Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Scripture

Outline

Revelation 1 - Introduction

Revelation 1:1-3 - Prologue & Benediction

Revelation 1:4-8 - Epistolary Introduction

Revelation 1:9-20 - A Vision of the Son of Man

Revelation 2-3 - The Seven Churches

Revelation 2:1-7 - The Letter to Ephesus

Revelation 2:8-11 - The Letter to Smyrna

Revelation 2:12-17 - The Letter to Pergamum

Revelation 2:18-29 - The Letter to Thyatira

Revelation 3:1-6 - The Letter to Sardis

Revelation 3:7-13 - The Letter to Philadelphia

Revelation 3:14-22 - The Letter to Laodicea

Revelation 4-5 - The Throne Room

Revelation 4:1-11 - A Vision of the Throne Room

Revelation 5:1-14 - The Lamb is Worthy

Revelation 6-8:1 - The Seven Seals

Revelation 6:1-8 - The First Four Seals

Revelation 6:9-17 - The Fifth and Sixth Seals

Revelation 7:1-17 - Who can Stand on the Day of the Lord?

Revelation 8:1-5 - Anticipation of Further Judgment

Revelation 8:6-11:19 - The Seven Trumpets

Revelation 8:6-13 - The First Four Trumpets

Purpose of Book

The purpose of Revelation is to challenge/encourage believers, who are expectantly awaiting the reign of Christ, to live faithfully for Him despite worldly circumstances, persecution, and the cosmic battle between God and Satan.

Main Point

The silence of the seventh seal, after the Day of the Lord, fills the throne room and leads to the seven trumpets where God challenges all to follow Him

Revelation 8:1-5 - Anticipation of Further Judgment

***Eschatological vs. Chronological***

***Retelling the same story***

When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

Lamb opened the seventh seal

The scroll from Revelation 5 has been entirely opened

What was on the scroll?

The scroll has the comprehensive account of the judgment Jesus will issue upon the earth as well as the blessing of those who are in Christ

Silence in heaven for about half an hour

In the OT there was silence before God enacted judgment

In this instance God is about to bring judgment to the Babylon

From His holy dwelling/temple, the Lord issues judgment against the wicked/ungodly

Yahweh will destroy the Egyptians

The unsettling calm before the storm that is meant to build anticipation

Silence before creation was a common belief

And also after the final judgment

Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.

Seven angels who stand before God

Book of Enoch - Seven archangels

This is not the last time we will see 7 angels standing before God

They are God’s servants who will put into motion God’s judgments

Seven trumpets were given to them

Trumpets are a symbol of advancing war, warnings, eschatological judgment

They represent both judgment and salvation

Joshua 6 - The Fall of Jericho

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, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel.

***These verses seem out of place***

***These verses provide the reason WHY the destruction is coming***

Another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer

Incense altar from Exo 30 offering

Altar in Revelation signifies God judgment

Martyrs in 5th Seal

Given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne

The prayers are the incense and they are an offering accepted by God

Smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel

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.

Angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth

Imagery, not literal

Reveals that God’s divine wrath comes upon the wicked

The judgments from God come as a direct result of the prayers of the saints - God’s justice is upon the earth, the Day of the Lord will come, and new creation will be realized

There were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake

Back to Mount Sinai

Revelation uses language of thunderstorms and earthquakes as final judgment from God

AND WHERE JUDGMENT ORIGINATES

The presence of God and the judgment of God has arrived

Revelation 8:6-13 - The First Four Trumpets

Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them.

The seven angels standing before God prepare the unleash God’s divine wrath upon the earth

This is in response to the martyrs pleading with God for His justice

We are going to notice plague imagery - God is liberating His people!

It is also a call to repentance for those who have aligned themselves with the city of Babylon

The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and these were thrown upon the earth.

Hail and fire

Mixed with blood

Greco-Roman/Jewish writings understood blood raining from Heaven as an act of war

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.

Trees and green grass would be devastating to both humanity and livestock

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.

Like a great mountain

Comet/meteor

Volcano

Whatever it is, divine cosmic judgment is the focus

Sea became blood

A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

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.

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.

Wormwood

In context, Jeremiah is prophesying that God’s judgment will be thorough against false prophets and all of Judah

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.