Lesson 14 and 15a Revelation 8:1 9:12 The Seventh Seal and the First Five Trumpets

Review Summarize first 7 chapters by giving a title for each chapter Describe the image of Christ in Ch. 1 Name the 7 churches Which two had only good said about them? Which one had only bad said about it? What phrase closed out all the letters? Who is around the throne in Chapter 4? What is the dilemma presented in chapter 5? What did the first four seals reveal? What did the fifth seal reveal? How about the sixth?

Lessons for Today The Lord wants to hear our prayers; they are like a sweet smelling incense to Him. He is ready and will hear our prayers. Do we take time out of our busy lives to talk to Him? Do we sometimes choose the bitter waters of sin over the fountains of living water? The consequences can be terrible and the punishment eternal. Let us seek the waters of life instead. (Jn. 4:14)

Introduction John has shared the vision in both visual and audible detail Audible has included: voices and thunders from the throne (4:5), the songs of the living creatures (4:8) the elders (4:11) angels (5:12) and all created things (5:13), the cry of those under the altar (6:10), the shout of the multitude (7:10) and then the response of the angels (7:12). Ch. 7 an interlude between the 6th and 7th seals The sealing of the saints on earth The innumerable martyrs and the angelic host shouting praise and honor to God and the Lamb The anticipation for the opening of the 7th seal is now over

The Seventh Seal vv. 1 2 The seventh seal is opened Suddenly nothing but silence All the loud praise is quiet for about half an hour Usually not a long period, but can seem like a very long time when waiting for something else Focuses attention on what will happen next Seven angels before the throne Seven perfection, fullness, and completeness Given seven trumpets which they will soon blow in turn

Angel with the Golden Censer vv. 3 6 Another angel with a golden censer stood at the altar Censer a golden pan on which coals of fire from the altar were placed; incense placed on the coals to create the fragant aroma Altar same type as in the tabernacle; for burning incense Angel given incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints Smoke of the incense and prayers of the saints ascended before God Prayer came to be associated with incense (Psa. 141:2) Just as the incense was something God desired, the prayers of all the saints are pleasant to His ears Are we given assurance that God will hear our prayers? Jms. 5:16; 1 Jn. 3:22; 5:14; Psa. 34:15 Prayers likely included the cries of saints who are suffering and being persecuted Desire to be relieved; they want to be vindicated What will be the response of the Lord?

Angel with the Golden Censer vv. 3 6 The angel takes the censer and fills it with fire from the altar Threw it to the earth: noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake Appears to be the response of heaven to the prayers of the saints Their cry to be avenged results in the fire of God s righteous judgment The angels prepare themselves to sound (sound a blast) Purpose of trumpets (O.T.): Call to assembly, a pilgrimage, a festival, and war (Num. 10:1 10) To sound an alarm of approaching danger (Amos 3:6; Hos. 5:8) Impending judgment (Joel 2:1) A call to a holy convocation (Joel 2:15) For the watchman (Ezek. 33:2 4) Here, partial judgments upon the wicked and trumpet warnings of greater judgment to come if they do not repent

First Trumpet v. 7 First four trumpets: different parts of the physical world are affected The last three: the physical and spiritual lives of men are involved Visions are not literal; trying to tie them to specific places and periods in history is not possible; symbolize general principles and warnings This first trumpet: fire and hail thrown to the earth A common part of God s arsenal in the Old Testament Mingled with blood blood shed by wicked men is brought back upon their own heads Effect: 1/3 of the trees and all green grass is burned up Suffering and destruction among those who live on the earth Created for man s benefit, but now harmed because of their sin Only a partial judgment; a warning to these wicked men to repent

Second Trumpet vv. 8 9 A great burning mountain is thrown into the sea 1/3 of the sea became blood, 1/3 of living creatures died and 1/3 of ships are destroyed Mountains often used symbolically of great cities or nations God s dwelling place a holy mountain Psa. 48:1ff; Isa. 2:2 4; 11:9; Mic. 4:2; Heb. 12:22 Great heathen powers Isa. 41:15; 64:1; Amos 4:1; Jer. 51:25,42 The sea generally symbolized all of humanity or society This vision seems to symbolize judgment upon a world society when its power is cast down and its economy falls with it Man stands helpless before the omnipotent One

