your life. You refuse to follow the lusts of the flesh. You refuse to seek your own will. If you fight him, he will flee. If you draw near to God then He will draw near to you:

James 4:8: “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”

The question is, do you want to draw near to God – or are you too busy trying to make friends with the world? Do you want to glorify God – or are you too busy trying to glorify yourself? Do you want the things of God – or do you instead want the things of the world? If you truly want to draw near to God then cleanse your hands and purify your hearts. Repent of your sins and ask forgiveness for them. Stop being double-minded; stop seeking the things of the world and the things of God. Become single-minded in the pursuit of God’s glory and in the service of God’s kingdom. Take advantage of the grace of God and serve righteousness instead of sin. If you draw near to God then He will draw near to you. That is a promise. If you humble yourself before God and seek Him then He will lift you up:

James 4:9: “Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”

If you turn from your pride and seek the Lord then He will lift you up. God will humble those who exalt themselves, but He will exalt those who humble themselves. If you weep over your sins and pride and cry out to God for forgiveness and grace then you will find it.

If you do this then things will change. Then you will find yourself closer to God. Then temptation will not seem as tempting as it once did. Then you will find a love for righteousness and a love for God’s word. Then you will find less conflict and more love. If you truly want to change and find a better way, this is the only way to do it. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

One of the basic and most fundamental tenants of Christianity is that there is a place called Hell where the unrighteous are tormented. All those who die without having repented of their sins and believed in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior are sent there. It is a horrible place of fire and brimstone. The souls that are in Hell remain there until the Great White Throne judgment, which is spoken of in Revelation 20:11-25. At that point Hell is emptied and the souls that were in it are judged for the sins that they have committed. Instead of being put back into Hell, however, they are instead cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:15), where they are tormented day and night, forever and ever.

The doctrine of Hell is common knowledge and is well-understood. What is not common knowledge is that there are actually two different Hells. There is the Hell that everyone knows about, and then there is a separate place called Tartarus.

We find this surprising fact in the book of 2 Peter:

2 Peter 2:4: “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;”

The word “hell” here is not the normal word for Hell. This is how my Greek lexicon defines it:

Tartaroo: (Strings #5020) Found only in its verbal form in 2 Peter 2:4, meaning to consign to Tartarus (which is neither Sheol of the OT, nor Hades of the NT, nor Gehenna, nor hell, but the place where certain angels are confined, reserved unto judgment). This punishment for these angels is because of their special sin.

As you can see, Peter used a special Greek word here that is not used anywhere else in the Bible. The word refers to a separate place of torment that is not the usual Hell, but is something else entirely. That is quite unusual and unexpected!

In order to find out what is going on we need to study the verse a bit more closely. Peter tells us that when certain angels committed a certain sin, God cast them into Tartarus. There the fallen angels are held captive in chains. They will remain there, in darkness, until the day of judgment. Tartarus, then, is a special prison that is reserved for certain angels who committed a certain sin. But who are these angels, and what is their sin?

We know that all demons are not confined to Tartarus. There are many demons who roam the Earth and cause tremendous amounts of trouble. However, some demons did something so terrible that their right to roam the Earth was revoked. Instead of being allowed to torment mankind until the day of judgment, they are held captive in utter darkness.

Jude also speaks of this, and gives us a bit more information about what sin they committed:

Jude 1:6: “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”

In verse 6, Jude tells us the same thing that Peter said – that there are certain angels who sinned and were then chained in darkness to await Judgment Day. Jude then says that these angels sinned “even as” Sodom and Gomorrha did. What did Sodom do? Well, according to Jude, the citizens of Sodom gave themselves over to fornication and “strange flesh”. In other words, the sin of Sodom was sexual in nature – and so was the sin of these angels. The sin of the angels was “even as” the sin of Sodom.

Does the Bible record a time when certain fallen angels committed a sexual sin? As a matter of fact, it does. We find this in the book of Genesis:

Genesis 6:1: “And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
3 And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.”

Here we are told that beings known as the “sons of God” took human women as wives and had children with them. These children became “giants” (literally, nephilim; Strong’s word #5303) and were incredibly powerful creatures. Who were these “sons of God”? Well, that phrase is only found three times in the entire Old Testament, and each time it is used (Job 1:6, Job 2:1, and Job 38:4) it refers to angels. Angels are called the sons of God because they were created directly by God. Genesis 6 is telling us that certain fallen angels went after “strange flesh” and had children with human women. That created the nephilim – strange and powerful creatures that were half-human and half-demon. This was a very terrible sin in the sight of God, and He not only destroyed the nephilim in the Flood, but He took the fallen angels who committed this sin and locked them up in Tartarus so they could not do it again.

