The Great Tribulation - Part 2

The SIGNS that we are living in the end times are all around us. We are living in some dark days, but those who will go through the Tribulation will live in some darker days. I mentioned in Part One of the Great Tribulation that the Tribulation period is broken up into three very precise parts. They are: I. The Seven Seal Judgments – Revelation 6:1-8:7 1. Deception – The Antichrist – Revelation 6:1-2 2. War – Possibly nuclear – Revelation 6:3-4 3. Famine – Food shortages – Revelation 6:5-6 4. Death – 4 different ways to die – Revelation 6:7-8 5. Martyrdom – For turning to Jesus Christ for salvation – Revelation 6:9-11 6. Earthly and Cosmic disturbances – Earthquake to sun and moon and stars be affected – revelation 6:12-17 7. Seal 7 – Prelude to the Seven Trumpet Judgments – Revelation 8:1-6 II. The Seven Trumpet Judgments – Revelation 8:7-11:19 III. The Seven Bowl Judgments – Revelation 16:1-21 As we come to Part Two of The Great Tribulation, we want to see the events that will transpire during the Seven Trumpet Judgments? As we shall discover events surrounding the Tribulation will go from bad, to worse. The Seven Trumpet Judgments – Revelation 8:7-11:19 The word “trumpet” is used 114 times in the Bible. I remind you that in the Bible when you read about the trumpet that it was used for three reasons: 1. To call people to worship. 2. To call people to battle. 3. To alert people of pending judgment (as used here in our text). Now, let’s look at the Seven Trumpet Judgments: · First Trumpet Sounds – Revelation 8:7 The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up. As this angel blows his trumpet, we see the judgment that comes upon the face of the earth. A mighty storm begins to roll over the earth. Various authors have pointed out that several of these trumpet judgments are repeats of the ten plagues that came upon Egypt. This first trumpet judgment is an example. We read that the judgment will be hail and fire mingled with blood. In Exodus 9:22-26, we read that the 7th plague that God through Moses brought upon all of Egypt was hail and fire mingled with blood. Dr. Tony Evans writes, “This judgment depicts a firestorm that dwarfs even the most gigantic contemporary wildfires.” Dealing with the 7th plague upon Egypt, W.A. Criswell writes, “Some scholars have thought that the hail itself burned with fire; others have suggested falling meteors. This was more probably literal hail poured forth in excessive quantity accompanied by much lightning, which may have produced fires.” The hail and fire were thrown to the earth. As it pounded the earth no doubt it also pounded mankind. This is what I believe is meant when it says, “mingled with blood.” Also notice that a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. A third of the earth’s vegetation was struck. · Second Trumpet Sounds – Revelation 8:8-9 Then 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 living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. As the second trumpet blows something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea. Note that the sea becomes the theatre of destruction. We read, And something like a great mountain burning with fire…

I believe what we are looking at here must be volcanic activity.

Dante’s Peak

In 1997 Wallace, Idaho became the center attraction for a movie called Dante’s Peak. The film was about a volcanologist who was sent to a small rural town because of some recent seismographic activity. As he does some preliminary research, he is convinced that the town is in danger. He is convinced that Dante’s Peak was a living volcano. He encourages the mayor to hold a city council meeting. During the meeting they discuss the possible dangers that the mountain presents, as well as a plan to evacuate. Halfway through the meeting the director himself (the head boss) shows up, and he plays down the potential threat of an active volcano. The city council accepts his recommendation of wait and see and leave in a fuss that the mayor called for such a meeting. Pierce Brosnan, the main character is told to leave and go on a vacation. He disobeys and stays around; he is sure that something is going to happen. The longer he is in town, the more evidence he collects that something big is going to occur. In the movie sulfur leaks into the well that provides water to the town; the water is turned blood red. Once the mountain does erupt a chemical reaction occurs and a freshwater lake, (Mirror Lake) becomes an acid lake, killing fish, eating through metal, and destroying anything on or in the lake.

The Pacific Northwest

Can you imagine what would occur here in the Pacific Northwest if just one of the nine major mountains were to become active:

1. Rainier – 14,409’

2. Mount Hood – 11,250

3. Shasta – 14,180’

4. Lassen – 10,463’

5. South Sister – 10,358’

6. Glacier Peak – 10,541’

7. Mount Baker – 10,781’

8. Mount Adams – 12,2080’

9. Mount Saint Helens – 8,366’

What if just one mountain erupted, and minerals were carried into the sea along molten lava. Just think of the destruction it would leave in its wake. I am not a scientist, but I would think that the chemical reactions would have the potential to turn the sea blood red.

Mount Saint Helen’s

I remember the May 18, 1980, eruption of Mount Saint Helen's and all the mud and debris that flowed into the mighty Columbia. The river appeared blood red. The red clay itself caused the water to turn blood red.

We notice in verse 9, that a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and that a third of the ships in the sea were destroyed.

