“Alas for the day! for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.” “For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?” Joel 1:15; 2:11. 4. What has Daniel said of this time? “And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.” Dan. 12:1. See Eze. 7:15-19. NOTE.—The seven last plagues will be the most terrible scourges ever visited upon man. As Ahab accused Elijah of being the cause of Israel’s calamities (1 Kings 18:17, 18), so, in the time of trouble, the wicked and those who have departed from God will be enraged at the righteous, will accuse them as being the cause of the plagues, and will seek to destroy them as did Haman the Jews. See Esther 3:8-14. But God will miraculously deliver His people at this time as He did then. 5. What will be the first plague, and upon whom will it fall? “And the first went, and poured out his vial upon _the earth_; and _there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshiped his image_.” Rev. 16:2. 6. What will constitute the second plague? “And the second angel poured out his vial upon _the sea_; and _it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea_.” Verse 3. 7. What will be the third plague? “And the third angel poured out his vial upon _the rivers and fountains of waters_; and _they became blood_.” Verse 4. NOTE.—The second plague affects the sea. The third plague comes closer to the habitations of men, and affects the land. The water supplies are contaminated. 8. Why, under these plagues, does the Lord give men blood to drink? “_For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets_, and Thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.” Verse 6. NOTE.—In this is shown God’s abhorrence of oppression and persecution. The plagues are God’s rebukes against colossal forms of sin. 9. What will be the fourth plague? “And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon _the sun_; and _power was given unto him to scorch men with fire_.” Verse 8. See Joel 1:16-20. NOTE.—Sun-worship is the most ancient and wide-spread of all forms of idolatry. In this plague God manifests His displeasure at this form of idolatry. That which men have worshiped as a god, becomes a plague and tormentor. Thus it was in the plagues of Egypt. Those things which the Egyptians had worshiped became scourges to them instead of benefactors and blessings. See “The Philosophy of the Plan of Salvation,” by “An American Citizen,” chapter 3. 10. Will even this terrible judgment lead men to repent?