Easter & the 7 Last Plagues
Dear Sabbath School Class and Special Guests,
What is feared by many, glamorized by the theater and ignored by many others, I have found to be filled with hope and confidence in Jesus. The study below will hopefully do the same for you as it has for me. Perspective is so important.
I look forward to our study in class and if you aren't with us and this reaches you some other place in the world, I pray that behind all secular treatment of this subject you find the invitation of Jesus, "Come to Me."
Larry R Evans
Vancouver, WA SDA Church
The Seven Last Plagues
(And their connection with Easter!)
Larry R Evans
Class Notes for
March 16, 2019
Introduction
It’s easy to go to the wrong place. I’ve done that more than once! I’ve gone to an airport, checked my baggage, got my ticket, went past security, went directly to the gate and found my seat. I’ve waited and waited and waited . . . . I eventually got suspicious. Finally, I went up to the desk and asked the attendant. To my surprise I discovered that I was at the wrong gate! Had I stayed there I would have missed my flight!
As we study the fascinating subject called the Seven Last Plagues, it is possible that the approach we take can lead us to the wrong gate. We must not forget that the book of Revelation begins with these words, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 1:1, NKJV). Whether its about Him or by Him, the central focus is Jesus! If Jesus isn’t at the heart of our study, then we just might be at the wrong gate! As we study, let’s remember the following words of Jesus,
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matt. 11:28-29 (NIV)
Let’s keep in mind, that whatever the subject or topic we study in the book of Revelation, the ultimate goal is to respond to this invitation of Jesus. We live in a chaotic world, yet Jesus says, “Come to me.” We may be perplexed with personal challenges in home and work, but Jesus says, “Come to me.” We may and we do see values all around us changing and we often feel threatened and we say, “what next!” but Jesus says, “Come to me.” And as we come to the last book of the Bible, when many seem to see the scary beasts, strange word pictures, again Jesus says, “Come to me.” It is only by coming to Jesus that this book of seeming endless riddles will make sense.
Years ago, when Carrie and I were visiting her home church, Medford Oregon, I was asked to speak for church. The next day was Easter, so I entitled my sermon, “Easter and the Seven Last Plagues!” It made a lot of sense to me but then again, but I’m afraid some at least at the beginning may have thought I had gone “to a wrong gate.” Stay with me and see if by the time we complete our study today if we’ve gone to the wrong gate by linking Easter and the seven last plagues! Maybe, just maybe, we will have discovered some hidden hope and encouragement buried in the very subject that frightens people. I am excited as we begin our study of “the Seven Last Plagues.” First, however, we need to see the context.
A Quick Review
A good starting point for our review would be Rev. 12:17,
Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring —those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.
Previously we’ve identified the dragon as Satan and the woman as God’s church through the ages. What we find here that is so important is the identification of the nature of the battle or war between Satan and the church-- the people of Jesus. The battle climaxes over two key principles which originated in heaven—the authority of God. (Rev. 12:7) The two principles are referenced as:
1. The commands or commandments of God
2. The testimony about Jesus
The closing scenes of the conflict stated in Rev. 12:17, are explained in more details in chapters 13 and 14. In chapter 13 we see the nature of one side of the conflict headed by a dragon power which is identified as the Devil and Satan (12:9). In chapter 14 we see the other side of the conflict headed not by another beast but rather by a Lamb. Those who preach the “3 angels messages” place themselves in the heart of the conflict. It becomes clear that central to this conflict is the issue of worship (Rev. 13:4, 15; 14:7,11). Loyalty to God, the Creator, is a central factor, so much so that those who endure the controversy are identified as “keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” (Rev. 14:12) Are you beginning to see the centrality of Jesus and why He made the invitation in Matt. 11:28 to “Come to Me!” The conflict described in chapters 13 and 14 is clearly in conflict over this very invitation. In Revelation 14 we find those who have followed Jesus. Together they stand with the Lamb on Mt. Zion! Satan or the Sragon seeks to inspire and eventually force worship of a different kind.
