7. Opening of the Seventh Seal (Verse 1)
Verse 1
Throughout the rest of Revelation, heaven is pictured as a busy place, full of noisy activity (Rev. 4,5, 5:2, 5:11,12, 6:1). Why is heaven now silent? Because it is now empty. God’s people have made themselves ready (Rev. 21:7,8), and heaven is emptied as the Father, Jesus and all the angels come to get them and take them home (Rev. 19:11,14, Matthew 25:31, 26:64). (SOP 1)
Section III: Sounding of the Seven Trumpets (Rev. 8:2 – 11:18)
In the Seven Churches and the Seven Seals, we saw Satan using wicked men to persecute God’s people and oppose the spread of the gospel. In the Seven Trumpets we see God’s response. The trumpets are warnings of impending judgments upon those who are persecuting God’s people and suppressing the word of God. God allows these retributions to come upon the wicked for two reasons: To bring them to repentance (Rev. 9:20,21), and to restrain them in their evil course.
Heavenly Introductory Scene: Jesus at the Golden Altar (Verses 2 – 6)
Verse 2
This heavenly introductory scene begins with the seven angels being readied to blow their trumpets.
Verses 3,4
Next, we see another Angel coming to the golden altar (Altar of Incense). This angel represents Jesus, because in the Old Testament only the priests were allowed to minister in the sanctuary. (SOP 2) Why is Jesus symbolized as an angel? In the original language of the Bible, the word ‘angel’ means messenger, and in the trumpets Jesus is giving a warning message to the wicked who are fighting against Him.
He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar - In the daily services of the earthly sanctuary, incense was offered at the time of the morning and evening prayer (Luke 1:8-10, Psalm 141:1,2). The sweet incense represents the merits and intercession of Christ for His people (Leviticus 16:12, Ephesians 5:2). While they are praying, Jesus is at the throne offering His own merits in their behalf, thereby making their prayers acceptable to God.
What are the saints praying for? For relief from persecution (Psalm 7:1,2, 140:1-5), for justice (Rev. 6:10, Psalm 35:1-8, 94:1-11,16-23), and for an end to wickedness (Psalm 119:126). God knows about their trouble and will answer their prayers according to His infinite wisdom (John 16:33, Exodus 3:7).
Verse 5
Throwing fire from the altar to the earth represents the end of intercession and the beginning of judgment (Ezekiel 9:9,10, 10:2). Immediately John sees and hears a scene of intense activity in heaven, followed by an earthquake on the earth. The earthquake indicates that judgments are falling upon the wicked (compare with Rev. 16:18).
Verse 6
Angels blowing trumpets are a symbol of warnings given by God’s people, to give the wicked an opportunity to turn from their evil way (Ezekiel 33:2-7, Hosea 8:1).
1. Blowing of the First Trumpet (Verse 7)
Verse 7
Hail and fire…mingled with blood – The hail and fire reminds us of the seventh plague upon Egypt (Exodus 9:23-25). These bring devastation and the blood represents the death that results.
Trees…grass – These are used in the Old Testament as symbols of God’s people (Isaiah 61:3, 37:27, 40:6-8).
A third – A third represents that the judgment is partial (Ezekiel 5:11,12). Although it brings devastation, still it is mingled with mercy. We see this expression used frequently in the first six trumpets.
When applying the trumpets to events and periods of history, it is important to remember that the trumpets parallel the churches and the seals. All three are based upon Jesus’ ministry in the Holy Place, and they all cover the same overall time period. In the first century AD, who opposed the gospel and persecuted the early Christian church? It was the Jews. And so the first trumpet warns of God’s judgments upon the Jewish nation. Because they rejected Christ and persecuted His followers, Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD (Matthew 23:29-38, 24:2).
2. Blowing of the Second Trumpet (Verses 8, 9)
Verses 8,9
A great mountain burning with fire – A burnt mountain symbolizes a nation or kingdom punished by God because of her rebellion and mistreatment of God’s people (Jeremiah 51:24,25).
