“For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.” (Matt 24:21)

The thought here is that a “time” or period of great trouble is to come upon the world. This time of trouble has both a beginning and an end. The length of this period is not so stated; although many have conjectured. The general view held by the professing church is that it will last at least seven years, this based upon a misunderstanding and misapplication of Daniel’s prophecy found in Dan 9:24-27 in respects to the seventy weeks. (See, “The Seventy Weeks of Daniel” for a more through look at this prophecy).

As Bible Students we do not share the general view, and although we cannot state for fact just how long this time period will last, we do, however know when it began. It’s not some future event as our futurist friends would have us believe, but something which has already begun and has been steadily progressing even now towards its ultimate ends.

The great time of trouble coincides with the pouring out of the seven last plagues, and will reach its end when the seventh plague has accomplished its final work.

This trouble had its beginnings in (1914) and has ever since been gradually progressing on, and like the birth pangs of a women in labor, so the pangs (the various troubles) have not only increase in their intensity, but likewise in frequency, leading up to what is to be the climax of this event, the birth itself, Armageddon (the seventh plague), a tumultuous time such as has never been nor shall ever be again, a time when the present order of things shall “pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat”, and the mountains (the kingdoms of this world) shall be carried into the sea (the anarchist masses) shaken and removed. (Matt 24:21; 2 Pet 3:10; Psa 46:2-6)

Let us now return to the beginnings of this great time of trouble in which we presently live.

Revelation Chapter 16

VERSES 1 and 2 “Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth. So the first (angel) went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.”

Bear in mind that the plagues are aimed at the same targets, as their respective trumpets (i.e. the first plague is the response or results of the first message of the first trumpet NOT being heeded, likewise the second plague is the results of the second trumpet message NOT being heeded, and so on and so forth.)

Or as the Lord so states the matter,

“I have set watchmen over you, saying ‘Listen to the sound (ing) of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen.’ Therefore, hear you nations, and know (take note), O congregation, what is among  them (what befalls you), Hear, O earth! Behold I will certainly bring calamity (wrath manifested in a specific action or event) on this people, the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not heeded my words, nor my laws, but rejected it.” (Jer 6:17-19)

A lesson was being presented here by the Lord not only to the various nations or peoples living at that time (“hear you nations”) but also to those future nations (the “congregation” or “assembly”) who would likewise hear the trumpets sounding, that if they heeded not they would reap the same results, calamities, troubles, or as expressed at the end of the age, the “bowls of wrath”.

Thus we note the duel significance of this prophecy, it applies both to the nominal fleshly house (Israel after the flesh), and the nominal spiritual house, Christendom, its first fulfillment was after the death of our Lord, in the siege of Jerusalem, its second fulfillment is even now taking place as the seven last plagues are poured out, because once again the trumpets go unheeded.

It is our belief that each of the seals and trumpets parallel the messages of their perspective churches (i.e. Ephesus, first seal, first trumpet, Smyrna, second seal, second trumpet, etc., etc.), we therefore contend that the messenger or angel to each of the respective churches was not only the one who blew the trumpet, but likewise the one who was given the privilege to pour out “the judgments” or “bowls of wrath”, this now in their risen and glorified condition.

“This honor hath all his saints to execute the judgments written.” (Psa 149:9)

We are not to assume erroneously that every single one of the saints, all 144,000 take part in every aspect of the judgments, merely that they all have a share in rendering THE judgments, some, the few are chosen to pour out the plagues, others join in to “smite the nations”, “To bind their Kings with chains and their Nobles with fetters of Iron…” still others shall be privileged, in the next age, to render judgments, to shed light and truth upon mankind.

We believe the first angel or messenger to have been the Apostle Paul, (We understand that some brethren differ on this, but we will not spend the time here go into that, as that will only sidetrack us from our primary subject, rather we will leave that for another discussion at another time). As the Apostle Paul was honored to sound the first trumpet, likewise he is the first angel sent forth to pour out the first bowl of wrath.

“The pouring out is apparently the administration of the details of the EVENT, which forces the first-plague truths on the establishment.”

It is important to note that these plagues have their effects BOTH upon the false church as well as the WORLD.

In regards to the world we see it thusly,

“Remember the bowls are the media of delivery, specific events, which are used to force truths (plagues) to the attention of the old order.

The first bowl appears to be the First World War. (A.D. 1914)

“This bowl was POURED UPON THE EARTH. Note that, unlike the other plagues, this one IS on THE EARTH rather than on a specific PART of the earth. WWI was a plague upon all society (the earth). It is acknowledged by all historians that this was an event, which changed the world forever. WWI put an end to the Divine Right of Kings. Previously this doctrine had been the very foundation of governments since Rome. However, while many kings had been bad, think of the horrors which have in this century replaced them: Communism, Hitler, Mussolini, Franco, etc., etc.”

“And a foul and loathsome sore came upon men”

“This “sore” is probably the inability ever since WWI to find a stable form of government.

It is LOATHSOME (concordance = bad or evil) because instability is one of the worst curses to happen to any social structure.

It is MALIGNANT because it is incurable and spreadable. Note particularly who was primarily affected by this plague (that is in regards to the world) — those who had been a part of the old Divine Right structure. It was AIMED specifically at EUROPE. Those who lost the most were those who depended most upon the old church-state system.”

Continued with next post.