A thorough study of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show his servants things which must shortly come to pass. (Rev. 1:1)
Welcome to our study of the Revelation of Jesus Christ given unto Apostle John.
I am Phillip Smith, your host and fellow servant of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
As we continue our study in the Revelation of Jesus Christ, as given to John, we begin in chapter 8.
As we begin we have opened six of the seven seals around the little scroll which could only be opened by the Lamb who was slain–Jesus Christ. These seals opened the Spirit realm which influences the literal physical realm in which we live.
We witnessed and believe the influences are:
Goodness–righteousness is able to conquer all it may–rider on white horse
Evil–unrighteousness is able to conquer all it may–rider on red horse
Commerce can happen with balanced scales upon the earth–rider on black horse
Death to mankind can occur on the earth and hell–grave will follow–rider on pale horse
Martyrs who were killed for the name and testimony of Christ have been given rest for their labors for a little season. They were given a white robe. They were found to be blameless, pure, sinless.
The call for the judgment–end of time.
In this spirit realm, it has been shown unto John the judgment of God’s chosen people Israel prior to the changing of the law by which Christian man is judged. Old Israel lived under the law given at Mt. Sinai to Moses. They were judged according to that law. Time was given to mark the righteous who lived at that time.
In addition to the righteous under the Law of Moses, there are found all others of every tribe, nation and language in heaven. These are they which came out of a great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Rev. 7:14. They are The Saved. The Great Tribulation is the modern time in which we now live. Mt 24:29-31.
Now we turn to the seventh seal.
Rev. 8:1. 8 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
Here we witness a time schedule. However we have determined time is nothing to God; He does not live on a timetable as we understand time. In eternity, time does not exist. A pause has occurred from the activities around God. It is a very short pause by the indicator for us to understand; about the space of half an hour.
It appears time to God is a duration of an event assigned by God. Here a pause has occurred changing from one event to another. Now is when the next event begins.
As we ponder the meaning of this pause ending the first cluster of ‘seven’(s), we see the spirit world from the ascension of Jesus Christ going back into heaven until the end of ‘time’. (as we know it). We can identify with the ability of righteous spiritual things conquering souls for the righteousness party of good souls. God has also given the leader of evil–unrighteousness–to conquer souls for the unrighteous party of bad souls. There is a universal right for goodness and evil to try to compete for the souls of man. There seems to be an equal opportunity for each wing of society to build its force of souls whether for good or bad. Commerce allows mankind to provide for themselves the necessities of life by purchasing or bartering. This too seems normal in our physical society. Death, physical death is reality in the physical realm. However, in the spiritual realm, before the wedding ceremony for Jesus Christ, a judgment of old Israel, under the Old Law takes place along with the realization of spiritual judgment and placement of the righteous into Heaven for the Christians. The judgment is done in the spiritual realm and we know the separation of those found good from evil will occur. Then the very short pause. Scripture tells us of a wedding appointed to occur between Jesus, the Groom, and the church, the Bride. If we compare the parable of the Ten Virgins waiting for the groom to arrive and this very short pause after the judgment, this might be the identifier for this pause. The bride is waiting for her groom so the wedding ceremony can begin. This ends the cluster of ‘Seven’ Seals around the scroll. This ‘seven’ meaning complete amount, whole, and fullness allows a new ‘seven’ to begin.
Let us study the next cluster of ‘seven’. They are Trumpets. Within these identifiers of trumpets are described the spirit nature as it influences the physical with the wrath of God upon unrighteous man. God uses his servante, angels, to do certain assigned tasks ordered by God. This cluster of “seven”–complete amount, whole–unit is describing God’s wrath upon the earth and man. God did not design the earth to last forever; only a short time.
The trumpet is an instrument used for a signal to sound an alarm; the beginning or end of an event, the call to battle, a call to duty or to attract attention to a certain event. Let's identify a few.
Call To War.
Numbers 10:9. And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.
Call Attention To God That Offerings Are Prepared.
Numbers 10:10. Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the Lord your God.
Call To Duty Or Assembly.
Joshua 6:5. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.
Exodus 19:13. There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.
