Vial Judgment Number One (Rev. 16:1-2)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 09/12/2005

 

My Worship Time                                                           Focus:  The first vial judgment

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                         Reference:  Revelations 16:1-2

 

            Message of the verse:  “1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, ‘Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.’  2 And the first went and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men who had the mark of the beast and upon them that worshiped his image.”

            In this chapter is described seven vial or bowl judgments that are the last judgments that God will pour out upon the earth.  In verse one the call is given from the temple in heaven giving the orders to pour out the vials upon the earth and verse two describes the first vial judgments.  The first judgment is very painful sores, but it is only those who have the mark of the beast and have worshiped the image of the beast that will be affected by it.  This judgment is similar to the later judgments that God gave to Egypt in that not all of them affected the children of Israel, only the Egyptians.  The word used for these sores is the same word that is used for Job’s sores, and also affected those Egyptians in Ex. 9:9-11.  The word is also used for the sores that Lazarus had, (See Luke 16:21).  Of course this word in the OT is from the Greek translation of the OT called the LXX.  One more thing of interest is that when the fifth vial judgment is poured out upon the earth it seems that these unbelievers are still suffering with this first one.  (See Rev. 16:10-11)

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I think the thing that strikes me in these verses is the fact that only the unbelievers get these sores and God protects His own when it comes to this judgment.  Another thing that is hard for me to believe, and maybe it should not be, is that these people who get these sores do not repent and turn to God.  After living through the first two sets of judgments these people certainly have to have a pretty good idea that these are coming from God, and instead of embracing Him and seeking forgiveness they curse Him and blame Him, when in fact these judgments are just from the Just God.  I would suppose that there have been many times when God is trying to get my attention and because I am not listening to Him I miss what He is trying to say to me.  This will have to be one of the things that I pray about today and in the days ahead, that I will have my spiritual ears wide open to God leading in my life. 

 

The Word of God has challenged my heart as I read and studied it this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  To ask God to search my heart and to open my ears to make sure that I am listening to His leading in my life, and to repent of any sin that would prevent me from hearing His voice so that I can follow Him with all of my heart. 

 

 

 

 

Memory verses for the week:  Psalm 27:1-3

 

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

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

 

When evildoers assail me to eat my flesh; my adversaries and foes,

It is they who will stumble.

 

Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear;

Though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.