Explanations

The Basic Structure of the Book of Revelation

The Book of Revelation is organized in the structure of a Hebrew literary construct called a chiasm. In a chiasm, the climax is in the middle with parallel sections in the buildup and resolution phases. The diagram below will make it easier to recognize this structure. You can get a more complete discussion on the structure of the book of Revelation in C. Mervyn Maxwell's book, God Cares Volume 2. The following diagram is derived from one in that book.
 

7 Churches (1:10-3:22)							New Jerusalem (21:9-22:9)
Sanctuary Scene (1:10-1:20)	7 Seals (4:1-8:1)					Millennium (19:11-21:8)
Messages to 7Churches (2:1-3:22)	Sanctuary Scene (4:1-5:14)	7 Trumpets (8:2-11:18)		7 Last Plagues (15:1-16:21)
	Seals 1-4 (6:1-8)	Sanctuary Scene (8:2-5)	Great Controversy (11:19-14:20)	Sanctuary Scene (15:1-8)	Fall of Babylon (17:1-19:10)
	Seals 5-6 (6:9-17)	Trumpets 1-4 (8:6-12)		Plagues 1-3 (16:1-4)
	Interlude  (7:1-17)	Trumpets 5-6 (8:13-9:21)	Sanctuary Scene (11:19)	Interlude (16:5-7)
	Seal #7 (8:1)	Interlude (10:1-11:13)	Scenes 1-4 (12:1-17)	Plagues 4-6 (16:8-12)
		Trumpet #7 (11:14-11:18)	Scenes 5-6 (13:1-18)	Interlude (16:13-16)
			Interlude (14:1-13)	Plague #7 (16:17-21)
			Scene #7 (14:14-20)

Notice in this diagram that the 7 Seals, the 7 Trumpets, and the 7 Plagues are further broken down into smaller sections. The Same pattern occurs in all three of these sections. The first four of the seven are characterized similarly. Then the fifth and sixth are grouped together and are separated from the seventh by an interlude scene. The pattern for all three of these sections is 4-2-1. We will discuss this in some detail later, but watch for this pattern as you read about each of these sections. It is important to note that the sections of the Book of Revelation are divided by scenes from the heavenly sanctuary. Each section is introduced by a sanctuary scene. We will discuss the significance of this in a later section. Just note the pattern for now.

The Seven Trumpets

The Purpose of Trumpets

In the old testament, trumpets had four primary purposes: 1) to warn the people about imminent danger; 2) to gather the people together for war or for a holy convocation; 3) to sound a battle cry; 4) to announce the beginning of a special event.

Num 10:1-10

1 The LORD spoke further to Moses, saying,
2 "Make yourself two trumpets of silver, of hammered work you shall make them; and you shall use them for summoning the congregation and for having the camps set out.
3 "And when both are blown, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the doorway of the tent of meeting.
4 "Yet if only one is blown, then the leaders, the heads of the divisions of Israel, shall assemble before you.
5 "But when you blow an alarm, the camps that are pitched on the east side shall set out.
6 "And when you blow an alarm the second time, the camps that are pitched on the south side shall set out; an alarm is to be blown for them to set out.
7 "When convening the assembly, however, you shall blow without sounding an alarm.
8 "The priestly sons of Aaron, moreover, shall blow the trumpets; and this shall be for you a perpetual statute throughout your generations.
9 "And when you go to war in your land against the adversary who attacks you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the LORD your God, and be saved from your enemies.
10 "Also in the day of your gladness and in your appointed feasts , and on the first days of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be as a reminder of you before your God. I am the LORD your God." (NAS)

There is rich symbology in the annual feasts of the Old Testament sanctuary system as they relate to the plan of salvation. I cannot go into much detail here, but I will try to bring out some highlights. The Feast of Trumpets symbolized many of the purposes of the trumpets. It was one of the times when all Israel was to assemble together annually. It warned about the impending judgement of the Day of Atonement. Anyone who had unconfessed sins was to take this opportunity to offer the sacrifices that they had neglected. It also announced the coming Day of Atonement. The Day of Atonement symbolized the final disposition of sin and the restoration of the tabernacle.

I believe that the 7 Trumpets of Revelation could begin on the day that the Jews celebrate Rosh Hashanah one year very soon as the antitypical fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets. You will remember that the first three ceremonial feasts of the Jewish year were fulfilled exactly and literally at the time of Jesus’ crucifixion (Passover), Christ’s resurrection (First Fruits Offering of the Feast of Unleavened Bread) and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (early rain of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost). I believe that there will be a similar literal fulfillment of the three fall feasts: the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Booths.

The 7 Trumpets of Revelation fulfill all of the functions of trumpets in the Old Testament. The first six are warning judgements that call the people's attention to the God that they have so neglected and the final judgement that is about to occur. These six also gather God’s people and call them out of spiritual Babylon (REV 18:1-4). Furthermore, they are the battle cry for the 144,000 to take up the end-time spiritual warfare under the power of the latter rain of the Holy Spirit. The seventh trumpet announces the greatest single event in human history, the triumphal Second Coming of Jesus Christ (Matt. 24:31).

Other verses in the Old Testament support this concept. These are some of the clearest. "If a trumpet is blown in a city will not the people tremble? If a calamity occurs in a city has not the LORD done it? Surely the Lord GOD does nothing unless He reveals His secret counsel to His servants the prophets." Amos 3:6-7. "I have heard the sound of the trumpet...disaster follows disaster; the whole land lies in ruin." Jeremiah 4:19-21. "Flee for safety, people of Jerusalem! Sound the trumpet in Tekoa! Raise the signal over Beth Hakkerem! For disaster looms out of the North, even terrible distruction." Jeremiah 6:1.

