FBC Marshallville
21 Time is near 9-13-21

  • Man’s Heart Is Hard!

    Revelation 9:13–21 NASB 95
    13 Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14 one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15 And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of mankind. 16 The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. 17 And this is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone. 18 A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths. 19 For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm. 20 The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; 21 and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts.

    Man’s Heart Is Hard!

    Man’s Heart Is Hard!

    Introduction
    That is illustrated by the fact that we are unwilling to change even when presented with evidence we are wrong.
    The seat belt law is an excellent example
    Do you ever rebel against this law?
    I did not learn to obey this law because of my respect for it.
    I learned to obey out of love for my children.
    The speed limit is another example.
    The state has gone to great expense to make certain that you and I know the speed limit where we are driving.
    They have placed signs along the roadside.
    They have established a certain speed that is acceptable on all unmarked city streets and test you on your knowledge before allowing you to drive.
    They then hire men and women to monitor your speed and have established punishments for when those laws are broken.
    If that is not enough they have spent millions on advertisements to convince us of the need to obey the law.
    Many of us have witnessed firsthand the destructive power of speed and the resultant loss of life.
    All these things we know.
    But do we moderate our speed?
    Some do.
    But if you drive the speed limit to Macon you will see that many do not.
    Why? With such compelling evidence that speed kills?
    Because man’s heart is inherently hard.
    Psychologists have tried to convince us that man is basically good.
    If he is raised in the right environment there is every reason to believe that he will become a good person, they say.
    We have taught this to our children and they have raised children based on this principle.
    The result?
    Shootings in schools-just 30 years ago the greatest problem was chewing gum and talking in class.
    Drive by killings.
    Even hopelessness.
    Man’s heart is hardened and does not do good naturally.
    Neither does man turn to God unless God draws man unto himself.
    So I ask you are you by nature, rebellious, hardhearted?
    Man’s heart is hard is illustrated by the scripture today.
    This 6th judgment is the second where demonic beings are at work on humanity and this time they are permitted to kill up to 1/3 of the population but still the heart is hardened and man refuses to repent of evil worship or actions.

    Pray

    Why are four angels bound at Euphrates River?

    Revelation 9:13–15 NASB 95
    13 Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14 one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15 And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of mankind.
    Note these four angels are specific angels bound for a specific purpose.
    V.15 tells us they are bound for specific hour, day, month and even year.
    These angels did not just happen up at the Euphrates by accident.
    God placed them there for a reason and that reason we are about to find out.
    But first notice where they are bound, by the great river Euphrates.
    What is the significance of these words?
    Remember the Euphrates River bordered the Garden of Eden.
    It was in the Garden that the first sin of humanity occurred.
    Near here the first murder occurred.
    Near the Euphrates is where man attempted to build the tower of Babel.
    The Euphrates River seems to be a hotbed of sinful activity.
    But for thousands of years God has bound these four angels.
    Why?
    Were they so terrible that God didn’t dare release them to go about their foul ruthless ways?
    It would seem that for whatever reason God chose not to release the fallen angels until he was ready.
    By the time of the 6th trumpet judgment God will be ready.

    God’s Wrath (200 million horsemen).

    Revelation 9:16–19 NASB 95
    16 The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. 17 And this is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone. 18 A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths. 19 For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm.
    A 200 million man army will be poured out on mankind.
    This is no ordinary army.
    By description it can only be another demonic outpouring of hatred and evil.
    Those demons that had been bound for so long will finally be allowed to vent some of their evil.
    God will allow them to destroy 1/3 of the population of the earth.
    If you’re keeping tally that means that by now at least ½ of the population has been destroyed supernaturally.
    God in pouring out his wrath will use the means available to him to get man’s attention.
    He has plenty of means.
    Here He will use fire, smoke and brimstone.
    This proceeding out the mouths of the horses.
    Even their tails will have the power of snakes.
    Earlier he had used torture or torment for 5 months.
    He had used natural disasters that touched every life on the planet.
    God still uses anything at his disposal to get our attention.
    This morning he has brought us to Revelation.
    He often uses a SS teacher or preacher to prick our conscious so that we are convicted of sin.
    He will use sickness and hard times to do the same.
    When you get down do you ask God to lead you?
    Or do you respond as God says men will respond in the days of evil the days of the great tribulation?