It may seem strange to us to think of a fallen angel doing such a thing, but it really shouldn’t. No one would express amazement if they heard that a demon possessed someone, or murdered someone, or beat someone up; why are we amazed at the thought that they might commit sexual sins as well? Is that really so hard to believe?

This is not the only time that the nephilim are mentioned in the Bible. The spies that Moses sent out to look over the land of Canaan reported that they saw nephilim there:

Numbers 13:33: “And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.”

This time the nephilim were serving as a barrier to keep the Israelites out of Canaan. Satan apparently thought that if he populated Canaan with these powerful giants that the Israelites would find it difficult to take the promised land – but he was wrong. God gave the land into their hands, and under the leadership of the courageous Joshua they entered the land and possessed it.

It is possible that in the last days Satan will attempt this plan once again (even though the demons who commit this sin are imprisoned in Tartarus). That, however, is a discussion for another time.

Revelation 10:5: “And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,
6 And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:
7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.”

First of all, when verse six says “there should be time no longer” it does not mean that time itself ceases to exist. This is just another way of saying “they will have run out of time” or “the appointed time has come to an end” or “their time has run out”. When you tell someone “you’re out of time” you’re not telling them that time itself is going to cease to exist; what you are telling them is that their opportunity to do something has come to an end.

In this case, the “seventh angel” is the angel who blows the seventh trumpet. It is interesting how this works: there were 7 seals, and the 7th seal contains the 7 trumpet judgments; the 7th trumpet judgment contains the 7 bowl judgments.

What this angel is saying is that when the seventh angel starts sounding (and it will take some time, since there are 7 bowl judgments to process), the “mystery of God” will be finished. That is all that this passage means. It doesn’t mean that there is no time in Heaven; it means that when the seventh angel sounds the mystery will be over.

I don’t completely understand what mystery is finished. However, when the seventh angel sounds we are told this:

“And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.”

Perhaps that is the mystery: when the seventh angel sounds, the last judgments occur and the Millennial Kingdom begins. The kingdoms of the world are forever given over into the hands of Jesus. That is a mystery that was not revealed in the Old Testament. The prophets said there would be a kingdom, but no one knew when it would start or what events would precede it. While some facets were known, there were a lot of things that were kept hidden. Here that mystery is revealed and finished.

Revelation 10:1: “And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:”

This angel “came down” from Heaven. Since he did not fall from heaven, I suspect this is an angel and not a demon. It’s important to notice that this is not the 7th trumpet judgment, as that does not begin until Revelation 11:14-19. This is an interlude – something that happens between trumpets 6 and 7.

Revelation 10:2: “And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,
3 And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.
4 And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

One of the great mysteries of Revelation is what these seven thunders had to say. Scholars would very much like to know the answer to this riddle, but it is impossible to find out. God simply does not tell us, and so we must wait. There are some mysteries that cannot be solved, and this is one of them. We will just have to wait until this event happens.

Why did the Lord hide this information from us? I really don’t know. Perhaps one day God will tell us the answer.

James 3:1: “My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.”

According to my Greek Lexicon, the word “masters” (Strongs #1320) is the word “didaskalos”, and it means teacher. In this passage James is warning that being a teacher is a dangerous business. Teachers, he says, will receive the “greater condemnation”.

This is something that we need to take to heart. It is one thing to error in your own life; it is quite another to lead others into error. It is one thing to sin in your own life; it is quite another to lead other people into a life of sin. When you get up in front of other people and tell them what to do, you are taking responsibility for them. You had better be right about what you are doing, because if you are wrong then you will lead other people into error, sin, and judgment. As a teacher, your problems now affect the lives of others. Teaching is a dangerous business, and is not to be taken lightly.

Jesus Himself spoke of this:

Matthew 5:19: “Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

People often reject the idea that there are different ranks in the kingdom of Heaven, but that idea has a sound Biblical foundation. Jesus was plain that some of those who were first in this life would be last in the next, and vice versa (Matthew 19:30). There are some who will be called great, and there are some who will be the least. Those who taught men to sin will be called the least, while those who obeyed God and taught men to do the same would be called great.

