God Speaks
[Editor’s note: Beginning Wednesday, January 1, 2025, PrayThrutheBible.com will begin again in Genesis and follow this format: A link to that day’s Bible passage; a link to The Bible Recap with TaraLeigh Cobble; at least one principle from that passage and a prayer; and a link or story from the News or daily life illustrating how that principle works or is needed in reality. The purpose is to demonstrate how the Bible and prayer are relevant to daily life not just restricted to “religious activity”.]
Seven Seals, 144,000 Protected, Seven Angels with Trumpets, a Little Scroll and a Prophetic Assignment and Two Witnesses
Verse of the Day: [May we not be like those who did not repent.] . . . they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood–idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts. (Revelation 9:20b-21 NIV 2011)
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We Respond
Revelation 6
Reflection: Revelation six covers the breaking of the seven seals. At the breaking of the first seal, a rider carrying a bow, wearing a crown, and riding on a white horse is summoned. This symbolizes battle, sovereignty, and strength. There is disagreement among bible commentators whether this is Christ or the antichrist. If it is the antichrist, he will at first bring peace and then declare war on Israel, and anarchy will occur in the rest of the world. This fulfills what the breaking of the second seal with its red horse foretold. Then the third seal was broken, summoning the rider of a black horse holding balance scales. This foretells that a person will have to spend a whole day working just to have barely enough to feed himself with nothing left for his or her family. The opening of the fourth seal releases the pale horse of death and hell to kill one quarter of the whole population by war, famine, disease, and wild animals. The opening of the fifth seal brought the cries of the martyrs for God to take vengeance on their killers; they were told to wait a little longer. The breaking of the sixth seal brought the devastation of a vast earthquake, the darkening of the sun, and the moon turned blood-red. The final calamity is that great numbers of stars fall from the sky like fruit from a tree shaken by a hurricane as well as other disasters. Whatever their status in life, people will be so fearful they will seek holes in the ground to escape the fierce wrath of God.
Prayer: Dear Lord God who is sovereign over all, thank You that Jesus, who is the Lion and the Lamb, is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll. At the breaking of the first seal, a rider on a white horse goes forth. I ask You to conquer and win the war against sin in my own life. Jesus, You are the King who both brings peace and conquers. Help me along with others to stand against anarchy and rampant lawlessness. Lord, please help me to manage my finances well so that I have enough for myself, my family, and even strangers for the sake of honoring You. Unless You have already taken Your holy people out in the rapture, use us to pray and work against the ravages of war, famine, disease, and wild animals, turning people to You and eternal life. Lord, when will You take vengeance on the killers of Your holy ones and the defenseless including the unborn? I yield to Your great love exhibited in Christ. I am being changed by Your great grace applied by the Holy Spirit. I no longer have to fear and will escape Your great wrath, O God. All because of Jesus. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will rely on and obey the Holy Spirit to conquer and put to death specific sins in my life.
- I will do whatever I can to stand up against anarchy and lawlessness.
- I will seek to manage the resources God gives me so that I have something to share with those in greater need.
- I will resolve not to fear anything in this world but offending my loving heavenly Father.
Revelation 7
Reflection: There are two groups of people addressed in this chapter: the 144,000 Jews and the multitude of Gentiles who came to faith in Jesus during the Tribulation. The latter group, as the scriptures say, was so vast they could not be counted. They were from every nation, tribe, people, and language group. The Jews were still on the earth which was about to be devastated by God’s judgment. They would be spared (at least to an extent) by receiving God’s special mark, so that they could point people to God during that time of judgment. The vast multitude wearing white robes and waving palm branches were in Heaven standing before the throne of God. There they joined the angels, the four living creators, the martyrs, and the twenty-four elders in ascribing to God and to the Lamb, “Salvation, blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and might, forever and ever. Amen!” They were especially grateful that their clothing had been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, that their extreme hunger had been satisfied by the Bread of Life, that their thirst had been quenched by the Living Water, and that they had protected from the scorching heat of judgment by their Good Shepherd. Their tears had been wiped away, and they were filled with joy.
Prayer: Dear all-surpassingly glorious Father, Son, and Spirit, thank You for these two groups of people. Please protect, provide for, and guide current day missionaries and persecuted believers, the Tribulation saints, and the 144,000. Strengthen their hands to do the work You have called them to do. Regarding the vast multitude before Heaven’s Throne, I can only join the scene of this wondrous Hallelujah chorus. To God and to the Lamb belong all, “Salvation, blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and might, forever and ever. Amen!” I am especially grateful that my clothing has been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, that my hunger has been satisfied by the Bread of Life, that my thirst has been quenched by the Living Water, and that I have been protected from the scorching heat of judgment by my Good Shepherd. When I am in the permanent Heaven with You, my tears will have been wiped away, and I will be filled with limitless joy. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will make arrangements to meet with a Messianic Jewish person to discuss how I could help them take the Gospel to other Jewish people.
