America and Armageddon

Notes: America and Armageddon

Greg Laurie

Book of Revelation 15 & 16

Thursday, October 13, 2016

We are coming up to closing time. The Tribulation period will have a time of peace under the power of the anti-Christ.

When Gods judgement is given it is not haphazardly.

Ezekiel 33:11 NKJV

[11] Say to them: 'As I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?'

God has to judge. He is not only gracious and merciful but He is also just.

Romans 1:18 NKJV

[18] For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

Romans 1:21 NKJV

[21] because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Antichrist will have 10 nations unified behind him.

Revelation 15:1-4 NKJV

[1] Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete. [2] And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. [3] They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: "Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints! [4] Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, For Your judgments have been manifested."

These are the Tribulation Saints, these would be martyrs.

God takes it very personally when people attack His people.

When someone is persecuting us they are persecuting Jesus.

Water is often a picture of judgement and trials.

Being persecuted for Jesus will get you a blessing from Heaven.

Revelation 15:3 NKJV

[3] They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: "Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!

The Song of Moses Exodus 15:1-18 and Deuteronomy 32

The premise..."How could a God of Love..." is incorrect. Who is the center of moral judgement?

Worship God in calamity, for the calamity, not just after the calamity.

Revelation 16:1-9 NKJV

[1] Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth." [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. [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. [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, The One who is and who was and who is to be, 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 it is their just due." [7] And I heard another from the altar saying, "Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments." [8] Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. [9] And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.

It's the goodness of God that brings you to repentance.

Hebrews 8:5 NKJV

[5] who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, "See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain."

All the things that have ever deeply possessed your soul are just glimpse of Heaven. Those things are to arouse you to the real thing. Everything good on earth is just a glimpse of what is better in Heaven.

Revelation 16:12-16 NKJV

[12] Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. [13] And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. [14] For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. [15] "Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame." [16] And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.

Armageddon has become part of our everyday language.

Megiddo is a place.

Revelation 12:13 NKJV

[13] Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child.

Revelation 9:16 NKJV

[16] Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them.

During the battle of Armageddon, the U.S. is not mentioned.

1. We may have been devastated by nuclear war.

2. We may just decline as a super power.

Isaiah 40:15 NKJV

[15] Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, And are counted as the small dust on the scales; Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing.

3. We could have a nation wide revival that when the rapture takes place, as a nation we are gone.

We need a spiritual awakening!