    How Does Man Respond? Hardened hearts.

    Revelation 9:20–21 NASB 95
    20 The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; 21 and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts.
    Vv. 20-21 are a sad commentary on the hard heartedness of mankind.
    It says that even though man has seen these terrible things he will not repent.
    He will not change to give up what he wants to do.
    He will stubbornly, hardheartedly continue in sin.
    Now that is true, remember the speeding illustration?
    This should frighten you and I for we are guilty of turning our backs on God.
    Have you ever said, “I know what the Bible says, but….”?
    Or have you ever ignored what you knew God wanted you to do?
    We know that even Christians are capable of disobeying God.
    How much more then are our non-Christian friends and family unwilling to surrender to God?
    According to this passage a time will come when the heart has become too hardened for God to enter in.
    Does this happen to church members?
    Absolutely!
    What happens is we trust church membership and when the HS tugs at our hearts to become Christian we harden our hearts.
    We turn away from God and trust our way.
    That is exactly what happens in these judgments.
    You would think that all this horror would turn man to God.
    They have seen how those who follow God have survived without the torture of the locusts.
    They have seen how only the most horrible of men are killed by this plaque of fire, smoke and brimstone.
    Yet they do not change, they do not repent of their evil, pursuing their own desires.
    They choose to do just exactly as they have done.
    This then is a condition that comes upon us without our even knowing we have it.
    It seems we are doing well but at some point we have said no, once too often.
    Though we continue coming to church there is no longer a burden to better my life.
    The words of the song or the sermon...
    Well, they no longer touch us as they did before
    before you know it you have become one of those who must face the wrath of God.

    Conclusion:

    God has bound fallen angels for a specific purpose.
    He will use them to pour out his wrath.
    Now you must determine if you are in danger of a hard heart.
    There are some in this room who are members of a church.
    They think they have a relationship with the Lord.
    But their actions say otherwise, they gossip, tell dirty jokes, tear other people down, some even cheat others.
    You cannot live like the world and be sold out to God.
    Today I am telling you, perhaps for the last time, that you must not harden your heart.
    If you do your blood is on your hands not mine.

    #310 Out of My Bondage, Sorrow and Night

    1.           Out of my bondage, sorrow, and night,               Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come,               Into Thy freedom, gladness, and light,               Jesus, I come to Thee;               Out of my sickness into Thy health,               Out of my want and into Thy wealth,               Out of my sin and into Thyself,               Jesus, I come to Thee.
    2.           Out of my shameful failure and loss,               Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;               Into the glorious gain of Thy cross,               Jesus, I come to Thee.               Out of earth's sorrows into Thy balm,               Out of life's storms and into Thy calm,               Out of distress to jubilant psalm,               Jesus, I come to Thee.
    3.           Out of unrest and arrogant pride,               Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;               Into Thy blessed will to abide,               Jesus, I come to Thee.               Out of myself to dwell in Thy love,               Out of despair into raptures above,               Upward for aye on wings like a dove,               Jesus, I come to Thee.
    4.           Out of the fear and dread of the tomb,               Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;               Into the joy and light of Thy home,               Jesus, I come to Thee.               Out of the depths of ruin untold,               Into the peace of Thy sheltering fold,               Ever Thy glorious face to behold,               Jesus, I come to Thee.

    Man’s Heart Is Hard!

      • Revelation 9:13–21NASB95PARA

      • Revelation 9:13–15NASB95PARA

      • Revelation 9:16–19NASB95PARA

      • Revelation 9:20–21NASB95PARA

FBC Marshallville
claytburd@gmail.com
4789556152
http://www.fbcmarshallvillega.org
6 members