The question is not “Do you think that you are sinning”, but rather, are you sinning? It does not matter if you personally believe that you are right; what really counts is that you are right. There is one right answer and there are a lot of wrong answers. If you teach men error then you will be held accountable for that.

There are many false teachers in the world today who teach heresy. For example, men like Rob Bell deny the existence of Hell and say that the Word of God is “old manna” and we need to move past the Bible to other things. By denying both the Bible and the reality of Hell, he is leading a great many people away from God. This is something that God takes very seriously.

Matters of theology and doctrine are not games; they are deadly serious business. I saw a story some time ago where a woman was concerned that the Tribulation was about to begin, so she tried to murder her children. She said that the reason she did that was to save their souls; she thought killing them was the only way to save them. In other words, her erroneous theology led her to try to murder her own children. Then there are the many people who are led astray by false teaches such as Harold Camping, who convinced people to sell everything they had because the world was going to end on May 21, 2011. As we know, the world did not end on the date he predicted, but his false teachings did destroy many lives.

Teaching is not something to be taken lightly. If you don’t know what you are talking about then you shouldn’t be teaching. If you are going to teach someone then you had better know the Word and you had better be solid. God will hold you accountable for what you have done.

Now, James does not tell us that we should avoid teaching altogether. Teaching is necessary, and it should not be neglected. However, he does urge us to speak with caution:

James 3:2: “For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.”

The word “offend” is Strongs #4417 means “to cause to stumble or fall”. It is the same word that James used in the previous chapter:

James 2:10: “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”

The point James is making is that teachers often fail their students. They teach things that causes others to stumble or fall, and that leads to serious consequences – for both the student and the teacher. God holds people accountable when they do this. However, if we learn to master our tongue and watch our speech, then we can use our body for the good of others.

There is a need for teachers. God has given some people the gift of teaching, and He expects us to use that gift for the benefit of the body:

Ephesians 4:11: “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:”

Here Paul explains why God gave some people the gift of teaching. The reason we have teachers is for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edification of the body. By the use of teachers, God perfects the saints. By the use of teachers, God furthers the ministry. By the use of teachers, God edifies the body.

However, the gift of teaching is not a permanent one. Paul went on to explain in verse 13 that one day the gift of teaching will have filled its purpose. God created pastors and teachers and gave them a job to do. Once we all come in the unity of the faith and become perfect men (which actually will happen one day!), pastors and teachers will no longer be needed. Their job will be done and their task will be accomplished. (Incidentally, that is why we no longer have apostles or prophets; that job has already been finished, so those offices have been abolished. Now that the Church has been established we have no need for apostles, and now that we have the completed Bible we have no need for prophets.)

If teachers can learn to bridle their tongue and teach what is right, they can be tremendously effective. If they can master that ability then they can fulfill the purposes that Paul spoke of in Ephesians. Then they can edify the body and further the work of the ministry. James offers several analogies to explain what he means:

James 3:3: “Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.”

By the use of bits, people can make horses (animals much larger than people!) go wherever men want them to go. They can use the bits to direct the horse. Likewise, all it takes to turn a ship is a very small helm. The governor (or pilot) of the ship can direct the enormous vessel by making small changes to a small helm. A small device can have a tremendous impact on the bearing of a much larger object. As James goes on to point out, this can either be for the better or for the worse:

James 3:5: “Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!”

The tongue is a small body part – a very small one. Compared to the size of the body as a whole, it’s really pretty insignificant. Yet the tongue is a powerful thing. Words carry a tremendous amount of weight, for good or for evil. Its importance far outstrips its size. Words can start a fight or end one. They can build cities or burn them down. They can end wars or start them. They can encourage people or destroy them. They can make your enemy your friend, or make your friend your enemy. It may be small, but it can cause great trouble and kindle great fires.

Words are exceedingly dangerous, and we should use them with care. When used well, words can cause great benefit and joy:

Proverbs 25:11: “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures [or settings] of silver.”

A word fitly spoken can heal broken relationships or change the tide of history. However, words can also cause tremendous destruction:

Proverbs 26:18: “As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,
19 So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?”

A few lying words are likened to death itself! Lies, after all, are made up of words – destructive, terrible words that lead to the death of relationships, the death of men, and the death of civilizations. Words are very dangerous and should be used with great care:

James 3:6: “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.”

What does our tongue do? It is a world of iniquity that defiles the whole body. It can set on fire nature itself with a fire that comes straight from hell. The words of evil men are likened to fire:

Proverbs 16:27: “An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire.”

