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Our Mission: Revelation 14:6-12
If I Were Told the Future - Lesson 81
Introduction
to the Seven Bowls
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Welcome to this new section! Let's pray:
Father,
In our progress of the study of Your prophetic Word, we have many times touched upon the
subject of the seven bowls, containing the seven last plagues.
We now wish to study these bowls more closely, in order to discover their exact nature,
and the reasons why they will strike the world.
We thank You in advance for guiding us by Your Spirit, as we open Your Word. In Jesus
Christ we pray.
Amen.
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Revelation 14:9,10
If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation.
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In our last few lessons, we have seen that, very soon, each one
of us will have to choose receiving either the seal of God or the mark of the beast.
When everybody has made his choice, God will put an end to the period of probation, and
those having chosen to receive the mark of the beast will then undergo the wrath of God.
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Revelation 15:1; 16:1
Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven
angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete. (...)
Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels,
«Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.»
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The wrath of God will express itself through the pouring out of
seven bowls, each one containing a plague which will strike the unrepentant men.
We will now study these seven bowls.
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1 Thessalonians 5:9
For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
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Romans 5:9
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.
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First of all, let's be aware of this very important point.
In our lessons, we have seen many times that God wants to save us from the coming wrath,
and this is why He sent His only begotten Son, as an atoning sacrifice for the forgiveness
of our sins.
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Matthew 26:39
[Jesus] went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed,
saying,
«O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will,
but as You will.»
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Isaiah 53:5
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him.
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Having broken the law of God, we deserved to drink the cup of
God's wrath.
But Jesus, who was blameless and without sin, drank this cup in our place by dying on the
cross.
He now offers us His sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins, so that God's wrath will
not have to strike us.
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Romans 3:25,26
God set forth [Christ Jesus] to be a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, (...) that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
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God is Love, but He is also Justice.
Through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son for our sins, He managed to reconcile His
perfect love and His perfect justice.
In fact, God's justice requires that sin receive its punishment, that is, death. But God's
infinite love led Him to take this punishment on His shoulders, so that we might have
access to eternal life.
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Romans 2:4-6
Do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and
longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for
yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who
will render to each one according to his deeds.
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But God's call to salvation is too often neglected.
Claiming that God is too good to destroy unrepentant men, many people abuse God's love and
patience, choosing to forget that God is also Justice...
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But the Bible is clear: the cup of God's wrath will be poured out.
«For thus says the Lord God of Israel to me: "Take this
wine cup of fury from My hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send you, to drink it.
And they will drink and stagger and go mad because of the sword that I will send among
them."» (JEREMIAH 25:15,16)
«For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is fully mixed, and
He pours it out; surely its dregs shall all the wicked of the earth drain and drink
down.» (PSALM 75:8)
«And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup from your hand to drink, then you shall
say to them, Thus says the Lord of hosts: "You shall certainly drink! For behold, I
begin to bring calamity on the city which is called by My name, and should you be utterly
unpunished? You shall not be unpunished, for I will call for a sword on all the
inhabitants of the earth," says the Lord of hosts.» (JEREMIAH 25:28,29)
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Psalm 11:4-7
The Lord is in His holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven;
His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men.
The Lord tests the righteous, but the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul
hates.
Upon the wicked He will rain coals, fire and brimstone and a burning wind; this shall be
the portion of their cup.
For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright.
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Let's not deceive ourselves by believing that the wrath of God will never fall, and let's respond right here and now to His call to salvation.
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Revelation 15:1,2
Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven
angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.
And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory
over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing
on the sea of glass, having harps of God.
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Besides, the book of Revelation, in the introductory scene to the seven bowls of God's wrath, presents this group of believers who have responded to God's call to salvation and remained faithful to Him until the end.
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Revelation 15:2
I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass.
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Revelation 4:5,6
There were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal.
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Although the return of Jesus and the gathering of His faithful
will take place only at the pouring out of the seventh and last bowl, the people of God
are described as if they were already in heaven, near the throne of God.
Why is it so?
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Isaiah 26:20,21
Come, my people,enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind
you; hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation is past.
For behold, the Lord comes out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for
their iniquity; the earth will also disclose her blood.
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By presenting the people of God as if they were already in
heaven, prophecy indicates that they will be, although still on earth, protected from the
plagues and the vengeance of the wicked.
