The Sounding of the Six Trumpets Revelation 8-9 The Sounding of the Six Trumpets

Sounds Have you ever lived in a city, what did you hear? What about us in the wilderness? What are the sounds associated with heaven?

Revelation 8:1 When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

Silence In what ways can silence be good or helpful? In what ways can silence make us feel uncomfortable? What do you think the purpose of the silence is here?

Silence Has God ever been silent before? Some would point to the period between the Old and New Testaments Could simply be a transition to let John catch it breath so to speak If the cyclical view is correct this allows the reader time to reflect and do the cycle again

Cycles God has done this type of thing several times before, can you think of any? Genesis 37 – dreams of Joseph Genesis 41 – dreams of Pharaoh Daniel 2; 7; 8

Revelation 8:2-5 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with 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, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.

Seven angels with seven trumpets Notice this is the same pattern as before These are special angels, Gabriel comes to mind (Luke 1:19)

Hebrews 9:3-6

Response of God How does God respond to these prayers?

Revelation 8:6-7 So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.

1st Trumpet What is the purpose of a trumpet? The main purpose here is to call for repentance as we will see in Chapter 9. 2 Cor. 7:10 Godly sorrow leads to repentance, and repentance to salvation Job 37:11-13 These things are not intended for us, but we will still have to deal with them

1/3 of the earth burned The destruction is on the land, not man. The consequences are limited, but still considerable Related to Exodus 9:23-25 The 1/3 is related to Ezekiel 5:11-12 When God sends the plague not all will get the same thing. No one gets it all, but all get some.

Hail and Fire and Blood Probably symbolic of His wrath This is an agricultural problem Do you think God sends plagues today? Some would say that, “nothing just happens”?

Revelation 8:8-9 Then 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 living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

Second Trumpet 1st dealt with land, 2nd deals with the sea How important was the sea to people in ancient times, how important is it for us today? Jeremiah 51:25 and Psalm 46:2 use similar language Some take this mountain to be a great heathen power???

Revelation 8:10-11 Then 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 water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.

3rd trumpet Plague of freshwater How important is freshwater? Wormwood Jeremiah 9:15; 23:15 – descriptive of God’s wrath It is a plant similar to sagebrush. It has a bitter taste and in large quantities is lethal.

Revelation 8:12-13 Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night. 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!"

4th trumpet The 4th trumpet deals with weather God can wake us up with the weather Remember the number 4 represents the earth KJV “I heard an angel flying” NIV, RSV “I heard an eagle crying” Should be translated eagle or “vulture” Calls out three “woes” meaning the three trumpets yet to come, also show severity