Gospel Dynamite with J. Allen Mashburn

The Great Dragon is Cast Out | Revelation 12:7-17 | J. Allen Mashburn

The chapter we are studying here in Revelation is a chapter wrapped in conflict. In our last study we witnessed war between the nation of Israel, symbolized by pregnant woman, and Satan, symbolized by a great red dragon. As we read our text today, you may have noticed that these verses continue the image of conflict. In fact, verse 7 is quite a shock to the system.
When we read of war in Heaven it kind of takes us back. We do not think of Heaven as being a place where wars are fought. If the Bible announced a war on earth, we would not be shocked. Our world has a long history of bloody warfare.
According to one statistician, in the 5,560 years of recorded human history there have been some 14,531 wars. Many of history's wars were conflicts between two nations, or two factions within a nation. But, in World War II war was taken to new and devastating heights. By the time the war reached its zenith only twelve nations were not involved in the conflict on at least some level. In the year 2,000 there were at least forty armed conflicts being fought on the soil of thirty-six different nations.' Our world is a world of warfare!
Yet, when we read of warfare in Heaven, we are taken aback. This war will settle a conflict that has been raging since before there was a world. As we discovered in our last study, Lucifer, who seems to have been the chief among God's angels sinned against God. He led one-third of the angels of Heaven away from God in this rebellion and he and they were removed from God's presence. Lucifer became Satan and he has done everything in his power to disrupt the eternal plan of God to redeem His elect people and His ruined creation. Since that time, as we will discover, Satan has had limited access to Heaven. This chapter tells us about the final battle in this ages old war. In this battle, Satan, the great dragon, is forever cast out of Heaven.
While there are details here that are confusing, these verses are a blessing to the children of God. They tell us of a day when Satan will finally and eternally be cast out of Heaven. Let's look at these verses and examine a few more of the participants of the Tribulation Period.

Great Wonders in Heaven | Revelation 12::1-6 | J. Allen Mashburn

We are moving into the second half of the book of Revelation today. This second portion opens with an amazing vision of some great wonders on the heavens.
Let me remind you that the book of Revelation is not written in chronological order. Chapters 4-9 take us all the way through the end of the Tribulation Period. Chapters 10-11 are passages that stand as like a parenthesis in the action. They reveal some of the “behind the scenes” activities of the Lord. Chapter 11 takes us to the very edge of eternity. It closes with the Lord Jesus claiming His rightful dominion over this universe and it reveals as the inhabitants of that glorious land praise their King. Chapters 12-19 take us back through the Tribulation once again.
While chapters 4-9 deal with the timeline or the plan of the Tribulation, chapters 12-19 deal with the characters, or the people of the Tribulation. We are introduced to some of the individuals who will figure greatly during that period of time.
So, we are going to tread once again on ground we have already visited. As one writer said, “In Revelation 4-9 we see the events of the Tribulation through a telescope; in Revelation 12-19 we see things through a microscope.” In other words, we are about to get a more detailed look at the events of this period.
What is said in chapter 12 is essential to a proper understanding of what is going to be said in the rest of the book. If we misinterpret things here, we are going to be off tract the rest of the way through Revelation.

Heavenly Rejoicing on the Edge of Eternity | Revelation 11:15-19 | J. Allen Mashburn

This message brings us to the half way point of the book of Revelation. It also brings us to the end of a very long section that began back in Rev. 10:1. In this passage, the seventh trumpet, which was announced in Rev. 10:7, is about to sound. When it is sounded, this trumpet will unleash God’s final acts of judgments upon the earth.
 
