"The "plagues" poured out of the bowls bring the spirit of purification and transformation into the lives of men. This is not an act of judgment, that is, of punishment, as we think of it, but rather an activity of purification! It recalls the action of the angel in Isaiah’s inaugural vision, taking a burning coal from off the altar and touching Isaiah’s lips (Isa. 6:6-7). Beholding the manifest glory of the Lord Isaiah had cried, "Woe is me! For I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips." But the coal placed on Isaiah’s lips does not mean Isaiah’s judgment, punishment, or destruction; instead it is good news, for the angel says, "Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged." Purification does not come easy! Hot coal burns, as does the cauterization of an infected wound. Surgery might take away a part of us in order to make us well; we may not want to lose anything, but pain and loss may be necessary in order for us to experience actual healing."

"Most commentators, when viewing the plagues poured out into the earth, interpret them as divine judgment or punishment. They tell us that "plagues" bespeak wrath, torment, and destruction of the wicked. Those who tell us this say that the seven last plagues are the common figure of divine terribleness toward the guilty, the final retribution upon rebellious mankind on earth. But if this be so, why, I ask, yea, why are there such crescendos of celestial music, such scenes of heavenly rejoicing, such positive declarations affirming that because God’s judgments are now made manifest ALL NATIONS SHALL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE THE LORD! And why is the sign of the seven angels with the seven last plagues declared to be GREAT and MARVELOUS — WONDERFUL and AWE-INSPIRING! Why not say that the sign of the seven angels with the seven last plagues is terrible and frightening, or grim, dreadful, grievous, appalling, distressing, fearsome, horrendous, monstrous, and terrifying? But no — the sign is great and marvelous — mighty and wonderful! Furthermore, if their work is that of vengeance and destruction why do they step forth from before the ark of the covenant — from the very presence of God upon the mercy-seat? And why do they come forth in the garb of priests? And why do they come bearing the very bowls which carry the incense which is the prayers of the saints? My, what a shallow, confused, misguided mind-set the teachers have who teach the book of Revelation!"

"And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever" (Rev. 15:7).

"There is nothing in prophetic imagery more striking than this picture of the seven angels issuing in solemn procession, from the sanctuary of God’s manifest presence and glory. One of the four living creatures, in the midst of the throne, signifying the spirit of sonship authority from the throne, delivers to the seven messengers the vials from which the passionate correction of God is to be poured out upon the inhabitants of the earth-realm, the world of the carnal Christians."

"How long, think you, would it take a workman with a hammer and chisel to crush the ore and extract the gold from the rocks in which it lies so closely embedded? But if they are flung into the great furnace, and fires fanned to torrid heat and the draught roars through the burning mass, eventually a great glowing stream of pure and fluid metal, from which all dross and rubbish are parted, flows into the waiting mold. This is a parable of what God will do for His people whom He has purchased with His own blood! At first the surface of the melting metal may be dark and lurid — deep orange red, over which a flickering flame shall pass; but, as the process is pursued, the color will become lighter, the dark fumes will pass off, and the metal shall bear the appearance of a highly polished mirror, reflecting the beholder’s face. The process may be long and hot; BUT THE RESULT IS SURE! Ah, no one looks forward to this refining process, but come it must! No one will enjoy the ministry of the seven messengers out of the temple having the seven last plagues, but meet them they must! "Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish" (Eph. 5:25-27)."

"This is not a moment for fine words or eloquent speech. This is an hour for very plain speaking. The prophet Malachi asked the burning question, "Who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth? for HE IS LIKE A REFINER’S FIRE, AND LIKE FULLER’S SOAP: AND HE SHALL SIT AS A REFINER AND PURIFIER OF SILVER…" Indeed, who may abide — endure — wait for — the day of His coming? The vast majority of the Lord’s precious people are content in that spiritual place where they are. So many are satisfied with the forgiveness realm, the blessing realm, the gift realm where all is received by free grace through faith. Everything in these elementary realms is free! There are no conditions, no qualifications, no price — neither is there any great attainment in God. It is the realm of children, of babes in Christ. "Ask, and you shall receive." To the spiritual children Jesus promised, "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give good things to them that ask Him?" (Mat. 7:11). The world of little children receiving gifts from their parents is a blessed world indeed! But spiritually it is just that — the world of little spiritual children. It pains me to say it, but the truth is that even most of the ministers in that realm are themselves just babes in Christ."

"I think it is time for God’s people to wake up to the real and true purpose of God within us as His temple in the earth!"

"Therefore the Lord will come to His people as a refiner’s fire and as fuller’s soap; He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purge the sons of Levi, and purify them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness (Mal. 3:1-3). THIS IS ALSO THE MINISTRY OF THE SEVEN ANGELS AND THE SEVEN PLAGUES! The Lord comes out of His holy place in a ministry to purge and purify His people! This is the Lord’s ministry coming out of the midst of God’s called and chosen elect! The "seven messengers" bespeak a mighty move of the Lord as a people goes forth under the seven-fold anointing of the Spirit! For this ministry they are anointed to bring God’s righteous judgments upon the Lord’s carnal people, to bring chastening and purification, to correct what is wrong in the congregation of the Lord!"

"With these truths fresh upon our minds let us remember that the seven angels are commissioned to "pour out the bowls of the passion of God upon the earth" (Rev. 16:1); and they are also the seven spirits of God "sent forth into all the earth." Is it not clear that the seven spirits of God sent forth into "all the earth" is but another picture of the seven angels pouring out their vials "upon the earth"? It is the same seven-fold administration of God affecting the earth-realm! It is the mighty word and working of God by His Spirit! Oh, yes, there is vengeance, wrath, passion — but it is directed at the carnality and error in men, not to destroy them, but to consume the carnal mind-sets, manifestations, and works that grow out of the fleshly and soulical nature. It destroys the religious sham of Mystery Babylon, not consuming the people, but bringing down the apostate system that enslaves them!"

"Our Lord Jesus has taught us to pray that great sonship prayer in which are included these magnificent words, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." Is it possible — faintly, vaguely possible for God’s will to be done in earth in the same totality and completeness as it is done in the heavens of God’s Spirit? In heaven the will of God is done absolutely, totally, completely! But on earth — you know about Osama bin Laden, you know about Fidel Castro, the Islamic Fundamentalists, the Chinese Communists, the gangs, pedophiles, drug lords, and godless humanists. If you take the terrorists into account, and all the vulgar movies, the divorce rate, the crime rate, the sexual immorality, the crooked politicians, and the apostate religious systems — do you still think the will of God can be done in earth as it is in heaven? I’m going to tell you something. You’re dreaming, it’s wishful thinking, it’s a pipe-dream; you’re whistling in the dark; you’ve got your fingers crossed hoping for the best — unless you know which earth the Father’s will has to be done in first, completely! It is significant to note that neither Luke nor Matthew records Jesus as asking for the Father’s will to be done ON earth, but rather, IN earth. "In earth" does not mean the outer world of mountains, hills, valleys, rivers, and oceans; nor yet the outer world of governments, organizations, institutions, churches, agencies, cities, farms, and buildings. Man himself is the earth! "The first man is of the earth, earthy…as is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy…and as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly" (I Cor. 15:47-49). "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels…" (II Cor. 4:7). "Dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt return."

"My interest is not "Thy will be done in earth…" and earth is that which is outside of me, farthest away from me, over which I have no control. The cry of my heart is, "Thy will be done in this earth that I am" with the same totality and completeness and absoluteness as it is done in heaven. And when God’s will is done in this earth that I am, and that earth which you are, and the other earth that your family, friends, and neighbors are, soon it will take care of the whole earth, within and without!"