Third Trumpet vv. 10 11 A great star fell from heaven; it was burning like a torch Fell on 1/3 of the rivers and springs of water They became wormwood and many men died because of this bitter effect The image of this is like a meteor that cuts through the atmosphere and impacts the earth Reminiscent of what Isaiah said about the king of Babylon Isa. 14:12 15 This star is named wormwood This bitter wood mentioned several times in the O.T. usually connected to idolatry Deut. 29:18; Jer. 9:15; 23:15; Amos 5:7; 6:12 Wormwood came to symbolize calamity and sorrow and bitterness of life

Third Trumpet vv. 10 11 Wormwood, the star of any Babylon, has poisoned by its idolatry the springs of its own life. (C.B. Caird) When men prefer the bitter waters of idolatry to the fountain of living water, they will receive these bitter waters with the fatal consequences which follow. (Homer Hailey) All these trumpets appear to have broader significance than describing simple, natural calamities within the Roman Empire First trumpet affected vegetation Second trumpet, the sea with its marine life and ships Now the third involved the inland waters and springs

Fourth Trumpet v. 12 1/3 of the sun, moon and stars are struck so that they are darkened The bodies of light have always represented God s majesty and greatness (Ps. 8:3 4) compared to the relative insignificance of man The light from these indicates the favor of God The darkening of them, on the other hand, signifies judgment from God Isa. 13:10; Joel 3:15; Amos 8:9; Jer. 4:23; Ezek. 32:7 8 1/3 of these are darkened a partial judgment; perhaps meant to serve as a warning to the ungodly Before total darkness engulfs any society, God sounds a trumpet warning to that society. He sends minor judgments which mark the beginning of the society s destruction unless repentance turns the course of its destiny. These four trumpets call for the reformation, not the destruction of mankind. (Hailey)

The Eagle of Woes v. 13 Some versions (manuscripts) have angel, while others have eagle Eagle is probably the better rendering Ominously heralds the next three trumpets with woe, woe, woe Likely implying that just as an eagle swoops down quickly upon its prey, these destructions will come upon them Eagle came to represent disaster: Hosea 8:1; Hab. 1:8

Chapter 9 The student of Revelation must be ever conscious that he shares with John signs and symbols of a vision which God showed to him. He has not been dealing with literal trumpets, hail, fire, a burning mountain, a sea of blood, etc., or now with real locusts, scorpions, or horsemen, but with symbols which convey ideas and reveal messages from God to man. Therefore, in the following vision of the three woes we need not look for some specific time in history when terrible locust hoards invade a land, bringing a scourge upon it. Rather, we need to see spiritual forces at work in the world of unregenerated, wicked men forces which are symbolized by these monsters of the infernal realm. (Hailey)

Opening of the Pit vv. 1 6 John sees a star that is fallen May personify Satan; similar to Luk. 10:18 The key to the bottomless pit (pit of the abyss) is given to him Some power is given to him to open this, but it is limited to that The abode of the devil and his demons (Luk. 8:30 31) He opens the pit and smoke arose from it Causes darkness; represents evil and wickedness (11:7; 17:8; 20:1 3) May portray the devil s influence upon the Roman world Out of the smoke comes a hoard of locusts Familiar with the destructive power of locusts; they were helpless in the face of such as these Unusual in that they are given power like that of scorpions to cause great pain

Opening of the Pit vv. 1 6 Locusts are commanded by Satan to harm men instead of vegetation Only hurt the enemies of God; allowed to inflict pain but not kill the men Would last for 5 months half of ten (full or whole) represents a limited period This will not be the final judgment; more is yet to come Illustrates that man reaps as he has sown (Gal. 6:7 8) The servants of the devil suffer the consequences of sin Torment is so horrific, these wish for death

The Locusts Appearance vv. 7 10 Great and terrible in appearance, strike fear into the wicked men Shaped like horses for battle swiftly coming in destruction Heads with crowns, something like gold (not genuine) the victory of wickedness is only an imitation of the genuine; it is not lasting or true Faces like faces of men implying intelligence; terrible inflictions brought about by deluded mankind; intelligent wills are in rebellion against God Hair like women s difficult to know what this really signifies Perhaps just adds to the demoniacal appearance of the locusts According to vines implies subjection to their Satanic master Breastplates like iron gives the impression of invincibility Sound of wings like chariots a great and awful sound of a coming army Tails like scorpions perhaps repeated for emphasis

Ruler of the Locusts v. 11 The one that rules over them is called Abaddon or Apollyon The Hebrew, Abaddon, means destruction The Greek, Apollyon, means destroyer May be Satan himself Both names are appropriate for this one who rules over destruction Jn. 8:44 He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things. (9:12)

Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. Revelation 2:10