The seventh trumpet will bring about a devastating wave of judgment. It will fulfill the ancient prophecies of Joel 2:1-2, “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand; (2) A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.” When it is sounds, the seven bowl judgments are revealed. 
These bowls contain the final, awesome, awful judgments of God, Rev. 15:1. The sound of the seventh trumpet alerts the world that King Jesus is about to reclaim everything that belongs to Him.
Now, the seventh trumpet is sounded here in Rev. 11:1, but the events it brings to pass are not recorded until we get to Rev 15. Chapters 12-14 are a retelling of the Tribulation story from a different perspective. In Rev. 6-11, the focus has been on the Lord Jesus. We have learned about the process He uses to take possession of this earth. Rev. 12-14 takes the focus off the Lord and places in on the Antichrist. We have been observing the Tribulation from God’s perspective. For the next few chapters we will observe that awful period of time fro Satan’s perspective.
      This passage takes us forward in time to the very edge of eternity. We are transported ahead to the end of the age to a time when Jesus has taken possession of the world and judged sin and sinners. As we look ahead to that blessed day, we find Heaven in a state of rejoicing.
      Today, we want to look into these verses, and by virtue into Heaven itself. In doing so, we are allowed to witness Heaven’s reaction to the reign of the Lord Jesus. I want to show you the great reasons why we see worship, praise and excitement in Heaven as time comes to an end. The words “great voices” translate the Greek words “mega” and “phonay”. We get the word “megaphone” from these words. It refers to shouting and loud speech. 
This is a picture of loud, vigorous praise in glory, v. 15-16!

The Two Witnesses from Another World | Revelation 11:1-14 | J. Allen Mashburn

We are still in a parenthetical of Scripture. God is describing a break in the action of the Tribulation as He takes care of some heavenly business. As I mentioned in our last study, this is one of the most difficult passages in the Revelation to interpret.
      There are two facts to keep in mind as we study these verses.
1.  We are on Jewish ground – The images and words used are Jewish in nature.
2.  We are dealing with events related to the future – The book of Revelation details future events. Any other interpretation destroys its meaning and purpose.
      In verses 1-2 we discovered that a new Jewish temple will be built in Jerusalem. The Jews will consecrate a priesthood and they will offer animal sacrifices as prescribed in the Law of Moses. They will worship God under the old covenant, not recognizing the fact that Jesus shed His precious blood once for all to save the souls of humanity.
      The next vision we are given is of two special witnesses. God sends two ambassadors from Heaven to preach His Gospel message to the people in Jerusalem. It is these men and their ministry that we want to consider today.

The Tribulation Temple | Revelation 11:1-2 | J. Allen Mashburn

We are still in the midst of a parenthetical passage that began in chapter 10. We are in the midst of a pause in the actions and activities of the Tribulation Period judgments. As we come to Revelation 11, we have arrived at one of the most difficult passages in the book of the Revelation. It is hard to understand, but keeping two thoughts in mind will help us as we study these verses.
1. We are on Jewish ground – The images and terminology are Jewish in nature. These verses deal with the future of the people of Israel.
2. We are dealing with future events – Some theologians take these verses and try to make them fit the past. Some even try to make them fit into the present. It seems to me that they will only fit into the future.
      What we are going to study today is a prophecy concerning the future Temple in Jerusalem. I thought it would be good if we just took our time in this chapter and considered these matters in some detail. So, with that in mind, let’s examine John’s words concerning the future Temple. I want you to see that this prophecy contains some very specific visions of the future of the Jewish people. So, let’s study together The Tribulation Temple.

A World at War | Revelation 9:13-21 | J. Allen Mashburn

The images depicted in this chapter make it one of the most disturbing passages in the entire Bible. In verses 1-12, we studied a description of a swarm of demons. These demons came to the earth to torment all those who refused to bow to God. They tormented men for five long months and brought terrible suffering to the unsaved. The only grace in those verses is the fact that those who know the Lord Jesus as their Savior will be spared from that attack. It is also a blessing to know that those who are saved today will miss that terrible time because they are safe, at home in Heaven, with the Lord Jesus.
As we continue to look at the events of chapter 9, we come to the sixth trumpet judgment. 
When that trumpet sounds a voice is heard to speak from between the horns of the golden altar. The mention of this altar reminds us of the golden altar of incense that was in the tabernacle and the temple. The golden altar was where incense was burned as an offering to God. It was the place of prayer; the place of intercession. It was a place of mercy, where prayers could be offered to the Lord.
In these verses, the place of mercy has become a place of judgment. When people reject the grace, mercy and love of God, they are left with nothing but His wrath and judgment. That is what we are going to see in these verses. The world has rejected grace and they are given judgment.
Let’s take some time today to look into the events of the latter part of Revelation 9.

