The Epistle of Jesus #6 The Seven Trumpets:
Heaven Declares War Revelation 8-9
Review / Chronology
I. The vision of Christ and letters to the seven churches.
1:9–3:22.
II. The Lamb opens the seven-sealed book is opened. 4:1–6:17.
III. The sealing of the 144,000 and the angels sounding the
seven trumpets. 7:1–9:21.
Pride in Perversion Month
Some of you may have missed it, though I don’t know how that would be possible, but this month, the whole month is Pride Month according to the government, big businesses, and the media. Pride month is the month that perversion and immorality go mainstream. Our nation celebrates and honors the most degrading, debauching and damaging sins of mankind. They even take the rainbow of God and pervert it to a symbol of their deep soul scaring iniquity. Now, these sins have always existed, but not since Sodom and Gomorra have they been so flagrant, so open, so accepted as normal. I think one of the reasons this is happening in our time is because the world no longer believes in judgement. Those who engage in these reprobate acts feel no shame, no guilt and have no fear of God’s hand of punishment. Even the majority of people who claim the title of Christian do not believe in the wrath of God, the judgement of God or even consequences for a person’s own actions and choices.
These openly corrupt and morally bankrupt persons claim, not only that their sin is no longer sin or even wrong, but that God condones their choices, their evil and that He made them that way and therefore their so called lifestyle, is by God's design. They are actually doing God's will when they give themselves to the basest desires of their wicked hearts. In their corrupted, reprobate minds they would make God the author of sin and a partner in their perversion.
Because they do not see the judgment of God immediately, they ignore Him, ignore His word and think they will never be called to account. Let me tell you, this morning in the middle of Pride in Perversion Month, they are wrong and their willful error will cost them everything.
Let me tell you what they are so wrong about when it comes to the judgment of God. Turn to Romans 2v4
The Wrath of God - Romans 2:3-9
3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? 4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality - eternal life: 8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, - indignation and wrath, 9 tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil…
The Word Of God
…states it plainly. It says that those who believe they are not under the judgment of God, that their sins will not be punished, that they can do the most evil and immoral acts and not suffer the consequences are despising the goodness, the mercy of God and are storing up wrath. I often read other word for word translations of the Bible to help me in me study. One of the versions didn’t use the word despise but instead the word presume. “do you presume upon the goodness of God.” Now that is what is happening, but I have to say, presume is not a strong enough word for what they are doing. This act is not benign, it is not passive, it is a direct and purposeful ignoring of God’s grace it is despising. That is a good description, that is a powerful description. That is what this modern society of ours is doing today. They despise God’s grace. They despise God’s Word. They despise God’s house. They despise God’s people.
Paul says they are treasuring up wrath, like a miser hoarding gold in a chest but what they think is glorious, golden sin is actually the wages of death that will be paid out inn the Day of Wrath. Then they will no longer be able to ignore the righteous judgment of God.
The word wrath is the Greek word orge (orgay). It means violent passion, justifiable abhorrence and punishment. - Strong's Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.
God is not ignoring the sin of this world, not even the sin of an single person of this world, instead God is trying, in his mercy, to give time to the sinner. Time to repent, time to hear, time to trust, time to believe, time to accept the gift of grace. But if any person spurns the gift of grace, rejects God’s own Son who died for them, then that time of God’s grace turns into a treasure house of God’s wrath.
Peter’s Warning
2 Peter 3:9-10 9 The Lord is not slack (not slow, not delaying) concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Transition:
Now that bring us to Revelation 8. Here now we see that Day of Wrath fully realized, fully outpoured, fully sounded by the trumpets of God’s angels so loudly that no one will be able to ignore God anymore.
The Seventh Seal, Revelation 8:1 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
The Seventh Seal unseals or unveils the Seven Trumpets of God’s wrath. The Seventh Seal is the Seven trumpets and reveals the rest of the scroll, the rest of the book of Revelation. These judgments are sequential one following the other, the trumpets following the seals, the bowls or vials following the trumpets.
When the seal is broken by the slain lamb there is silence in all of heaven for about a half and hour. All the praise that has filled the throne room of heaven goes perfectly still as seal is broken and the scroll unrolled to reveal the terrible wrath of God upon the earth.
This silence of about ½ an hour, is like the stillness before the storm. This is the shocked and stunned reaction of all heaven to these terrible judgments that are about to fall as war from heaven is poured upon the earth.
John MacArthur said you could put the next two chapter under the headings of silence, supplication, sounding and storm.
The War of God - Revelation 8
Preparation and Prayers: The Seven Angels and the Angel At the Altar Rev 8:2–6
2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. 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. 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.
Trumpets were used for warning and for calling to war. Here they warn those on earth of God's wrath and call to war the angels against those on the earth.
The angel with the censor acts in the role of the high priest. Some believe this is Jesus acting in his role of high priest, others point out that Jesus does not appear as the Angel of the Lord after the Old Testament closes. Opinion is greatly divided. I believe that this is another great angel and that his orders come from the throne.
