In this episode of Hope for Today, David Hawking delves into the mysteries of Revelation 16, unraveling the prophecy of Armageddon and the events that precede the second coming of Christ. Journey through the earth-shaking catastrophes and understand their significance in the context of biblical prophecy. As the wrath of God is depicted through vivid imagery, the episode underscores the destruction of world cities and the symbolism of Babylon’s fall. This session calls listeners to reflect on their relationship with faith and to prepare for the prophesized second coming with righteousness.
greatest catastrophe of all time. The world’s cities are going to be destroyed. Revelation chapter 16, verse 19, the cities of the nations fell. Imagine Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Vancouver, British Columbia, New York, Miami, Denver, Phoenix, Mexico City, Guadalajara, Tokyo, Beijing, every city in the world, no matter where it is, collapsed.
SPEAKER 1 :
Thank you.
SPEAKER 02 :
This is Hope for Today. And as we return to Revelation 16, 12 to 21, we’re going to see again how the stage is set. The world is trembling and the wrath of God is unleashed. The skies split with thunder. Lightning strikes the earth like fire from heaven. Islands vanish, mountains fall, and the great cities of man, those monuments to human pride, disappear. They’re reduced to rubble. Babylon, the symbol of all earthly power and corruption, is destroyed in a single hour. The world that defied God, it’s left in silence, stunned by his holiness, his justice, and his glory. This is the last act of God’s wrath before the return of the king. Today on Hope for Today, David Hawking continues our study in Revelation chapter 16, verses 12 to 21, as the judgment of God falls and the world moves one step closer to the return of Jesus Christ in power and glory. And just before we begin, a quick but important reminder that Hope for Today is made possible by friends like you who love the Word of God and want to see it proclaimed clearly, boldly, and without compromise. As we come to the end of the month, your special gift right now will help us to stay strong on the air and online, continuing to share these teachings with listeners all over the world. The Word of God, the Bible, the whole Bible, nothing but the Bible. To give, call 800-75-BIBLE. That’s in the U.S. Or 888-75-BIBLE in Canada. Bible is 24253. And of course, you can contribute online at davidhawking.org. Every gift matters. Every prayer makes a difference. And thank you for standing with us in ministry. Right now, turn to Revelation chapter 16, verses 12 to 21. And here’s David with day two of Armageddon.
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The Bible speaks of the day of the Lord, this tribulation period, coming like a thief in the night, 1 Thessalonians 5, verse 2. The Bible speaks in 2 Peter 3, verse 10, the day of our God is like a thief in the night. Matthew 24, Jesus taught us, watch out, the coming of Christ is like the person who comes into your home as a thief, and if you would have known what hour he was coming, you would have watched. And he said, you better watch and be ready, for in an hour that you think not, the Son of Man cometh. We heard about how some rabbis in Israel were predicting the Messiah would come and how the nation was quickly mobilized to be very concerned in their expectations of the Messiah. Well, in an hour when we think not, the Son of Man, the title of the Messiah from the book of Daniel, he will come. The rabbis list 456 references to the Messiah in what we call the Old Testament and they call the Bible the Tanakh. 456 references. Yes, the Bible speaks a lot about the Messiah. It’s not a concept. It’s not what’s happening in the land. It is a person. Behold, I come as a thief. It’ll be sudden. It’ll be a great surprise. And the seriousness of this is stated, Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked and they see a shame. We need to have the robes that have been cleansed in the blood of the Lamb, says Revelation. And the picture is very beautiful of the kind of garments we need. The garments are the righteousness of saints, and we need to trust the righteousness of God that’s been provided through our Lord Jesus Christ. How can a man be right before a holy God? How can we be ready for the Messiah, apart from the Messiah himself atoning for our sins? It is the Messiah, the one whom we pierced. It is the Messiah who will open up a fountain for cleansing, said Zechariah 13. It’s the Messiah that was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities, and the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. says Isaiah 53. It’s a Messiah that we need. Isaiah 59 says the Redeemer will come out of Zion and will take away the ungodliness and sin of Jacob. It’s a Messiah who can take away our sin. It’s a Messiah that can give us garments that will prepare us for the coming of the Lord. I hope you’re ready. You got the right clothes on. I hope it isn’t your own self-righteousness. I hope it isn’t your human performance or your good works. The only thing that will make you ready for the Messiah are the garments and the robes that have been washed in the blood of the Lamb. That’s the only way. Please notice the place where all the nations are gathered, verse 16. He looked at the preparation of this battle and the presence of demonic forces as well as their purpose. And then the promise of the second coming in verse 15. Now the place where all the nations of the world are gathered. Verse 16. Verse 16 says, in the Hebrew tongue, it is Armageddon. Har, referring to hill or mountain. And Megiddo is the hill of Megiddo. Or, I’d like to suggest, as many rabbinical teachers suggest, it’s referring to a mountain of slaughter. Because the Hebrew word also refers to slaughter. The word hill and mountain with the word slaughter. And that seems to meet the dimensions of what’s going to happen there. But many point out the fact that it seems to be Megiddo in here as well, in this word. I’m not sure about all this, but I know that Megiddo has been an ancient fortress guarding the way of various armies as they’ve come through the land of Israel. Megiddo also kind of gave us the name for that beautiful