December 2001 BOOK OF REVELATION      (continued from previous issue) By Carlos Mesters

The Seven plagues of the seventh seal (8:1-10:7)    The vision continues. The plan unfolds. The new Exodus progresses in the darkness of history under the protection of Yahweh. Finally the Lamb opens the seventh seal (8:1). This is the beginning of the end. Seven angels appear with seven trumpets (8:2) - the last seven plagues of history which will "destroy those who are destroying the earth" (11:18) and the saints who fear God are rewarded (11:18). In a celebration (8:3-5) the seven angels prepare to sound their trumpets and hurl the plagues afar. The first five plagues are: hailstone (8:7); blood (8:8), bitter water (8:11), darkness (8:12) and grasshoppers (9:3,7). These are the plagues of Egypt (Ex. 7:8-10:29). The sixth plague (9:13-19) comes from the Book of Wisdom which describes in its own way the plagues of Egypt (Wis. 11:15-19). Even if he punishes severely God does not refuse to forgive. He invites the oppressors of the people to conversion. This is the reason why the first six plagues destroy only "one third" of what they affect (8:7-12; 9:18). God limits their destructive power (9:4-5). According to the Book of Wisdom, God "orders all things by measure, number and weight" (Wis. 11:20). He admonishes only some, so that the sinners may abstain from evil and trust in Him (Wis. 12:2) But this yielded no result. People continued to adore the false gods of the empire (9:20), "nor did they give up their murdering, or witchcraft, or fornication, or stealing" (9:21). They were not converted. This is the reason why the angel of the Lord shouted loudly (10:3) after the sixth plague of the seventh seal and swore solemnly, "the time of waiting is over" (10:5-6). No more delay for forgiveness. The time for conversion is over: the seventh plague will be the end (10:7). Justice will be done without any further appeal. The empire will be condemned once for all. At the sound of the last trumpet, "the mystery of God will be fulfilled" (10:7), the kingdom of God will be installed forever (11:15).

. . . to be continued

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