The First Four Trumpets

Rev 8:6-12
6 And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them.
7 And 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.
8 And 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;
9 and a third of the creatures, which were in the sea and had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed.
10 And 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;
11 and 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.
12 And the fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were smitten, so that a third of them might be darkened and the day might not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way. (NAS)

The first three of the 7 Trumpets describe what I believe to be impacts of meteors or comet fragments on the earth. The fourth describes the effects of the dust and debris thrust into the atmosphere due to these impacts. Up until about twenty years ago, these descriptions could really only have been interpreted as symbolic. But beginning in the 1980’s several studies have been conducted to predict the effects of meteor impacts on the earth. The studies yielded results that closely parallel the Biblical descriptions of the first four trumpets. I believe that these descriptions should be interpreted literally unless there is overriding evidence to show that they are symbolic.

There is also certainly Biblical precedent for such an explanation. Christians do not doubt that the 10 plagues that were visited on Egypt were real, literal events. The waters of the Nile did indeed turn to blood. Locusts did indeed invade and destroy the food crops. The Angel of Death did indeed come and slay the firstborn of all Egypt. All this happened at God’s direction. Probably the most vivid example is the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The Bible says, "Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven" Gen 19:24 (NAS). This certainly could have been meteor or small comet impacts. There is no other natural phenomenon that could be described in this particular way. God has all the forces of nature at His disposal, and the Bible tells of many instances in which He used them to warn or punish.

Paradigm Shifts

Can you imagine the kinds of reactions that people would have to the kind of catastrophe depicted in the first four trumpets? Many terrible things would happen, like looting, killing, etc. The ecological effects would undoubtedly cause severe famines and plagues. But, most of all, people would begin to ask "why?". This kind of event sets the stage for a global paradigm shift in the way people think. Right now, the majority of the people in the world have a very materialistic secular outlook. The mindset of the people is very "worldly", as opposed to very spiritual. But a catastrophe, particularly one on a global scale, can cause people to think about things in a new way. In a catastrophe, people look for people with answers. The answers to this particular catastrophe will point to religion. Marvin Moore provides a wonderful treatment of the psychology and sociology of paradigm shifts in global thought in his book, The Coming Great Calamity.

Step in the pope and the ecumenical movement. Most of the Christian world, and virtually all of the non-Christian world, look to the pope as the most prominent world religious leader. He is certainly widely viewed as the world Christian leader by non-Christians. When he can start to pose answers to the questions that people have after the first four trumpets sound, people will be very open to his leadership. Unfortunately, just about any serious Bible student can tell you that the brand of Christianity espoused by the papacy is not the genuine article. Catholic theology is fraught with holes that leave its followers open to a host of deceptions by Satan. The Christ of Catholicism is not the Christ of the Bible. Furthermore, the answers that Catholicism has to offer for the meteor impacts will be derived from flawed Catholic theology and particularly from messages provided by the frequent modern apparitions of Mary seen throughout the world and endorsed by the church.

As the world begins to look to Catholicism to provide the answers they seek, the masses will take the answers at face value. The raw material for this global paradigm shift is already out there. The doctrines are developed. The people are programmed to look for quick, easy answers. People are programmed to believe the sensational. Moral values are at an all time low. All that is needed is the match to ignite the fire. As the Trumpets begin to sound, masses will begin to fall in line behind a unified world-wide religious system. This fact alone would alert even the casual Bible student, who would be suspicious of following the crowd. "…for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. "For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it." Matt 7:13-14.

The Latter Rain

One other group will be providing answers to the people who seek security amidst the disasters. This group will be empowered by God to spread the Gospel message through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in latter rain power. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the apostles at Pentecost was the former rain. In Biblical tradition, the former rain was the rain that caused the newly planted seeds to germinate and begin to grow. The latter rain was a much more powerful rain that caused the grain to ripen for the harvest.

"So rejoice, O sons of Zion, and be glad in the LORD your God; for He has given you the early rain for your vindication. And He has poured down for you the rain, the early and latter rain as before. And the threshing floors will be full of grain, and the vats will overflow with the new wine and oil…And it will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. And even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days." Joel 2:23-24, 28-29 (NAS).

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit in latter rain power will far exceed that at Pentecost. God’s faithful will receive this power to enable them to complete the Great Gospel Commission in the time of the first six trumpets. I believe that the latter rain of the Holy Spirit will happen concurrently with the sounding of the first trumpet and carry through the seventh trumpet and Christ’s return. This can be seen in the sanctuary scene that introduces the 7 Trumpets in Revelation. (More on this in the section entitled "The Introductory Sanctuary Scene.") "And another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints upon 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." Rev 8:3-4 (NAS). I believe that when the angel adds "much incense" to the fire of the golden altar that it represents the latter rain of the Holy Spirit.