It is so easy to gossip. It is so easy to spread evil. Spreading evil is like lighting a fire: before you know it there is a huge blaze that is impossible to control. Lives are destroyed and reputations are ruined. It is such an easy thing to dig up evil, and it is so easy to spread it. Once you light it, though, there is no going back. Once a fire has started it can easily spread out of control.

Jesus warned that our words have the power to defile us:

Mark 7:15: “There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.”

We need to stop and think about the words that we say. It is so easy to be hateful and deceptive and to tear others down. Gossip is easy. Spreading lies is easy. Speaking evil of others is easy. Things like this have destroyed many churches and split many congregations. Our words have great power and we should use them with care.

James warned us that we need to take this subject seriously. The tongue is far more dangerous than we realize:

James 3:7: “For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”

James points out that it is possible to tame all manner of animals. You can work with an animal and tame it until the animal is safe. Animals can get to a point where you no longer have to worry that they are going to try to kill you. It is tame; it is not dangerous any more. We say that it has become domesticated. The animal has been civilized and can now join the household as a member.

But tongues are a very different matter. The word “tame” (Strongs #1150) that James uses is the same word that is used in this passage:

Mark 5:2: “And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.
5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.”

That’s quite a picture, isn’t it? Here we see a demon-possessed man who was truly out of control. People could not even bind him with chains! They tried to tame him but they utterly failed. Nothing that they did made any difference.

We know how this story ends: Jesus came along and cast out the demons and made the man whole. He did what man could not do; He tamed that which man could not tame. What was impossible with men was possible with God.

Remember, though, the warning of James. The tongue is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. You can tame your cat and your dog and get to the point where you can trust them, but your tongue can never be trusted. You cannot give your tongue free reign and let it do whatever it pleases. You must always be watching it and always be on your guard. You cannot set it free because it is deadly. You must use the power of God to control it and keep it under subjection. You must watch with great care. This is a battle that you will always have to fight until the Lord calls you home. You must never let up.

James goes on to point out the deceitful nature of our tongue:

James 3:9: “Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.”

It is so easy for us to come to church and praise God, and then go home and curse our neighbor! We speak highly of God and then we speak evil of men who are made in God’s image. This is just an example of how dangerous our tongues really are.

Now, this does not mean that we must never criticize other people. It does not mean that we must turn a blind eye to sin. Some people think that “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” That, however, is not Biblical. Jesus did not hesitate to condemn people who needed to hear it:

Matthew 23:27: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?”

Jesus is not the only one who confronted men for their sin. The apostles did it as well. They even named names:

I Timothy 1:19: “Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:
20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.”

2 Timothy 4:14: “Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:”

Galatians 2:11: “But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.”

2 Timothy 4:10: “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.”

III John 1:9: “I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
10 Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.”

People often say “Jesus said we shouldn’t judge each other”, but that is actually not what He said at all. As you can see, the apostles did not hesitate to judge people, and they even called them out by name. What Jesus actually said was that we should not condemn people for doing things that we are doing ourselves:

Matthew 7:1: “Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”

Do you see what Jesus said in verse 5? He did not say “Whatever you do, don’t ever judge anyone for anything, ever.” Instead He said that we should stop sinning ourselves so that we can see clearly to help those around us. What Jesus was condemning here is hypocrisy.

Someone else who made it clear that we should confront others for their sin is James himself:

James 5:19: “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.”

Notice that James does not say “If you see someone caught up in sin, don’t judge them. Just go on about your business.” Instead he says that we should tell him and help him overcome his sin. We should seek to help them overcome “the error of his way” so that we can save him. We should actually get involved, not walk away and do nothing.

Sometimes getting involved means saying things that aren’t very nice. Calling the Pharisees a “generation of vipers” wasn’t very nice, but they needed to hear it. They needed someone to point out their utter hypocrisy and self-righteousness, because otherwise they had no hope of being saved. They needed to be told that they were morally bankrupt so that they would seek repentance, forgiveness, and grace. It was a hard message, but it was one that they needed to hear.

As you can see, we need to act with wisdom, with love, and with grace:

James 3:13: “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.”

Those who are wise should prove it by the way they live their lives. They should act wisely and speak wisely. They should live with meekness, gentleness, and love. Their words should be fitly spoken, not firebrands. They should speak the right words at the right time. They should seek to edify, not destroy. We should use our words for good, not for evil.