This angel, as John sees him is given much incense to offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar. The incense and golden altar here are the true items in God’s throne room, while the Tabernacle items were a symbol, but John recognizes those symbols here in their true form.
Revelation 8:5–6 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and cast it to the earth. And there were voices, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake. 6 So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
In the Old Testament these items were for the appeasement of God's wrath. The incense from the censor and the golden altar was fired from the coals of the brazen altar, the altar of sacrifice. The incense ascended up into heaven and was a sweet-smelling savor and represented the prayers of God’s people and God’s wrath was appeased, satisfied by their prayers for forgiveness.
But now there is a big difference. The censor is filled with fire and is cast down upon the earth. Instead of the appeasement of God wrath, it is now the release of that wrath. The prayers of God’s people who have suffered persecution, torment, torture and martyrdom has been stored up in heaven, stored in that golden altar and now when it is full, now when the Day of Wrath has finally come, now when finally the prayers of God’s people, “How long O Lord, How long?” will be answered. The censor filled with the prayers for the righteous judgment and action of God is thrown down and explodes upon the earth.
Let me show you and interesting verse. Jesus said in Luke 12:49 about his first coming, “I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?” Jesus is saying that he come to send fire on the earth. Yes, part of that fire was controversy, conflict but mostly it was to bring judgment and Jesus states, He wishes it was already burning. Jesus knew what lay in store for his people, his nation, his church. What they must endure, what they must suffer and he wishes that God’s righteous judgment was ready to burn even then. It could not happen then, but we are are reading, we are glimpsing the future when that willing, that desire of Jesus will be put into effect. The seven trumpets begin to sound.
Punishment: The First 4 Trumpets - Revelation 8:7–12
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. 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. 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. 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.
Description - Like the seals the trumpets are divided into 2 groups of 4 and 3. The last three trumpets are called the three “Woes!” in vs 8:13. The first 4 trumpets is followed by the first woe, which is the 5th trumpet and then the second woe, the 6th Trumpets and finally the seventh trumpet which is the third woe which is the seven bowls or vials of God’s final wrath.
The First Four Trumpets Sound
Vs. 7 First Trumpet: The plants of earth are struck. 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.
Vs. 8-9 Second Trumpet: The Seas Are Struck. 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; 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.
Vs 10-11 Third Trumpet: The Rivers and Streams Are Struck 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; 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.
Vs. 12 Fourth Trumpet: The Lights of Earth Are Struck - 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.
I believe these are literal, not symbolic judgments. I believe that a great hailstorm, filled with lightening like fire will fall and the blood of those who are crushed will mingle with the hail and lightening of that terrible storm. I believe something like a great mountain burning with fire, a perfect description of a metero or an asteroid, will fall from heaven into the sea, probably the Mediterranean Ocean for that is the Sea John knew and will destroy 1/3 of all the sea life and 1/3 of all the ships caught in a terrible Tsunami that will sweep them away after that fiery mountain crashes into the sea. I believe something like a great star, burning like a lamp, lit within like the ice of a comet reflecting the sun will fall upon the earth and 1/3 of the rivers, and water sources will be poison by this star called Wormwood, a word that means bitter poison. And I believe because of these events happening withing week or at the most months from each other that the earth’s atmosphere will be filled with dust and the light of the sun, moon and stars will be dimmed by 1/3.
You know why I believe these are literal and not metaphors and not symbols? Because things like this have already happened on our earth the only difference here will be the timing and the clustering of them one after the other, like the attacks of a War Lord upon the bastion of the Enemy.
The Tunguska event was a massive explosion that occurred near the Tunguska River in Russia, on the morning of 30 June 1908. The explosion over the sparsely populated Eastern Siberian flattened an estimated 80 million trees over an area over 2000 square miles of forest. The explosion is generally attributed to the air burst of a stony meteoroid about 300 feet in diameter.
Winslow meteor Crater The crater is 4,000 feet, almost a mile, in diameter and about 600 feet deep inside its rim. The object that excavated the crater was a nickel-iron meteorite about 160 feet (50 meters) across.
The force of these strike is estimated at 100s of megatons of TNT. Roughly the power of a nuclear bomb. These have happened in the past and one day in the future in the space of only about 3 years the earth will have two such strikes and there is no defense.
Why is God’s wrath turned against the earth itself?
Judgment Against the Earth
This is Satan’s domain being judged by God. The prince and power of the air, the ruler of this world has been persecuting, attacking, and seeking to destroy God’s Kingdom and God’s people since he rebelled and was cast from heaven, the first falling star.
Now God’s judgement has come upon Satan’s domain, His Kingdom of earth and all those who have worshiped this earth and rejected God’s mercy and walked in the path of idolatry and earth worship are devastated by the war unleashed by God when the seven trumpets sound.
