The Seventh Trumpet
The remaining chapters of Revelation give
us a view of the time of Jacob’s Trouble, this is the time of the Great
Tribulation. When God delivered
Israel out of the land of Egypt and led them on into the Promised Land,
many great wonders were preformed. There were wonders in the air, in the waters,
the trees, the rocks and clouds. There were marvels and miracles that
stand out among the greatest of bygone days; but nothing to compare with
what happens after the sounding of the seventh trumpet.
Through a verse by verse study of the
scripture, it is my belief that the church has already been delivered, they
have been caught up to meet the bridegroom. The church now occupies a
front row seat in heaven as those who are left behind go through the
tribulations. The church is now preparing
to return with Jesus to judge the world. As we have already discussed there are three
groups that is addressed in the holy scripture, the Jews, The Gentiles and the
Church. Two being an earthly body and the
third being a spiritual body. John is
giving us a view from Heaven.
When
Jesus was born, and during His earthly life and at the time of His death, there
were also great wonders among the angels, the stars, the elements and on
earth among men - both living and dead - which give us a divine story
never told before. However, neither of these - nor all combined - can
compare with the overwhelming intensity of the manifestations which attend
and follow the sounding of the seventh trumpet. When the blast of the
trumpet goes forth, John declares he heard “great voices.”
As we study the remaining portion of
chapter 11 and the chapters down through 19:11, we will hear voices like
unto many waters . . . Great thunder . . . Harpers with their harps . . . A
Mighty Angel flies through Heaven with such a Voice that it can be heard
throughout every square inch of the universe . . . Angels shout for the
fall of Babylon . . . Another voice crying, “Blessed are the dead that die
in the Lord from this day forward,” and another voice calling for Jesus
to thrust in the sickle and reap. Another great voice calls for the
pouring out of the bowls of the wrath of God . . . Another voice cries,
“It is done!” The voices cry, “Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth!”
Along with these, there are still other
great voices from the heavenly world crying out praises to God as He takes
over the reins of the earth and closes out wickedness, filling the earth
with righteousness as promised from the beginning. In Revelation 5,
when Jesus took the seven-sealed book from the hand of “Him that sitteth upon
the throne,” there was quite a commotion in Heaven. The act performed here was
the beginning of the fulfilment of the redemption of all creation. When
Jesus was found worthy to open the book, He took it and began removing the
seals.
This seventh trumpet is found under the
last of the seals. From the moment Jesus took the book until this moment,
all along the way we have seen the unfolding judgments. During the
entire course of events there has been much heavenly interest and excitement.
But when the seventh trumpet sounds, everything in Heaven and all creation
breaks out with thunderous praises, shouts, “Amens!” and songs of
victory. The four and twenty elders fall upon their faces. When the Lamb
took the book in chapter 5, the elders fell down and gave thanks and
praises - but here they humble themselves to a much greater degree . . .
they are on their faces. These four and twenty elders represent the firstborn
of the resurrection . . . Those who will be raised and those who will be
translated when the Rapture takes place. They are the seniors of Heaven’s
redeemed. They are the ones “counted worthy to escape the woes that will
come upon the whole earth.” They are already glorified - that is, at this
point. That does not diminish their interest in the ongoing of earth’s
dwellers. They already have their golden crowns - but that does not
withdraw their sympathy from those who are still under the iron hand of
Antichrist here on earth. There is no vanity nor selfishness in Heaven -
no pride in Heaven, no vaunting of authority.
These crowned elders, these “seniors of
Heaven,” are more concerned over the pending conflicts and victories yet
to be won than they were over those through which they had come in order
to win their crowns of gold.
- They know that the destroyer of the
earth (the devil) is not yet destroyed.
- They know the great White Throne
Judgment is ahead.
- They know the rewards to all the
faithful have not yet been passed out.