If you are truly wise then you should demonstrate your wisdom by the way you live your life. If you are spending your life telling other people how great you are then you have lost your way. If you use your words to try to impress other people about your own greatness then you are mistaken. Meekness does not boast about itself. Love does not seek its own. Our works – works of love, works of service, works of grace and kindness – should speak for themselves. If we have to convince others that we are wise by telling them that then we aren’t really wise at all. Our lives and our actions should do the talking.

We should use our words for the edification of the body and for the glorification of God. Let him who boasts boast in the Lord. Words of envy and self-glorification do not come from God:

James 3:14: “But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.”

Words that are from above are words that seek to do the Lord’s will. They seek to edify others, to guide them to God, to glorify the Father, to worship our Savior, to follow the Spirit, to do what is right and holy. They are words that are about the Father’s business. Words that are full of envy and strife and self-glorification are words that are from Hell. They are of the devil and they are not becoming of a Christian. Envy and strife are hallmarks of the devil’s work. The words that come from God are of a very different nature:

James 3:17: “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.”

Notice how differently godly wisdom is! Notice the character quality of godly words! Heavenly wisdom – and Heavenly words – are pure. There is nothing evil or dark about them, and there is nothing that makes a lie. They are holy words. They are honest. They ring true.

The heavenly words are peaceable – they seek to stop a fight instead of start one. They calm anger instead of stirring it up. They seek peace – God’s peace. They are not words of strife or bitterness, but are words of healing. Heavenly wisdom is characterized by gentleness, not harshness. It is merciful. It is without partiality or hypocrisy. There is no favoritism, but instead true justice and honesty. It is sown in peace, not in war – in goodness, not in evil.

This is the sort of wisdom that we should chase, and these are the sort of words that we should speak.

The book of Jude is a fascinating book. It contains material that cannot be found anywhere else in the Bible – which is both intriguing and frustrating. One example of this can be found in Jude’s account of an argument that Michael the archangel had with the devil:

Jude 1:9: “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.”

Jude tells us that there was a time when Michael argued with the devil about the body of Moses. This raises a host of questions: what was the devil trying to do? Why did the devil want the body of Moses? What was going on? When did this happen?

Sadly, the Bible does not answer any of these questions. Many people have come up with all kinds of speculation about this verse, but that’s all it is – baseless speculation. It’s impossible for us to know what the devil was trying to do because the Bible doesn’t tell us. It is all shrouded in mystery.

Some people have gone to apocrypha in order to find answers, but the apocrypha are simply not good sources. These supposed “extra” books of the Bible are frauds and forgeries. Those who run to them as a source of truth will only find deception. It would be nice if there was as real “Assumption of Moses” manuscript, but there isn’t. There are only forgeries, written in order to deceive the gullible.

So why did Jude even mention this? After all, this is a big event: Michael got into a fight with the devil! That is pretty riveting stuff – and yet Jude barely mentions it in passing. The reason he does this is because this angelic confrontation isn’t really his point. This is the passage in context:

Jude 1:8: “Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.”

The reason Jude wrote his letter is to warn the church against certain ungodly men who had crept in and were causing a great deal of trouble. One of the characteristics of these men is that they spoke evil “of dignities”. Believe it or not, in this context the word “dignities” refers to demons. The reason we know this is because in the very next verse Jude gives us the example of Michael. When the archangel was arguing with the devil he could have spoken evil of him, but instead he rebuked the devil in the name of the Lord. Jude’s point is that even Michael the archangel would not bring a railing accusation against them, even when talking to the devil himself. Peter makes the same point:

2 Peter 2:10: “But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.”

As you can see, Peter was talking about the exact same thing. Peter says that the angels do not bring a railing accusation against “them”, and from verse 10 we can see that the word “them” refers to dignities – the same word that is used in Jude. Both Peter and Jude are warning us against bringing a “railing accusation” against demons.

The reason Jude gives the example of Michael and Satan arguing is to show what we ought to do instead. Michael simply said “May the Lord rebuke you”. He turned the devil over to the Lord for rebuke – to let God handle it.

The Bible warns us to be on our guard against demons. The devil is a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers. The forces of darkness are arrayed against us, and the Bible tells us how to stand our ground and resist the devil.

That being said, it is God who will judge these forces of darkness; it is not our place to do that. If even Michael the archangel would not bring a railing accusation against him, then we should not either; if he instead delivered him over to God for rebuke then we should take the same course of action. That is Jude’s point, and that is why he brought up the body of Moses.