There is also a possibility that the latter rain could happen at Pentecost, thus tying together the spring feasts and the fall feasts. There is a passage in Jeremiah that links both the early and latter rains to the Feast of Weeks. "But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; they have turned aside and departed. 'They do not say in their heart, 'Let us now fear the LORD our God, who gives rain in its season, both the autumn rain and the spring rain, who keeps for us the appointed weeks of the harvest .'" Jer 5:23-24 (NAS). Note that Pentecost is the Feast of Weeks. This verse could indicate that the early and latter rains of the Holy Spirit could both occur on the day of Pentecost at the beginning and end of the Christian eras. For a more complete study of the Latter Rain of the Holy Spirit, see the Bible Truth Homepage at www.tagnet.org/newlifesda/bibletruth.

The group of people who receive the latter rain of the Holy Spirit will stand in opposition to the message promulgated by the papacy and the ecumenical movement. This group will be proclaiming the Elijah message, or the forerunner message, of repentance and obedience to the God of the Bible, because the hour of His judgement has come upon the living. These people will immediately become the target of persecution by the larger ecumenical movement. Yet God is their shield and their strength. Those who have yielded their consciences to the will of God will hear the message of this smaller group and immediately recognize the voice of the Savior in their words.

It is during the aftermath of the first four trumpets that the religio-political "image of the beast" reaches its ultimate fulfillment. Beginning in the USA, the ecumenical movement will unite with the secular government to dictate matters of religious worship. During this time, the first laws will be set up that force religious observances – among which will be a law mandating observance of Sunday as the Sabbath. Not all nations will fall in step with this movement at first. More on this idea in a later section.

A Shift in Interpretation

Before we look at the fifth trumpet itself, let’s look at the last verse of Chapter 8. This one verse separates the fourth and fifth trumpets. "And 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!" Rev. 8:13.

This verse draws a distinction between the first four trumpets and the last three. Actually, you will see that they are really grouped 4-2-1. There is an interlude that separates the fifth and sixth trumpets from the seventh. This same pattern occurs in the 7 Seals. In the case of the Trumpets, I believe that the last three trumpets have primarily spiritual meanings while the first four are more literal.

The descriptions of the events of the Trumpets support this view. A meteor could fall to the earth and literally cause the devastation that is described in any one of the first four trumpets. However the verse five of Revelation Chapter 9, referring to the fifth trumpet, describes a different kind of star. This star "had fallen" to the earth and a key was given to "him". These descriptions could not possibly apply to a meteor or any other celestial object that might be described as a star. We must therefore consider the description to be symbolic of events with a more spiritual significance. After describing the incredible devastation upon our physical world under the first four trumpets, the Bible refers to the last three as 'woes'. The spiritual warfare described by the fifth and sixth trumpets is much more significant because it is a battle for the souls of men. God is much more concerned about our eternal salvation than our temporal well-being.

The Fifth Trumpet

Rev 9:1-12
1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the pit was given to him.
2 And he opened the 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.
3 And out of the smoke came forth locusts upon the earth; and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
4 And they were told that they should not 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.
5 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.
6 And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; and they will long to die and death flees from them.
7 And the appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle; and on their heads, as it were, crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men.
8 And they had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions.
9 And 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.
10 And they have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months.
11 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.
12 The first woe is past; behold, two woes are still coming after these things.
(NAS)

The star described here in verse one is described in verse eleven as the angel of the abyss. Angels have been described as stars in a number of other places in the Bible. One of the foremost is within the book of Revelation. Chapter one of Revelation symbolizes the good angels as stars. "As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches." Rev 1:20

Chapter twelve of Revelation symbolizes Satan and his fallen angels as stars. "And another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems. And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven, and threw them to the earth… And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. Rev 12:3-4, 9.

It is easy to see that the star of the fifth trumpet is Satan. Particularly if you look in verse 11 of Chapter 9. Here it identifies him as the "angel of the abyss" – the same angel who was given the key to the abyss in verse 1. Verse 11 goes on to say that this angel’s name is Abaddon and Apollyon. These words mean "destroyer" in Hebrew and Greek respectively. Satan means "adversary" or "accuser".

I believe that the fifth trumpet describes the impersonation of Christ by Satan. When Satan is given the key to the abyss, I believe that is symbolic of God allowing Satan to stage his greatest deception. Satan will appear personally on the earth and try to convince the world that he is Jesus returning. His fallen angels are depicted here symbolically as locusts. This symbolism has a purpose. It ties the descriptions back to Old Testament prophecies. The symbolism of the fifth and sixth trumpets ties back very clearly to the book of Joel. Note the similarities in the descriptions.

Joel 1:2-9
2 Hear this, O elders, and listen, all inhabitants of the land. Has anything like this happened in your days or in your fathers' days?
3 Tell your sons about it, and let your sons tell their sons, and their sons the next generation.
4 What the gnawing locust has left, the swarming locust has eaten; and what the swarming locust has left, the creeping locust has eaten; and what the creeping locust has left, the stripping locust has eaten.
5 Awake, drunkards, and weep; and wail, all you wine drinkers, On account of the sweet wine that is cut off from your mouth.
6 For a nation has invaded my land, Mighty and without number; its teeth are the teeth of a lion, and it has the fangs of a lioness.
7 It has made my vine a waste, and my fig tree splinters. It has stripped them bare and cast them away; their branches have become white.
8 Wail like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the bridegroom of her youth.
9 The grain offering and the libation are cut off from the house of the LORD. The priests mourn, the ministers of the LORD.
 