valley, Valley of Armageddon. It goes into the Baal of Jezreel or the plain of Estralon and goes down to the Jordan River. Will you turn back to Revelation 14? There was something said there that makes me wonder if the meaning isn’t the mountain of slaughter of which Megiddo, the hill or mount of Megiddo, would represent not only in the past but in the end time. In chapter 14, verse 20, speaking of the great winepress of the wrath of God, it says the winepress was trodden, without or outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even under the horse bridles, by the space of 1,600 furlongs. Many have suggested that the land of Israel is a winepress. Others have suggested that, no, it comes from the hill of Megiddo, goes all the way down to the Jordanian Valley, and all the way down to the Dead Sea. And that whole area would be the natural area where the blood would flow from a massive slaughter as the Lord will defeat all the nations of the world that come against Jerusalem. There are lots of views about that, but I have a tendency to think of it as not simply at Megiddo. The little hill of Megiddo just to me does not meet the dimensions of the awful battle of Armageddon. A mountain of slaughter seems to me to be more of the picture of what’s going to take place when all nations come against Jerusalem and the Lord fights for them. And the Lord will trample out… picturing a man stomping on grapes in a wine press, only this time it’s blood. And he will stamp out the wrath of God upon all the nations of the world. It’s an awesome picture. The Messiah himself in Isaiah 63 is pictured as having his garment stained with blood from taking vengeance against all the nations of the world. And it says he will come to Basra. And from Basra, he’ll go up to Jerusalem. This is not the Basra of Iraq that we read about in the Persian Gulf War, but it’s the Basra on the plains of Jordan. That’s the most likely place, it seems to me, geographically, for all the nations of the world to be gathered, great multitudes of them to get ready for their attack into the nation of Israel. It’s an awesome scene, and I don’t want it to happen, but God says it’s going to happen. Let’s come to the seventh plague, the sixth plague, Armageddon, the seventh plague, all of these happening in rapid succession at the end of the tribulation period. It’s the great earthquake. Oh, we’ve had some big ones. We’ve had some big ones in this century. resulted in the death of thousands and thousands of people. And we’re going to have a big one to begin the tribulation period, so big that all the kings of the earth and the leaders and captains and commanders are all going to cry to the rocks and say, fall on us and hide us from the wrath of God and the wrath of the Lamb. Who can stand the day of his appearing? Quotations from the prophet Malachi of long ago. Well, we have another earthquake. This one, the most serious earthquake of all human history. Don’t be surprised because the Hebrew prophets also said there’s going to be a shaking of the earth by God. All the nations are going to be shaken. All the mountains are going to be removed. All the islands removed. It’s going to be the most massive shaking of the globe the world has ever seen. The beginning of the tribulation, which Jesus called the beginning of sorrows, has earthquakes in various places, as well as a lot of other disasters. My friends, at the end of the tribulation, the time of Armageddon, you’re going to see an earthquake like the world has never seen. Greatest earthquake of all time. Notice in verse 17, when the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, presumably God himself, from the throne, saying, It is done. It’s finished. What is finished? Go back to chapter 15, verse 1. It says, I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues, and in them is filled up the wrath of God. It’s a wrath of God that is going to be finished. Look at verse 8 of the same chapter. The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no man was able to enter into the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed, fulfilled, finished. Go back to chapter 10 and look at verse 7. seventh angel sounds and he sounds over the last three and a half years of the tribulation in which we have the seven last plagues he says in verse 7 in the days of the voice of the seventh angel when he shall begin to sound the mystery of god should be finished as he had declared to his servants the prophets what’s the mystery of god the mystery of god has been stated many times by the prophets Why do the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper? Another way, how long, O Lord, till you avenge us? The vengeance of God. This is the day of vengeance. It is the battle of the great day of God Almighty, and the wrath of God is going to be finished on this world. It’s done. By the way, there was another event in which the cry, it is finished, went out. That was over 1,900 years ago on a hill outside of Jerusalem as Jesus was crucified. And you remember his last words, it is finished. Not only was the work of redemption finished as the Messiah died for the sins of his people, but also we read here that the work of God’s program of vengeance against a world that’s refused to acknowledge him will also be finished. It’ll be done. It’ll be completed. We read very clearly in Revelation chapter 16 where we are and verse 17, it’s done. And there were voices, verse 18, and thunders and lightnings. That’s always the dramatic presentation of God Almighty for some earth-shaking catastrophe and event. And it says, there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake and so great. I want you to know just three things about this great earthquake. One, it will be the completion of God’s plan, everything that needs to be done before he sets up the kingdom of Messiah and the Messiah sits on the throne of David ruling the whole world from Jerusalem. So it is the completion of God’s plan. Secondly, it will be the greatest catastrophe of all time. We’ve read about some horrible things in Revelation, but nothing will equal this. The dimensions of the earthquake alone are incredible. Turn back to Isaiah chapter 24. Isaiah speaks in these chapters of the coming tribulation. And in chapter 