Once again allow me to draw upon what happened when Mount Saint Helen’s erupted in 1980. Beautiful Spirit Lake, Washington was destroyed. All the fish died. Can you imagine if a series of mountains became active, and the earth's tectonic plate moved, and a large portion of the landmass slid into the sea (something like a great mountain). It would not only kill a third of the living creatures, but it would create a tidal wave so large that it would destroy a third of the ships on the sea.

Are you aware that something like 90,000 commercial ships crisscross the oceans of the world? If a third of them were destroyed, that would be 30,000. Ships are used to transport everything we use in our day-to-day lives. Can you imagine what affect this would have on the supply issue?

· Third Trumpet Sounds – Revelation 8:10-11

Then 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 water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.

As this third angel sounded, we read that a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch. I believe that we are reading about a meteorite falling into the earth’s atmosphere. As it enters our orbit and begins to burn it breaks up into smaller pieces. It falls upon a third of the rivers and springs of the earth.

We read that the name of this star (meteorite) is Wormwood. The very name wormwood means, bitter (see Jeremiah 9:15; 23:15; Lamentations 3:15,19).

Fresh water become contaminated, useless. Water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink!

Can you imagine being so thirsty, but are unable to drink from the fresh water ways because they have been poisoned?

· Fourth Trumpet Sounds – Revelation 8:12-13

Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night. And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”

We come to the fourth trumpet blast. As we read this verse, we observe that a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars were darkened. That is a third of these illuminant bodies did not give forth light. We also read that a third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night.

A third of the sun, moon, and stars will be struck, so that they become darkened (a third of the day will not shine).

I want to draw your attention to Revelation 8:13,

And I look, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”

One woe is not good.

Two woes are very bad.

Three woes are horrific.

· Fifth Trumpet Sounds – Revelation 9:1-12

Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them. The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle. They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months. And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon. One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things.

Another star will fall from heaven. Bible teachers believe that this star is Satan (See Isaiah 14:12). Note that a key is given to him to open the bottomless pit. This pit is the abode of demons (See Luke 8:31), and when he opens the bottomless pit smoke ascends out from the pit, and the air becomes dark. And out of the smoke locusts will come forth. These locusts will not harm the earth, but only those who do not have the seal of God upon them. They will not be allowed to kill people, but for five months they will torture them with stings like a scorpion. It will be so painful that people will wish death upon themselves. A description is provided for what the locusts look like. I’ll not go into detail here, but I believe what we are reading about are hideous demon creatures who leader is Satan himself.

Look with me at Revelation 9:12,

One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things.

· Sixth Trumpet – Revelation 9:13-21

Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind. Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed—by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths. For their power is in their mouth and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them they do harm. But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

Four angels will be released who are bound at the great river Euphrates. These four angels had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, when they are released, they will kill a third of mankind (they will die from plagues).

You would think that this Great Tribulation would bring people to repentance, but it doesn’t. Man continues to harden his heart against God, and he continues to worship demons. Man will not repent of his murders, sorceries, or sexual immorality.

Revelation 11:14 reads,

The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.

Like I have been saying, things will go from bad to very worse very quickly.

· Seventh Trumpet Sounds – Revelation 11:15-19

Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying: “We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned. The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, And the time of the dead, that they should be judged, And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, And those who fear Your name, small and great, And should destroy those who destroy the earth.” Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.

The kingdom of God and worship of God will be presented.

Look at Revelation 11:15,

Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”

The twenty-four elders in heaven that represent both Jews and Gentiles (12 tribes of Israel and the 12 Apostles) fall on their faces, and they worship God. This is the ultimate purpose of the Tribulation.

In these verses we see into heaven and into the temple of God in heaven.

So, this concludes the Trumpet Judgments. We have seen that the Seal Judgments were bad, and that the Trumpet Judgements very bad, and we are going to discover that the Bowl Judgments will be very, very bad.

It will be a very dark time during the Great Tribulation.

Conclusion: Those of us who are alive today are living in the Signs of the End Times, but those living during the Great Tribulation will be living in the Seven Seal Judgments and living in the Seven Trumpet Judgments. We believe that what we are living in today is bad, but it is not as bad as what those who go through the Great Tribulation will be living in. We are living in the SIGNS of the End, but they will be living in the End Times. They will be terrible days!

Dr. David Jeremiah wrote a book with the title: Escape the Coming Night. Well, the Great Tribulation will be a Coming Night – it will be a very, very Dark Night, a very awful night. And get this, you can escape it. How, you ask?

By making sure that you have a relationship with God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Do you KNOW Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord?

1. Admit that you are a sinner in need of a Savior.

2. Believe that Jesus Christ died in your place, took your sins upon Himself.

3. Call upon Him to save you. “Whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

Can I also remind us that we have everything we need to help others to avoid the Great Tribulation? Yes, we the information that people need to avoid the Road to the Tribulation. Will we share the Good News with family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors? I trust we will.