Many people think that the seven trumpets must sound during the final seven years, but there is absolutely no proof of that in the bible. I believe we are on the brink of the sixth trumpet, and I’ll explain why in this chapter.
What are the seven
trumpets?
I encourage you to read Revelation 8 through 11 at this point. Each of the seven trumpets is an event or series of events that will take place.
One thing we have to remember; John was shown these in visions and he wrote what he saw, but he had never in his life seen a mushroom cloud from a nuclear bomb, a helicopter, high caliber guns firing from tanks or attack vehicles or ships, scorch earth weapons dropped from airplanes, or anything remotely like the weapons and technology we have today. He’d never even heard of these things. He knew oxen and fishing and chariots pulled with armored horses, swords, etc. So we’ll try to follow what he saw with an eye for what we know today. Have you ever been in an art class where they had you try to explain a picture or an object in words only, and then someone else tried to draw what you wrote or said? If you have, you know what I’m saying. If not, let’s just say that it’s very, very difficult to get the real picture painted using only words. There’s some strange language used in Revelation and it’s difficult to get a true picture, but I think you’ll agree that there’s just too much coincidence for it to be coincidence. Take a look…
The first trumpet
Rev 8:7 The first
angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they
were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all
green grass was burnt up.
There’s not a lot to go on with this short picture. There’s a high likelihood that this is either World War 1 or another war or something that happened that we don’t know about. What does make sense about WW1 is that they had a “scorched earth” policy where they would drop napalm and burn everything up. 8.3 million people were killed in this war. More than any war ever, in the previous history of man. A significant event I would say.
The second trumpet
Rev 8:8 And the
second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast
into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; 9 And the third part
of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part
of the ships were destroyed.
Have you ever seen a mushroom cloud from a nuclear bomb? Kind of looks like a burning mountain? Hiroshima, Japan was nuked by the US at the end of WW2. Japan is an island out in the sea, so the mountain would appear to be burning out in the middle of the ocean. Nobody has any idea how many sea creatures were killed from that explosion and the resulting radiation, but the really interesting part about this trumpet is, “the third part of the ships were destroyed.” In World War 2, there was a total of 105,127 ships used in the war. 36,387 were destroyed. That is incredibly close to exactly one third. 52 million people were killed in this war.
The third trumpet
Rev 8:10 And the
third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were
a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of
waters; 11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of
the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were
made bitter.
If you research the name Wormwood in the Russian or Ukraine language, you’ll find that Wormwood actually means Chernobyl, and if you read verse 11 in Ukrainian, you’d read, “And the name of the star is called Chernobyl.” There was a nuclear reactor in Russia called Chernobyl that blew up in 1986. I would bet that most of us remember either hearing or reading about it. The first explosion blew the 2 million pound lid off the reactor, and the second explosion sent nuclear radiation up one mile into the atmosphere. It burned in a full nuclear fire for the next three weeks. If you were looking at that fire from a couple miles away, would it look a little like a big lamp? 10 times as much radiation was released as the Hiroshima bombing. It rained incessantly for 5 days. The radiation cloud moved across Sweden, Italy, Germany, Great Britain and even in a very diluted form all the way to the east coast of America. It’s estimated that 125,000 people have died due to that accident, but the most deadly thing about this was that it rained so hard that the water flowed into the rivers and the water was contaminated all the way into Europe. They estimate that 2 million are infected by the radiation but they don’t even really know how many were affected by this and how many diseases and deaths occurred because of it, much less how it’s affecting the next generation. The main theme in this prophecy is the waters. Many men died of the waters because they were made bitter.
The fourth trumpet
Rev 8:12 And the
fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third
part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them
was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night
likewise.
There’s another place in the bible where Jesus talks about this same prophecy.
Matt 24:22 And except
those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the
elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
Is it the number of days or the length of the days that is shortened?
Since a third part of the sun and moon and stars were darkened and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise, it must mean that somehow the whole day is shorter, including the night. It can’t mean that the number of days is shortened because there are very specific timetables (number of days, number of months) about the end times mentioned in the bible and that cannot change or God’s Word would be wrong, which we know it is not! So, God can’t change the number of days since He already told us the numbers of days, this means that somehow time is shortened. God has somehow speeded everything up. One possible explanation for this is Einstein’s theory of relativity. But that may be reaching. There is no real explanation for this prophecy except conjecture, and I haven’t heard any good ideas beyond what I’ve already written.
The three woe’s
Rev 8:13 And I
beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a
loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other
voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!
The fifth, sixth and seventh trumpets are known in prophecy as the three woe’s.