- I will discuss this chapter with the person mentioned above to understand what their viewpoint is on the 144,000.
- I will plan to meet with a person from another country, language, or people group to discuss how I could help them take the Gospel to their country, language, or people group.
- I will join in a multiethnic, multicultural, and/or multi-lingual time of worship to praise God the Father, the Holy Spirit and Jesus our Savior and King.
Revelation 8
Reflection: [The author of this blog thinks of Revelation chapters 8 and 9 as a unit. Some of the same comments may appear in both PrayThrutheBible.com entries. This author must also note that The Wiersbe Bible Commentary also had a major influence on the reflections on the book of Revelation.]
After the opening of the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. This is hard to imagine after all the loud praise from the great crowds of beings mentioned in the previous chapters (4, 5, and 6). It may be that they were so overwhelmed by the majesty of the Lord God that they were speechless. Then an angel mixed incense with the prayers of the saints in a golden censer before the golden altar which was before the Throne of God. When the angel threw the censer, now containing fire along with the incense, to the earth it exploded with thunder and lightning and the earth shook. This may represent the powerful presence of the Lord on the earth similar to at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:16) and at the crucifixion (Matthew 27:51). The blowing of the first four trumpets resulted in environmental catastrophes involving trees and vegetation, the oceans or bodies of saltwater, rivers or bodies of fresh water, and the darkening of the celestial bodies. The people most devastated will be “those who live for the earth and the things of the earth.” (Emphasis by Wiersbe) *
* The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: New Testament, by Warren W. Wiersbe, Colorado Springs, CO David C. Cook p. 1058.
Prayer: Dear God who answers the earnest cries of His people in their prayers, thank You that You use even silence to accomplish Your purposes. It may be that I (and the rest of Your people) am so overwhelmed by Your majesty, O Lord, that I am speechless, in total awe of You, all that You are and have done on behalf of human beings and all creation. Silence also gives You the opportunity to speak to us, instead of our prayers just being monologues. May my prayers (and those of all the people You have made saints) rise as a pleasing aroma before You. Although (if I am still on the earth when these judgments occur) I will be affected by these events, please don’t let me be devastated by them. Help me to keep my trust centered in You. May my internal reasoning be, “What can I do to bring You happiness?” not “What do I want You to do to bring me happiness?” May my life bring You glory, Lord. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will gradually work up to sitting quietly for at least half an hour listening to God.
- I will pray fifteen minutes daily for the next sixty days regarding an issue that is important to me.
- I will ask the Lord how he wants me to be involved in environmental issues while keeping my focus on Him.
- I will ponder “What can I do to bring God and/or other people happiness?” rather than “What do I want God and/or other people to do to bring me happiness?”
Revelation 9
Reflection: [The author of this blog thinks of Revelation chapters 8 and 9 as a unit. Some of the same comments may appear in both PrayThrutheBible.com entries. This author must also note that The Wiersbe Bible Commentary also had a major influence on the reflections on the book of Revelation.]
After the sounding of the fifth trumpet, a leader was given the keys to the Abyss. He released an army of demonic creatures. They acted like devouring locusts with scorpion tails but resembled horses ready for battle. For five months these demons were allowed to torment those who do not belong to the Lord. This torment was in the form of stings so excruciating that people longed to die but weren’t allowed to do so. Their leader was called Abaddon, Apollyon, or the Destroyer depending on the language group. Then, the sixth trumpet sounded, and four mighty demons were released from their chains to lead an army (from the east of Israel) 200 million strong. The assigned task of this army was to kill one third of the earth’s population. These warriors rode horses with cruel biting mouths that belched out burning sulfur and had snake-like tails. They were able to kill from the front or the back. Despite all this torment and death, people still refused to repent and turn from their wicked ways of demon-worship, idolatry (making gold, silver, brass, stone or wood, or objects made from them, their gods), murder, drug-abuse, witchcraft, immorality, and theft.
Prayer: Dear Father God, You deal with the human beings You created with both loving discipline and judgment. Over the years You have dealt with me in a remedial manner meant to get me to repent and correct my behavior and/or attitude. I see in this chapter that there will come a time when You will deal out retribution and punishment to those who have harmed Your people. They will eventually pay for their continual rebellion against You and the laws You have established. Please keep me repentant and loving toward You and other people. Please soften hearts and draw those who have been rebellious back to You. I don’t want anyone to have to go through the torment mentioned here. Thank You for Jesus dying for our sins so that no one has to do so. Please demonstrate the vastness of Your love by turning many people to faith in Christ. Use me as You wish. For Your glory, Lord. AMEN
Action: (Ask the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will check my own heart before God and make sure that because my faith is in Christ alone, I won’t have to face these kinds of torment.
