Independent Baptist Connection
Oil Spill: Just the Beginning?
Due to recent developments in the Gulf of Mexico, it’s hard to conceive that there’s anyone who doesn’t know about at least a few of the events surrounding it. The main focus of this website isn’t prophecy but there are times when we can’t help but address certain issues discussed in God’s Word as it applies to current events. Is the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico the beginning of the end?
Volumes of material have already been written about the oil gusher and its possible impact around the world. Speculators tie the leak at Deepwater to events described in Revelation 8:8-9.
“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; 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.”
It seems this prophecy is being fulfilled before our eyes! These are truly the end times. Hold on for a second. Is there more to these events than meets the eye?
The world focuses itself on doom while it feasts on worst case scenarios. At least, that seems the case with the Gulf oil leak. I’ve included a video that does nothing more than talk about one possibility among many others.
Stop and think about those who link Revelation 8 too closely with the current crisis in the Gulf. There are countless “experts” that pull out a verse of scripture here and there in attempts to prove what they say; this action changes a text of the Bible into a pretext of error.
The prophecies of Revelation (for the most part) follow a chronological order. Sometimes the verses are like reviews loaded with more details of past events already described in previous chapters. Such isn’t the case in Revelation 8.
Before the events described in Revelation 8 occur, all of the events described in Revelation 1 through 7 must also occur. There are also things that happen in Revelation 8:1-7 before Revelation 8:8-9. If Revelation 8:8-9 describes the oil spill currently taking place in the Gulf, a series of other events must also have taken place. How many of those events have already happened? Let’s take a quick look.
The events of chapters 1-3 took place in the past. However, the rapture described in chapter 4 hasn’t yet happened (at this writing). I make no apologies for believing the Bible teaches a Pre-Tribulation rapture. This is my personal belief not because a teacher or speaker said so, but because God said so.
That fact alone should disqualify the events of chapter 8 being the current oil leak.
None of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse described in Revelation 5 have yet appeared on the scene. No doubt, the riders are ready to mount and they are anxiously waiting their ride. The first four seals are also ready to be opened. But neither of these events are yet a part of history. Therefore, that removes the oil leak as what’s spoken about in Revelation 8:8-9. The prophetic events spoken about in Revelation 6 are still prophetic. Other terrifying events are also mentioned in that chapter, none of which have yet appeared.
In Revelation Chapter 7, God tells us about the sealing of the 144,000 Jews of the tribes of Israel. This event hasn’t happened either. There’s another disqualification for Revelation Chapter 8,
The 8th chapter itself says certain things must happen before the sea turns to blood. Revelation’s seventh seal opens with terrible calamity far beyond anything seen so far. There must be thundering, lightings, earthquakes, and the first trumpet must sound. Do you recall a rain of hail and fire mingled with blood? This causes a third part of the trees to burn up, along with all the green grass. When did this happen? Of course, it hasn’t happened yet.
The second trumpet sounds in Revelation 8:8. We’re getting close to the third part of the sea becoming blood but we’re not there yet. When the second trumpet sounds, there’s what appears as a great mountain burning with fire cast into the sea. It seems this event causes death and destruction in the sea. No one can be certain what these words actually describe, but it’s a certainty that nothing like that has happened in the Gulf of Mexico!
In other words, the currently Gulf Oil leak isn’t what John described in Revelation 8:8-9. Could an oil leak be what John described?
Before you discount that idea, think carefully about recent events. This is where we enter the world of speculation.
Great caution should be exercised when we try applying the events and technologies of today to the events that John wrote about in the book of Revelation. The reason for this is that we don’t know what new technologies might exist in the future. While I like to think the Lord might return tonight, the time is known only to God.
Just the same, we may be seeing a glimpse of what soon lies ahead! What if there’s layer of oil beneath the surface of the earth that BP tapped into? Since the recent “accident” isn’t spoken of in Revelation, we can safely conclude that Revelation talks about something else that may be similar in appearance. Is it possible a meteor or asteroid strikes the earth and opens up a leak to some sort of subterranean layer of oil? Look what damage a small pipe did. Can you imagine what might happen with a large object? It would be so devastating that large portions of life might be extinguished.
This is just speculation and here’s why I say that. God isn’t my puppet and He doesn’t do things the way I think He should do them or using only the methods I allow Him to use. The Lord does things in His own way and in His own time and He doesn’t think the way I think. All I have to go on is the record of His word.
There are many things God has told us will happen. Some of those things, according to God’s own word, will happen at certain times. This isn’t always revealed to us, but in Revelation God makes it clear. In the near future, we’ll cover the entire book of Revelation on this website, Lord willing.
We can be certain of one thing today. The oil leak may or may not be stopped. There may be many disasters associated with the leak. My heart goes out to any person affected. Whatever really happened in April, it isn’t the events spoken of in Revelation Chapter 8. This is just a glimpse of things to come. It isn’t designed to terrify the Christian but to give him or her a sense of anticipation. Jesus is coming back very soon, maybe before you have a chance to finish reading this article.
