The Seventh Seal
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Seventh Seal Reveals Seven Trumpets
Seventh Seal Reveals Seven Trumpets
1 When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
2 Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.
3 And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne,
4 and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel.
5 Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.
6 Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them.
7 The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and these were thrown upon the earth. And a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
8 The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood.
9 A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
10 The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water.
11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the water, because it had been made bitter.
12 The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night.
13 Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew directly overhead, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!”
Up to this point, we have seen six of the seals opened:
What did the six seals reveal?
Rider on white horse - antichrist, false protector
Rider on red horse - war, civil unrest
Rider on black horse - famine, prices of food sky rocket in price
Rider on pale horse - death (literally an epidemic disease) comes to 1/4 of the earth
Altar - underneath are the martyrs from the tribulation, killed by the antichrist
“Preview” of coming destruction - great earthquake, sun darkened, moon color of blood, stars fall from sky
The seals of a scroll are not part of the scroll. They are merely ribbons or some cord or tape that is wrapped around the scroll or book to hold it together. They have to be broken to open the book. The point is this: the seal judgments are events that happen before the end time itself, before the events of the book itself are ever seen. The seal judgments are the events that happen before the great tribulation itself takes place. Now, intermission occurs when the angels pull back the four corners of the earth and the 144,000 are identified. There is a description of all those martyred in the tribulation standing before the throne, worshiping and praising God, soon followed by all the angels, the 24 elders, and the 4 living creatures. All things in heaven would fall on their faces and worship God. But notice what happens after this glorious time of praise and worship…the seventh seal will be opened and there will be a silence for about 30 minutes.
Preparation
Preparation
1 When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
2 Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.
3 And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne,
4 and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel.
5 Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.
6 Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them.
What did the silence signify?
John does not give us the reason for the silence (New Oxford American Dictionary: complete absence of sound), but I see some possibilities - the awe of seeing the seventh seal being opened, the suspense of seeing what would be proceeding, or the excitement from seeing God’s plan unfolding. Either way, or whatever you may interpret, we realize there is a short calm before the storm. It should show us the importance surrounding the opening of the seventh seal. There was silence, and John witnessed seven angels being handed seven trumpets.
What is the significance of trumpets?
They call people together:
1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
2 “Make two silver trumpets. Of hammered work you shall make them, and you shall use them for summoning the congregation and for breaking camp.
3 And when both are blown, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the entrance of the tent of meeting.
4 But if they blow only one, then the chiefs, the heads of the tribes of Israel, shall gather themselves to you.
5 When you blow an alarm, the camps that are on the east side shall set out.
6 And when you blow an alarm the second time, the camps that are on the south side shall set out. An alarm is to be blown whenever they are to set out.
7 But when the assembly is to be gathered together, you shall blow a long blast, but you shall not sound an alarm.
8 And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets. The trumpets shall be to you for a perpetual statute throughout your generations.
They announce war:
9 And when you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the Lord your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies.
And they announce special occasions:
10 On the day of your gladness also, and at your appointed feasts and at the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings. They shall be a reminder of you before your God: I am the Lord your God.”
These trumpets were bringing those in heaven together to witness what was about to take place. During this time of silence, there was a special angel at the golden altar in heaven with a golden censer. Remember the golden altar was used in the tabernacle and the temple before the veil and the censer was used to burned incense, as a symbol of prayers ascending to God from the believers. These “prayers of the saints” are all the prayers said by Christians and are here we see them as cries to God to uphold His holy Law and free His people.
But notice what happens next. In the Old Testament, on the great Day of Atonement, the high priest would put incense on the coals in the censer and, with the blood of the sacrifice, enter the holy of holies. Here we see the angel putting the incense on the alter - the prayers of God’s people were placed before Him - and the coals were cast from the altar to the earth. We see the first sign of the destruction as the seven trumpets are prepared to be blown.
Destruction
Destruction
7 The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and these were thrown upon the earth. And a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
8 The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood.
9 A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
10 The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water.
11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the water, because it had been made bitter.
12 The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night.
13 Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew directly overhead, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!”
