September 24 Receive the Blesing

Revelation 8:7-12 The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. 8 The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, 9 a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. 10 The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water— 11 the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter. 12 The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.
 
MANY of us are aware of the plagues against Egypt described in Exodus 7-12. Those plagues served two purposes: 1) To show the Creator, not creation must be worshiped. 2) The cycle of nature was not in mankind’s control. The Lord used the unnatural phenomena to judge the Egyptians’ idol worship. The plagues also awakened both the Egyptians and the Hebrews to know the Lod God is sovereign over the heavens and earth.
    Now as we see what “must take place” (Rev 4:1b) God, in essence, expands the plagues from Egypt onto a third of the earth. One third of the world’s water turns red. Darkness also covers one-third of the earth. Further, mountains fall into the sea. Fire scorched the earth. People who have witnessed severe volcanic activity and flowing lava know what that looks like.
    Wormwood is a bitter root. In the third trumpet, this symbolizes the bitterness of sin’s sorrow and death. This water that becomes bitter is especially grievous as it reverses God’s blessing: Exodus 15:22b For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter…25 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.  
    Blessing is bitterness to sweetness. Curse is sweetness to bitterness. See how sin turns sweetness into bitterness, living water into blood, light into darkness, life into death. Why do we want the curse in our lives?
    Throughout history, mankind has replaced the true worship of the eternal Living God with the worship of animals, mountains, wind, rain and, most of all, the self. Might you consider his judgments are too severe? Then it is good to stop and remember his blessing: Ephesians 2:1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient…4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved.
    God’s grace adds life. Are you willing to receive his sweet salvation as your rule of life?
 
Prayer: May you rule your earth, Lord. Put away false worship, so all will worship the Lord God only. Amen.