2nd Trumpet - Warning Against Backsliding

(Rev 8:5-9 KJV) And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. {6} And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. {7} The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. {8} And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; {9} And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.

In our last message we began our series of messages on the sounding of the trumpets. The messages sounded by the trumpet angels are warnings from God. God gives His word to the minister, the minister preaches, “Thus saith the Lord” to you to warn you of impending danger. There is no place to hide from the Lord. The pastor is the watchman upon the spiritual wall. He is looking out for your soul and he is sounding out the warnings from God’s Word. The devil has many tricks up his sleeve and he is working very hard to deceive you. You need to pay close attention to the warnings of the watchman, the angel that is sounding the trumpet of “Thus saith the Lord”.

Today, we will consider the message of the second trumpet angel. It is a message warning you of the dangers of backsliding. You are shown a picture of a mountain on fire being cast into the sea. As water quenches the fire death comes and the fire goes out. When you, as a child of God, sink into the sea of humanity your fire for God dies and hope for many in the sea dies with you. Be warned – you can backslide – Satan is after you to destroy you, Be prayerful, Be watchful, Be especially careful when others fall that you too are not taken down with them.

In our text John said that when the second angel sounded he saw a great mountain burning with fire cast into the sea. What is this great mountain? In the 2^nd chapter of Daniel, Daniel gives us the account of King Nebuchadnezzar having a dream that his wise men could not interpret. Daniel was a prisoner in the Kingdom of Babylon and he was brought in to the king to explain what the king’s dream meant. As Daniel explained the dream to the king, he explained that God was showing King Nebuchadnezzar things that would come to pass in the _later___ _days_.

(Dan 2:28-45 KJV) But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; {29} As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass. {30} But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart. {31} Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. {32} This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, {33} His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. {34} Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. {35} Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. {36} This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king. {37} Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. {38} And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold. {39} And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. {40} And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. {41} And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. {42} And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. {43} And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. {44} And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. {45} Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

Daniel explained that the dream the king had was that of a great _image___. This image had a head of gold, breast and arms of silver, belly and thighs of brass and legs of iron with feet iron and clay mixed. Daniel described to the king that this image represented four world kingdoms with Babylon being the first of the four. Daniel prophesied that there would follow three more world kingdoms and each of the following kingdoms would be less and less equal in power and control than the kingdom which it replaced. Daniel said that during this period of time, God would set up a _kingdom___ that would fill the whole earth and that would last forever. God’s kingdom would come as a stone cut out without hands which would smite the image on the feet. In other words, The kingdom of God would break out in the days of the fourth kingdom. It would cause the kingdom to crumble and it would spread into the whole earth.

Daniel gave his prophecy in the days of the first of the four kingdoms, that being _Babylon__ and Daniel lived to see that kingdom being replaced by the second kingdom of the Medes and Persians. If you will study history a little, you will find that the Persian kingdom was overthrown by Alexander the great and he established the Grecian kingdom. The Grecian kingdom was in turn overthrown by the Roman Kingdom. And it was in the days of the Roman kingdom that Christ was born into the world. Christ, that rock cut out without hands, smote the image in the feet and it began to crumble as Christianity spread out into the entire world. There has not been a world wide kingdom since then and I don’t see in the Bible where there ever will be another one. The kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.

(Rom 14:17 KJV) For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

So this stone, representing the _Kingdom____ of God, became a great mountain that filled the earth. Mountains have been associated with the worship of God from ancient times and continue to be significant still.

(Isa 2:1-5 KJV) The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. {2} And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. {3} And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. {4} And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. {5} O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.

Notice Isaiah’s message: the Lord’s house is established in the top of the mountains. From this mountain referred to as Zion come the law and the Word of God. All people that seek God’s ways and walk in the light of God’s Word flow up to Zion. They rise above the plain of fleshly living and learn to live in the great mountain.

(Heb 12:18-29 KJV) For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, {19} And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: {20} (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: {21} And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) {22} But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, {23} To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, {24} And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. {25} See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: {26} Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. {27} And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. {28} Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: {29} For our God is a consuming fire.

Here the writer is explaining that Mount Zion is the church of God. It is made up of just men that have been made perfect. This mountain is different from Mount Sinai in that, that mountain was a literal mountain that burned with a literal fire. It was there that God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses. This great mountain is a spiritual mountain that burns with the fire of our God. Our God is a consuming fire. Moses recognized God’s presence in the burning bush. Elijah brought the presence of God to Mount Carmel by praying the fire down from heaven. And Jesus brings the presence of God into our lives today by baptizing us with the fire of the Holy Spirit.

