Seventh Trumpet
Discontinuous with the sequential narrative of the first six trumpets, the seventh trumpet has posed some difficulty in fully
understanding what it's about because its introduction is punctuated by three intervening passages
(Rev 10:1-6; Rev 10:8-11:14 and
Rev 12:1-14:5).
The events associated with the seventh trumpet are comprised of three passages
(Rev 10:5-7; 11:14-19 and
Rev 14:6-20).
In the initial passage about the seventh trumpet, the strong angel that came down out of heaven with an open small scroll in his
hand indicates that there will be no longer any delay of God's plan (Rev 10:1-2, 5-7).
Furthermore, the sounding of the seventh trumpet will reveal the mystery of God foretold by the prophets.
As in the fifth and sixth trumpet, the seventh trumpet heralds a woe. It is unknown at this point of what this third and final
woe will be - specifically how God will dispense His wrath upon human beings. However, unique among the previous seals and the
trumpets, the sounding of the seventh trumpet elicits great praise and worship among the heavenly beings.
Loud voices in heaven announce that the kingdom of the world, previously ruled by Satan, has become the kingdom
of God and His Son Jesus.
Before His resurrection, Jesus identified Satan as the ruler of the world.
Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
(John 12:31)
The heavenly voices are rejoicing that something has happened that signifies that the kingdom of the world "has
become the kingdom of God and his Son." At this moment, all that has happened has been the sounding of the seventh trumpet.
The twenty four elders fell on their faces and worshiped God by praising Him for the following reasons:
1. The seventh trumpet heralds God's reassertion to rule His creation earth. However, what is significant is the
phrase "the Almighty, who are and who were." Observe carefully that there is no mention of the triune God in the future tense,
which can be seen in contrast with an earlier praise:
And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and
day and night they do not cease to say, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come."
(Rev 4:8)
This appears to be consistent with Revelation 10:7. There will no longer
be any mystery of God; the eschatological concept of God is about to be fully realized.
2. The seventh trumpet heralds the final dispensation of God's wrath of judgment against the "sons of disobedience."
3. The seventh trumpet heralds the judgment of the dead including the rewards for Believers, which will be
conducted by Jesus Christ.
The sounding of the seventh trumpet also opened the heavenly temple of God and revealed the ark of His covenant.
The open heavenly temple was later restated as "the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened"
(Rev 15:5).
"The temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven" was used in the Old Testament as a reference to the portable
tabernacle in the early history of Israel (Num 1:50-53).
The open temple allows the seven angels with the seven plagues to come out
(Rev 15:5-6). Once out, one of the four living creatures gives each a golden bowl of God's
wrath. These plagues are the last of God's plagues, and once dispensed with a bowl of God's wrath, the wrath of God is finished
(Rev 15:1).
Three angels flying in midheaven make three pronouncements.
The first angel preaches to the whole world the gospel in a manner that all would understand and have no excuse
(Rev 14:6-7).
The second angel, following the first, proclaims the fall of the secular worldview that denies the existence of
God and sin; the lifestyle that is motivated by pride and power and attracts all cultures and people, intoxicating and pleasurable,
will be judged for its immorality (Rev 14:8).
The third angel, following the previous two in speaking to all human beings of the world, condemns all those who
have the mark of the beast (Rev 14:9-11).
At the conclusion of the three angels flying in midheaven, a voice from heaven instructs the apostle John to write, "blessed is he
who die in the Lord from now on" to which the Holy Spirit reiterates (Rev 14:13).
This short passage illustrates the compassion of God. At this moment in time, all pre-existing Believers died at
the end of the sixth trumpet; thus, any new Believers would have been those who responded to the gospel of the first flying angel.
When the bowls containing God's wrath are poured, the plagues are no longer intended to rebuke and reprimand so that non-Believers
will to turn to God. Instead they are intended to exact His judgment of death (Deut 28:58-61).
The final result of the seventh trumpet is the appearance of the reapers, and the reaping that occurs is in the figurative sense
and reminiscent of the Parable of the Tares
Jesus Christ, sitting on the cloud wearing a golden crown, wields a sharp sickle
(Rev 14:1-16).
An angel, who came out of the heavenly temple, wields a sharp sickle
(Rev 14:18-19).