June 25, 2023

REVELATION 8-11: THE SEVEN TRUMPETS: CHAOS UNDER CONTROL

June 25, 2023

Charles Billingsley

How is the Revelation study coming along for you—are you learning things you did not know? Are you feeling a total sense of security that God is very conscientious in reminding us that all the turmoil, furor, and devastation will only happen because He is allowing it to? Today we begin with the seventh seal (we looked at the first six last week), which contains the seven trumpet judgments.

Focal Passage: Revelation 8:1-11:19

THE FIRST FOUR TRUMPETS:                                                                                                                             

The First Trumpet—Weather

• Read Revelation 8:1. What is so special about a half-an-hour’s silence in heaven? Turn back to chapters 4, 5 and 6; what are some of the things going on in the Throne Room? Why would there be silence after the jubilant sounds of praise and worship? Could this be the calm before the chaos? What other disturbances have a quiet before the storm?
• Read Rev. 8:2-6. In verses 2 and 3, who did the angels receive the trumpets and the incense from? What did those who held the seven trumpets do (vs 6)? Read verse 7. What happened when the angel blew his trumpet? Think of the smoke over us from the Canadian wildfires this past week; what would these plagues do to life on the earth?

The Second Trumpet—Water

• Read verses 8-9. What is like “a mountain burning with fire”? What happened?
• How many people died? What about people drinking, as well as the smell?

The Third Trumpet—Wormwood

• Read verses 10-11. What falls from heaven? Where did it fall? What happened?
• How many people died? What is particular to the plant called “Wormwood”? Is this it?

The Fourth Trumpet—Worlds

• Read verse 12. What happens on the earth? What would be the result of the catastrophe of the celestial world being darkened? How would that affect our temperatures? Was this demonic activity?
• Read Isa. 13:9-10 and Joel 2:10-11. By the time of Rev. 8:12, God has declared this at least three times! Have any of God’s promises not come to pass? Do you believe this?

The “Woes” of the last three Trumpets:

 The Fifth Trumpet—Wicked Warriors—The First Woe

• Read Rev. 8:13. What seems to be the demeanor of the angel who is announcing the last three trumpets?
• Read Rev. 9:1-2a. Who is this star that has fallen from heaven to earth? How did he get the key to the bottomless pit? Who gave him the key? What came out of the pit?
• Read verses 2b-3. Why is this darkening of the sun and air not the same as in 8:12? Besides smoke, what else came out of the pit? How did they get their power?
• Read verses 4-6. What were their restrictions? Were they allowed to kill men? What were they allowed to do to men? How long? Who gave these commandments?
• Who was their king? Is this Satan?

The Sixth Trumpet—The Wreckage—The Second Woe

• Read 9:13-21. When the sixth angel sounded his trumpet, what was he told to do? Were the angels who were bound at the Euphrates good or bad? What had they been prepared for? (Verse 18) How many did they kill? By what means? Where did the fire, smoke and brimstone come from?
• (Verse 20) How did the rest of mankind react to the slaughter and killing?

The Word

• Read Rev. 10:1-4. What does John see in verses 1 and 2? When the angel cried out, rather than an echo, what is heard?
• Did John understand what the seven thunders said? Why did he not write it down?
• Read verses 5-7. What are the most important words in these verses?
• Read verse 11. What was John told in this verse? How has this prophecy been fulfilled?

Jonathan will cover The Witnesses, and the Seventh Trumpet next week.

Take aways:                                                                                                                                                              

God is, always has been, and always will be in complete control.                                                 

God loves you so much that He wants to keep you out of the tribulation.                                                                             Once you know Him—dive in to His word and truly get to know Him.                                                                                                           

When you do get to know Him, you will want to worship Him!

What about you?

We are studying real events that are in a real time frame from a God who exists and is in complete control of everything detail of life! He has been from everlasting and will be forever. We don’t get it. Our minds are finite, with time limits and delays, blessings and curses, happiness and trials. But the prophecies of Revelation are coming about quickly. In the past one hundred years, the Euphrates River has decreased by 60%: when it is dry, life here will be over. Even with all the death and destruction, people just like you—if you’re unsaved—are not going to repent. They will be angry at God. Don’t be stubborn like them. Turn to God while you can!

 

By Sandy Day

June 25, 2023