The Seven Last Plagues
If we are too hasty in our study, we will skip chapter 15 and get right to the plagues. But we need to pause and think carefully why chapter 15 precedes chapter 16!
We find in Rev. 15:3 a choir! I’m not much of a singer but that is one choir I believe I have been invited to join!
“They held harps given them by God and sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb:
“Great and marvelous are your deeds,
Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
King of the nations.
Who will not fear you, Lord,
and bring glory to your name?”
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
Does the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb sound familiar? Of course it does! For a start, let’s look at Ex. 15:1-3
Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord:
“I will sing to the Lord,
for he is highly exalted.
Both horse and driver
he has hurled into the sea.
“The Lord is my strength and my defense;
he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
The Lord is a warrior;
the Lord is his name.
Why were they singing? The Lord had just delivered them. They had crossed the Red Sea but before that, what brought them to the edge of the Sea? Ten plagues had fallen on Egypt and before the last plague what had God’s people done? The blood of a lamb had been placed on the door posts and God’s people were spared the sad and strange act of God. They did not save themselves! They were saved by their God, the Lamb of God! At what seemed the very darkest moment, when faith had been tested, God, the mighty warrior stepped in and saved his people. The Bible says the people crossed the Sea on “dry” ground. Once again, a clear reminder that they were “saved” by the blood of the Lamb and not their own doing! They did yield, surrendered and yes, they went to the Lamb. Could it be that this is what Jesus had in mind when He said, “Come to me!” I think so and probably many other instances when God acted in behalf of His people, and yes, in your behalf.
Armageddon
If TV and the theater were to be our interpreter of the Bible, we would head for the hills for protection of a nucellar holocaust! No doubt horrible things lie in the future but the Bible put the Battle of Armageddon in a very different context! Note the following regarding the 6th plague (Rev. 16:13-16):
Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty.
“Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.”
Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
First question: Whose battle is it? Russia and the USA? The Middle East vs the world? The Bible says it is “the battle on the great day of God Almighty” and just few verses later it is called, Armageddon!
In the context, it seems clear that this is a battle between Christ and Satan and at the center of the battle is the whole issue of who has our loyalty! The beast power will force with the threat of a death penalty (Rev. 13:15) while Jesus, the Lamb simply invites by saying “Come to Me”. Those who do show their loyalty by keeping the Commandments of God including the one identifying God as both the Creator and the Redeemer. (Rev. 14:12; Ex. 20:8-11; Deut. 5:12-15).
Easter & the Seven Last Plagues
Coming to Jesus (Matt. 11:28) is not without challenges. Sin is what makes us stumble on the way to the cross yet the invitation remains before us. Another word for sin is self-absorption. No question about it, “self” is the biggest hindrance when it comes to accepting the invitation. Yet the obstacles seem minimal if we keep our eyes on Jesus. Come what may, the only lasting hope is in Jesus. And this is where the resurrection sometimes referred as Easter comes in.
The seven last plagues is God’s intervention to save his people from the pending destruction of His people. The arrogant Pharaoh, like the secular world of today says, (Ex. 5:2)
Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.”
The “exodus” of Revelation is a repeat performance of the deliverance of God’s people in the time of Moses! Yet behind it all are two very important questions,
1. Who is the Lord?
2. Who will come to Jesus when the day is dark and times seem challenging.
Darkness filled the world as Jesus hung on the cross and Jesus felt all alone yet his faith penetrated the darkness. From that darkness came the resurrection.
Today we’ve looked at the seven last plagues and have seen them as real but also as a means of deliverance from the evil intentions of Satan. Those who respond as the arrogant Pharoah did will find the plagues as God’s judgements upon them. Those who have listened to the Lamb and have accepted his invitation to “Come to me” will find hope and life eternal.
Back to the Gate
It’s very possible to miss the flight “home” if we go to the wrong gate. It’s time we ask the “Assistant” if we are at the right gate. The Assistant, the Savior, is still is saying,
“Come to me!”
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