Quite often we hear Christians say out loud with great fervency “The Spirit and the Bride say Come”!
I wonder if many even understand just what they are proclaiming?
This statement is a declaration of agreement. It is the summons of two witnesses that are bidding the God of Heaven to perform one of His most awesome works affecting every person alive on the earth. Some for glory, some for destruction. It will involve all the angels of Heaven and the saints that have gone before us.
The performance is the last of God’s three phases to undo what Adam and Eve set in motion long ago. The blatant disobedience to God’s instruction in the eternal garden and the willing submission to the deceiver created an unfortunate scenario for mankind. The Earth, that God gave to man to rule and have dominion over, was now a spoil of conquest for satan. The cunning cherub had duped the pair and now they were banished from God’s Presence in Eden. They were required to live in time (instead of eternity) which would lead to death and decay and also be subject to satan’s rule over the earth along with the newly placed principalities and rulers of darkness that were set up in high places in the air.
God’s Three Performances
God’s first phase of recovery was to send a Redeemer to save mankind from their sinful nature through repentance and provide for them His righteousness. Their acceptance of His Messiah would open for them entry into God’s Heaven upon their death.
The second phase of God’s plan was to give man a helper to live in the fallen world that satan and the wicked spirits of the air now controlled through theft, intrigue and sexual immorality. He sent His Holy Spirit to provide His “Born again” children with spiritual weapons of warfare and authority in the Name of Yeshua to navigate this oppressed world that Satan procured from Adam and Eve.
The final or third phase is to separate those who are called by God’s Name from those that hate God and will have nothing to do with Him. This is the Restoration of all things. God will restore man’s dwelling place with Him, open the Garden back to His children, repair the Earth and bring His Kingdom down to merge with the fullness of the Earth.
This process of the Restoration is called the Gospel of the Kingdom.
But the process begins with great distress. God has revealed His plan through the prophets. Most Christians are unaware of what is coming.
Before one agrees with the Spirit and says with the Spirit “Come”, it is imperative to understand all that is involved in this complex state of affairs that must happen according to God’s Word which can not be unsaid, changed or avoided.
Seven Angels Prepare to Blow
The book of Daniel and Revelation describe the coming events prior to the Restoration as terrifying, requiring God’s people to endure and trust Him as they go through it.
We know from 1 Corinthians 15:52 and 1 Thessalonians 4 that the Messiah comes to catch up His people at the sound of the last trump. Revelations 8 unfolds as the last seal is opened and seven angels prepare to sound their trumpets. But before they do something extremely important must happen. The believers on the Earth must be prepared. They will need to be ready for what is about to happen. They must heed God’s Word to the Churches and have already repented, overcoming their weaknesses that separate them from God’s will. They need to know the magnitude of what they are about to pray for in agreement with the Spirit.
8 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. Rev. 8:1-6
The Thunders
It is curious that there are thunderings. These thunderings I believe were heard by John
And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. Revelation 10:4
We see a similar precedent after the Exodus from Egypt.
And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. Exodus 19:16
I believe this end time event will be much like the time when God spoke on Mt. Sinai to His people but this time it will be to those who have washed their garments as Yeshua instructed to the churches in Revelation 2 and 3.
We see a similar command also in the correlating event of Ex. 19
And Moses went down from the mount unto the people and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes. Exodus 19:14
Washing one’s clothes is a metaphor for repentance but more than that it is a deliberate rejection of worldly ways. (satan’s world system of commerce, education, entertainment, organized religion and more specifically government). It is the denial to be a part of satan’s stolen kingdom that he acquired after Adam fell.
Here is where we have to trust God as the Hebrew children were asked to do when they left Egypt. Remember when God judged Pharaoh with the 10 judgments the children of Israel were not affected.
Distress Comes First
The first four judgements (heralded by trumpets from Heaven) that are coming upon the Earth prior to the Messiah’s coming are natural disasters and are specifically for those who should be trusting in Jesus but are in rebellion. These fallen believers have gone cold, leaving their first love and instead have been trusting in this world system for riches and power. The distresses are sent to wake them up so they can find their faith again. At the fifth and sixth trumpets two more tribulations are released that are demonic in nature and in the process some unbelievers will come to faith in Yeshua.
For when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. Is. 36:9b
So, friends, let’s look again at our leading scripture in the beginning – Revelation 8.
And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. Rev. 8:2-6
The prayers of the saints are mixed with the incense (the Spirit of God) and are now in agreement. The saints know the cost. They have repented, left the ways of this present darkness and its evil anti-Christ government, washed their garments and are waiting for instructions (thunders from God). They know what hardships that must come before the seventh trumpet of Messiah. They are ready to endure and trust. So, they declare in fervent prayer, in agreement with the Holy Spirit of God. THE SPIRIT AND THE BRIDE SAY COME!
The Earth begins to shake as the Trumpets begin to sound….
