Revelation 2012 #7: The Seven Trumpets Series

REVELATION 2012: #7 – THE SEVEN TRUMPETS

(March 2012 – Beausejour Church – Pastor Chris Jordan)

OPENING: Have you ever got tired or weary living life on planet earth?

Have you ever been frustrated by all of the injustices in the world around us?

Revelation is designed to encourage us with the hope that one day; all wrongs will be made right.

No matter how hard the battle gets, we can be encouraged because ultimately, we will win.

When Jesus returns to the Earth, He will take His people home to live forever with Him in Heaven, and execute righteousness and judgment on His enemies, wicked and evil people.

One day, the devil will get what’s coming to him – cast into the lake of fire for all of eternity!

CHAPTER SEVEN – THE GREAT MULTITUDE:

“After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, "Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” (Rev. 7:1-3).

• The seal of God refers to God’s ownership and protection of His people (Eph. 1:13).

• The judgments in the seven trumpets are not to be feared by God’s faithful church – these are the threatenings promised to God’s enemies!

“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen. Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?" And I said to him, "Sir, you know." So he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Rev. 7:9-17).

• What is the Great Multitude? Tells us God has chosen to save many people!

• What is our response? As always, it is to worship God on the throne and Jesus!

• The revelation of Jesus here: He is the Lamb of God who will shepherd us and lead us to living fountains of waters, just like He is described in Psalm 23!

APPLICATION POINT: Let us commit to living lives of worship NOW on the earth.

CHAPTER EIGHT – THE SEVEN TRUMPETS #1:

“When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.” (Rev. 8:1-2).

• Trumpets = warnings of coming judgment, call for people to repent (Is. 58:1, Ezek. 33:3)

• Trumpets = blown to proclaim the rule of a new king (1 Kings 1:34,39)

TRUMPET #1: - hail and fire thrown to the earth – grass & trees burned (Ex. 9:23).

TRUMPET #2: - flaming mountain thrown into the sea turning water to blood (Ex. 7:19).

TRUMPET #3: - star fell from Heaven, burned up water and made them bitter

TRUMPET #4: - third of the sun, moon and stars darkened (Ex. 10:21).

• OT imagery used for the fall of nations and rulers – Isaiah 24:19-20.

QUOTE: What’s going on in this chapter?

“References to the Egyptian plagues suggest that in Revelation we have the final exodus of God’s people from the bondage of a world controlled by hostile powers.” (NASB Study Bible).

CHAPTER #9 – THE SEVEN TRUMPETS #2:

TRUMPET #5:

“Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth.” (Revelation 9:1-3).