These will try to attack the faithful believers, even sending out a death decree against
them, but in vain.
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God will protect His people during the seven last plagues:
«I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress;
my God, in Him I will trust." Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the
fowler and from the perilous pestilence.
He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth
shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of
the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the
destruction that lays waste at noonday.
A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not
come near you. Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked.
Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your habitation, no
evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling. (...)
"Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on
high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will
be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy
him, and show him My salvation."» (PSALM 91:2-10,14-16)
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Exodus 12:13
When I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
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Romans 5:9
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.
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The blood of a lamb protected the people of Israel from the last
plague in Egypt.
Likewise, the blood of Jesus will protect spiritual Israel - God's people - from the last
plagues on the earth.
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Psalm 97:5-8,10,12
The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the
presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
The heavens declare His righteousness, and all the peoples see His glory. Let all be put
to shame who serve carved images, who boast of idols. (...)
Zion hears and is glad, and the daughters of Judah rejoice because of Your judgments, O
Lord. (...)
He preserves the souls of His saints; He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.
(...) Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy
name.
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God's miraculous protection against the seven plagues will cause His people to praise Him.
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Revelation 15:3
And they sing the song of Moses.
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Exodus 14:30; 15:1
So the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the
Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. (...)
Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord.
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In fact, the introductory scene to the seven bowls goes on with the saints singing the song of Moses, referring to what the people of Israel sang after God miraculously saved them from the hands of the Egyptians.
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Exodus 15:1,7,9,10,13
Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord,
and spoke, saying: (...)
«In the greatness of Your excellence You have overthrown those who rose against You; You
sent forth Your wrath which consumed them like stubble. (...)
The enemy said, 'I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my desire shall
be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.'
You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them. (...) You in Your mercy have led forth the
people whom You have redeemed; you have guided them in Your strength to Your holy
habitation.»
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The song of Moses perfectly coincides with the context of the seven bowls, praising the Lord for His divine protection.
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Deuteronomy 31:30; 32:5,22,24,25
Then Moses spoke to the hearing of all the congregation of Israel
the words of this song until they were ended:
«(...) They have corrupted themselves; they are not His children, because of their
blemish: a perverse and crooked generation. (...)
"For a fire is kindled in My anger (...). They shall be wasted with hunger, devoured
by pestilence and bitter destruction. (...)
The sword shall destroy outside; there shall be terror within for the young man and
virgin, the nursing child with the man of gray hairs."»
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A second song of Moses also describes the coming of devastating plagues, as a response to the corruption and unrepentance of men.
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Revelation 15:3
And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb.
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Revelation 7:9,10
Behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all
nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb,
clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud
voice, saying,
«Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!»
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The redeemed also sing the song of the Lamb, expressing their gratitude for the precious sacrifice of the Lamb who saved them.
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Revelation 15:3
And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song
of the Lamb, saying:
«Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O
King of the saints!»
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Isaiah 45:21
There is no other God besides Me, a just God and a Savior.
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After underlining the priceless value of their salvation in Jesus Christ, the redeemed sing of God's justice, which will show itself through the pouring out of the seven bowls on those having rejected God's call to salvation.
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Revelation 15:4
Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name?
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Luke 12:4,5
And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill
the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to
cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!
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Besides praising God's justice, the song of the Lamb also invites us to fear God, for His judgments have the power to bring about eternal destruction.
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Revelation 15:4
Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name?
For You alone are holy.
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Psalm 111:9
He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever: holy and awesome is His name.
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The redeemed also sing of God's holiness which was reflected in
them, through the work of the Holy Spirit within their hearts.
This sanctification has set them apart for the service of God on earth, before their final
deliverance.
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Revelation 15:4
For all nations shall come and worship before You, for Your judgments have been manifested.
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Isaiah 45:22,23
Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am
God, and there is no other.
I have sworn by Myself; the word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not
return, that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath.
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Finally, the song of the chosen presents people from all nations
bowing down before God.
Some will bow down before God because they have been saved...
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Isaiah 45:22-24
For I am God, and there is no other.
I have sworn by Myself; the word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not
return, that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath.
He shall say, «Surely in the Lord I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall
come, and all shall be ashamed who are incensed against Him.»
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... but others, sadly, will bow down before God to «be
ashamed», finally acknowledging that they made a terrible error when they rejected God's
offer of salvation.
