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==Eight Appearances of the Victorious Saints,9==
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And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. (Revelation 15:2)<br><br>
During the time of the pouring out of God's wrath the victorious saints stand on the sea of glass mixed with fire.<br><br>
The seven last plagues are about to be poured out. These mark the completion of the wrath of God.<br><br>
The greatest contrast ever to be experienced in God's universe is that between the idyllic scenes of the Garden of Eden and Hell's twilight of the closing days of the Church Age.<br><br>
God gave mankind a perfect environment. Satan entered and the results are now history. This has been God's way of showing His angels and all His other creatures the folly of rebellion against the Father's will.<br><br>
God easily could have prevented the entrance of Satan into the garden. God chose to permit the evil to work itself out to its conclusion just as He does with us from time to time.<br><br>
Another great contrast is that between the inhabitants of the earth, suffering from the plagues of God, and the victorious saints standing on the sea of glass. The sea of glass is located in front of the Throne of Almighty God.<br><br>
And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. (Revelation 4:6)<br><br>
The sea of glass represents the utter purity of those who stand before God's throne. There is no guile in them, no filthiness of the spirit.<br><br>
The four living creatures were present in the middle of the throne and around the throne. They represent the Character of God that which man is destined to become. But no human being was standing on the sea of glass at that time.<br><br>
However when God is ready to pour out the seven vials that represent the conclusion of His wrath there are people, the victorious saints, standing on the glass. Also the sea of glass is now mixed with fire. This is because the fire of God's judgment has burned out of the victorious saints all guile and filthiness of spirit.<br><br>
It is fashionable in our day to speak of reverence for God rather than the fear of God. The change is just one more symptom of the influence of humanistic thinking on Christian teaching.<br><br>
God is to be feared. Christians often do not fear God at all. Yet they should be working out their own salvation with fear and trembling (not with reverence and trembling!).<br><br>
The only people who have reason to be unafraid in the day of God's wrath are the victorious saints. They have won victory over the beast, his image, his mark, and the number of his name.<br><br>
There always is a song in our heart when we gain victory, and this is the significance of the harps.<br><br>
There is more to being a Christian than taking the four steps of salvation. We must gain victory over the beast, his image, his mark, and the number of his name.<br><br>
'To be continued'' [[Eight Appearances of the Victorious Saints 10]]