The Seventh Trumpet: The Prayers Of The Saints: The Coming Judgments

And when He had opened the seventh seal, 

there was silence in heaven about the space of 

half an hour. And I saw the seven angels which 

stood before God; and to them were given

 seven trumpets. And another angel came 

and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; 

and there was given unto him much incense, 

that he should offer it with the prayers of 

all saints upon the golden altar which was 

before the throne. And the smoke of 

the incense, which came with the prayers 

of the saints, ascended up before God out 

of the angel's hand. And the angel took 

the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, 

and cast it unto the earth: and there were voices,

 and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

Revelation 8:1-5

     Silence in heaven what could this mean? It is important to note that this silence precedes the following judgments. Men who were listening to Paul kept silence as he defended himself against accusations (Acts 22:2). Paul in writing to Timothy had this to say: "Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection" (1Timothy 22:11). There are times that we keep silence when being confronted, or know that this is not the time to speak. This silence in heaven is but a short time. Could this be a time when the Church is in expectation waiting to see what God was about to do? This what the nation of Israel was told to do: "Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for He is raised up out of His holy habitation" (Zechariah 2:13). Trumpets sounded after being delivered to the angels reminding us of the supernatural accompaniment of Divine interpositions: "And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which vice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more" (Hebrews 12:19). Silence, no words spoken, therefore there seems to be an allusion that there is a time when people will be left to their own delusions. The angels now come before God and not only given trumpets to sound the words of God, they were given a golden censer with much incense and with this incense prayers were offered and the smoke from the incense carries the prayers of the saints. This incense was forbidden for personal use (Exodus 30:34-38). Now, this censer full of fire and smoke was cast into the earth and came to the earth vices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. The angels were now ready to sound the trumpet.

     A question that must be answered is: are you assure of the promises of God and your salvation through His Son Jesus Christ? Are you resting in those promises? Are you growing in your faith to be able to overcome? Examine now your Christianity. There are three words that sum of Christianity as they are the very essence and substance of Christianity: "CHRIST IS ALL" (Colossians 3:11). If this is not the case then you have much to learn and this is the goal of this blog to increase your faith, not spend time arguing over the differences but to see how what was written applies to us in our everyday life. You must come to God for He is calling and you either answer or not but if you do: "Draw nigh to God, and He will draw night to you" (James 4:8). The word "come" means to "transact,"  and when you do then God invades you instantly. If this is true of you then you as an Authentic Christian have nothing to fear when reading those terrible words of the coming judgment upon the earth, to those who will not hear. 

    We ought to be praying: praying intercessory prayers as they are never denied and always accepted. Think on this: the same censer with fire and smoke that came out of it with the prayers of saints is also the same censer that the judgments of God are thrust upon the unbeliever. The time is now to bring to your world the Gospel, to be intentional in bringing the Gospel. To go and speak the Gospel. To study and pray and to act upon that which God has revealed in His word. You do not have to avenge for God, He is able to do His own fighting and when He does it is final, absolute. We on the other hand have a battle of our own and not alone but of our own for we have His sure word, and the power of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This is not a time for timidity, it is a time to draw upon the strength of Go and go, and take this message of the Gospel to the world. 

     Jesus came to fulfill the promise of God that He would send a Savior and He did, so then, our worship should be undefiled, holy in origin and in nature. God is holding back for now the judgments that the angels are ready to send to the earth. We do not know when, but we do know that it will happen and until then we have a job to do and that job is not to become so enslaved in this world, with its culture and forget that God uses means to spread His word and as an Authentic Christian you are the means. We are called to be holy and holiness is the balance between yours/my balance between yours/my disposition and the law of God as expressed in Jesus Christ. Ponder this: God wants to use you: will you choose to serve God?

Whosever causeth the righteous to go

     astray in an evil way, he shall fall

into his own pit: but the upright shall

    have good things in possession.

                        Proverbs 28:10

May the smoke of your prayers rise to God

Richard L. Crumb 

What Does It Mean To Wash Your Robes In The Blood Of Jesus Christ?

And He said to me, These are they which came 

out of great tribulation, and have washed 

their robes, and made them white in the 

 blood of he lamb. Therefore are they before 

the throne of God, and serve Him day 

and night in His temple: and He that sitteth 

on the throne shall dwell among them.

