Tues.’s Devo - The Seven Bowls

Merry Christmas! I pray you have a wonderful day of family and joy!
Read: Zechariah 8:1-23; Revelation 16:1-21; Psalm 144:1-15; Provers 30:29-31
The Bible speaks of Israel and Zion which are not the same in meaning. Israel includes the whole righteous and unrighteous people group, but Zion represents the city of the redeemed. Zechariah speaks of a day when He will return to his chosen people of Zion and dwell with them in the City of Truth. Then the mountain of the Lord which is an allegory for the Church will be called Holy. God would turn their fortunes from fear and lack to blessing and plenty. They would go from fasting to feasting. Their name would be restored.
In Revelation, the only ones left on the earth to experience God’s judgment are the unrighteous or the new converts. The bowls of God’s wrath will be poured out on them. The first judgement will be painful sores for those who have the mark of the beast. With the second bowl, the sea will turn to blood and kill everything in the sea. The third judgment is the rivers and springs will become blood also because they shed the blood of God’s people. In the fourth judgment the sun will become so hot it scorches the people that refused to repent and glorify God. The fifth angel’s bowl will be poured out on the throne of the was and his kingdom will be plunged into darkness. Still men will refuse to repent and call out to God. The sixth angel will pour out his bowl on the Euphrates and it will dry up so the kings will be able to come from the East. Then the dragon, the beast and the false prophet will be possessed to preform miraculous signs to deceived the nation. They will cater the kings of the world for the last battle at Armageddon. The seventh bowl will be poured out with lightning and thunder and a severe earthquake that will split Rome into three parts. The mountains will be made flat and the whole earth will be shaken and changed. Huge hailstones will fall from heaven. It will be the end.
Lord, thank you that you tell us the end from the beginning. Thank you that you will rescue your people before you pour out your wrath on the earth. Help us to be witnesses in these last days so that we can bring the harvest in.