THE SEVEN LAST PLAGUES

THE SEVEN LAST PLAGUES

“And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having THE SEVEN LAST PLAGUES; for in them is filled up the wrath of God” (Rev. 15:1).

The word “plagues” is a most interesting word!  It is translated from the Greek word plege meaning “a wound caused by a stripe or blow.”  Plege..... is translated in the King James Bible as “wound” or “wounded” four times; it is rendered “stripes” five times; and is rendered “plagues” only in the book of Revelation "twelve times"

Thus, the “seven last plagues” may be characterized as the “seven last stripes” or the “seven last scourging's” or the “seven last chastening's” in which is filled up THE HOLY PASSION OF GOD to correct His children....unto repentance and victory in Jesus.   “Last” plagues in which the passion of God is “filled up” or “complete” signifies that these are the last or final dealings of God with a people that is designed by the loving Father to deliver his captive child.    Not the last in the sense that God will never deal with them again about anything, but last in that these dealings of the Lord will have completed His work in a people purposed to.... make right what is wrong .....  and transform them into all that He wants them to be.  That is the mystery!

Elwin Roach once wrote, “There is something else that "IS LAST".  There are seven of them.....  plagues.  They are the last seven plagues mentioned in the book of Revelation.  What a promising word!  They are full of the wrath (thumos of God meaning the passion) of God.  If we will notice, these plagues are poured out on men, UPON MEN'S FLESH.  Everything which is carnal will be subjected to the plagues!  It appears that seven plagues, seven days, seven colors of the light spectrum make up the "LAST DAY", and it swallows up every dark thing in its path.  It is like a tidal wave of fire sweeping over the earth.  There is nothing but stubble left in its wake…”

We must understand the concept of God's plagues are directed toward.... lies.... error... the lust of the flesh... the works of the flesh...the carnal mind of mere men working WITHIN THE INNER MAN .... spirit and soul.   If we see by the Spirit we will know that the only thing that flows from the love of God...."IS TRUTH"....Thus it is THE TRUTH.... which becomes a "devastating destruction" to every lie in which entangles in carnality and mark missing.... These all are God's works....  even the pouring out of his ...plagues.... are designed to set the captives free from the natural mind of mere carnal men.  Thus moving men from being dominated by the flesh and brought into the power of the MIND OF THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD.... from carnality.... to spirituality....  From a man that sees externally.... literally.... naturally.... to a man that sees internally.... spiritually.... When God desires to kill the flesh.... he SENDS TRUTH.... therefore THE TRUTH.... like a plague destroys all lies and deception....  

When these seven “last plagues” have gone, there will not be any more flesh, carnality, or selfhood dominating in any of the Lord’s people.  This will ultimately be true for all men everywhere, as we see at the conclusion of the Revelation, but here it refers to the people of God who are still immature children and who are enslaved  in the carnal religious systems of man.  There is the same truth as it pertains to the individual — that is, each one of us in our journey into God.  The unproductive human identity — the flesh with its sinful disposition, the soul with its religious inclination, the carnal mind with its humanistic reasoning, planning, and scheming — all must suffer the seven plagues!  Make no mistake about it — God will touch everything in the lives of His people!  That is the final outcome of redemption, for He has redeemed us unto Himself and for His pleasure and purpose!  Consider the following order of symbols used in the pouring out of the vials.  They are poured out upon:

1.      The Earth.  (soulical religious realm)

 2.      The Sea.  (body, sensual realm, fleshly passions, wicked works, ungodliness)

3.      The Rivers and Fountains of Water.  (sources of ideas, concepts, culture, teachings, philosophies, doctrines, traditions, customs, carnal knowledge, worldly wisdom, the sources from which carnal men draw their life, their natural joy and refreshment, all that gives vitality to the programs of men.  “Rivers” suggest the flow of these ideas as they are taught, propagated, and promoted by human institutions and instrumentalities of all kinds)

4.      The Sun.  (the external light of the old heavens and earth — laws, rules, commandments, authorities, hierarchies, dominions of the old world of man — religion, science, business, finance, etc.)

5.      The Seat of the Beast.  (human heart, deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, out of which all evil emanates — also the corrupt seat of spiritual wickedness)

6.      The Great River Euphrates.  (the power that keeps God’s people enslaved in religious Babylon.  The Euphrates River stands symbolically for the separation between the kingdom of religious Babylon and our promised land of inheritance in Christ.

7.      The Air.  (the atmosphere created by man’s programs, promotions, and works — realms of understanding, feeling, sentiment, emotion, especially religious)

When the last seven plagues have finished their work there will be no more missing the mark, no more childish immaturity, no more deception, no more fleshly manipulation and control, no more mistakes, no more spiritual bondage, no more falling short, no more  sins of omission, and no more resistance to the will of God.  There will be no more cause for correction, chastisement, purging, or purification, no more need for gaining more understanding, wisdom, or maturity of stature.  Oh, my Father!  As long as there remains something of this human nature, Your passion (wrath) is so kindled against it that You do not let it have any rest!  For Zion’s sake You will not hold Your peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake You will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth!  You will have no rest, till You establish, and till You make Jerusalem a praise in the earth!  (Isa. 62:1,7).  Great is the mystery!

J Preston Eby... Tim Wray....