24 of Isaiah, verse 18, It shall come to pass that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit, and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare. For the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake. The earth is utterly broken down. The earth is clean dissolved. The earth is moved exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard and shall be removed like a cottage. And the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it. It shall fall and not rise again. Incredible. The coming day of the Lord. Go back to Revelation chapter 16. Greatest catastrophe of all time. The world’s cities are going to be destroyed. It says in verse 19, the cities of the nations fell. Every city in the world collapsed. Now, I do not believe this is the first time that God has done such a disaster. The first time there was a global catastrophe was mentioned in the book of Genesis. And we had the Genesis flood. No, it wasn’t a local flood. It was higher than the highest mountain in the Ararat range. And people who want a local flood, tell me where the water went. People say, well, rain for 40 days and 40 nights could not have dumped on the earth’s surface more than two or three inches around the globe. So how in the world do you have such a flood? Well, the Bible does not say the rain caused the flood. The Bible says the fountains of the deep were broken up. God was causing earthquakes in the bottom of the oceanic caverns. By the way, there’s enough water in all the ocean caverns to cover the entire surface of the globe many times over. These giant earthquakes in the bottom of the deep as the fountains of the deep are broken up are causing great volumes of water, tidal waves going over the surface of the earth, then receding, causing immediate fossilization and sedimentation and strata. The whole argument of paleontology is only answered by a global catastrophe of the dimensions mentioned in the book of Genesis, exactly like God said. Interesting that Jesus would say, as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of Man. And Peter said, they’re ignorant, those who scoff of the promise of the Lord’s return. They’re ignorant that God one day inundated this whole globe with a catastrophe known as the flood. And he said he did it once, he’ll do it again. This time not with flood, but this time with fire. Imagine the electrical, thermonuclear plants, everything, the explosions. Peter speaks about the elements melting with fervent heat and everything being dissolving. And the day of God’s righteousness is coming. God’s going to blow the whole thing sky high. Well, if that weren’t enough, God’s going to drop out of heaven the biggest hailstones you’ve ever seen in your life. The Bible says the weight of a talent. Now, there’s a lot of arguments about how much it weighs, but most of the Bible scholars who examine the talents and measures that are recorded in the Bible say that this one is equal to about 100 pounds. Can you imagine a hailstone coming out of the sky weighing 100 pounds? And by the way, don’t think this isn’t something God’s done before. He has. If he hasn’t done, he has done it. In Exodus 9 in Egypt, Exodus 9, 22, Moses stretched forth his hand at the command of the Lord. Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt upon man, upon beast, upon every herb of the field throughout the land of Egypt. Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven and the Lord sent thunder and hail. And the fire ran along upon the ground and the Lord rained hail upon the land of Egypt. So there was hail and fire mingled with the hail. Very grievous. such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. And hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt, all that were in the field, both man and beast. And the hail smote every herb of the field and broke every tree of the field. Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail. God’s a God of miraculous. I remind you that brimstone and hail, hail mingled with fire, fire and brimstone fell on the ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and wiped them out. God uses that illustration of the book of Jude to remind us that he is a God who will bring such judgment on the entire world. Yes, folks, it’s going to be the most terrible catastrophe of all time. This seventh final plague is the completion of God’s plan. It is the greatest catastrophe of all time. And the third and final thing is that it will be the consequence which God will bring on those who worship the beast and his image. That’s what it says. Revelation 13. 16, 21. There fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent, and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, for the plague was exceedingly great. Look at verse 9. When they were scorched with great heat, they blasphemed the name of God, who hath power over these plagues, and they repented not to give him glory. Verse 11. They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds. And here they blasphemed God again because of the plague of the hail, for the plague was exceedingly great. Father, your word is so clear. Passage after passage after passage tells us about this coming awful period of time known as the great tribulation, the great day of the Lord, the day of God’s vengeance and wrath, the day of darkness and gloom and not light. And you have warned us through the prophets, through the testimony of Jesus and the apostles, that this day is coming and we better be ready. You tell us the only way to get ready is know that Jesus Christ is our Lord and our Savior. We’ve come to put our faith in the Messiah who died for our sins and rose again from the dead and will one day come back to this earth. And all nations of the world will be blessed because of that. Lord, we know that many will also refuse to repent because they refuse to bow the knee to the Messiah and confess him as Lord. God, I pray that you would show us the seriousness of this and the folks listening right now who are not sure of their relationship with you. Oh, God, that they might settle this now. Come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, the only one who can save us from our sin. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus’ name we pray.