The meek shall inherit the earth - but
they have not yet done so. The devil still remains out of the pit, and
therefore the victory of victories is yet to be won. The elders know
that. But - the trumpet which brings all this to pass and brings to a
climax all judgments, is now sounding in the ears of these “kings and
priests.” They could not keep their seats. They fell prostrate on their
faces before the Lamb.
In verse 18 the nations of the earth are
very angry.The time of God’s great wrath is come. God is about to judge the
wicked in final judgment; He is about to reward all of His prophets and
servants. There will be a new Heaven and a new earth, wherein dwelleth
righteousness. The saints will be put on display in the Pearly White City.
Satan will be put in the pit. All sin and all unrighteousness must be
removed from the earth. The Antichrist and the wicked will be put down.
They become exceedingly angry, and in chapter twelve a Great War breaks
out between God and the devil.
In verse 19 the temple of God is opened.
Did you know there is a literal temple in Heaven? There was seen in the
temple the ark of His testament. There were lightnings and voices and thunders
and an earthquake and great hail. The tabernacle and the temple of the
Jews were copies of the tabernacle and temple in Heaven. “LOOK THAT THOU
MAKE THEM AFTER THEIR PATTERN WHICH WAS SHEWED THEE IN THE MOUNT!” (Exodus
25:40). The Holy Spirit spoke to Paul in these words concerning the
tabernacle and the temple: “.. . Patterns of things in the
heavens.” There is a temple in Heaven. There is a tabernacle in
Heaven. And one time in the past, Heaven and earth’s worship was
very close together.
God visited His creatures in the Garden of
Eden and spoke directly to many in the Old Testament era. But of course,
sin appeared in the Garden and wrecked the perfect unity and
harmony between man and God. But thank God, the second Adam, the Lamb of
God, has redeemed all by His Blood - that is, all who will come to God by
Him. And one day that sweet union between Heaven and earth will be
restored. The Lord Jesus said, “After this manner . . . Pray ye: Our
Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. THY
WILL BE DONE IN EARTH, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.” One day the oneness between
Heaven and earth will be restored. This is clearly taught in Revelation chapters
21 and 22.
When the temple in Heaven is open, John
sees “the ark of God’s covenant.” All the covenants and promises of God to
His people are in that ark. God’s solemn promises cannot be broken - they
are forever settled in Heaven. His engagements, His appointments with His
people, are there. In that “SACRED CASKET” they have been stored safely
and preserved under the protecting hand of the Lord God in
Heaven. Not one word of God’s promises is obsolete, dead, or forgotten.
God cannot lie, He cannot prove
And now, at the ending of time, when all
promises are to be fulfilled, that treasure box, that sacred casket,
appears. Where? In the temple of God that was opened In Heaven when
the seventh trumpet sounded. The study of the ark in the Old
Testament is very interesting. God’s blessings went along with the ark.
- The Jordan River rolled back beneath the
shadow of the ark
- The walls of Jericho fell down before it;
- The enemies of God were scattered when
the ark appeared.
Where it rested the thousands of Israel
dwelt in safety. Its appearance here is a token of the recurrence of all
these wonders, but on a more complete, more magnificent and sublime
scale than in the Old Testament era. The appearance of the ark
announces the speedy fulfilment of all that God has spoken, all that He
has promised concerning the earth, the righteous, the wicked, and all creation
(Romans 8:18-23).
As we close this tremendous chapter I ask
you, dear reader - are you born again? Are you a child of God? Are
you washed in the Blood? That is one thing we can know for sure. If you do not
know for sure that your sins are washed away, bow your head and accept the
Lord Jesus Christ right now; then if you die, your spirit will return to
God who gave it, your body will return to dust. When the Rapture takes
place, your body will be raised incorruptible, your spirit will enter the
glorified body like unto Jesus’ body (I John 3:1-3).
If Jesus comes while you are living, you
will cheat death and be caught up to meet Jesus in the clouds in the air
(I Thessalonians 4:13-18). But if you reject Jesus, if you die you will open
your eyes in hell - and if you are living when the Rapture occurs you will
be left to go through the fury of the Great Tribulation period.
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