Friday, October 15
Read Revelation 9
Think About It:
- Where do we find hope in the middle of all of this horror? What lessons can we learn here? God is in control; He gives the power and sets the boundaries. What boundaries did God set with the locusts?
- The demonic locusts described earlier in the chapter were restricted to tormenting mankind. But these four angels have the authority to kill on a massive scale. These angels have a specific sphere of activity (a third of mankind) and are only activated in God’s timing. They execute God’s will in God’s timing. What is the attitude of those who are not killed by the four angels and their army? It is amazing to see how quickly things return to “normal” after some calamity such as an earthquake. We are so quick to forget God’s lessons, even the lessons that come in judgment.
Family Time:
- According to verse 4, who or what remains unharmed? What does this say about how much God cares for you?
- We often think that God’s wrath or even the “revelation of hell” will bring people to repentance. While God’s wrath is real and just and Hell is a real place designed for the enemies of God, it isn’t wrath or hell that leads people to true repentance. Look at verses 20 and 21. After experiencing such awful wrath, did the people repent?
- It is always, always, always the revelation of the goodness of God (that’s why we call the Gospel the good news) that leads people to repentance. We are told to preach the GOOD NEWS!!!
- While we all need a holy, righteous fear of the Lord, we can’t scare people into heaven!