What do the first four trumpets destroy?
The first four trumpets are natural disasters affecting land, saltwater, freshwater, and the heavenly bodies. Previously we see death being limited to 1/4 of the living things on the earth. Now we see 1/3 of all things on the earth being destroyed.
Desolation on earth (v. 7). “Hail and fire mingled with blood” reminds us of the seventh plague that God sent against Egypt.
18 Behold, about this time tomorrow I will cause very heavy hail to fall, such as never has been in Egypt from the day it was founded until now.
19 Now therefore send, get your livestock and all that you have in the field into safe shelter, for every man and beast that is in the field and is not brought home will die when the hail falls on them.” ’ ”
20 Then whoever feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh hurried his slaves and his livestock into the houses,
21 but whoever did not pay attention to the word of the Lord left his slaves and his livestock in the field.
22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, so that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, on man and beast and every plant of the field, in the land of Egypt.”
23 Then Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and fire ran down to the earth. And the Lord rained hail upon the land of Egypt.
24 There was hail and fire flashing continually in the midst of the hail, very heavy hail, such as had never been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.
25 The hail struck down everything that was in the field in all the land of Egypt, both man and beast. And the hail struck down every plant of the field and broke every tree of the field.
26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the people of Israel were, was there no hail.
The Prophet Joel also promised “blood and fire” in the last days.
30 “And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke.
Since this is a supernatural judgment, it is not necessary to try to explain how hail, fire, and blood become mingled. “Fire” could refer to the lightning of a severe electrical storm.
Hail, fire, and blood - what would be something we could think of that would look like this?
Volcano after the earthquake?
Great mountain, burning with fire, thrown into the sea?
Meteor?
Great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch?
Comet?
How much of the earth is affected?
1/3
The target for this judgment is green vegetation, the trees and the grass, one third of which is burned up. One can well imagine how this would affect not only the balance of nature, but also the food supply. The Greek word for trees usually means “fruit trees”; and the destruction of pasture lands would devastate the meat and milk industries.
Desolation in the seas (vv. 8–9). Turning water into blood reminds us of the first Egyptian plague.
19 And the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, their canals, and their ponds, and all their pools of water, so that they may become blood, and there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, even in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.’ ”
20 Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded. In the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants he lifted up the staff and struck the water in the Nile, and all the water in the Nile turned into blood.
21 And the fish in the Nile died, and the Nile stank, so that the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile. There was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.
Note that John did not say that an actual burning mountain was cast out of heaven, but that the fiery object was like a great mountain. A triple judgment resulted: a third part of the saltwater turned to blood, a third part of the marine life died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. This will be an ecological and an economic disaster of unprecedented proportions.
Considering that the oceans occupy about three fourths of the earth’s surface, you can imagine the extent of this judgment. The pollution of the water and the death of so many creatures would greatly affect the balance of life in the oceans, and this would undoubtedly lead to further insoluble problems. As of January 1, 1981 there were 24,867 ocean-going merchant ships registered. Imagine the shock waves that would hit the shipping industry if 8,289 valuable ships were suddenly destroyed! And what about their cargoes!
Some interpreters take “the sea” to mean the Mediterranean Sea. However, this would make a relatively small impact on the world, since the Mediterranean covers only 969,100 square miles and averages just 5,000 feet deep. It is likely that all the major bodies of saltwater are included in this judgment.
Desolation in the fresh water (vv. 10–11). God’s wrath next reaches inland and touches the rivers and fountains of water (wells and sources of the rivers), making the fresh water taste bitter like wormwood. The National Geographic Society lists about 100 principal rivers in the world, ranging in length from the Amazon (4,000 miles long) to the Rio de la Plata (150 miles long). The U.S. Geological Survey reports thirty large rivers in the United States, beginning with the mighty Mississippi (3,710 miles long). One third of these rivers, and their sources, will become so bitterly polluted that drinking their water could produce death.
God has His stars numbered and named.
9 who made the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the chambers of the south;
10 who does great things beyond searching out, and marvelous things beyond number.