Thrown into the sea – This represents the fall of this rebellious nation or kingdom (Jeremiah 51:41-43).
A third of the sea became blood…a third of the living creatures in the sea died – These symbols remind us of the first plague on Egypt (Exodus 7:17,18). They represent that many would be killed in the fall of this rebellious kingdom.
A third of the ships were destroyed – Ships represent commerce (Rev. 18:17-19). The fall of this kingdom would also result in economic upheaval and loss.
Who opposed the gospel and persecuted God’s people in the second and third centuries AD? It was the pagan Roman Empire. The second trumpet describes the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 AD.
3. Blowing of the Third Trumpet (Verses 10, 11)
Verse 10
A great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch – This great star represents Satan himself, who fell from heaven like lightning (Isaiah 14:12 margin, Luke 10:18).
Rivers…springs of water – Springs of water represent eternal life (Rev. 7:17, 21:6, 22:17), and a river is a symbol of the work of the gospel (Psalm 1:3, Ezekiel 47:1-12).
In these symbols, Satan is pictured as attacking the work of the gospel.
Verse 11
Wormwood - Wormwood means bitter (Proverbs 5:4).
A third of the waters became wormwood – This represents that the gospel became bitter (corrupted) through the work of Satan.
Many men died from the water, because it was made bitter – Corruption of the gospel resulted in the loss of many souls.
During the time of the church of Pergamos (313 – 538 AD), Satan induced the majority of Christians to compromise, and turn away from the truths of the Bible in order to be accepted by the world. And so it was that the Christian church itself became an enemy of the Bible and those who remained loyal to God’s word.
The third trumpet describes the judgments that fell upon the apostate Christian church as a result. Because they turned from God and the Bible, God allowed the sure result of their choice - the truths of the Bible were lost sight of and forgotten, and the gospel became corrupted (Romans 1:18, 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12).
4. Blowing of the Fourth Trumpet (Verses 12, 13)
Verse 12
The sun, moon, and stars are the powers of the heavens that give light to the earth (Genesis 1:14,18). Darkening of these heavenly bodies brings darkness on the earth (Ezekiel 32:7,8). A third represents that this darkness was not universal.
Darkening of the sun, moon and stars represents the spiritual darkness that came over much of the world during the Dark Ages (John 1:4,5, 3:19, 2 Corinthians 4:3-6). This condition was the sure result of the apostasy that took place in the church under the third trumpet. The apostate church developed into the Papacy, who forbade the Bible, substituted her own theories and traditions, and persecuted all who refused to accept her authority.
The Fourth Trumpet describes God’s continued judgments upon the apostate church, intense spiritual darkness under to rule of the Papacy. (SOP 3)
Verse 13
A woe is a curse (Matthew 23:13-36). This verse is anticipatory of the three trumpets yet to sound in Chapters 9 and 11. As bad as the first four trumpets were, conditions are about to get even worse under the three trumpets yet to come. (SOP 4)
Spirit of Prophecy Quotations
1 “Jesus is coming . . . in the glory of the Father and with all the retinue of holy angels to escort Him on His way to earth. All heaven will be emptied of the angels, while the waiting saints will be looking for Him and gazing into heaven . . .” – Early Writings, page 110.
2 “It was the work of the priest in the daily ministration to present before God the blood of the sin-offering, also the incense which ascended with the prayers of Israel. So did Christ plead His blood before the Father in behalf of sinners, and present before Him also, with the precious fragrance of His own righteousness, the prayers of penitent believers.” – The Desire of Ages, pages 420, 421.
3 “The accession of the Roman Church to power marked the beginning of the Dark Ages. As her power increased, the darkness deepened . . .” – The Great Controversy, page 55.
4 “The “woe, woe, woe!” was pronounced upon a church who walked in the sparks of their own kindling, who did not derive their light and power from the great central Light, the Sun of Righteousness, and diffuse that light and glory to those who were in darkness. By absorbing and diffusing the light, they cause their own light to burn brighter. The one who receives light, but does not give it as God requires him to do, will become a receptacle of darkness.” – Pamphlet 028, page 3.
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