Heralds Digest

"They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads." (Revelation 9:4 NKJV) The sounding of the fifth trumpet, according to God's programme of tribulation for the inhabitants of the earth during Great Tribulation period, will introduce harmful locusts from the bottomless pit. While everyone will not be able to invite death as escape route from the locusts' torments, some special people will be spared by reason of God's seal on their foreheads. Even today, God's seal protects the redeemed of the Lord from the corruption of the world and the condemnation of its sin.

"Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night." (Revelation 8:12 NKJV) The sounding of the first three angels has destroyed the different sources of renewable energies, including biomass, hydro and tidal. With the extension of woe to the source of solar power, the concept of renewable energies becomes obsolete. Therefore, the loss of the power of excitation to all the technological innovations of man expresses the shameful end of human knowledge. Unlike confidence in the grace of God, confidence in the renewable strength to power human innovations is not sustainable. If the sun, moon, stars were created by spoken word of God, the real renewable power is resident in His declaration upon every dead situation and circumstance of life.

"Then 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 water." (Revelation 8:10 NKJV) The struggle for the top or the rise to reach for the star is always a lonely adventure. However, the fall of any star attracts great consequences. The sounding of the third angel will invite the falling of a great star from heaven, according to the revelation of Jesus Christ about the last days events. While this event signifies one of the episodes of God's punishment upon the earth before the Final Judgment, it reminds believers about the danger of a great fall. A star is admirable by all people when viewed in the sky. Apart from the fact that the fall of a great star is not admirable, it is equally not lonely.

"Then 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." (Revelation 8:8 NKJV) Being projected to cover over 70% of the earth land mass, the seawater conveniently accommodate the most grievous atrocities of men without notice. Even the land is preserved in good health and freshness because of the sea's capability to accommodate all of the land's mess within its mass. However, when the sounding of the second angel targets the sea, the calamity of the inhabitants of the earth can only be better imagined than experienced. A sea harbour turned into a sea waste represents an unbearable breakdown of the world's security and ecosystem.

"The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up." (Revelation 8:7 NKJV) Genuine health and healing for the body proceed from the Lord Almighty. Having forced his control over the system of the world during the times of the great tribulation, anti-christ will monopolize the provision of medical treatment for a compulsory offer of the mark of the beast. Since health services are heavily dependent on the administration of medicine, the destruction of vegetation, which are made from the trees and the green grass, will expose the secret hold of the anti-christ. Unfortunately, healing will no longer be available for the inhabitants of the earth thereafter. The destruction of herbs signifies the end of the healing deceit about the real source of health services.

"And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand." (Revelation 8:4 NKJV) Prayer is often conceived as effectual after the gifts are received or results are seen. This type of conception places little emphasis on the benefit of an intimate fellowship between man and God, as the primary privilege of an effectual fervent prayer from the saints of God. However, prayers of saints always ascend to the presence of God, irrespective of an apparent delay in the response from heaven. Therefore, prevailing prayer is more about the ascent of saints to heaven than the descent of gifts from heaven.

"...and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”" (Revelation 7:10 NKJV) Grace is simply put as God's righteousness at Christ's expense. Christ, being the Lamb of God, paid the price of man's redemption by His blood. However, the tribulation saints have the opportunity to attain righteousness by their own blood, if they endure the brutality of the period of great tribulation without denying the truth about God's salvation. Grievous price is paid for graceless salvation, which would have been unnecesary for those who make haste to respond to the message of grace.