The Third Woe (Revelations 15:1)

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                  Focus:  The Third Woe

Bible Reading & Meditation Reference:  Revelations 15:1

            Message of the verse:  “1   Then I saw in heaven another significant event, and it was great and marvelous. Seven angels were holding the seven last plagues, which would bring God’s wrath to completion.”  (NLT)

            Back in Revelations 11:4 John wrote about the third woe coming quickly, and just for a bit of review the three woes are the last trumpet judgments, and the third woe is the beginning of the seven bowel or vial judgments, but before these judgments begin John will bring up the faithfulness of those tribulation saints who did not except the mark of the beast.  These saints will now give great praise to the Lord as will be seen in the next three verses.

            John writes that what he sees in heaven at this point is great and marvelous and it could be that the reason this is so special is because when these last seven plagues are delivered that God’s wrath will be complete.  As written many times before God’s wrath will have a completion and it is not done to get even, but is done because God is a just God and He must judge sin.  I am sure that this is heartbreaking for God to do this and an example of this heartbreak can be seen when Jesus was on this earth and was looking at the city of Jerusalem and burst out in tears over what He knew was going to happen to them is just a short time because of their sin, and yet it grieved Him very much just the same.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  As I have been studying about these judgments that God will bring upon the earth it has given me a different perspective about God and His judgment of man, and that is that these judgments grieve the heart of God.  Even though when Christ died upon the cross He paid for every sin that had been committed and every sin that would ever be committed God is not getting even with those who have not excepted His forgiveness and holding it up in their faces saying you had your chance but you blew it, no He is grieved over what has to be done, but it still has to be done.  I am sure that the latest “judgment” that has come upon the USA grieves the heart of God, and yet this was all done in the providence of God, for God is a God who has a plan and His plan is perfect and nothing can get in the way of Him completing His plan for mankind, nothing.

The Word of God was refreshing to my heart as I read and studied it this morning.

My Steps of Faith Today:  I want to continue to grow in my walk with the Lord, to allow Him to show me new and refreshing things about Himself so that I can get to know Him better and better each day.

Memory verses for the week:                Psalm 27:1-2

The Lord is my light and my salvation; who shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid.

When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh;

My adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.