Revelation 8.2-9.21; 11.15-19-The Seven Trumpet Judgments
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Sunday November 2, 2008
The Day of the Lord: Revelation 8:2-9:21; 11:15-19-The Seven Trumpet Judgments
Lesson # 19
Please turn in your Bibles to Revelation 8:1.
This morning we will study the seven trumpet judgments that are recorded in Revelation 8:1-9:21 and 11:15-19 and which will follow the seven seal judgments that we noted last month in Revelation 6:1-17 and 8:1-5.
The breaking of the seventh seal results in the introduction of the seven trumpets judgments that will take place during the last three and a half years of Daniel’s Seventieth Week.
Revelation 8:1-5, “When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel's hand. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it to the earth; and there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake.”
In Revelation 8:2, the trumpets are used to announce divine judgment, which signify the judgments of the day of the Lord and precede the Second Advent of Christ and the establishment of His millennial reign (cf. Zech. 1:14-16).
Trumpets were used by Israel on all their national occasions: for assembly to battle, public assembly, to signal important events of the calendar year and almost any important occasion.
The seven trumpets mentioned in Revelation chapters 8 and 9 and 11:15-19 are all related to the nation of Israel during Daniel’s Seventieth Week and have no connection whatsoever to the church.
The “last trumpet” of 1 Corinthians 15:52 is thought by some expositors of the Bible to be associated with the trumpet judgments that appear in Revelation 8.
Consequently, they place the rapture at the end of the Tribulation period, i.e. Daniel’s Seventieth Week.
The “last trumpet” of 1 Corinthians 15:52 and the “trumpet of God” in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 both result in the resurrection of the church and the purpose of both are to gather the church to Christ and they are not blown by elect angels.
Whereas, the trumpet judgments of Revelation 8 and the “great trumpet” in Matthew 24:31 are blown by elect angels and the result of the former is the execution of judgments during the Tribulation whereas the result of the latter is entrance into Christ’s millennial kingdom.
The first four trumpet judgments are separated from the last three in that the latter are specifically called “woe” judgments.
Revelation 8:6-7 records the first of the seven trumpet judgments and is directed at the earth and results in a third of the inhabitants of planet earth are killed.
Revelation 8:6-7, “And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them. The first sounded, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.”
The blowing of the first trumpet results in hail and fire being cast to the earth mingled with blood, which results in a third of the earth is burned up meaning that the trees and the grass are burned up as well as various crops of the earth like wheat, barley, rice, and corn.
Revelation 8:8-9 records the second of the seven trumpet judgments and is directed at the sea and results in a third of the sea becoming blood and a third of aquatic life dying and a third of the ships being destroyed.
Revelation 8:8-9, “The second angel sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea; and a third of the sea became blood, and a third of the creatures which were in the sea and had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed.”
The statement “something like a great mountain with fire was thrown into the sea” refers to an asteroid hitting one of the oceans on the earth since an asteroid is literally a huge mountain hurling through space and when it hits the earth’s atmosphere it would burn.
This would result in tremendous earthquakes and tsunamis bringing tremendous devastation to the earth.
Revelation 8:10-11 records the third of the seven trumpet judgments, which involves a large star called “Wormwood” falling upon the rivers and springs of water making them bitter.
Revelation 8:10-11, “The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters. The name of the star is called Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter.”
“Wormwood” was a type of wood growing in Palestine that had a very strong and bitter taste.
In Revelation 8:11, the star is called “wormwood” because of the affect the star has on the water in that it makes the water like wormwood, i.e., bitter, but it appears that while the wormwood in Palestine is not poisonous, this star will poison the water because those who drink this water die.
Thus one¬-third of the fresh water supply of the Earth is made unfit for human consumption.
Revelation 8:12-13 records the fourth of the seven trumpet judgments that is directed at the sun, moon and stars of the stellar universe, which results in a third of them being darkened so that the day would not shine for a third of it and the night in the same way.
Revelation 8:12-13, “The fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way. Then I looked, and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven, saying with a loud voice, ‘Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!’”
This fourth trumpet judgment will affect the entire earth because this judgment is directed at the source of the earth’s life and energy, namely, the sun.
With one third less sunlight on the earth, there will be obviously one third less energy available to support life systems of man and nature.
In Revelation 8:13, the triple “woe” announcement by the eagle indicates that the remaining trumpet judgments will be far more severe in character than the previous four.
Revelation 9:1-12 records the fifth of the seven trumpet judgments, which is the first woe, and results in the release from prison of fallen angels who look like locusts and are energized by Satan and are not permitted to kill men but only to torment them.