The pagans, the so called Neo-Pagan, the earth worshipers who pray to Gaia the earth spirit. The new druids who gather at Stonehenge to worship the solstice of the sun. These and so many others who have worshiped the earth instead of God and in worshiping the earth they have reject God and reality have worshiped Satan. Now their temple is crushed, there is not answer as they pray to Gaia, there is no refuge from God’s wrath.
From Living Water To Poisoned Springs
I can’t help but think as I read of this terrible devastation, that there was a time when Jesus stopped at a well in Samaria and talked to an outcast, adulterous, sinful woman. Do you remember what he told her?
John 4:10-14 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. … 13 Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
John 7:37-38 37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
Jesus offered springs of living water, eternal life, the thirsting of the soul quenched by the gift of God. The woman at the well drank of that spring and for centuries the cry of Jesus from the Gospel has sounded, “If any man thirst, come unto me and drink” but no longer, not now for these are the people of earth who rejected the Lord's invitation and now have only poisoned water and a dead sea. They refused to accept the Lord’s invitation to drink of the water of life and now they must drink from the springs of death.
Jesus said I am the light of the world but they rejected him and chose the darkness and now they dwelling in greater and greater darkness.
Vs. 13 Transition to the Woes
Vs. 13 And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”
The Woes of Earth Revelation 9-13
Fifth Trumpet / First Woe: Demonic Locusts from the Bottomless Pit –
Revelation 9:1-12 1 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.
There are many ideas about what these are, everything from helicopters to tanks to some new kind of flying weapon like jet packs. I think it is safest to not guess but just to take the Bible literally here and let the description stand as is.
These creatures are released from the bottomless pit, the abyss in Greek. This is another name for Hell and if they are released from Hell they can only one of two things the souls of the unrighteous dead or demons. Since we know that the dead will not rise until the Great White Throne judgment then these most probably are demons given shape and form so that they can physically torment the inhabitants of earth.
Revelation 9:2–5 This fallen star, which could be Lucifer, the morning star finally cast to earth is granted a key, the authority to open the bottomless pit. When he does smoke rises the smoke of a great furnace. The sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke. 3 Then out of the smoke come these demonic locusts. They have power like scorpions and the torment all upon the earth except those have the seal of God on their foreheads. These they cannot touch. They cannot kill the people of earth, but they will torment them for five months, with a stinging, burning pain. So great is this pain that people will want to die, but death which is under the authority of God, will run from them.
The Bible describes them and the description fits as a type of demon and nothing else. It also says that their king, is the king of the bottomless pit, the angel of the bottomless pit and his name is Abaddon and Apollyon. Both names in both languages mean “The Destroyer.” Satan directs this army of demons against the very people who once worshiped him as they worshiped the earth and now the earth has opened up and spew forth the truth. He hates those creatures who were created in the image of God. This is his reward for their devotion.
Sixth Trumpet / Second Woe: The Angels from the Euphrates
Revelation 9:13 13 Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar (the angel of the Lord which cast the censor) which is before God, 14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind. 16 Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. 17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. 18 By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed—by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths. 19 For their power is in their mouth and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them they do harm.
Now the sixth angel sounds and the second woe is unleashed.
Four angels that have been bound by the Euphrates river are unbound, they have been prepared for this exact hour, day, month and year and when they are unleased they bring with them an army of 200 million who now bring death back to the world, death in devastating numbers 1/3 of living are killed by this army. If we take 6 billion for the population of earth today and we multiply it by one third we get 1.8 billion people who will be killed by this demonic army. This is after all those who have died in the opening 4 seals of war, famine and pestilence. Now war, no natural catastrophy has ever or will ever claim more human lives than in this 7 year time period of the Revelation.
The Army of 220 Million I think that again looking at the description this army is an army of demons, bigger like horses and under the command of these four fallen angels. After five months of intense, unending, burning stinging torment come the next woe and I’m sure those on the earth, if they could, would choose to go back to the scorpions.
These last 3 trumpets are called the 3 woes, the word has the meaning of damnation, judgment, sentencing, execution, curse as it used here. Some hear this believe it is too much, that God should not act in such fury, but God who is holy cannot act outside of His Holiness. In His love he offered an escape from wrath, when that grace is rejected then all that is left is wrath.
Isaiah gives us the mind of God on woe in Isaiah 6
The Woes of Isaiah
Isaiah 5:18-24 Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords
of vanity,
and sin as it were with a cart rope: 19
That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let
the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it! 20
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light,
and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe
unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! 22
Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle
strong drink: 23 Which justify the
wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! 24 Therefore as the fire devoureth the
stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as
rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away
the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
Isaiah 5:14-15 Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. 15 And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled:
Conclusion
Lets go back to Revelation and see the result of God’s wrath upon the people of earth, Then -Revelation 9: 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.
But that terrible conclusion is yet in the future. It is not
now. Now, right now in this present age in this present time, here is what the
Lord wants you know. This is what you need to hear. It comes at the
conclusionof the book of Revelation and it reveals the heart of Jesus Christ
and the heart of the church for this present age. Listen.
Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
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