 

The similarities in descriptions are significant. More of Joel goes on to describe the sixth trumpet as well as the third and fourth Seals. We will look at that in a separate section. Joel gives a similar description of locusts and then identifies the symbol as an invading army. Under the fifth trumpet, Satan may, in fact, have some of his fallen angels appear as what we would expect demons to be like so that he could do battle against them and add validity to his impersonation of Christ. Or, this imagery might depict how Satan will attack those who have not yet made the decision to follow Christ. In any event, the warfare is spiritual warfare - the battle is for the souls of men. Note that Satan and his demons cannot harm those who already have the Seal of God (Rev 9:4).

Do not miss the significance of verse 8 in Joel 1. The church is awaiting her Bridegroom to come in the last days – and the church recognizes that this imposter is not Him. They have heeded his warnings as given in Matthew 24. "Then if anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or ‘There He is,' do not believe him. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you in advance. If therefore they say to you, 'Behold, He is in the wilderness,' do not go forth, or, 'Behold, He is in the inner rooms,' do not believe them. For just as the lightning comes from the east, and flashes even to the west, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be." Matt 24:23-27. Satan may be permitted to impersonate Christ, but he will not be able to fool Jesus’ true followers.

Also, I would like you to note verse Joel 1:9 where it says that the grain offering and libation are cut off. This statement has led me to believe that Satan’s appearance is the "abomination of desolation" spoken of by Daniel the prophet and referred to by Jesus in Matt 24:15. Daniel links the abomination of desolation with the "taking away of the daily offering" in Daniel 9:27, 11:31, and 12:11. Identifying the angel of the abyss as "Apollyon and Abbadon" is certainly consistent with this idea. The links between the fifth trumpet and this passage in Joel suggest that the "daily offering" is cut off during the time that Satan is impersonating Christ. I am not sure what the "taking away of the daily offering" refers to specifically. It may mean the universal acceptance of the false Sabbath by all the worldly governments. As I mentioned before, the ecumenical movement under the pope will establish Sunday sacredness within the secular laws. Originally, this will begin in the USA. After Satan appears, he will add legitimacy to this false religious movement. Under this influence, the other world governments will fall in step with the religious leaders and make similar laws. This is not the close of probation, however, because even though the governments have all capitulated, there will still be individuals that have not made their stand. When each and every living soul has made a personal choice to stand with or against Jesus, then probation will close.

I would like to draw your attention to a few more details in the next section of Joel.

Joel 1:10-2:2
10 The field is ruined, the land mourns, for the grain is ruined, the new wine dries up, fresh oil fails.
11 Be ashamed, O farmers, wail, O vinedressers, for the wheat and the barley; because the harvest of the field is destroyed .
12 The vine dries up, and the fig tree fails; the pomegranate, the palm also, and the apple tree, all the trees of the field dry up . Indeed, rejoicing dries up from the sons of men.
13 Gird yourselves with sackcloth and lament, O priests; wail, O ministers of the altar! Come, spend the night in sackcloth, O ministers of my God, for the grain offering and the libation are withheld from the house of your God.
14 Consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly; gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD.
15 Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is near, and it will come as destruction from the Almighty.
16 Has not food been cut off before our eyes, gladness and joy from the house of our God?
17 The seeds shrivel under their clods; the storehouses are desolate, the barns are torn down, for the grain is dried up.
18 How the beasts groan! The herds of cattle wander aimlessly because there is no pasture for them; even the flocks of sheep suffer.
19 To Thee, O LORD, I cry; for fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame has burned up all the trees of the field.
20 Even the beasts of the field pant for Thee; for the water brooks are dried up, and fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness.
CHAPTER 2
1 Blow a trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm on My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming; surely it is near,
2 A day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness. As the dawn is spread over the mountains, so there is a great and mighty people; there has never been anything like it, nor will there be again after it to the years of many generations.

First note in verses 10, 11, 17, and 18 that there is great famine because the crops have been destroyed. Verse 19 and 20 tell why. Because they had been burned up by fire! Is this not reminiscent of the fire that had burned up a third of all the green grass and trees during the first trumpet? Look at Chapter 2 verse 2. Does this not sound like the darkness described in the fourth trumpet?

Here are a couple of other points. Remember that we said one of the functions of trumpets was to gather God’s people together. Look at verse 14. The sounding of the trumpets causes God’s people to call an assembly and gather together. And then the kicker is Chapter 2 verse 1. Blow a trumpet in Zion! I believe that this trumpet is the sixth trumpet because in the verses which follow, the descriptions change to more closely reflect those of the sixth trumpet. We will see those comparisons in the next section. Also note that this trumpet warns that the day of the Lord is near!

Finally, I would like you to note that in Revelation 9:1-11 Satan is allowed only to hurt not to kill. This is reminiscent of how God first allowed Satan only to take away Job’s family and possessions, and then later to hurt him but not to kill him. Note also, that the fifth trumpet lasts for 5 months. I believe those to be literal months or 150 literal days. End time events will happen rapidly. I will develop an overall timeline of events later on.

The Sixth Trumpet

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 one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates."
15 And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they might kill a third of mankind.
16 And the number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them.
17 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.
18 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.
19 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.
20 And 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;
21 and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts.
(NAS)

The sixth trumpet is really just an extension of the fifth trumpet. Satan and his followers are given greater permissions by God. Under the fifth trumpet, Satan was allowed only to harm those who did not have the Seal of God. Under the sixth trumpet, Satan is allowed to kill. He is also not restricted only to those who do not have the Seal of God. Notice in verse 20 that God's purpose in allowing all of this is to give people the opportunity to repent and to turn to Him. The trumpets are a warning to the fence riders to turn from Satan and follow God. He could have just allowed Jesus to come and destroy all those who had not before accepted Him. But in loving mercy, He gives them every chance that He can.