The Call To Declare The End
1 Corinthians 15:52. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
NOTICE: at the last trump: Let's turn to Revelation 11:15-18 and preview the last trump. We will see the last trump calling for the judgment of the dead.
15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. 16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, 17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. 18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
The seventh angel sounded–vs. 15
The kingdoms of the world are become the kingdoms of our Lord–the marriage of Christ and his bride appear to have been complete–vs. 15
The time of the dead, that they should be judged–vs. 18
Destroy them that destroy the earth–vs. 18
Now let us begin the study of the Seven Trumpets. Each trumpet begins a new period of the wrath of God against unrighteous man; each in succession getting more severe against all iniquity of the unrighteous world.
Rev. 8:2. 2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
Certain angels are given a task to perform. Each has been given a trumpet. The identifier of the trumpet indicates a call; a specific call to be made. With a distinct sound of the trumpet there is no misunderstanding of the call. In warfare the trumpet was used to sound throughout the region and each sound declared a certain meaning. It was used to call a ‘charge’ or a ‘retreat’. Any other distinct sound could be made with a trumpet; each with its own certain meaning.
These angels were given a certain sound to blast on the trumpet to declare a certain event to begin or end. This cluster or complete process of associated events will be set into motion. Each event doing the assigned duty by the call to begin from each identified trumpet sound.
Rev. 8:3-4. 3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
The prayers of the saints were brought before God and presented with the smell of incense.
Incense was used all throughout the lives of the children of Israel following the giving of the law at Mt. Sinai. It was to burn continuously in the Tabernacle. Burning of incense became symbolic of sanctification and purification and was to carry the prayers of the saints before God. Here the angel offers those prayers to God. The bringing of the prayers to God completes the defense of the righteous soul’s trial and judgment before God before it is too late to change the verdict.
Much incense is described. It is with enough incense necessary to carry the prayers of all the saints heavenward in its smoke to the attention of God.
Rev. 8:5-6. 5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. 6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
The angel cast the censer which burned the incense and carried the prayers of the saints to God to earth when the task was complete. It appears no more prayers from man were to be heard. The time of the judgment is now upon mankind. No opportunity to repent and change is available. The mystery of God should be finished. Rev. 10:7. This casting to earth of the censer caused a great noise and fearful activities on earth. A sound of fearful beginnings of the end was sounded around all the earth for an unrighteous man to know his doom. The beginning of the opening of the seven trumpets was now at hand. These ‘seven’ trumpets seem to coincide with the seven bowls of God’s wrath described later in the book. (chapters 15-16)
Trumpet #1
Rev. 8:7. 7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
It appears to be the beginning of the destruction of the earth. With a portion of the vegetation removed, it would bring hardships upon man with its shortages. We can witness destruction of the earth’s possessions and its ability to provide for man as God supplied before.
This numerical figure of one-third is an identifier for man to relate the destruction of the identified substance as being destroyed over a vast amount of time the earth exists since the ascension of Jesus back to heaven.
Trumpet #2
Vss. 8-9. 8 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; 9 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.
Now a portion of the sealife died along with merchant ships with their cargo lost. Another hardship upon an unrighteous man. Again we have witnessed what is described as ‘red tide’ along the coasts of land near the seas. It kills the fish and other marine life. It has caused merchant ships to falter and perhaps disappear. Again, one-third of the identifier for man to which man can relate is given. Over a great number of human years, death and destruction to physical matter is allowed to occur.
Trumpet #3
Vss. 10-11. 10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; 11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.
A meteor falls to earth striking it and burning as it flies through the atmosphere. It poisons one third of the water, killing an unrighteous man and making the water bitter. References are made to the wicked drinking the wine of the wrath of God because they drank the wine of the wicked one, Satan. God would give back the evils they gave to the saints.
We, again, have witnessed falling stars, meteors and other heavenly objects pass through earth’s atmosphere.
These physical things are destroyed and killed, being included in a number of one-third the total of earthly substances.
Trumpet #4
Vs. 12. 12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
Light from the sun and moon was partly removed so man could not do his tasks in light. He had to perform them under darkness. To perform something in darkness gave little time to accomplish everything you needed. It would be a hardship upon an evil man.
