Attention Getters

The seven churches receiving this letter of Revelation have observed The Lamb take the scroll as the ONLY One worthy...

Six of its seals have been pealed back

Angels have been instructed to wait for the sealing of the 144,000

They have observed the multitude of saints who have died and stand before the Throne in praise

The sequence of events has brought greater and greater plagues upon the earth and mankind

NOW… in our text today we peal back the seventh seal:

This seal will reveal Seven Trumpets

These Trumpets bring forth Heralds / Announcements / Warnings

The first four trumpets come in almost rapid horrific sequence

Each one bringing greater calamity upon the earth

The last three carry with them great WOES

The seventh trumpet will usher in the Seven Bowls of Wrath

These will be poured out on mankind and the earth in rapid succession

God’s Wrath will be displayed like never before

I have titled the message today, “Attention Getters” and I have separated out text in two parts:

1- Attention Getter One= “WHEN WE PRAY TO HIM”

2- Attention Getter Two= “WHEN HE PLEADS WITH US”

Up to this point the scene in Heaven has been filled with vivid displays, colors, and sounds…

Thunder & lightning crashing

Instruments being played

Announcements being declared and shouted out

Praise and worship from angels, elders, multitudes

As The Lamb peals back the seventh seal we along with the churches would read the following verses… Revelation 8:1-6

Revelation 8:1–6 NASB95

When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it to the earth; and there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake. And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them.

When We Pray

SILENCE… for thirty minutes in Heaven!… Why, what for? We are not fully sure…

No commands, no praises shouted or sung, no one dare speak…

It could be that as the last seal was pealed back ALL was revealed as the scroll was opened up, laid out

This could have been the silence before the coming storm of God’s looming wrath, as it was revealed what The Lamb was about to inflict on the earth and mankind

SILENCE in the scriptures is an indication of respect, submission, or anticipation

It may have also been silent as we see the prayers of the saints lifted up before God on His Throne

Either during the silence or after it we OBSERVE something spectacular that encourages my heart

There are SEVEN ANGELS standing ready with TRUMPETS that were given to them

There is an angel at the ALTAR with a CENSER with MUCH INCENSE

Our prayers are described as INCENSE before OUR GOD!!! David would describe his prayers this way Psalm 141:2

Psalm 141:2 NASB95

May my prayer be counted as incense before You; The lifting up of my hands as the evening offering.

These were the prayers of all the saints (Not a special group into sainthood) these are the prayers of believers

These are the prayers of Revelation 6 those saints praying for vindication

Not out of vengeance but because God is Holy and must act according to His Righteous nature

These prayers are presented before GOD ALMIGHTY as He sits on His throne!!!

My prayers, your prayers are before God and HE LISTENS!

Our prayers are part of God working in Revelation! “The purpose of prayer, it has often been said, is not to get man’s will done in heaven, but to get God’s will done on earth—even if that will involves judgment. True prayer is serious business”

I love some of these quotes on prayer:

Oswald Sanders… “Mastering the art of prayer, like any other art, will take time, and the amount of time we allocate to it will be the true measure of our conception of its importance.” 

Oswald Chambers… “Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work.” 

Corrie Ten Boom… “Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” 

Jonathan Edwards… “Prayer is as natural an expression of faith as breathing is of life.”

J. Sidlow Baxter… Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons, but they are helpless against our prayers. 

John Bunyan… You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.

Jim Cymbala… “The devil is not terribly frightened of our human efforts and credentials. But he knows his kingdom will be damaged when we begin to lift up our hearts to God.” 

I believe too often the church is like the Israelites of Moses’ day… Exodus 20:18-20

Exodus 20:18–20 NASB95

All the people perceived the thunder and the lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance. Then they said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, or we will die.” Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin.”

We love God’s power when we are in trouble or need, yet day to day… His righteous display of power only reflects our sin so we draw back

Like the people the church has said, “Let the pastor talk with God, and we will hear what the pastor says”

… and the believer wonders why they lack power in their life, their christian walk

When you and I pray… GOD LISTENS… WE HAVE HIS ATTENTION… and IT IS POWERFUL

When the silence passed IT WAS TIME!!!!

The power of God working through the prayers of the saints...

Filled with fire we see… lighting, hear thunder, and observe the earth SHAKE!!!

Almost makes you want to get on your knees and pray doesn't it!

These prayers precede what will occur next… seven trumpets are about to herald greater judgments…

When He Pleads

I find it interesting that often we as people learn things the hard way… seldom is it in the pleasures and good things in life that draw us to God.

