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WORD 4 TODAY
SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 2011

HARDENED

There's one particular passage in Revelation chapter 9, verses 20 & 21 that troubles me every time I read it:
"The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues STILL DID NOT REPENT of THE WORK of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood-idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts".

They DID NOT repent.

All the Christian movies about the tribulation, and how the unsaved, especially the leaders of false denominations, experience sudden remorse after the Rapture and repent of their false teaching, are a bunch of hogwash.

It may serve as self-righteous vindication but there's no shred of scriptural Truth behind it.

Truth is, the Bible says THE VERY OPPOSITE.

There isn't ONE statement in Scripture that anyone rushes to get saved, or comes to sudden recognition that they could have, or should have, given their hearts to the Lord.

Despite the world at war, the destruction of one one third of ships, one third of crops and vegetation, one third of sea creatures, the contamination of one third of the waters resulting in food and water shortages, the third part of daylight being darkened, and ONE THIRD OF MANKIND DYING (that's 1.5 to 2 BILLION PEOPLE) from an unprecedented onslaught of chemical and/or biological missiles, those who are left on earth REFUSE TO repent.

There is, in fact, no record that ANYONE gets saved during the tribulation until the final 3½ years, when Antichrist is reigning.

It is then, and only then, that God sends a special messenger (angel) thru the midst of heaven preaching the Gospel, followed by another angel announcing the demise of Mystery Babylon (Rome), followed by a third angel who warns of the eternal consequences of worshiping the Antichrist or receiving his mark [Revelation 14:6-13].

It's then, and only then, that SOME people (I suspect mostly people who had never before heard the Gospel) come to their senses, and turn to the Lord.

There's a special rapture for those who receive Christ, refuse the Antichrist and his mark, and somehow manage to survive [Revelation 14:15,16; 15:2].

Those who are MURDERED for their faith will be resurrected at the start of the Millennium to reign with Jesus [Revelation 20:4].

However, despite all of the above, A LOT OF PEOPLE will still side with Antichrist. SO GREAT is their hatred for Jesus Christ.

After the worst judgments are poured out on Antichrist's followers, including painful sores all over their bodies, ALL WATERS turning to blood, to the point there's NO WATER AT ALL TO bathe , cook or DRINK, being SCORCHED by the sun's intensified heat, and being bombarded with 100-pound chunks of hail, Revelation 16:9-11 makes the most astounding, and disheartening statement:

"They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but THEY REFUSED TO REPENT and glorify him.

The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. Men gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but THEY REFUSED TO REPENT of what they had done".

Tribulation judgments won't soften anyone's heart. On the contrary, they will HARDEN many hearts to the point they will be beyond reach [Genesis 6:3, 5].

The time to receive Jesus is NOW.

Salvation is GUARANTEED to those who receive Him NOW [John 1:12].

During the tribulation, there are NO guarantees.

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Ybic


Steven