It is likely that this fallen star is molten and that, as it nears the earth, it begins to disintegrate and fall into the various bodies of water. If a star actually struck the earth, our globe would be destroyed; so this star must “come apart” as it enters the atmosphere. Of course, this event is a divinely controlled judgment; therefore, we must not try to limit it by the known laws of science.
The word translated “wormwood” describes a plant Artemisia absinthium and gives us our English word absinthe, which is a popular liqueur in some countries of the world. The word means “undrinkable,” and is extremely bitter and in the Old Testament was synonymous with sorrow and great calamity. Jeremiah, “the Weeping Prophet,” often used it , and so did Amos , “those who turn justice into wormwood,” nasb). Moses warned that idolatry would bring sorrow to Israel, like a root producing wormwood. Solomon warned that immorality might seem pleasant, but in the end, it produces bitterness like wormwood.
If the people who drink from these waters are in danger of dying, what must happen to the fish and other creatures that live in these waters? And what would happen to the vegetation near these rivers? If the ecologists are worried about the deadly consequences of water pollution today, what will they think when the third trumpet blows?
There is no direct parallel here to any of the plagues of Egypt. However, after the Exodus, Israel encountered bitter waters at Marah (which means “bitter”) and Moses had to purify the water supply. But no supernatural purification will be available during the Tribulation.
Desolation in the heavens (vv. 12–13). The judgments from the first three trumpets affected only a third part of the land and waters, but this fourth judgment affects the entire world. Why? Because it gets to the very source of the earth’s life and energy, the sun. With one third less sunlight on the earth, there will be one third less energy available to support the life systems of man and nature.
This judgment parallels the ninth plague in Egypt, which lasted three days.
21 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt.”
22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was pitch darkness in all the land of Egypt three days.
23 They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, but all the people of Israel had light where they lived.
Exodus “The Day of the Lord is darkness, and not light” (Amos 5:18). Think of the vast changes in temperatures that will occur and how these will affect human health and food growth.
It is possible that this particular judgment is temporary, for the fourth bowl judgment will reverse it, and the sun’s power will be intensified (Rev. 16:8–9). Then, at the close of the Tribulation, the sun and moon will be darkened again to announce the Savior’s return (Matt. 24:29–30; see also Luke 21:25–28).
“Blow ye the trumpet in Zion,” said the Prophet Joel, “for the Day of the Lord cometh … a day of darkness and of gloominess” (Joel 2:1–2). Darkness, indeed! Not only will nature suffer loss, but human nature will take advantage of the long darkness and no doubt indulge in crime and wickedness. “Everyone that doeth evil hateth the light” (John 3:20).
At this point, a remarkable messenger will appear in the sky, proclaiming woe to the earth’s inhabitants. Most manuscripts have “eagle” here instead of “angel,” but either one would certainly get people’s attention! Could this be the eagle-like living creature that John saw worshiping before the throne? (Rev. 4:7–8) Will God send it on this special mission? We cannot say for sure, but it is a possibility.
The three “woes” in Revelation 8:13 refer to the judgments yet to come when the remaining three angels blow their trumpets. It is as though the messenger cried, “If you think this has been terrible, just wait! The worst is yet to come!”
The phrase “inhabiters of the earth” (or “them that dwell on the earth”) is found twelve times in Revelation (3:10; 6:10; 8:13; 11:10 [twice]; 12:12; 13:8, 12, 14; 14:6; 17:2, 8). It means much more than “people who live on the earth,” for that is where all living people reside. Instead, it refers to a kind of people: those who live for the earth and the things of the earth. These are just the opposite of people who have their citizenship in heaven (Phil. 3:18–21). John described this worldly sort well in his first epistle (1 John 2:15–17), and later in this prophecy he again makes it clear that “earth-dwellers” are not born again (Rev. 13:8).
At the beginning of human history, heaven and earth were united because our first parents honored God and obeyed His will. Satan tempted them to focus on the earth; they disobeyed God; and ever since, a great gulf has been fixed between heaven and earth. This chasm was bridged when the Son of God came to earth and died for the sins of the world.