They will then receive their judgment.
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Revelation 15:5
After these things I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened.
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Revelation 11:19
Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple.
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The scene then goes on with the opening of the heavenly
sanctuary, allowing us to see the ark of the covenant which contains God's law.
This same law, once broken by unrepentant men, will now testify against them.
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Revelation 15:6,7
And out of the temple came the seven angels having the seven
plagues, clothed in pure bright linen, and having their chests girded with golden bands.
Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of
the wrath of God who lives forever and ever.
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Out of the opened temple come the angels who have the seven
plagues which they are just about to pour out on unrepentant men.
These seven angels, who are clothed with linen, refer to a prophecy of Ezekiel about the
destruction of those who did not receive the mark of God...
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Seven beings (6 + 1) clothed with linen will destroy those without God's mark:
«And suddenly six men came from the direction of the upper gate,
which faces north, each with his battle-ax in his hand. One man among them was clothed
with linen and had a writer's inkhorn at his side. They went in and stood beside the
bronze altar.
Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the
threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer's
inkhorn at his side; and the Lord said to him,
"Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on
the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within
it."
To the others He said in my hearing, "Go after him through the city and kill; do not
let your eye spare, nor have any pity. Utterly slay old and young men, maidens and little
children and women; but do not come near anyone on whom is the mark."» (EZEKIEL
9:2-6)
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Revelation 15:8
The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
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Lamentations 3:44
You have covered Yourself with a cloud, that prayer should not pass through.
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The scene introducing the seven bowls ends with the vision of the
heavenly temple filled with smoke.
In our lesson «The Close of Probation», we have
seen that this indicates the end of Jesus' work of intercession.
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1 Kings 8:10,11
And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.
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In fact, when the cloud of God's glory filled the earthly
sanctuary, it was no longer possible to work within it.
So, the smoke filling the heavenly sanctuary really indicates that Jesus' work of
intercession is finished, and that He is just about to come and gather His people.
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Revelation 8:3-5
Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the
altar. And he was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the
saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the
angel's hand.
Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the
earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.
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This same subject is presented here.
Jesus, pictured as an angel interceding for the saints before God, puts an end to this
intercession, and pours out the fire from the altar onto the earth as a sign of judgment.
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Ezekiel 10:2,4
And [God] spoke to the man clothed with linen, and said,
«Go in among the wheels, under the cherub, fill your hands with coals of fire from among
the cherubim, and scatter them over the city.»
And he went in as I watched. (...)
Then the glory of the Lord went up from the cherub, and paused over the threshold of the
temple; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness
of the Lord's glory.
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Here again, the pouring out of the fire from the altar is linked with the cloud filling the temple of God, indicating the close of probation.
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Revelation 15:5
The temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened.
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Matthew 27:50,51
Jesus, when He had cried out again with a loud voice, yielded up
His spirit.
And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
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At Jesus' death, the veil of the temple was torn, leaving the
temple open to all eyes.
This marked the end of services in the earthly sanctuary.
Calling this scene to mind, the open temple in heaven is thus another sign of the end of
the heavenly sanctuary's services.
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Isaiah 24:16
From the ends of the earth we have heard songs:
«Glory to the righteous!»
But I said,
«I am ruined, ruined! Woe to me!»
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Let's remember that, when God closes probation, the world won't
know it immediately, and people will continue to attend to their everyday affairs.
But, when the seven bowls are poured out shortly afterward, everyone will finally
understand that the point of no return has been crossed.
The characters of both those who serve God and those who do not serve Him will be
revealed, and Jesus will put an end to this sin-stained world.
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Revelation 16:1
Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven
angels,
«Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.»
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The introductory scene being now finished, the prophecy goes on
with the content of each of the seven bowls, covering the whole of Revelation chapter 16.
These bowls will be the subject of our next seven lessons.
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Let's thank God for all His blessings:
Lord,
The seven bowls of Your wrath are another tragic subject of Your prophetic Word.
But You did not appoint us to suffer Your wrath, and this is why You gave us Your Son
Jesus Christ, so that we may inherit eternal life through His blood.
Please help us not to abuse Your patience and love, and to accept right here and now Your
great sacrifice for our salvation. We will be thankful to You forever for this wonderful
gift.
In the most precious name of Jesus Christ we pray.
Amen.
The test of Lesson 81 is waiting for you!