The Saddest Chapter in the Bible: Revelation 9

After all the judgments in Revelation, which include earthquakes, fiery meteors that destroy the water supply, giant meteors that wreck the world's oceans, and huge stinging locusts that look like something out of a nightmare, John adds these words:

Revelation 9:20-21 (NASB): 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; and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts.

Imagine.  People reject God, even though the Two Witnesses (about whom we'll hear in Revelation 11) prophesy; the world is being destroyed; people know the source of judgment (yes, they KNOW!):

Rev. 6:17-21(NASB):  Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"

But still, they will not turn to God.

So much for people not having a chance to make up their minds.  In the book of Revelation, everything is clear. Nothing is obscured.  The people who accept the Antichrist KNOW BETTER; they just think they can get away with their evil one more time.

It's like John is shaking his head, saying, "You gotta be kidding me! They're not repenting!"

We always assume that if people have enough knowledge, or if the message is communicated in just the right way, or if God speaks to them through signs and miracles, they will turn to Him.

Apparently not. There is apparently a very large group of people on our planet who will NEVER turn to God.  They just won't.

"God is not willing that anyone should perish, but that all should come to repentance, (2 Peter 3:9)" but they won't repent, and will perish, because even if they know God's judgment will take them, they still won't turn to Him.

This mystifies Christians, but it should not.  People make their own choices, and they have to live with them. It also goes to show that if someone truly wants to reject God, not even the Almighty can save him. 

Revelation 8, Part 2

A triphammer is a device that uses a motor to power a hammer that strikes in successive strokes. Here's one in action: the point is that the hammer keeps hitting the piling until it's driven into the ground.
THAT is Revelation 8-9.  Piledriver strokes that just keep coming and coming. These strokes hit people where they really live, in the water and food supplies, in the beauty of the earth, in all that men and women consider "their world."

See what I mean (quoting from NASB 1995):

And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them.
7 The first sounded, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.
8 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,
9 and a third of the creatures which were in the sea and had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed.
10 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 waters.
11 The name of the star is called Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter.
12 The fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.
13 Then I looked, and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven, saying with a loud voice, "Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!"

Now to put things into perspective, throughout this time persecution of Christians has been increasing, to the point where (back in revelation 6), there are many people martyred. If you'll recall, there's a Divine response to that as well (Rev. 6:12-17).  In Revelation 7, at the end, we read about a huge number of people, whom nobody can count, who came out of great tribulation and they are in heaven. 

How do you suppose they got there? They were "persecuted to death." This is a time of intense and terrible trouble.  Only thing is, it has a boomerang effect, and everyone who participated in these persecutions now feels the beginnings of God's anger. This is not the full force of His vengeance.  It's just the start. More is coming. Much more.

Persecution is not insignificant to God, although many think so.  He remembers every single murder, every single torment, every single evil thing done to believers.  If you don't think what's happening to you means anything to Him, Look again at Revelation 8. He never forgets.  He always repays.

On the other hand:

If you are not a Christian, or, more importantly, if you've been complicit in the persecution of Christians, repent! God will forgive even this, and will give you a home in heaven with the very people you used to hate. See the beginning of Acts 9.