It would certainly be great to know what the fight was about, but we are not told – and the reason we are not told is because it is beside the point. Sometimes we can focus on unimportant (but fascinating) matters and miss the bigger picture.

Revelation 9:20: “And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.”

This passage is truly remarkable. Despite all of the terrible divine judgments that just happened – despite all the horrifying things that God has done to destroy the environment and wipe out huge portions of mankind – people still do not repent. They do not ask for mercy or forgiveness, and they do not change their ways. Despite the staggering judgments that just happened, mankind continues to serve false gods and refuses to repent. The judgments of God have no effect on them. People may be dying by the billions, but mankind simply will not repent of its sins.

Revelation 9:13: “And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.”

In this judgment, four imprisoned angels are set free. Since these angels have been prisoners for thousands of years, it seems likely that these were fallen angels (otherwise known as demons). These demons are going to kill one-third of mankind. We saw earlier in Revelation that the pale green horse killed one-fourth of mankind; now one-third of those that remain are going to be killed as well. Together these two judgments will kill more than half of mankind.

Revelation 9:16: “And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.”

Most people claim that this verse refers to a giant army of 200 million Chinese soldiers. However, Dr. Fruchtenbaum argues in Footsteps of the Messiah that this is referring to an army of demons, and I think he is correct. If this passage was referring to a human nation it would mention the kings of the east – but it doesn’t. This army does not come from China; it comes from the Euphrates River. This army is not led by men; it is led by four demons. This is a demonic army with four demonic generals – and it is a massive army, with 200 million soldiers.

Revelation 9:18: “By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.”

The first demonic invasion could torment people, but it could not kill them. This one, though, is different. Here people die in large numbers, “by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone”. When it is over, this unstoppable army of demons will have slaughtered one-third of mankind.

The story of Moses is one of the most familiar ones in the Bible. If you ask people about it they can do a pretty good job of covering the basics: Moses was raised as the child of Pharaoh’s daughter. One day he killed an Egyptian, and because of that he had to flee the country and live in the wilderness for the next 40 years. Then, when he was 80, God called him to go and deliver Israel from bondage.

That is the story that we’re familiar with – but that’s not the story that Stephen tells in the book of Acts. What he has to say about it is quite different:

Acts 7:22: “And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.
23 And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.
24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:
25 For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.
26 And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?
27 But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?
28 Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?
29 Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons.”

Stephen is telling us that the reason Moses killed the Egyptian is because Moses was trying to deliver Israel. He knew that God was going to use him to free the Israelites and he was actively trying to help them. The reason Moses had to flee the country is because Israel rejected him.

Stop and think about it: when Moses killed that Egyptian, the only people who knew about it were Moses and the Israelite that he helped. If word got out, then the Israelite that Moses rescued must have done it. The people who pointed the finger at Moses and got him into trouble was not the Egyptians, but the nation of Israel. They were the ones who refused their deliverer and almost got him killed. Centuries later, God would send another Deliverer (named Jesus) to Israel, and they would also refuse and kill Him.

That, in fact, is Acts 7 in a nutshell: Israel hated and rejected the deliverer Moses, and they also hated and rejected the deliverer Jesus. They treated Jesus the same way they treated Moses and the prophets. The Pharisees kept saying “Moses this” and “Moses that”, but the truth is that Israel hated Moses:

Acts 7:39: “To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,
40 Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.”

Israel would not obey Moses. They criticized him, and attacked him, and made his life so awful that Moses actually asked God to kill him because he just couldn’t take it anymore (Numbers 11:15).

After Moses killed the Egyptian and fled for his life, Moses did not return to deliver Israel for another 40 years. When he did come back and deliver them, Moses brought them to Canaan – only to see the entire nation refuse to enter the land. Things were so bad that Israel actually decided to kill Moses and return to Egypt (Numbers 14:10). How did God punish them? By commanding Israel to wander around in the wilderness for 40 years until that entire generation had died:

Numbers 14:32: “But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness.
33 And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.
34 After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.”

When Israel rejected Moses as their deliverer the first time and forced him to flee, Moses stayed away for 40 years. When Israel rejected Moses as their deliverer the second time and plotted to kill him, God commanded that they wander around for 40 years until they all dropped dead. In other words, there were two generations of Israelites who rejected Moses and who died for it.

