The Sixteenth in a series of 27 sermons on the book of Revelation
Series Theme
In Christ, the Church has nothing to fear for He watches over His bride and will crush her enemies.
“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords.” (Revelation 19:11–16)
Readings reproduced on this page:
The Holy Bible: New International Version. 1996, 1984. Grand Rapids: Zondervan
Readings
Joel 2:1–11 (NIV84)
1Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming. It is close at hand—
2a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was of old nor ever will be in ages to come.
3Before them fire devours, behind them a flame blazes. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, behind them, a desert waste— nothing escapes them.
4They have the appearance of horses; they gallop along like cavalry.
5With a noise like that of chariots they leap over the mountaintops, like a crackling fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army drawn up for battle.
6At the sight of them, nations are in anguish; every face turns pale.
7They charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. They all march in line, not swerving from their course.
8They do not jostle each other; each marches straight ahead. They plunge through defenses without breaking ranks.
9They rush upon the city; they run along the wall. They climb into the houses; like thieves they enter through the windows.
10Before them the earth shakes, the sky trembles, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine.
11The Lord thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty are those who obey his command. The day of the Lord is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?
Joel 3:9–16 (NIV84)
9Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare for war! Rouse the warriors! Let all the fighting men draw near and attack.
10Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weakling say, “I am strong!”
11Come quickly, all you nations from every side, and assemble there. Bring down your warriors, O Lord!
12“Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side.
13Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full and the vats overflow— so great is their wickedness!”
14Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.
15The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine.
16The Lord will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the sky will tremble. But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.
Text
Revelation 9:1–12 (NIV84)
1The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss.
2When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss.
3And out of the smoke locusts came down upon the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth.
4They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
5They were not given power to kill them, but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes a man.
6During those days men will seek death, but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.
7The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces.
8Their hair was like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth.
9They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle.
10They had tails and stings like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months.
11They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon.
12The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.