God cannot allow sin to enter into Heaven. Yet He loves the children He created and does not want to see them perish. Sin is a highly contagious disease. It is contained on this earth. God has provided the antidote to sin in the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. But many have refused the cure. Many others don't know about it. God desperately wants to be with the children He loves, but he cannot allow sin to infect Heaven. This is the constant struggle that God has within Himself between justice and mercy. Aren't you glad that you do not have to make His decisions?

Many might view God as callous for allowing His people to be killed under the sixth trumpet. But those who know God see beyond this. God will allow his people to be killed because many others will be saved as a result of the witness of these martyrs. Many millions of Christians were martyred in the first century by the Roman Empire, and also in the dark ages by the Catholic Church. But a great many people turned to God because they witnessed the faith of those martyrs. Those who know God know that He will not call them to a service for which He will not also empower them. Martyrdom is a Gift of the Spirit that God will give to those whom He has called to martyrdom. They will die at peace, knowing that their lives are secure for eternity and that their deaths led others to eternal life.

This principle of allowing Satan to have increased permissions to harm is also in keeping with Biblical precedent. Remember how God first allowed Satan to attack only Job's possessions and his family. Then Satan came back and said that it was not enough. But God knew Job and the extent to which Job trusted Him. Therefore He allowed Satan to hurt Job himself, but not to take his life. During the sixth trumpet, Satan will be allowed to kill many of God's people, but not all of them. The movement will survive. God will only allow enough to die as are necessary. Many of the undecided will need to see the faith of the martyrs in order to make their decision for Christ.

The sixth trumpet is the last to sound prior to the close of probation. It is the last warning that people will get that they must make a decision for or against Christ. By allowing Satan to step up the intensity of his attacks, God is actually causing the people to make a decision. God will not make the decision for these people, but He will create circumstances which will force the people to get off the fence and make a decision. The last plagues will not fall and Jesus will not return before each and every living soul on the face of the earth has made that decision. Under the fifth trumpet all the governments endorsed the false religious movement. Under the sixth trumpet every individual will make his or her own choice. When the last decision has been made, probation will close. Actually the close of probation will pass almost without notice on the earth. Not until the 7 Last Plagues begin to fall will the world know that the door has been shut.

As we did with the fifth trumpet, I would like you to note the significant parallels to Joel Chapter 2. Note particularly the highlighted sections. Compare them with the section in Rev 9:13-21.

Joel 2:1-14
1 Blow a trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm on My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming; surely it is near,
2 A day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness. As the dawn is spread over the mountains, so there is a great and mighty people; there has never been anything like it, nor will there be again after it to the years of many generations.
3 A fire consumes before them, and behind them a flame burns. The land is like the garden of Eden before them, but a desolate wilderness behind them, and nothing at all escapes them.
4 Their appearance is like the appearance of horses; and like war hor , they run.
5 With a noise as of chariots they leap on the tops of the mountains, like the crackling of a flame of fire consuming the stubble, like a mighty people arranged for battle.
6 Before them the people are in anguish; all faces turn pale.
7 They run like mighty men; they climb the wall like soldiers; and they each march in line, nor do they deviate from their paths.
8 They do not crowd each other; they march everyone in his path. When they burst through the defenses, they do not break ranks.
9 They rush on the city, they run on the wall; they climb into the houses, they enter through the windows like a thief.
10 Before them the earth quakes, the heavens tremble, the sun and the moon grow dark, and the stars lose their brightness.
11 And the LORD utters His voice before His army; surely His camp is very great, for strong is he who carries out His word. The day of the LORD is indeed great and very awesome, and who can endure it?
12 "Yet even now," declares the LORD, "Return to me with all your heart, and with fasting, weeping, and mourning;
13 And rend your heart and not your garments. "Now return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness, and relenting of evil.
14 Who knows whether He will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind Him, even a grain offering and a libation for the LORD your God? (NAS)
 
 

PLEASE note verses 12 & 13. God pleads with us to "Return to [HIM] with all your heart". This is God's last warning to a condemned world. Now look at the very next verses, Joel 2:15-16.

Joel 2:15-16

15 Blow a trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly,
16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children and the nursing infants. Let the bridegroom come out of his room and the bride out of her bridal chamber . (NAS)

I believe that the trumpet mentioned here is the seventh trumpet. Note that the bride and the Bridegroom come out of their chambers and are ready for the wedding feast. The wedding will begin when Jesus returns for his people. Revelation calls this the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev 19:9). Notice how Revelation describes this event in context of the seventh Trumpet.

The Seventh Trumpet

Rev 11:14-18
14 The second woe is past; behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there arose 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."
16 And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God,
17 saying, "We give Thee thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who art and who wast, because Thou hast taken Thy great power and hast begun to reign.
18 "And the nations were enraged, and Thy wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to give their reward to Thy bond-servants the prophets and to the saints and to those who fear Thy name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth ." (NAS)

This is the trumpet of God that sounds to announce Jesus' Second Coming. It is the Trumpet call of Matt 24:31 and 1 Thess 4:16. Note in verse 14 that this trumpet is called a 'woe'. It is a woe to those who have not accepted Christ. To those who have accepted Him, it is the moment that they have waited their whole lives to see. Jesus Himself blows this trumpet and it produces an audible sound that is heard around the world.