What would have happened if Israel had not rebelled against God at the border of Canaan – or if they had not rejected Moses when he tried to deliver them the first time? There is really no way to tell. The one thing we do know is that history would certainly have played out differently.

Revelation 9:1: “And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.”

The first four trumpet judgments were truly terrible, but things are about to get much worse. Here we see “a star fall from heaven”. In the Bible, whenever stars are used symbolically (and we can see from the passage that it is not talking about an actual star) they refer to angels. So, in this case, we are seeing a fallen angel. This fallen angel is given the key to the bottomless pit – the abyss. The abyss is a place of confinement for demons; some demons (although not all of them) are confined there. Here we see that during the Tribulation the door to the abyss will be opened and they will be freed.

I really can’t overemphasize how unimaginably horrifying this will be. A giant horde of demons is going to be let loose to roam the Earth – and they are being let loose for the sole purpose of tormenting mankind. These are not just run-of-the-mill demons, either; these are demons that are so bad that they have been held in prison for thousands of years. These are the worst of the worst – and these powerful, supernatural beings are being set free so they can torment mankind:

Revelation 9:2: “And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.”

The demons are called locusts, but they’re not actual locusts. Later on in the passage we are told that they have a king, and Proverbs points out that real locusts do not have a king. What this passage is describing is that a giant horde of demons is being freed from prison. The demons are not allowed to hurt any plants or any of the 144,000 Jews who have been sealed, but they can torment everyone else. (It is possible that they are also restricted from harming believers.) There are so many demons being released that they actually darken the sun. They are like a giant cloud that blots out the sky.

Revelation 9:5: “And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.”

The torment that is inflicted by these demons is so great that people will desperately try to kill themselves, but they will be unable to die. For five months mankind will be in unbearable pain.

But that is not all; there are still more judgments to come.

Revelation 8:13: “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!”

This verse is staggering. As bad as the past four judgments have been, they pale in comparison to what is coming next. Just think about that! One-third of the world’s forests have been burned to the ground. One-third of all sea life has died. One-third of the oceans have literally been turned into blood. One-third of the world’s freshwater supply has been poisoned. On top of that, one-third of all light that the Earth is receiving has been taken away. Many millions of people were killed in these cataclysmic events – and that is on top of a war that just killed a quarter of the earth’s population. Yet there are still three more trumpets to sound. There is still more woe to come.

People think that the earthquake that hit Japan was a major disaster, that Katrina was a major disaster, and that the BP oil spill was a major disaster. Mankind simply has no idea what a truly major disaster looks like. What we are seeing described in Revelation 8 are epic global disasters – disasters on a scale so horrifying that they are making the Earth itself uninhabitable. Jesus warned that if these days were not cut short all life would die – and He was not kidding.

It is so easy for us to read a passage and impose our own interpretation on it, without bothering to actually see what the passage itself actually says. A great example of this is the curious case of King Saul and the witch at Endor.

There came a time when Saul faced an upcoming battle with the Philistines. The battle frightened him, and he wanted some counsel from God – but God refused to respond:

I Samuel 28:5: “And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.
6 And when Saul enquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.”

Since God wasn’t responding the way that Saul wanted, the king did what he normally did in that situation – he decided to solve the problem by disobeying God. He decided the best thing to do was seek out a witch so he could talk to the dead prophet Samuel. (Why he thought a dead prophet would talk to him when the living ones would not (I Sam. 28:6b) is a great question. Saul was not known for thinking clearly.)

Now, witchcraft was strictly forbidden in the Mosaic Law, and everyone who had a familiar spirit had been supposedly removed from the land. Despite this, Saul had no trouble finding someone to help him:

I Samuel 28:7: “Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.”

Saul was hoping that the witch would be able to use her relationship with a “familiar spirit” (demon) in order to communicate with the dead Samuel. He therefore disguised himself and went to talk to her:

I Samuel 28:8: “And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.
9 And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?
10 And Saul sware to her by the Lord, saying, As the Lord liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.”

The reason Saul had to disguise himself is because even the witch knew that necromancy was illegal. If he had come as King Saul then the witch would never have agreed to his request. He had to trick her into doing it – and that’s what he did.

After assuring the witch that everything would be fine, he made his request:

I Samuel 28:11: “Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.
12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.”