The fifth trumpet
Rev 9:1 And the fifth
angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was
given the key of the bottomless pit. 2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and
there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun
and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit… 7 And the shapes
of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle… 9 And they had
breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was
as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. 10 And they had tails
like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails… 11 And they had a
king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the
Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
Saddam set 700 oil wells in Kuwait on fire during the Gulf war. Because of the smoke from those fires the sky was dark for 3 months. Even at noon the sun was not visible.
The shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared for battle, they had breastplates of iron and they sounded like many chariots running to battle, and there were stings in their tails. Sounds just like a military helicopter to me.
Abaddon and Apollyon both mean, “destroyer”. Saddam’s mother had difficulties with her pregnancy and her doctors recommended an abortion. She suffered the whole pregnancy and named her baby Saddam, which means, “the destroyer”.
There are other things mentioned in this passage that I can’t explain (remember that John had no points of reference to describe what he saw) but the picture he drew for us fits the events of the Gulf war too much to be coincidence.
As I said above, it’s likely that the trumpets are “eras”. Each era precedes the other and each will lead into the other. In the days… when he shall begin to sound…
Rev 10:7 But in the
days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound…
As of early 2006, we are very likely still in the fifth trumpet era. With the war in Iraq, and the mounting troubles with China, Iran, Syria and Palestinians, we are likely seeing the next trumpet era beginning now.
The sixth trumpet
Rev 9:13 And the
sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar
which is before God, 14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose
the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. 15 And the four
angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and
a year, for to slay the third part of men. 16 And the number of the army of the
horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.
The Euphrates river runs through Turkey, Syria, and mostly Iraq. The US happens to have over 150,000 troops stationed along the Euphrates river right now in Iraq and the situation in the Middle East is going red hot, with Israel and the Palestinians, and Iran enriching uranium which everyone knows is to build a bomb to make their wish of blowing Israel off the map come true. China boasts an army of over 200 million. This is the first time in the history of man that this has even been a possibility. China buys millions and millions of barrels of oil from Iran, and both Russia and China are sympathetic with Iran. Today, in early 2006, things look quite like a war could start very soon that could kill one third of mankind. The world currently holds about 6 billion people. To kill 2 billion people most likely means nuclear war and will likely involve the United States. I say this because the US has the firepower for that magnitude of destruction, and because there are only about 300 million in the US so it’s likely China and other countries will take the brunt of the destruction. China has a population of 1.3 billion, and India (just south of China) has another billion. China is also a little touchy about the Taiwan issue. If you’ve been reading the news, you might remember Chinese officials saying that, “American leaders care more about Los Angeles than they do about Taiwan”, and “China would sacrifice millions of men and entire cities to ensure unity”, and said that the US would not make comparable sacrifices. Chinese officials have also said that they would not hesitate to use nuclear technology against the US if necessary. No one can say for sure how the war will start or what will happen, but it sure looks like we’re right on the brink of this trumpet.
What better way for the Antichrist to come to power than when the world wakes up to 2 billion dead? The world will be clamoring for disarmament, world unity and peace. The Antichrist will use peace as a weapon to gain his power. This is discussed later in this book.
Revelation 10 and 11 describe events that happen between the 6th and the 7th trumpets. John eats a little book, and measures the temple, and then we have the account of the two witnesses which lasts 1260 days (3 ½ years). After those events happen, then the 7th trumpet sounds. This means that the temple will be standing on the temple mount in Jerusalem prior to the final 3 ½ year period (we also know the temple will be rebuilt before this time because the Abomination of Desolation will take place at the half way point of the final seven years, discussed later in this book) and indicates that the 6th trumpet will probably sound sometime in the first half of the final seven year period. The 6th trumpet could sound sometime before the final seven years, but it will definitely sound before the last 3 ½ years. It is likely that each trumpet is a prophetic era, or period of time in which these events will unfold.
The seventh trumpet
Rev 11:14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. 15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. 16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, 17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. 18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. 19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
This is the second coming of Jesus Christ! This trumpet brings the battle of Armageddon where Israel is saved by God, the rapture, the destruction of the Antichrist and the false prophet, and the binding of Satan for 1000 years. This Trumpet, the sixth Seal and all of the Vials bring the Wrath of God down on the earth. Jesus will wipe out the armies coming down against Israel at Armageddon and there will be an earthquake that is felt around the world, plagues and many terrible things because of mankind’s denial of God. Fortunately God’s people will not have to endure this wrath as we will be taken up at the sound of the Trumpet before God’s wrath is poured out on the earth. And then it ushers in the millennium reign of Christ and the end of worldly governments. Imagine a world ruled by a loving King such as Jesus Christ for 1000 years, with no wars or strife at all. Wow.