Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 8:6-13.

“⁶ And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them.⁷ The first sounded, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth;  and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

⁸ The second angel sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea; and a third of the sea became blood, ⁹ and a third of the creatures which were in the sea and had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed.

¹⁰ The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters.  ¹¹ The name of the star is called Wormwood;  and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter.

¹² The fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.

¹³ Then I looked, and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”  Revelation 8:6-13.

————————–

Today, we start reading Scripture which describe the events following the seven angels sounding the seven trumpets.  It is difficult to understand the meaning, and for that reason, today’s devotion will leap ahead to the summary after the seventh angel sounded the seventh trumpet to help us understand the purpose and the accomplishment.

“Then the seventh angel sounded;  and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,

“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ;  and He will reign forever and ever.”  And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying,

“We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who were, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign.  And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”  Revelation 11:15-18.

God reigns forever and ever.  Today’s Scripture describes God’s wrath as a part of that reign.  

“¹⁰ Now therefore, O kings, show discernment;
Take warning, O judges of the earth.
¹¹ Worship the Lord with reverence
And rejoice with trembling.
¹² Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,
For His wrath may soon be kindled.
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”  Psalm 2:10-12.