- I will read and discuss this chapter with at least one friend, family member, neighbor, co-worker, or stranger.
- I will be more earnest in praying for friends, family members, neighbors, co-workers, or even strangers who will suffer these torments unless they turn in faith to Christ.
- I will ask the Holy Spirit to help me turn to God from idols or any of the sinful activities mentioned at the end of this chapter.
Revelation 10
Reflection: The mighty angel who comes down from Heaven and stands with his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, may well be Jesus Christ the Son of God. He often, but temporarily, appeared as the Angel of the Lord in the Old Testament. The description of this mighty messenger correlates well with many characteristics of the resurrected Christ. He held a small scroll open in his hand and roared like a victorious lion. Seven thunders answered him, but when he went to write down what they said, John was told by a loud voice from heaven not to do so: these words were to remain a holy secret until the seventh trumpet is sounded. Then, God’s plan, which the prophets through the ages had foretold, will be fulfilled. The mighty angel took an oath by the Great Creator God. John was told to take the little scroll and eat it. When he did, it was sweet in his mouth but sour in his stomach. The scroll represented the Word of God which John and others were to take to all the peoples, nations, tribes, and rulers of the earth.
Prayer: Dear all-knowing Father God, thank You for revealing Your plans to Your servants like the Apostle John and the prophets. I believe that the mighty angel who came down from heaven and stood with his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land was You, Jesus. You roar as the Lion of Judah, and the seven thunders respond to You. Your first advent was part of a holy secret from before the beginning of time. Your second advent (coming) is part of that holy secret as well. I believe that the time of the seventh trumpet is near. As we anxiously await its sounding, enable Your servants, including me, to take the Word of God to all the peoples, nations, tribes, and rulers of the earth. For the glory of Your great name. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will use various Bible study guides or a search engine like Google or Bible Gateway to look up occasions when the Angel of the Lord appeared on earth before Jesus’s birth.
- I will look for lists of verses that prophesy of Jesus’s birth–trying to answer the questions: who, where, when, how, why, and what it meant.
- I will tell someone, who perhaps doesn’t know these things, what I found.
- I will do a similar search about His second coming and share it as well.
Revelation 11
Reflection: First, the Apostle John is instructed to count the worshippers and to measure the temple of God, all except the outer court, the court of the Gentiles. He was also told about the two witnesses whom God would use, empower, and protect for 1260 days. Their ministry would be to proclaim the word of God on the earth and demonstrate His power, especially over nature. They will be feared, hated, and martyred, with their deaths actually being celebrated; however, their resurrection after 3-1/2 days, with its accompanying ascension and massively deadly earthquake, will strike terror in people’s hearts and turn them to giving glory to God. Then the seventh trumpet will sound. There will be an announcement of victory from heaven. The basis of the “Hallelujah chorus” from Handel’s Messiah will be actualized. In Heaven, the twenty-four elders will fall face down in a great acclamation of praise. On earth there will be lightning and thunder, hailstorms, and a massive earthquake.
Prayer: Dear Gracious Father God, who knows and is sovereign over the future, thank You for instructing, guiding, and protecting Your servants, like the Apostle John and these two witnesses. Please keep my heart open to Your correction and direction as did the Apostle John and these two faithful witnesses. Please use me to proclaim the word of God and to demonstrate Your power as well as Your great love of human beings like me. Don’t let me shrink back because of the fear of being hated or martyred. May many people develop a proper fear of the Lord, turn from their sinful ways, and give glory to You, Lord God. I want to be on the alert so that I am ready when the seventh trumpet is sounded. I proclaim in my own life, “The Kingdom of [my] world belongs to [my] Lord, and to His Christ; and He shall reign forever and ever.” I give thanks to You, Lord God Almighty. You will, You are, and You have taken authority over my life. You will reward me for any faithful service I have done by the power of the Holy Spirit. I will fear Your name. Please destroy those who have caused destruction on the earth. Please restore Your temple in Jerusalem and reveal the contents of the ark of the covenant. I also ask that You, the God of all comfort, will comfort the hearts and minds of those who are affected by the natural disasters you send to wake people up. For the glory of Your name. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will regularly join others in worship in a church building, perhaps more frequently than I have in the past.
- I will examine my heart attitude to see if I am willing to stand up for Christ and serve God as these two witnesses did, then do as God directs.
- I will locate and listen to a recording of Handel’s Messiah (or at least the “Hallelujah chorus”) and use it as a time of worship.
- I will spend significant time praying for people affected by natural disasters like those mentioned at the end of this chapter.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.