(Mat 3:11-12 KJV) I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: {12} Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

John the Baptist is explaining the ministry of Jesus. He will baptize His converts with the Holy Ghost and with _fire___. When you repent of your sin and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord, Jesus will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with the fire of God. You will become a part of the great mountain of God burning with fire representing the presence of God in your life. As you obey your Lord and live as He directs you that fire will burn within you. All that come into contact with you will be affected by the presence of God burning in your life.

With this background in mind, consider the warning of the second trumpet angel. He saw a great mountain on fire being cast into the sea. We learn from the Bible that the sea is a symbol of people and that sinking into the sea represents being overtaken by the mass of humanity.

(Rev 17:1 KJV) And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

(Rev 17:15 KJV) And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

So we see that the great mountain burning with fire is symbolic of the kingdom of God burning with the presence of God. Now considering the warning of the trumpet angel that he saw this great mountain cast into the sea. And knowing that the sea is symbolic of peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues, we understand that God is warning us of the impending danger of being overcome with the sea of humanity. We live in the world but Jesus taught us that we are not of the world.

(John 17:13-17 KJV) And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. {14} I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. {15} I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. {16} They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. {17} Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

This is part of the prayer of our Lord. He prayed for you that you would be sanctified through the truth of God’s word and that you would be kept from the evil of the world. This is an ever present danger that you face as a Christian. You are in a world that operates by and for the flesh and you are not to be a part of it. You are to operate by and for the Holy Spirit. You are to burn with the presence of God and God will keep you from the evil of the world. While the world wraps itself in pride, lust, envy and emulation, you wrap yourself in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. You have learned that real peace only comes by living a holy life and being obedient to the law of God. You have learned that you can live right by obeying the prompting of the Holy Spirit. You have learned that living right is the only way to truly enjoy life.

But the devil is not going to let you alone in your peaceful, righteous living. He is going to war against your soul with every deceitful strategy that he can come up with. If he cannot get you to cool off one way he will try another. He is the master at telling lies and he wants to get you to yield to your flesh. He wants you to believe him that you need to sin so that you can really enjoy living. That is the same lie that he told Eve in the Garden of Eden. He told her that to eat of the forbidden fruit would make her wise. She would be fulfilled in a greater way. Well we know the story. She listened to the devil and what has been the result? She suffered and we all still suffer to this day because of her decision to sin against God.

The devil is alluring you to try and please your fleshly desires. He is lifting up examples of life styles that are unholy and ungodly trying to portray them as happy and joyful. In our world today we have multitudes of films and books glorifying adultery, fornication, homosexuality, drunkenness and a host of other abominable acts. Such sinful life styles are being portrayed as wonderful and beautiful to the extent that multitudes are being sucked down to the muck and mire of sin thinking that they are going to somehow wring more pleasure out of living by engaging in such filthy practices.

Such low living has become so commonplace that many Christians have come to believe that such sins are somehow overlooked by God; That times have changed and that what used to be sin is now accepted by the Lord. The trumpet angel has a wake up call for you. As you accept the lies of the devil, you sink into the sea of humanity and the fire of God is quenched. The presence of God leaks out of your life along with the peace, righteousness and joy of the Holy Ghost. The great mountain is cast into the sea and its’ influence causes a part to fall also bringing the guilt of sinful living upon them.

In our time the church has become so worldly and the world so churchy that it is hard to tell the difference. The church is chasing after the styles of the world which are being set by whores and whoremongers. The flesh wants to look, act and sound like the world. They follow the hair styles, clothing styles, music styles and standards of the world that allure through the lustful desires of the flesh. You cannot become a friend of the world and maintain the presence of God in your life.

(James 4:4 KJV) Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

The watchman on the wall is warning you this morning. Beware! If you sink into the sea of humanity, you will lose the fire of God from your life. Your influence will take others down with you and destroy their faith also. Instead of getting a more fulfilling life, you will lose the peace and joy that comes from living a life of holiness and righteousness. Instead of gaining a peace and joy of living, you will suffer the shame, grief, and heartache that come from sinful living.

(1 John 2:15-19 KJV) Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. {16} For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. {17} And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. {18} Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. {19} They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.