Matt 24:31
31 "And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
(NAS)

1Thes 4:16-17
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God ; and the dead in Christ shall rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord.
(NAS)

Note that there is an interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets. This interlude is contained in Rev 10:1-11:13. I will discuss the introductory sanctuary scenes and the interludes in a separate section. It is very important to note here that they cannot be taken to occur chronologically where they appear in relation to the 7 Trumpets or the 7 Seals. This principle is most firmly established in the case of the 7 Seals, but it applies to all of the similar literary constructs. The important thing to note here is that Rev 11:19 does not necessarily follow chronologically right after the seventh trumpet. Verse 19 is the introductory sanctuary scene to the next section and is not tied directly to the 7 Trumpets in any way. Many bad assumptions have been made in the past based on this error.

Diagram of the 7 Trumpets

The Introductory Sanctuary Scene

The book of Revelation was written in the form of a chiasm. A chiasm is a Hebrew literary construct. Western literature usually builds progressively up to a climax and then has a very short resolution. A Hebrew chiasm climaxes in the center and has parallel elements in the build-up and resolution phases. Revelation is written in this style and has eight distinct divisions – three build-up scenes, two climax scenes, and three resolution scenes (see the diagram below). You will recognize the three build-up scenes – the Letters to the 7 Churches, the 7 Seals, and the 7 Trumpets. Each of these divisions is introduced by a sanctuary scene.
 
 
 

7 Churches (1:10-3:22)							New Jerusalem (21:9-22:9)
Sanctuary Scene (1:10-1:20)	7 Seals (4:1-8:1)					Millennium (19:11-21:8)
Messages to 7Churches (2:1-3:22)	Sanctuary Scene (4:1-5:14)	7 Trumpets (8:2-11:18)		7 Last Plagues (15:1-16:21)
	Seals 1-4 (6:1-8)	Sanctuary Scene (8:2-5)	Great Controversy (11:19-14:20)	Sanctuary Scene (15:1-8)	Fall of Babylon (17:1-19:10)
	Seals 5-6 (6:9-17)	Trumpets 1-4 (8:6-12)		Plagues 1-3 (16:1-4)
	Interlude  (7:1-17)	Trumpets 5-6 (8:13-9:21)	Sanctuary Scene (11:19)	Interlude (16:5-7)
	Seal #7 (8:1)	Interlude (10:1-11:13)	Scenes 1-4 (12:1-17)	Plagues 4-6 (16:8-12)
		Trumpet #7 (11:14-11:18)	Scenes 5-6 (13:1-18)	Interlude (16:13-16)
			Interlude (14:1-13)	Plague #7 (16:17-21)
			Scene #7 (14:14-20)

Here is the sanctuary scene that introduces the 7 Trumpets.

The introductory scenes follow a pattern that progresses through the sanctuary. First we see the lampstands before the 7 churches; then the table of shewbread (a throne) before the 7 seals; then the alter of incense before the 7 trumpets; then the Ark of the Covenant before the opening scenes of the Great Controversy.
 
 

However, these scenes do not CHRONOLOGICALLY precede the scenes that follow them, but serve, rather, to characterize the nature of the events that follow. For example, in the scene before the 7 trumpets, we see the Angel ministering before the altar of incense, and then he fills the censor with coals from the altar and throws it to the earth. The throwing down of the censor is commonly identified as the close of probation and I believe that is correct. Obviously, the close of probation does not precede the sounding of the trumpets. What purpose would there be in "warning judgements" if the ability to make a decision had already passed? Likewise, the scene where the temple is opened and the ark is revealed does not necessarily follow the seven trumpets chronologically. Rather it serves to introduce and characterize the Great Controversy scenes.

Another common thread that you see in almost all of the introductory sanctuary scenes is that they end with (or include) "flashes of lightening and peals of thunder". To these are progressively added an earthquake and a great hailstorm in the later scenes. Are these all the same event? Are they literal? They all happen in the same way under the 7th plague - which occurs just before Christ’s return.

A similar situation exists with the interludes. As an example, the events described in the interlude of Chapter 10 and 11 cannot come chronologically between the 6th and 7th trumpets in any model of interpretation. They cannot even occur chronologically as they appear in relation to each other.

Instead of representing actual chronological events, the introductory sanctuary scenes serve to characterize the events that follow them. In looking for the meaning of these symbols, we can indeed look to the sanctuary and to the annual feasts. But I don't think that we should stop there. The exact words of the 4th seal are all over Jeremiah's writings. As we have seen, the descriptions of the 5^th and 6^th trumpets are very similar to those in Joel chapters 1 & 2. The horsemen of the 7 Seals show up in Zechariah chapters 1 & 6. And descriptions of very similar scrolls to the one with the 7 Seals appear in Ezekiel, Daniel, Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Zechariah. The interludes are scenes of assignment and assurance for God's people. In each interlude, God gives His people an assignment that is associated with the event of that section. He follows this assignment with a scene that assures His people that they will make it to Heaven if they persevere. C. Mervyn Maxwell describes these scenes of assignment and assurance in his book, God Cares Vol. 2.

In the introductory sanctuary scene of the 7 Trumpets, the Angel adds much incense to the fire on the altar of incense. I believe that this represents the latter rain of the Holy Spirit. I believe that the smoke before the altar in the Old Testament sanctuary represented the Holy Spirit’s ministry. Notice that the smoke of the incense mingles with the prayers of the saints.