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Amen.
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Have you given your heart to Him? We’d like to pray for you right now. Open your hearts, please, as we pray. Lord, You know who’s listening and who isn’t. And I pray for those that have never settled their relationship with You. O God, I pray that through Your powerful Holy Spirit, as they put their faith and trust in the finished work of our Lord, who died for our sins and rose again from the dead, ascended to heaven and is coming back. Lord, if they will believe in you, you have told us in your word. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. I pray, friends, that you’ll give your heart to him right now.
SPEAKER 02 :
That’s David Hawking, and this is Hope for Today. If you’d like to know more about a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, well, we want to send you two free gifts. The first is a booklet by David called What is Christianity? And the second is a Bible study by mail. If you’re new to the Christian faith, or maybe you don’t yet know Christ, you’re not yet a Christian, but you want to know more, These gifts are for you. Our number in the US, 800-75-BIBLE. That’s 800-75-24253. If you live in Canada, call us at 888-75-BIBLE, 888-75-24253, and request these free resources. And before David returns, Matt and I want to share a great study tool with you. And this is all about hope as it’s taught in the Bible.
SPEAKER 01 :
Hope you can rely on. Matt? This month, we’re featuring my dad’s book, Hope in Difficult Times. Hope in Difficult Times is 195 pages of encouragement, faith-building guidance, biblical direction for every discouragement of your life. And it’s just $20.
SPEAKER 02 :
Matt, Inside Your Dad takes readers through a biblical study of hope and its role in the life of believers. Hope for difficult times. Matt, how about those times when we fail and desperately need restoration?
SPEAKER 01 :
Yeah. Yeah, you know, there is hope from God’s word. Amen. And you’ll discover and realize it when you read Hope for Difficult Times. Hope is the confidence that God cares, loves, has a purpose, and will complete his work in and through our lives.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, and gives us the abundant blessing of eternity with him. Wow. Amen. Well, get your copy of Hope for Difficult Times today for $20 from Hope for Today. Read, enjoy, and then share with a friend who also needs hope. And don’t forget to always pray for hope for today. To get your copy of Hope in Difficult Times, call 875-BIBLE, that’s in the U.S., 888-75-BIBLE in Canada, or visit our website, davidhawking.org. And just before David returns, let me remind you quickly that your support is what keeps this broadcast going. As each month comes to a close, we rely on the gifts of listeners who believe in the power of God’s Word to change lives. And if you’d like to stand with us, co-labor with us in ministry, and help us finish the month strong, you can call 800-75-BIBLE—that’s in the U.S., or 888-75-BIBLE in Canada. And Bible, again, by the numbers is 24253. Contribute online at davidhawking.org or by mail at Hope for Today, Box 3927, Tustin, California, 92781. In Canada, write to Hope for Today, Box 15011, RPO7OAKS, Abbotsford, B.C., V2S 8P1. And here’s David with some final thoughts from today’s message.
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, thanks, friends, for listening to Hope for Today and our teaching in the book of Revelation. Wow! Chapter 16, talking about Armageddon, the final battle when God is going to destroy the nations of the world who have tried to come against her. And according to the Bible, there’s going to be a huge earthquake. It’s so mighty and so great. And we are told that Babylon also… God’s going to deal with her. Every island, all the mountains were not found. And what falls on people is hail that God calls great hail out of heaven. You want to know how big it is? It’s the weight of a talent. That’s about 100 pounds falling on people. And the Bible says that men blaspheme God because of it. Well, friends, you can blaspheme all you want, but this judgment’s coming. on planet Earth. May God help us to understand. And may you be sure of your relationship to the Lord. Have you really made that decision of all decisions to commit your life and future to the only one who can save you from sin, death, and hell? Well, stay with us. We’ll be in chapter 17 in our next time together.
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, and again, if you’d like to know more about what it means to be a Christian, according to God’s Word, let us send you David’s booklet, What Is Christianity?, and a Bible study absolutely free. Free means free. Call 800-75-BIBLE to get yours in the U.S. or 888-75-BIBLE in Canada. And Bible is 24253. Well, like David said, we’ll be in Chapter 17 of the Book of Revelation next time on Hope.org. for today.
