THE SEVEN JUDGMENTS OF LIGHTNING AND THUNDER
By Bill Burns
Introduction:
Revised October 12, 2002:
This message is being release on Father's Day to identify the prophetic significance of Malachi 4:5-6 as it relates to the spirit of Elijah and the mission of those now being given the mantle of Elijah to prepare the way of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
These Elijah's, the sons of the Third Day, will go forth in the power of the Spirit of burning (lightning and thunder) to carry out the seven judgments of thunder as identified in this message.
These judgments will give opportunity to the fathers (those in bondage) to be set free to be the children of the Lord and have their hearts turned in obedience to their Heavenly Father.
This is a message of hope to the Body of Christ because it identifies how liberty will come to those who are bound by demonic powers and are thus living in disobedience to the word of God.
The seven thunders are referred to in Revelation 10:1-7, "I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. He had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices. Now when the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, 'Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them.' The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer, but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets."
The seven thunders take place between the sixth and seventh trumpet judgments of Revelation chapters 9 and 11, so it is most likely that they have to do with judgment. The seven judgments of lightning and thunder will loose the spirit of burning through the mouths of those servants that the Lord is now raising up, and the fire of their words (by way of prophetic proclamation) will come forth and strike the enemy. (Revelation 11:5)
These judgments are coming to purify the church. Isaiah 4:4, "When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning." This must take place so that the glorious church without spot or wrinkle might be found holy (Ephesians 5:27) and become a habitation for the presence of God in the Spirit (Ephesians 2:21-22).
When this happens, the tangible glory of God will be seen upon the sons of God (sons of glory). Isaiah 4:5-6, "Then the LORD will create above every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and above her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a covering. And there will be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime from the heat, for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and rain." The spirit of burning is for the purpose of purifying the church by destroying the yoke of bondage (demonic strongholds) that will loose the victims of these seven strongholds which have been established in this world by Satan to keep the kingdom of God from being fully established.
The word of burning will be proclaimed against demonic strongholds, and many will be set free to serve the living God. However, please heed this warning: Those who refuse to be set free and refuse to turn from the abominations of their sins will be destroyed with the works of Satan. Ezekiel 28:18 "You defiled your sanctuaries by the multitude of your iniquities, by the iniquity of your trading; therefore I brought fire from your midst; it devoured you, and I turned you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all who saw you."
The seventh trumpet (Revelation 11:15) announces that the kingdoms of this world (Satan's strongholds) have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. In the process of the restoration of all things, the church must be set free from all demonic strongholds so that she can fulfill God's purposes here upon the earth in the church before the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Father's purpose is two-fold: First, to have a glorious church and, secondly, to reap the final harvest.
We are now moving to the end of the church age when the sons of glory will demonstrate judgments against Satan and his works. For it is time and it is written: Ephesians 3:9-11, "And to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord." The Lord's purpose for this coming judgment is revealed in Isaiah 26:7-9, "The way of the just is uprightness; O Most Upright, You weigh the path of the just. Yes, in the way of Your judgments, O LORD, we have waited for You; The desire of our soul is for Your name And for the remembrance of You. With my soul I have desired You in the night, Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early; for when Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness."
It, therefore, remains for the sons of His glory (His witnesses) to bring forth prophetic proclamation (at the direction of the Holy Spirit) and strike the demonic strongholds according to Psalm 149:5-9, "Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute on them the written judgment; this honor have all His saints. Praise the LORD!"
And these are the places that the seven thunders shall roar against and the lightning bolts of the fire of the word of the Lord will produce the spirit of burning and will strike the demon powers which rule over these seven places and thereby establish a spiritual atmosphere that influences people and their behavior.
1. People in the church who are under the rule of demon spirits. Those who are bound will be given the opportunity to be set free. Demons will be cast out, and the strongholds that allow the doctrines of demons will be destroyed by the anointing of the third-day ministry of power.
2. The door posts of unrighteous institutions, which could include churches, governmental institutions, educational institutions, false religious organizations, companies that sell and promote sin.
3. The altars, ancient strongholds established by the occult. Pagan altars established in the land, such as statues, demonic altars of worship and altars of blood sacrifice.
4. High places -- idols of self worship, New Age practices, the god of denominationalism, the worship of religious exercise apart from the leading and power of the Holy Spirit.
5. The ground -- curses upon the land pronounced by the ancients and those who operate in witchcraft and sorcery and by the shedding of innocent blood.
6. The rivers -- the establishment of demonic strongholds to pollute the living waters.
7. The heavenlies -- where thrones of rulers of darkness have been established over churches, towns and cities, geographical areas.
These strongholds will be more fully expounded in the weeks to come. I believe that in the season before us, Father's Day to the Feast of Trumpets, we will see a tremendous time of the equipping of the saints for war against the enemy so that the end-time harvest may come into the storehouse. In the midst of judgment a glorious harvest will be reaped. Let the harvest begin!
Bill Burns
thirdday@ft111.com