Rom 8:26-27
26 And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;
27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (NAS)

I believe that the latter rain of the Holy Spirit occurs either in conjunction with, or shortly before the sounding of the trumpets. I also believe that the throwing down of the censer to the earth is the close of probation. Therefore, these events seem to characterize the period of the first six trumpets as warnings about God’s impending judgement of the world. There is a very pointed Biblical parallel that reinforces this idea. It is a passage in Ezekiel.

Ezekiel 9 and the Seven Trumpets

Look at this passage in Ezekiel and see how it corresponds to the 7 Trumpets – especially the introductory sanctuary scene.

Ezek 8:17-10:4,6-7
17 And He said to me, "Do you see this, son of man? Is it too light a thing for the house of Judah to commit the abominations which they have committed here, that they have filled the land with violence and provoked Me repeatedly? For behold, they are putting the twig to their nose.
18 "Therefore, I indeed shall deal in wrath. My eye will have no pity nor shall I spare; and though they cry in My ears with a loud voice, yet I shall not listen to them."
Chapter 9
1 Then He cried out in my hearing with a loud voice saying, "Draw near, O executioners of the city, each with his destroying weapon in his hand ."
2 And behold, six men came from the direction of the upper gate which faces north, each with his shattering weapon in his hand; and among them was a certain man clothed in linen with a writing case at his loins. And they went in and stood beside the bronze altar.
3 Then the glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub on which it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed in linen at whose loins was the writing case.
4 And the LORD said to him, "Go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst."
5 But to the others He said in my hearing, "Go through the city after him and strike; do not let your eye have pity, and do not spare.
6 "Utterly slay old men, young men, maidens, little children, and women, but do not touch any man on whom is the mark; and you shall start from My sanctuary." So they started with the elders who were before the temple.
7 And He said to them, "Defile the temple and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!" Thus they went out and struck down the people in the city.
8 Then it came about as they were striking and I alone was left, that I fell on my face and cried out saying, "Alas, Lord GOD! Art Thou destroying the whole remnant of Israel by pouring out Thy wrath on Jerusalem?"
9 Then He said to me, "The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is very, very great, and the land is filled with blood, and the city is full of perversion; for they say, 'The LORD has forsaken the land, and the LORD does not see!'
10 "But as for Me, My eye will have no pity nor shall I spare, but I shall bring their conduct upon their heads."
11 Then behold, the man clothed in linen at whose loins was the writing case reported, saying, "I have done just as Thou hast commanded me."
Chapter 10
1 Then I looked, and behold, in the expanse that was over the heads of the cherubim something like a sapphire stone, in appearance resembling a throne, appeared above them.
2 And He spoke to the man clothed in linen and said, "Enter between the whirling wheels under the cherubim, and fill your hands with coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city." And he entered in my sight.
3 Now the cherubim were standing on the right side of the temple when the man entered, and the cloud filled the inner court.
4 Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub to the threshold of the temple, and the temple was filled with the cloud, and the court was filled with the brightness of the glory of the LORD.
6 And it came about when He commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, "Take fire from between the whirling wheels, from between the cherubim," he entered and stood beside a wheel.
7 Then the cherub stretched out his hand from between the cherubim to the fire which was between the cherubim, took some and put it into the hands of the one clothed in linen, who took it and went out. (NAS)

In the introductory scene for the 7 Trumpets, we see an Angel (perhaps Christ) ministering before the altar of incense. Then He takes coals from the fire and puts them in the censor, and casts them to the earth. Now look in Ezekiel 8:17 - 10:4. We have an angel that comes to stand before the bronze altar (v.2) and he gets instructions to go out and mark the people of Jerusalem. This is a very clear parallel to the sealing of Gods people in the last days (see Rev 7:1-8). Note that the angel is followed by six destroyers who were charged to who did not receive the mark. When the marking angel is done with his task, he reports back to God. He is then instructed to go in among the Cherubim and to get some coals and scatter them throughout the city. Could we get a clearer parallel?

I would suggest the following interpretation as a possibility. In Revelation, when it says that the Angel pours much incense onto the altar, this could be the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in latter rain power. This is concurrent with the beginning of the 7 Trumpets as eschatological events. This is the sealing time just prior to the close of probation. The sealing begins with those in the church and proceeds to the rest of the world. Of course this would mean that the first four trumpets will fall on those who claim the name of Christ, but live a life apart from Him. The very first to be affected are false religious leaders. The first six trumpets are the six executioners that follow the marking angel. We have already noted the difference in the first six trumpets and the seventh one. The first six are warning judgements; the seventh heralds Christ's return. As the warning judgements continue to fall, more and more people become aware that they are about to be judged. The casting down of the censor and the scattering of coals mark the end of the six trumpets, the completion of the sealing, and the close of probation.

The 7 Trumpets - Historical or Eschatological?

There are many who contend that the 7 Trumpets are symbolic of historical events that have already occurred. Actually, the arguments that they make are very good, and they have done a good job of digging through the symbology of the language. I do not discount these theories. We have long recognized that God uses types with antitypical fulfillments. In other words, something that happened literally might be symbolic of something that would happen again later with a more spiritual meaning. The slaying of literal lambs in the sanctuary services was symbolic of Jesus, the Lamb of God, Who was slain for the sins of the world.