Revelation 9:1-12, “Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him. He opened the bottomless pit, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit. Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. And they were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment for five months; and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man. And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them. The appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle; and on their heads appeared to be crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. They had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions. They had breastplates like breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to battle. They have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months. They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon. The first woe is past; behold, two woes are still coming after these things.”
The “star from heaven which had fallen to the earth” is a symbolic reference to Satan, which is indicated in that the star is called a “him” and performs the actions of personality.
For example, he opens the abyss (verse 2) which would indicate that the star is in charge of these creatures of the abyss and somehow related to them.
Also, the star is given the ascriptions and appellatives of a person as seen in verse 11, which describes the star’s specific relationship to the demonic creatures of the abyss.
Specifically, he is called the “angel of the Abyss,” and he is given the names, “Abaddon” and “Apollyon.”
The locusts mentioned in connection with this fifth trumpet judgment are not literal locusts but rather demons as indicated in that many of the fallen angels are incarcerated at this point in history in the “bottomless pit” according to a comparison of Luke 8:31; Revelation 9:11, 11:7, 17:8, 20:1 and 3.
The fact that these locusts are not literal locusts but rather fallen angels is indicated in that locusts do not have scorpionlike stings in their tails.
Also, locusts do not have a leader according to Proverbs 30:27 whereas in Revelation 9:11, John describes these locusts as having a leader.
Furthermore, real locusts are destroyers but this army in Revelation 9:1-12 only tortures those who are unbelievers.
Also, notice that these demons are not called scorpions, nor are we told that they look like scorpions, just that they have the power (vs. 3), and torment (vs. 5) of a scorpion, which means they have the power to cause tremen¬dous pain, short of death, but extending for five months.
In Revelation 9:3-6, John records these demon armies attacking human beings but they cannot kill anyone but only torment people.
Revelation 9:13-21 records the sixth of the seven trumpet judgments, which is the second woe.
Revelation 9:13-21, “Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, ‘Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.’ And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of mankind. The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. And this is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone. A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths. For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm. The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts.”
This judgment results in the release of four fallen angels bound at the Euphrates river, which is located in southern Mesopotamia and rises in the mountains of Armenia Major and flows through Assyria, Syria, Mesopotamia, and the city of Babylon, from 1,700 to 1,800 miles into the Persian Gulf.
That these angels are non-elect is indicated in that elect angels are never bound.
John is describing a demon army numbered at 200 hundred million, which is indicated in that they are led by four fallen angels who are bound at the Euphrates River.
Many commentators believe that this massive army is a reference to the Chinese because the Chinese claim that they can put an army of this size in the field for battle.
However, the description of this army makes clear that it is not that of a human army or men who are Chinese and furthermore they are led by four fallen angels.
This army is completely different than the army led by the “kings of the east” mentioned in Revelation 16:12-16 since this army is related to the sixth bowl judgment whereas the army of 200 million of Revelation 9:16 is connected to the sixth trumpet judgment.
The fourth seal (Revelation 6:7-8) resulted in a fourth of the earth’s inhabitants being killed whereas the sixth trumpet judgment results in a third of the remainder being put to death.
Revelation 9:17 19 describes this massive army and its tactics or method of war¬fare, which indicate that this army is demonic rather than human.
Revelation 10-11:14 is parenthetical providing additional information as a background to the seal, trumpet and bowl judgments.
Revelation 11:15-19 records the seventh and final trumpet judgment, which is the third woe and results in the Second Advent of Christ.
Revelation 11:15-19, “Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.’ And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, ‘We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who were, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign. And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.’ And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm.”
The Second Advent is the visible return of Christ to planet earth with the elect angels and the Church in order to save the nation of Israel from her enemies and establish His 1000-year millennial reign resulting in the fulfillment of the 4 unconditional covenants to Israel.
The Second Advent of Christ will result in the establishment of our Lord’s millennial reign.
The Scriptures make clear that the world government during the millennium will be under the rule of the Lord Jesus Christ (Is. 2:2-4; 9:3-7; 11:1-10; 16:5; Dan. 2:44; 7:15-28; Obad. 17-21; Mic. 4:1-8; 5:2-5; Zeph. 3:9-10; Zech. 9:10-15; 14:16-17).
This leads us to the communion service and so therefore, could we have our ushers pass out the communion elements and let us take a few minutes to meditate upon the Lord and prepare ourselves for the Lord’s Supper.
1 Corinthians 11:23, “For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread.”
1 Corinthians 11:24, “and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’”
1 Corinthians 11:25, “In the same way {He took} the cup also after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink {it} in remembrance of Me.’”
1 Corinthians 11:26, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.”