Now, this is where our assumptions start to lead us astray. Virtually every single commentary I have ever read on this passage claims that the witch was startled because she wasn’t actually expecting to see Samuel. They say that the witch was just going to trick Saul, and became incredibly surprised when Samuel himself showed up. That’s a great theory, but it’s not what the passage says. After all, look at what the witch actually says. She does not say “Oh my goodness – it’s Samuel!”. No, what she says is something completely unexpected: “Oh my goodness – you’re Saul!” What surprised her – according to the witch herself – was not the presence of Samuel, but the presence of Saul. King Saul was the one who unnerved the witch. He was the one that caused her to panic.

Now, some people claim that Samuel didn’t actually appear; they say it was just a demon who was pretending to be Samuel. That is a great theory, but it’s not what the passage says. This chapter does not say that the witch saw a demon who was pretending to be Samuel; it says she saw Samuel. It does not say a demon answered her; it says Samuel answered her. These verses simply do not allow us any alternative: the person Saul was talking to really was Samuel. It was not an imposter.

But let’s keep going. Look at what happens next:

I Samuel 28:13: “And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.
14 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.
15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.”

Notice what Samuel tells Saul in verse 15. “Why have you disturbed me?” The very first thing that Samuel tells Saul is that the king is bothering him. Samuel does not want to be here and he is not happy about it. His peace has been disturbed.

Notice, also, that Samuel never says “God sent me to tell you that you will die in battle tomorrow.” Commentators far and wide claim that God’s power arranged this meeting, but the passage doesn’t support that at all. Samuel himself never makes that claim. Stop and think for a moment: God refused to communicate with Saul by every single method that God had sanctioned for communication with Him. Why on earth would God cast aside all of the acceptable ways to talk to the king, and instead choose to talk to him through a method that was not only a sin but was a crime punishable by death? Does that really seem reasonable? Another thing to think about: if God had sent Samuel to talk to the king, do you really think that Samuel would have been complaining about the whole situation or would have needed to ask Saul what was going on? If God had sent Samuel then wouldn’t he already understand the situation?

I think it is far more likely that the truth is exactly what it appears to be: the witch used her powers of necromancy to bring Samuel back from the dead so that his departed spirit could talk to King Saul. The witch was not a phony and her powers were not phony either. She had genuine power, and she used it.

One thing we need to keep in mind is that there was a time when people (like this woman) entered into relationships with demons, and that relationship gave them tremendous power. There is a great example of this in the New Testament:

Acts 16:16: “And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.
18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.”

This woman had a demonic spirit of divination and she used that power to tell the future. Now, some people might scoff and say “She was just fooling people”, but think about it: if you are just going to perpetrate a hoax then you don’t need to be demon possessed! She had a demon that had powers of divination, and that demon had some ability to foresee the future.

I have no idea what powers the average demon possesses; the Bible does not give us a complete list. What we do know is that demons do have genuine powers. We also know that forming a relationship with the demonic in order to harness their powers is an extremely bad thing.

Do you remember what Christ said when He described the time just before His Second Coming?

Matthew 24:24: “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”

Jesus didn’t say that they will show phony signs and wonders; no, He said they should show great wonders. The reason these wonders would almost deceive the elect is because they will be real. This isn’t the first time that we’ve seen this; Pharaoh’s magicians in Egypt were able to duplicate some (but not all) of Moses’ miracles.

Somehow over the years we’ve lost sight of the fact that demons are real and that demons have power. We’ve forgotten that there were once real witches who were not frauds. King Saul went to the witch at Endor to have Samuel’s spirit brought up from the afterlife – and that is exactly what the witch did.

As we saw in Matthew 24:24, Jesus warned us that a day is coming when false Christs will arise and do mighty wonders. These men will do great miracles, but they will do them with demonic power. Jesus warned us of this so that when it happened we would not be deceived. Not all miracles are of God – and that is something we desperately need to keep in mind.

Revelation 8:12: “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; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.”

In this judgment, one-third of the light that is coming to the Earth is taken away. In other words, the daylight is reduced by one-third and the night light (moon, stars, etc.) is also reduced by one-third.

Yes, this would make the daytime and the nighttime darker, but it’s far more serious than that. Since the amount of light that the Earth is getting has been reduced by one-third, that means that global temperatures would begin to drop rapidly. A decrease in sunlight of that magnitude would have a huge impact on temperatures. There’s also the fact that the plans need sunlight in order to grow; if there is less sunlight then they will have less energy to work with. The world would become a much colder place, and plant life would be impacted.