THE BOWLS OF WRATH Chapter 15 Prelude READ REVELATION 14:14 -15:1

When we began the Revelation Study – I spoke of a Series of 3 “Vignettes” I said they were laid out in this order: - revelation, rapture, wrath. I said these were KEY TO INTERPRETING the book of Revelation. I said they revolved around the understanding of the SEALS, TRUMPETS, and BOWLS. I said that rather than being purely “chronological events” – they were 3 separate “imagery – word pictures” starting and backing up again and focusing on different views of end time prophecy. Now that we have finished with Chapter 14 and preparing to study the 7 BOWLS OF GOD’S WRATH - Observe the vignettes with me: THE 7 BOWLS OF “GOD’S WRATH” Poured out in Chapters 15 and 16

Chapters 6 & 7 - THE SEALS of the Scroll *Line up perfectly with what Jesus said in Matthew 24 *A general time line of “end time” events ending with : RAPTURE PICTURE Matt 24: "Immediately after the distress (TRIBULATION) of those days "'the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.' 30"At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. 31And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. Rev 6: I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. 14The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. ENTIRE CHAPTER 7 – A Rapture Picture!

Chapters 6 & 7 - THE SEALS of the Scroll Also ends with : A WRATH STATEMENT: Rev 6: Then (after the RAPTURE) the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16They called to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! THE 7 SEALS – General Revelation – Rapture - Wrath

Chapters 8 & 9 - THE TRUMPET DAYS End Time Revelation “backs up” and focuses on the very last days generations – The time of the “fig tree” The time when God’s People are warned by the TRUMPETS! Matt 24: And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. 32"Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. 34I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Luke 13:7 – THE FIG TREE is ISRAEL! 7So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?'

Chapters 8 & 9 (10 and 11)- THE TRUMPET DAYS The 7 th Trumpet is ALWAYS connected with the RAPTURE! Rev 10:7 7But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets." 1 Corinthians 15: Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- 52in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. Matt 24: "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. 31And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

Chapters 8 & 9 (10 and 11)- THE TRUMPET DAYS THE 7 TRUMPETS END WITH A RAPTURE STATEMENT Rev 11: But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on… 15The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." ALSO… a WRATH STATEMENT Rev 11: The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great-- and for destroying those who destroy the earth." THE 7 SEALS – General Revelation end time events – Rapture, Wrath THE 7 TRUMPETS – Focused Revelation – Rapture, Wrath

THE THIRD VIGNETTE Chapters SATAN’S RAGE – JESUS’ VICTORY! Chapter 12 – Panoramic of Satan’s hatred for 2 witnesses Chapter 13 – Culminated in the anti-Christ and his lashing out against the “saints” Chapter 14 - God’s People are Victorious and are… RAPTURED! Chapter 14:1 – Mt. Zion, 144,000, Seal of GOD on them! Chapter 14:14 – Jesus takes the sickle and “harvests” the earth! THEN THE WRATH! Chapter 14:19 – “threw them into the winepress of God’s WRATH!” REVIEW the 3 Vignettes 1. 7 Seals – ( Chaps. 6-7) General Revelation – rapture – wrath 2. 7 Trumpets – ( Chaps. 8-11) Revelation (focused) – rapture – wrath 3. Chaps – Revelation ( even more focused!) – rapture - wrath READ MATTHEW 13:36 ff.

MATTHEW 13:36 – 43 “He who has ears…let him hear!” The Fig Tree (Israel) has bloomed… The Trumpets are blowing… And there are only TWO kinds of people – when the Last Trumpet blows… 1. Wheat – sown to the SON – born again, belonging to Jesus. 2. Tares (weeds) – sown to the “world”, “the enemy”, or Satan.