Thevideo below isn't included to signal my total agreement with what the speaker says. It reaches only the realm of possibility. If you think this is bad (and it is), things will much worse after the Christian is taken out of the world and God's judgment begins.
Volumes of material have already been written about the oil gusher and its possible impact around the world. Speculators tie the leak at Deepwater to events described in Revelation 8:8-9.
“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; 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.”
It seems this prophecy is being fulfilled before our eyes! These are truly the end times. Hold on for a second. Is there more to these events than meets the eye?
The world focuses itself on doom while it feasts on worst case scenarios. At least, that seems the case with the Gulf oil leak. I’ve included a video that does nothing more than talk about one possibility among many others.
Stop and think about those who link Revelation 8 too closely with the current crisis in the Gulf. There are countless “experts” that pull out a verse of scripture here and there in attempts to prove what they say; this action changes a text of the Bible into a pretext of error.
The prophecies of Revelation (for the most part) follow a chronological order. Sometimes the verses are like reviews loaded with more details of past events already described in previous chapters. Such isn’t the case in Revelation 8.
Before the events described in Revelation 8 occur, all of the events described in Revelation 1 through 7 must also occur. There are also things that happen in Revelation 8:1-7 before Revelation 8:8-9. If Revelation 8:8-9 describes the oil spill currently taking place in the Gulf, a series of other events must also have taken place. How many of those events have already happened? Let’s take a quick look.
The events of chapters 1-3 took place in the past. However, the rapture described in chapter 4 hasn’t yet happened (at this writing). I make no apologies for believing the Bible teaches a Pre-Tribulation rapture. This is my personal belief not because a teacher or speaker said so, but because God said so.
That fact alone should disqualify the events of chapter 8 being the current oil leak.
None of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse described in Revelation 5 have yet appeared on the scene. No doubt, the riders are ready to mount and they are anxiously waiting their ride. The first four seals are also ready to be opened. But neither of these events are yet a part of history. Therefore, that removes the oil leak as what’s spoken about in Revelation 8:8-9. The prophetic events spoken about in Revelation 6 are still prophetic. Other terrifying events are also mentioned in that chapter, none of which have yet appeared.
In Revelation Chapter 7, God tells us about the sealing of the 144,000 Jews of the tribes of Israel. This event hasn’t happened either. There’s another disqualification for Revelation Chapter 8,
The 8th chapter itself says certain things must happen before the sea turns to blood. Revelation’s seventh seal opens with terrible calamity far beyond anything seen so far. There must be thundering, lightings, earthquakes, and the first trumpet must sound. Do you recall a rain of hail and fire mingled with blood? This causes a third part of the trees to burn up, along with all the green grass. When did this happen? Of course, it hasn’t happened yet.
The second trumpet sounds in Revelation 8:8. We’re getting close to the third part of the sea becoming blood but we’re not there yet. When the second trumpet sounds, there’s what appears as a great mountain burning with fire cast into the sea. It seems this event causes death and destruction in the sea. No one can be certain what these words actually describe, but it’s a certainty that nothing like that has happened in the Gulf of Mexico!
In other words, the currently Gulf Oil leak isn’t what John described in Revelation 8:8-9. Could an oil leak be what John described?
Before you discount that idea, think carefully about recent events. This is where we enter the world of speculation.
Great caution should be exercised when we try applying the events and technologies of today to the events that John wrote about in the book of Revelation. The reason for this is that we don’t know what new technologies might exist in the future. While I like to think the Lord might return tonight, the time is known only to God.
Just the same, we may be seeing a glimpse of what soon lies ahead! What if there’s layer of oil beneath the surface of the earth that BP tapped into? Since the recent “accident” isn’t spoken of in Revelation, we can safely conclude that Revelation talks about something else that may be similar in appearance. Is it possible a meteor or asteroid strikes the earth and opens up a leak to some sort of subterranean layer of oil? Look what damage a small pipe did. Can you imagine what might happen with a large object? It would be so devastating that large portions of life might be extinguished.
This is just speculation and here’s why I say that. God isn’t my puppet and He doesn’t do things the way I think He should do them or using only the methods I allow Him to use. The Lord does things in His own way and in His own time and He doesn’t think the way I think. All I have to go on is the record of His word.
There are many things God has told us will happen. Some of those things, according to God’s own word, will happen at certain times. This isn’t always revealed to us, but in Revelation God makes it clear. In the near future, we’ll cover the entire book of Revelation on this website, Lord willing.
We can be certain of one thing today. The oil leak may or may not be stopped. There may be many disasters associated with the leak. My heart goes out to any person affected. Whatever really happened in April, it isn’t the events spoken of in Revelation Chapter 8. This is just a glimpse of things to come. It isn’t designed to terrify the Christian but to give him or her a sense of anticipation. Jesus is coming back very soon, maybe before you have a chance to finish reading this article.
Thevideo below isn't included to signal my total agreement with what the speaker says. It reaches only the realm of possibility. If you think this is bad (and it is), things will much worse after the Christian is taken out of the world and God's judgment begins.