Often we are drawn through difficulties, hardship, suffering

Pleasures can be overlooked, disregarded… BUT PAIN DEMANDS our attention!

Job sees God greater in his suffering

Elijah hears God’s message after wind, fire and earthquake

Paul listens after he is struck blind

… and oh how many times did God have to allow Israel to fall into enemy hands to draw them back to Himself

I want you to NOTICE the heart of our Savior as we read the second half of our text today…

NOTICE the often reference to 1/3… NOT TOTAL

NOTICE that mankind is still given a chance

NOTICE that after the first four… there is WARNING before the next three

GOD WANTS OUR ATTENTION… HE IS PLEADING… He so readily is willing and waiting to listen to the slightest cry to Him in prayer… WE SHOULD LISTEN to His pleading with us!

Seven angels standing ready and the first angel blast his trumpet… Revelation 8:7

Revelation 8:7 NASB95

The first sounded, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

The First Trumpet

Christ Himself warned in Mark 13:19 “For those days will be a time of tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will.”

Hail will devastate as it comes down from Heaven

REMEMBER this is NOT NATURAL but God bringing tribulation

Fire, possibly great lightning

1/3 of trees, 1/3 of the earth burned up… and notice ALL the green grass

Mixed with blood… this will bring deaths

On the heals of this calamity we read Revelation 8:8-9

Revelation 8:8–9 NASB95

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 creatures which were in the sea and had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed.

The Second Trumpet

Notice the word “LIKE”… quite possibly a meteor, whatever God throws this into the sea…

The impact kills 1/3 of sea life

We similar plagues brought upon Egypt now on a global level

We see 1/3 of the sea turn to blood, could be that God causes this to be real blood or the indication of death

Imagine the tsunami that this would create...

1/3 of the sea vessels destroyed along with their cargo

Shipping industry will be crippled

The stench, the chaos, the death involved in this will be overwhelming

While the world is reeling from this disaster and judgment the third angel announces MORE by blasting his trumpet… Revelation 8:10-11

Revelation 8:10–11 NASB95

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 waters. The name of the star is called Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter.

The Third Trumpet

The great star could be a literal star or possibly a fallen angel used by God to bring about destruction. Either way this star will be called “Wormwood” a plant that is very bitter…

Imagine the devastation to the saltwater and now the freshwater is having this happen

1/3 of lakes, rivers, and fresh water sources will be polluted o such a degree that it will bring about death!

Food sources burned up, coastal cities polluted with destruction and death, fresh water scarce… imagine the panic and rioting that will occur

Darkness will fill the peoples hearts, darkness will crush the people’s hope, and as the fourth trumpet sounds DARKNESS will fill the sky… Revelation 8:12

Revelation 8:12 NASB95

The fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.

The Fourth Trumpet

The fourth trumpet brings about darkness, it impacts the earth through the what is in the sky…

1/3 of the sun, moon, and stars light diminishes

It is said that the “Dark Ages” were called such not only due to the darkness of peoples hearts, actions, and practices… but also because it was physically DARKER. Those who have studied trees have discovered that during that time it was darker, the rings showed little to no growth in those years due to a volcano that erupted covering the earth with a barrier to the sun’s light.

This darkness could be from the same or God could bring it supernaturally as He did with Pharaoh and Egypt

Either way it will have significant impact and most likely will be more temporary as we see great sun and heat with the Bowl judgements later.

Then after the fourth trumpet, as if God is pleading all the more, a messenger is sent… Revelation 8:13

Revelation 8:13 NASB95

Then I looked, and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”

Woe, Woe, Woe

An eagle as most translations state it or an angel in some… possibly the angelic creature from around the throne.

GOD SEND HIS PLEA AN WARNING…

Oh that mankind would listen

Oh that they would turn to Him

“Woe, Woe, Woe”… the last three trumpets are worse and yet to come…

WOE= intense distress, heartache, disaster and horror

In closing today we will REMEMBER Jesus Christ through communion… as we recall how He took on Himself the wrath of God for sin, in order that mankind does not have to face God’s Wrath!

I would like for us to take away TWO understandings about our Savior Jesus Christ as we have seen Him greater revealed to us today…

He is One who hears your prayers, listening, and He works through prayer

Secondly, I want you to consider, “How is God or what is God allowing to plead with you”

What is He seeking for you to listen to

How is He asking you to humble yourself

I would like to CHALLENGE you to read and reflect on Hebrews 12:4-11 today, this week

Communion