When Hell Comes to Your House | Revelation 9:1-12 | J. Allen Mashburn

There can be little doubt that the Book of Revelation contains some of the most frightening images in the entire Bible. This passage may be the most frightening of them all.
We are in the midst of the seven trumpet judgments. The first four trumpets have been sounded and they brought forth horrible scenes of death and destruction. The earth’s environment has been shattered and mankind is writhing under the awful judgments of a holy God.  Chapter 8 closes with an angel flying through Heaven pronouncing three “woes” upon the “inhabiters of the earth”. This angel knows that the plagues unleashed by the sounding of the last three trumpets will be far more horrible than anything we have witnessed yet.
Why does the Lord give us these graphic descriptions of what the world will face during the Tribulation? Why write about such tragedy, death and suffering? I think there are three very good reasons why these things are dealt with in the book of Revelation.
1.  These things are mentioned so the church will know what we have been saved from. It is exciting to know that God will deliver His people from this kind of judgment.
2.  He extends this glimpse of the future as a warning to those who have not trusted Jesus as their Savior. He wants them to know what they will face if they continue on in their sin and in their rejection.
3.  They are given so that those of us who know the truth might be motivated to share the Gospel with the lost.
As we consider the judgment associated with the fifth trumpet, I would like to share some of the awful realities that are presented in these verses. Regardless of whether you are saved or lost there is a word here for you.
We are living in a day when the subject of Hell is viewed with much skepticism. People just don’t believe in a literal place of torment. In fact, many preachers and church members reject the notion of Hell, as it is presented in the Bible. People joke about Hell and use the word as a byword in everyday language. But, these fact is, Hell is a real place! Real people are going to endure real torments for a real eternity in a real place called Hell. They can attempt to deny it is they wish, but Hell is still real. In these verses, Hell visits earth. I would like to take these verses and point out the terrible realities that will be visited upon the earth in the last days.

When Heaven Falls Silent | Revelation 8:1-13 | J. Allen Mashburn

We continuing to watch as the events of the Book of the Revelation unfold. We have already witnessed the end of the church age, which will culminate in the Rapture of the church, Rev. 4:1. We have watched as Heaven worships God and the Lamb for Who They are, what They have done and for what They will do, Rev. 4-5. We have seen the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus, take the seven-sealed scroll from the hand of His Father and, we have watched as He began the process of breaking the seven seals, Rev. 6. As He did, the earth was engulfed in horror after another as the judgments of God began to fall on sinful men. We also studied the events of Rev. 7, where 144,000 Jewish evangelists are saved, sealed and sent out to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom to all the nations of the world, Rev. 7:1-8. As they preached a vast multitude was saved out of great tribulation and washed their garments in the blood of the Lamb. 
This redeemed multitude is pictured, healthy and whole, in Heaven in the presence of the Lamb and of the Father, Rev. 7:9-17.
That brings us to our text for this study. Here, in verse 1, the seventh seal is broken by the Lord Jesus. When He breaks this seal, seven trumpet judgments are unleashed upon the earth. If you think things have been horrible thus far, you are right, but the worst is yet to come.
Today, we are going to watch as the first four of the trumpet judgments are sounded against the earth. We are going to see things go from bad to worse for those who will be living on the earth during the Great Tribulation. Allow me to share with you the observations offered in this passage as I preach on the subject When Heaven Falls Silent.