I believe that many of these types could have a third fulfillment. This idea is illustrated by the prophecies about Elijah. Elijah was a literal prophet who made a literal call for God’s people to turn away from Baal and back to God. After that incident on Mount Carmel, Elijah girded up his loins and ran ahead of King Ahab back to Jerusalem. He was, in that way, a forerunner to the king. God told Israel through the prophet Malachi that He would send Elijah to them before the great and terrible day of the Lord. Then Jesus told his disciples, "’Elijah is coming and will restore all things; but I say to you, that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.’ Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist." Matt 17:11-1 (NAS) Elijah was the literal person. John the Baptist was an antitype of Elijah. He fulfilled the prophecy because he came in the spirit and power of Elijah. But notice that Jesus said Elijah would come again. He is referring to the end times when He will raise up an end time people (the 144,000) in the spirit and power of Elijah to proclaim the fourth angel's message and to be forerunners of the returning King Jesus. The phophecy about Elijah will have two antitypical fulfillments before it is all over.

I believe that the same thing could be true of the trumpets. They very well could have been symbolic of historical events – literal events at the fall of Jeruslem in AD 70, as well as events throughout the Christian era up until now. But I believe that they will have their most complete fulfillment in a short period of time right before Jesus returns.

There is one significant point that the historicists have missed, though. Most everyone agrees that the 7 Trumpets (or at least the first six) are warning judgements. The primary purpose of the trumpets is to warn the world of Christ’s return and of God’s final judgement. If the trumpets were primarily fulfilled as historical events, then they would serve as pretty miserable warnings. About the only substantial group that has adopted the historicist view is the Seventh Day Adventist Church. And furthermore, as Adventists, we cannot even agree among ourselves exactly which events are the fulfillment of each of the trumpets. Some say the fifth and sixth trumpets described the Seljuk and Ottoman Turks. Others say that these same two trumpets symbolized the Crusades of the Middle Ages. If this is how the trumpets were fulfilled, then they were pretty lame warnings. Most Christians did not recognize these events as warnings of God’s imminent judgement. Certainly non-Christians did not recognize them as such.

I would submit that any good warning MUST attract the attention of those who are to be warned. The Old Testament warnings certainly did. When the Babylonian armies were burning Jerusalem to the ground, I think that the Jews got the picture. They may have misinterpreted the events to suit their own desires, but they did not deny that the events were acts of God. I believe that the same principle applies to the 7 Trumpets. If God is nebulous and wishy-washy about His warnings, no one will pay attention. "For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare himself for battle?" 1 Cor 14:8 (NKJ)

Scripture is clear that Jesus brings His reward with Him when He returns. This implies that God’s judgement must take place before that time. As a matter of fact, it takes place even earlier than that. The 7 Last Plagues fall only on the wicked (those who have the mark of the beast) and do not affect God’s people (those who have the Seal of God). So, God’s judgement must be complete while both the righteous and wicked inhabit the world together. I would submit that God’s judgement is complete at the close of probation, which I believe takes place after the sixth trumpet and before the first plague.

Most of the Christian world (as well as much of the non-Christian world) would agree that your eternal destiny is determined by the life you live and that the decision is sealed when you die. Most people recognize a certain amount of finality in death - that is why so many fear it. In general, people do not need to be warned that their probation will be closed the day they die. They already expect that. People WOULD, however, need to be warned if they were coming under judgement while they still lived. At some point in time, judgement will pass from the dead to the living. The living need to know that the decision will be made BEFORE they die. If the 7 Trumpets (particularly the first 4) are literal calamities, then they would be a real, unmistakable warning from God - just like in Old Testament times. But the warnings will only be effective if they are unmistakable acts of God. They will be unmistakable acts of God if they happen JUST EXACTLY like the events described in His Word. God always told His people what was about to happen to them through His prophets before it happened, so that they could not deny that it was an act of God.

The trumpets must have a more literal, more complete fulfillment as eschatological events in order to be effective in their primary purpose – to warn the world of impending judgement.

One other minor point is that prophecies should be clearly understood once they have been fulfilled. It is true that most prophecy is somewhat difficult to understand before it is fulfilled. But it should be very clear in retrospect. This is how God helps us mark our progress through prophetic time. It is also one way that He builds our faith in Him and His word. Much of the power of the testimony of the apostles was in showing how Jesus had fulfilled a huge number of Old Testament prophecies. In Isaiah, God tells us that one way we can distinguish Him from other gods and idols is that He has shown us the future - He knows the end from the beginning. Just about the whole book of Matthew was dedicated to showing the Jews how Jesus had fulfilled the old prophecies. During the walk to Emmaeus, Jesus explained the old prophecies of the Messiah to the two disciples. God gave clear reference points in the 70 week prophecy of Daniel 9, so that we would know that we had the correct beginning dates for the prophecy. Well, if the 7 Trumpets have actually been fulfilled in history, then we should be certain of their interpretation at this point. Unfortunately, we are not. This is evidence to me that their primary fulfillment is still in the future.

Finally, the chiastic structure of the book of Revelation is much more satisfying if the 7 Trumpets and the 7 Seals are seen as eschatological rather than historical. If you take the historical view, then the 7 Churches, 7 Seals, and 7 Plagues are parallel to each other and cover a period of roughly 2000 years. But the 7 Last plagues and the Fall of Babylon occur over a very short period of time, with the new heavens and new earth coming at the end of the millennium. If you take a more eschatological view of the Seals and Trumpets, you get a more balanced structure. Compare the two diagrams below.