The natural diminishing of anything in the physical realm is punishment and separation of man from God. Physical nature is known not to survive forever as eternity and Spirit nature are.
Vs. 13. 13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!
Now that God has gotten the attention of evil mankind, an angel gives dire warning to the coming spirit influences upon an evil man. The remaining trumpets are to declare harsher punishment upon man from the wrath of God.
Revelation 9 the remaining trumpets.
Trumpet #5 Woe #1
Chapter 9:1-12. 9 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. 2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. 3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. 5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. 6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. 7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. 8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. 9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. 10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. 11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. 12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.
The fifth angel sounded his trumpet opening with a key given to him the ‘bottomless pit’. When the pit opened, smoke filled the sky hiding the sun from the earth. Locusts came forth to bite and torment the evil men with the mark of the beast. They were not to eat the vegetation; only bite those with the mark of the beast and not to harm those with the seal of God in their foreheads. They stung mankind like a scorpion when he strikes a man.
Upon feeling this torment, the evil man desired to die but God refused him that pleasure. He was to suffer as he had done to the saints when they were living with him.
We see a time identifier disclosing itself to our understanding. It was for a short duration yet a little longer than the indicator of one half an hour. This suffering would come to an end in the literal physical realm. The identifier of five months lets man understand the duration of this event will come to an end. We also recognize it is a little longer than the silent time seen in Heaven, yet not a long or extended period.
The appearance of these locusts were fearful in sight. They were to bring fear to an evil man. Many identifying characteristics of these locusts are given for us to understand their fearful appearance. A ruler or commander was leading them. The Hebrew called him Abaddon. The Greek called him Apollyon. Their name means ‘Destroyer’. Some believe we now have an additional name for Satan, the lord of Hell and a fallen angel.
With the warning from one of the angels concerning the next three trumpets, we understand the warning. The pain inflicted upon the evil man was great.
Is Satan trying to bring rest for his militant followers by death or can he not deny the power and assignment of God to torment the evil man? When we study Job, God assigned Satan to torment Job but Satan could not take Job’s life. Could this be a similarity?
Trumpet #6 Woe #2
Rev. 9:13-21. 13 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. 15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. 16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them. 17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone. 18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. 19 For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt. 20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: 21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
A duration of time, a slightly longer amount of time as we understand time in comparison to any other amount, is given for the sixth angel to accomplish his given task. One year, one month, one day and one hour is a longer timeframe in which to accomplish this task. It is in no way a literal time segment but an estimation for man to understand the duration to accomplish the assigned task is longer than the others. With him are a number of horsemen bent on battle. They were given offensive weaponry to fulfill their quest. Death will now come to ‘a third’ of mankind. Fire, smoke and brimstone were used to kill. They could inflict hurt and pain like the former angel's trumpet unleashed.
We, also, have seen indicators of the number of men killed in these punishments. (to slay the third part of men, vs. 15) They represent portions assigned to each of the three trumpet calls of the wrath of God upon the evil man. They in no way account an exact number; it is a reference number.
With all this punishment, evil mankind still did not repent. Their stubborn pride would not let them. The wrath of God was as severe as God designed but the power of pride prevailed.
These were considered by a righteous man to be vile evil men. They were guilty of murder, sorcery, fornication and theft. Each of these were iniquities listed as not allowed in heaven. They worshiped idols made from articles found on earth which cannot do anything for them; they were not alive and could not protect them.
Verse 16 gives a number referencing how large the army for the punishment of the evil men was. It is a large number. First 200 is large; yet the number 1,000 is an innumerable number. Multiply by another 1,000 and it represents an extremely great number man cannot count. It was the necessary number of militants God wanted to accomplish his task.
These militants are to use fire, smoke and brimstone to kill the unrighteous on the earth. One third is said to be killed in this manner. Again, this is an indication of a percentage of mankind killed, not literal. (vs. 18)
With the visible killing of these unrighteous men, the remaining still did not repent. They were aware of the wrath of God but in their stubbornness did not repent. (vss. 20-21)
We now see a short interlude before the seventh trumpet sounds. It is a cluster of ‘seven’, meaning a complete grouping of events associated together. We will study these in the next lesson.