Revelation 7:14-15

     I take a moment to return to these verses for they must not be passed over quickly for they apply to the overcomers which I pray is you. Too often when studying Revelation the teachers seems more interested in either passing over the hard to understand things, or to rush through passing over the application of what and why God inspired John to write this book. So then, before moving on to the seventh seal we must look deeply into these verses and make application. Why? Why study if not to gain more knowledge as to how you can change to become in the image of Jesus Christ? 

     Prayer, too often, is much about asking God to do, or to give, or to even preach a sermon (many a pastor prayer is more about sermonizing rather than coming to God and intercede for others), maybe this is your type of prayer. The only prayer that you can be sure that God hears and does is the prayer of repentance. I hear prayers asking God to open doors for this or that, for this job or another job, or to give them health (which is not all wrong but should not be the priority) rather than know that this is life and God does not make you a robot and knows your plight and will take you through it and this can give to you the ability to overcome a bad situation. 

     Let us take time to examine the Greek so as to get a deeper understanding of what a Greek reader or hearer heard or understood. Tribulation in Greek is: "Θλίβω" and means to squeeze,press, to press upon, encumber, throng, crowd, and as as it is in this verse: "Θλίψεως" genitive, singular it means pressure, compression, metaphorically affliction, distress of mind, distressing circumstances, trial, and affliction. The word meaning "great" adds to this word that this trial, tribulation, distressing, or some affliction is huge, great, and by your coming through,out of this, you have done so by your "washing your robes and making them white in the blood of Jesus Christ. You have to do it: God is not going to do it for you. God may allow you to come up to some great tribulation but He will not take you through it, you must decide to go through this and you will find that you are not alone. You have to wash your self, you, no one else can do it for you. The blood of the Lamb is there for you for the taking if you do this: "I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Galatians 2:20). You will not wash yourself in the blood of the Lamb until you break your independence by your own hand and surrender and allow the supremacy of Jesus Christ to rule. This is emancipation of your personality that is and has been formed by this world, its culture, and allow yourself to become complete in Jesus Christ. Anything other than this is only pious fraud. What will you give up and make no conditions and allow yourself to be broken of your self-realization? When will you come to the place and reach the reality of the supernatural realization and become a witness of the Spirit that indwells your upon your repentance and conversion to Jesus Christ? Have you been crucified with Jesus Christ? This is washing yourself in the blood of Jesus Christ making that robe, that is you, that which wraps around you for everyone to see and be seen serving God day and night? 

     Oh, how often are we attached to a denomination, a creed, certain doctrines of a Church thinking that this is pleasing to God. It is not wrong to attend a denomination that is teaching the truth of God's word and not some other gospel, but this is where you must decide to wash yourself only in the blood of Jesus Christ and not some man's opinion. I saw a move: "The Casualties of War" staring Michael J. Fox and in a scene after a horrible event in this war and sitting drinking up beer to settle his tormented mind of this a chaplin came up to him and ask if he could be of some help. Here is the illustration from this movie, the chaplin said I am a Mehodist, and Michael J. Fox said that he was a Lutheran, and the chaplin said "can we still not talk?" If both are Christian of course they can talk, but if they hold some hatred towards another denomination then they are off base. You do not have to agree with a doctrine, but if that doctrine is more a matter of indifference then what is there to quarrel over? Nothing! You, me, must deliberately sign away our rights and become a bond-slave of Jesus Christ and until that is done I think that you have not washed your robes in the blood of Jesus Christ and are demanding your way over the way of Jesus Christ. Church has one objective: It is to allow God to take hold of our lives and allow Him to decide and allow what He wants us to be and learn what is His conception of what we are going to be: a saint, an overcomer, serving Him day and night forever. 

     God is leading you to "living waters," will take your hand and scoop up that water and live for Him? It is up to you, to me and all that are Authentic Christians living in Authentic Christian Faith. 

Whereas thou hast been forsaken

    and hated, so that no man went

through thee, I will make thee an

    eternal excellency, a joy of

many generations.

                       Isaiah 60:15

This applies to Jesus and to you

Richard L. Crumb

Who Are Those Wrapped In A White Robe? Where Did They Come From?

And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, 

What are these which are arrayed in 

white robes? And whence came they? And I 

said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said

  to me, These are they which came out of 

great tribulation, and have washed their robes,

 and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 

Therefore are they before the throne of God, 

and serve Him day and night in His temple: 

and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell 

among them. They shall hunger no more, 

neither thirst no more, neither shall the sun 

light on them, and any heat. For the Lamb 

which is in them midst of the throne shall 

feed them, and shall lead them unto living

 fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away 

all tears from their eyes. 

Revelation 7:13-17

 

     I apologize for any delay in writing this blog. I was out of town for a few days and had doctor appointments to check out if the cancer had spread into my liver. It has not! But I am back and will give to you some food for thought as we study Revelation.

     The apostle John now asks questions and one of the elders who were before the throne gave to him answers and those answers give to us much hope and praise for the future of all of God's children. Question: "Who are these which are arrayed in white robes?" Furthermore: "Where did they come from?" The symbol white is used to denote purity, and those arrayed in white robes are the ones who have Authentically converted to Jesus Christ. These are not the ones who are nominally Christians, or those who have not put their full trust and assurance in Jesus Christ, no, it is the ones that follow obediently Jesus Christ. John gives us this: "If ye love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15). The word used here in Greek is "ean" and it is one of two words translated "if." This word is subjunctive and then is to be understood that a person has a choice. It is true that purity comes from Jesus Christ but that is the righteousness that He gives to all who choose to be obedient to Him, not that works gives to them righteousness, no, but out of the righteousness that is given they obediently keep His commandments. Jesus Christ does not insist on our obedience. We are told by Him very emphatically what we ought to do, but He never, and this is important, never takes the means to make us do it. We, if we are Authentic Christians have to obey Him out of our oneness of Spirit. Jesus always used the subjunctive when He speaks about discipleship. That then means: you do not have to be obedient unless you like to be obedient. Jesus speaks of what it means to be an Authentic Christian: "Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" (Matthew 16:24). What is Jesus saying? He is saying and talking not of eternal positions, but of being of value  to Himself in this world, in this order of things, through all temptations and trials, big and small. It is Jesus Who is speaking these words as harsh as it may sound to you. 

     It is interesting to note that Jesus does not give us rules, but He does give to us His standards and this loud and clear, and that if we have developed our relationship with Him and that out of love, you, we, will do what He says without any hesitation. Think on this: if you hesitate, then you love something, someone, (usually yourself) more than Jesus. Are you waiting for Jesus to make you obey? Well: He will not make you, you must do it, you must decide to obey Him and when you do you have fulfilled your spiritual destiny. If you obey God now, in all the trials, this great tribulation we are in in this world you will discover that you have been blessed by God and more than that many, many other will also be blessed due to your obedience out of love for Jesus Christ. If you have truly repented and the free forgiveness of God through Jesus Christ and this in your soul you will get through to others and you will see that behind all this trial, this great tribulation you in your obedience so the Reality of God Almighty.

     What is waiting for you? Life like you have never experienced before, a life where there is no need of the sun for the light of God, Jesus Christ will shine upon you forever, that is you will see what you cannot see now: God, not visibly, but Jesus Christ Who rose bodily into heaven. There will not be tears nor the heat of pain for in the midst of the throne, notice this: Jesus is said to be at the right side of God, at the throne of God and here He is said to be in the midst of the throne. This is possible for He is God, the Second Person of the Trinity. Your eternal food has begun now but will be the food for you in the future for Jesus Christ will feed you, feed your soul and you will be led to the fountains of living water. No tears for God has wiped them all away. 

     Are you no putting on your white robe? Do not wait for God to do it, you must put on that white robe. The ones who are seen to be wearing white robes are the ones who have overcome, overcome great tribulation, whatever that means for you, you have overcome because you love Jesus Christ and are obedient to His commands. God gives you grace so that you can do it, and God gives to you the Holy Spirit speaking to your soul so that you have His power to be obedient if you choose to listen and obey, to trust and obey as that old hymn so aptly says. The time is now: do no waste it!

 

Turn, O backlsliding children, saith the LORD; 

     for I am married unto you: and I will take 

you one of a city, and two of a family, 

     and I will bring you to Zion.

              Jeremiah 3:14

 

Put on that white robe: Do not wait!

 

Richard L. Crumb